大唐西域記 8.65

8.65

菩提樹北門外摩訶菩提僧伽藍，其先僧伽羅國王之所建也。庭宇六院，觀閣三層，周堵垣牆高三四丈，極工人之妙，窮丹青之飾。至於佛像，鑄以金銀，凡厥莊嚴，廁以珍寶。諸窣堵波高廣妙飾，中有如來舍利，其骨舍利大如手指節。光潤鮮白皎徹中外。其肉舍利如大真珠，色帶紅縹。每歲至如來大神變月滿之日，出示眾（即印度十二月三十日，當此正月十五日也）。此時也，或放光，或雨花。僧徒減千人，習學大乘、上座部法，律儀清肅，戒行貞明。

Outside the northern gate of the wall of the Bodhi tree is the Mahābodhi saṅghārāma. It was built by a former king of Siṁhala (Ceylon.) This edifice has six halls, with towers of observation (temple towers) of three storeys; it is surrounded by a wall of defence thirty or forty feet high. The utmost skill of the artist has been employed; the ornamentation is in the richest colours (red and blue). The statue of Buddha is cast of gold and silver, decorated with gems and precious stones. The stūpas are high and large in proportion, and beautifully ornamented; they contain relics of Buddha. The bone relics are as great as the fingers of the hand, shining and smooth, of a pure white colour and translucent. The flesh relics are like the great true pearl, of a bluish-red tint. Every year on the day of the full moon of (the month when) Tathāgata displayed great spiritual changes, they take these relics out for public exhibition. On these occasions sometimes a bright light is diffused, sometimes it rains flowers. The priests of this convent are more than 1000 men; they study the Great Vehicle and belong to the Sthavira (Shang-tso-pu) school. They carefully observe the Dharma Vinaya, and their conduct is pure and correct.