History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v1.c16.2.3

v1.c16.2.3

The city is described, "above twenty *li* in circuit, which was a thoroughfare and resting place for sea-going traders and strangers from distant lands. The city was naturally strong and it contained many rare commodities. Outside it were five monasteries close together, of lofty structure and with very artistic images." So far no Buddhist ruins have been discovered inside or in the neighbourhood of Puri. It is also strange that no mention is made of the shrine of Jagannātha which must have existed at this place in some form, because the present temple was built by Anantavarman Choḍagaṅga at the close of the 11th century A. D. No mention has been made also of the Jain temples and relics at Puri, numerous specimens of which are known to exist in the neighbourhood. Several Jain images were found by the present writer in the walls of the *Jagamohana* of the present temple at Puri. The Chinese pilgrim then proceeds to state that the island of Ceylon was 3,330 miles distant and that from *Charitra* on calm nights it was possible to see the brilliant light from the pearl on the top of the *stūpa* over Buddha’s Tooth in that country. Watters notes that in the life of Yuan Chwang it is stated that the Buddhists of Orissa were all Hīnayānists. This statement of Hwui-li is most probably a mistake, because in the 8th century the king and many of the monks were Buddhists.