The Beginnings of Buddhist Art and Other Essays in Indian and Central-Asian Archaeology c9.148

c9.148

¹ We believe, in fact, after careful reading, that the *mahâ-caitya* of Çrâvastî, marking the locality of Buddha's victory over the other chiefs of sects, was the temple (*vihâra*), 60 or 70 feet high, which Fa-hien and Hiuan-tsang both saw and mentioned at the west (that is to say, at the right) of the road leading to the south of the town towards the Jetavana, about 60 or 70 (Chinese, therefore double) paces in front of the eastern gate of the park, opening from the same side upon the same road (trans. BEAL, I, p. XLVII, and II, p. 10; WATTERS, I, p. 393). It will be noticed that this situation corresponds fairly well with the indications of the texts (cf. above, p. 149, n. 2) : it seems that it is expedient to set aside in its favour the « preaching hall » built by Prasenajit, which was to be found in the centre of the town, and the *stûpa* next to that of Çâriputra, which is mentioned by Hiuan-tsang only. As regards the latter, Watters states that he did not know where to place the « tope » of the « great miracle » ; he forgets that the eight great *caityas* are not necessarily all *stûpas*; we know, for example, that that of the *Sambodhi* at Bodh-Gayâ is a temple, and the same is explicity told us by Fa-hien and Hiuan-tsang concerning the *Devâvatâra*.