釋迦方志 2.22

2.22

Beside a great, deep pit north of the stupa is a stupa marking the place where Śrīgupta (meaning 'Glorious Protection') prepared a fire pit to harm the Buddha. Northeast of the pit, at a bend in the mountain city, there is a stupa at the dwelling of Jīvaka, the King of Physicians, who built a Dharma preaching hall for the Buddha; the surrounding walls, flowering fruit trees, and stumps are still preserved, and the Buddha often stayed within it. About fifteen li northeast of the palace city, one reaches Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa (meaning 'Vulture Peak' or 'Vulture Terrace', formerly Gṛdhrakūṭa); adjoining the southern slope of the northern mountain, it stands isolated at its crest, long from east to west and overlooking a cliff. Hanging to the west is a brick chamber of spacious, tall, and extraordinary construction, with its door opening to the east. The Buddha lived in the world for fifty years and frequently resided in this chamber to preach the Dharma; today, a life-sized image of the Buddha is made there. Formerly, in order to listen to the Dharma, King Bimbisāra crossed valleys and mounted cliffs from the base of the mountain to the summit, paving stones to create a road of steps, totaling six li in length and over ten paces wide. From the stone chamber at Yaṣṭivana to this place, the three flights of stone steps still survive. Beside the steps are two small stupas: one prompted the king to descend from his chariot, and the other barred ordinary people. On the long stone east of the vihāra above, the Buddha once walked and stepped. Beside it is a great stone fourteen or fifteen feet high and over thirty paces wide, which Devadatta hurled at the Buddha. The stupa beneath the southern cliff is the place where the Buddha preached the Lotus Sūtra.