大唐西域記 2.20: NA-KIE-LO-HO [NAGARAHARA].

Si-yu-ki: Buddhist Records of the Western World 2.20

Language: English

NA-KIE-LO-HO [NAGARAHARA].

2.20.1

The country of Nagarahāra (Na-kie-lo-ho) is about 600 li from east to west, and 250 or 260 li from north to south. It is surrounded on four sides by overhanging precipices and natural barriers. The capital is 20 li or so in circuit. It has no chief ruler; the commandant and his subordinates come from Kapiśa. The country is rich in cereals, and produces a great quantity of flowers and fruits. The climate is moist and warm. Their manners are simple and honest, their disposition ardent and courageous. They think lightly of wealth and love learning. They cultivate the religion of Buddha, and few believe in other doctrines. The sanghārāmas are many, but yet the priests are few; the stūpas are desolate and ruined. There are five Deva temples, with about one hundred worshippers. Three li to the east of the city there is a stūpa in height about 300 feet, which was built by Asōka-rāja. It is wonderfully constructed of stone beautifully adorned and carved. Sākya, when a Bodhisattva, here met Dīpaṅkara Buddha (Jen-tang-fo), and spreading out his deerskin doublet, and unbinding his hair and covering with it the muddy road, received a predictive assurance. Though the passed kalpa brought the overthrow of the world, the trace of this event was not destroyed; on religious (fast) days the sky rains down all sorts of flowers, which excite a religious frame of mind in the people, who also offer up religious offerings.

2.20.2

To the west of this place is a Kia-lan (saṅghārāma) with a few priests. To the south is a small stūpa: this was the place where, in old time, Bodhisattva covered the mud (with his hair). Asōka-rāja built (this stūpa) away from the road. Within the city is the ruined foundation of a great stūpa. Tradition says that it once contained a tooth of Buddha, and that it was high and of great magnificence. Now it has no tooth, but only the ancient foundations remain. By its side is a stūpa 30 feet or so in height; the old stories of the place know nothing of the origin of this fabric; they say only that it fell from heaven and placed itself here. Being no work of man's art, it is clearly a spiritual prodigy. To the south-west of the city about 10 li is a [stûpa]. Here Tathâgata, when living in the world, alighted, having left Mid-India and passed through the air for the sake of converting men. The people, moved by reverence, erected this building. Not far to the east is a stûpa ; it was here Bodhisattva met Dîpankara Buddha and bought the flowers. About 20 li to the south-west of the city we come to a small stone ridge, where there is a sanghârâma with a high hall and a storied tower made of piled-up stone. It is now silent and deserted, with no priests. In the middle is a stûpa 200 feet or so in height, built by Asôka-râja.

2.20.3

To the south-west of this sanghârâma a deep torrent rushes from a high point of the hill and scatters its waters in leaping cascades. The mountain sides are like walls ; on the eastern side of one is a great cavern, deep and profound, the abode of the Nâga Gôpâla. The gate (or entrance) leading to it is narrow ; the cavern is dark ; the precipitous rock causes the water to find its way in various rivulets into this cavern. In old days there was a shadow of Buddha to be seen here, bright as the true form, with all its characteristic marks. In later days men have not seen it so much. What does appear is only a feeble likeness. But whoever prays with fervent faith, he is mysteriously endowed, and he sees it clearly before him, though not for long.

2.20.4

In old times, when Tathâgata was in the world, this [dragon] was a shepherd who provided the king with milk and cream. Having on one occasion failed to do so, and having received a reprimand, he proceeded in an angry temper to the stûpa of "the predictive assurance," and there made an offering of flowers, with the prayer that he might become a destructive dragon for the purpose of afflicting the country and destroying the king. Then ascending the rocky side of the hill, he threw himself down and was killed. Forthwith he became a great dragon and occupied this cavern, and then he purposed to go forth and accomplish his original wicked purpose. When this intention had risen within him, Tathagata, having examined what was his object, was moved with pity for the country and the people about to be destroyed by the dragon. By his spiritual power he came from Mid-India to where the dragon was. The dragon seeing Tathagata, his murderous purpose was stayed, and he accepted the precept against killing, and vowed to defend the true law ; he requested Tathagata to occupy this cavern evermore, that his holy disciples might ever receive his (the dragon's) religious offerings.

2.20.5

Tathagata replied, "When I am about to die; I will leave you my shadow, and I will send five Arhats to receive from you continual offerings. When the true law is destroyed, this service of yours shall still go on ; if an evil heart rises in you, you must look at my shadow, and because of its power of love and virtue your evil purpose will be stopped. The Buddhas who will appear throughout this Bhadra-kalpa will all, from a motive of pity, intrust to you their shadows as a bequest." Outside the gate of the Cavern of the Shadow there are two square stones; on one is the impression of the foot of Tathagata, with a wheel-circle (lun-siang) beautifully clear, which shines with a brilliant light from time to time. On either side of the Cavern of the Shadow there are several stone chambers; in these the holy disciples of Tathagata reposed in meditation. At the north-west corner of the cave of the shadow is a stupa where Buddha walked up and down. Beside this is a stupa which contains some of the hair and the nail-parings of Tathagata. Not far from this is a stupa where Tathagata, making manifest the secret principles of his true doctrine, declared the Skandha-dhatu-ayatanas (Yun-kiai-king). At the west of the Cave of the Shadow is a vast rock, on which Tathagata in old time spread out his kashaya robe after washing it; the marks of the tissue still exist.

2.20.6

To the south-east of the city 30 li or so is the town of Hi-lo (Hidda); it is about 4 or 5 li in circuit; it is high in situation and strong by natural declivities. It has flowers and woods, and lakes whose waters are bright as a mirror. The people of this city are simple, honest, and upright. There is here a two-storied tower; the beams are painted and the columns coloured red. In the second storey is a little stūpa, made of the seven precious substances; it contains the skull-bone of Tathāgata; it is 1 foot 2 inches round; the hair orifices are distinct; its colour is a whitish-yellow. It is enclosed in a precious receptacle, which is placed in the middle of the stūpa. Those who wish to make lucky or unlucky presages (marks) make a paste of scented earth, and impress it on the skull-bone; then, according to their merit, is the impression made. Again there is another little stūpa, made of the seven precious substances, which encloses the skull-bone of Tathāgata. Its shape is like a lotus leaf; its colour is the same as that of the other, and it is also contained in a precious casket, sealed up and fastened.

2.20.7

Again, there is another little stūpa, made of the seven precious substances, in which is deposited the eyeball of Tathāgata, large as an Āmra fruit and bright and clear throughout; this also is deposited in a precious casket sealed up and fastened. The Saṅghāti robe of Tathāgata, which is made of fine cotton stuff of a yellow-red colour, is also enclosed in a precious box. Since many months and years have passed, it is a little damaged. The staff of Tathāgata, of which the rings are white iron (tin?) and the stick of sandalwood, is contained in a precious case (a case made of a precious substance). Lately, a king, hearing of these various articles that they formerly belonged to Tathāgata as his own private property, took them away by force to his own country and placed them in his palace. After a short time, going to look at them, they were gone; and after further inquiries he found they had returned to their original place. These five sacred objects (relics) often work miracles.

2.20.8

The king of Kapiśa has commanded five pure-conduct men (Brâhmans) to offer continually scents and flowers to these objects. These pure persons, observing the crowds who came to worship incessantly, wishing to devote themselves to quiet meditation, have established a scale of fixed charges, with a view to secure order, by means of that wealth which is so much esteemed by men. Their plan, in brief, is this : — All who wish to see the skull-bone of Tathâgata have to pay one gold piece ; those who wish to take an impression pay five pieces. The other objects in their several order, have a fixed price ; and yet, though the charges are heavy, the worshippers are numerous. To the north-west of the double-storied pavilion is a stûpa, not very high or large, but yet one which possesses many spiritual (miraculous) qualities. If men only touch it with a finger, it shakes and trembles to the foundation, and the bells and the jingles moving together give out a pleasant sound. Going south-east from this, crossing mountains and valleys for 500 li or so, we arrive at the kingdom of Kien-t'o-lo (Gandhâra).

Linked texts (1)

大唐西域記 — Xuanzang & 辯機, Classical Chinese