Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s10.t5.3

v1.c7.s10.t5.3

Indian Brahmana and a variety of related sacrificial rituals and procedures of ancient Brahmanism had been introduced to China long time ago together with Buddhism, thus Chinese people have a certain understanding of it. In many Chinese translated Buddhist scriptures and Buddhist classics written by Chinese eminent monks, there were related records as well. For example, in Sui Dynasty, the Chinese eminent monk, Ji Zang in his book *Illustration of Sata-sastra* described horse sacrifice, the most popular and largest ritual in ancient Brahmanism, “therefore set the horse sacrifice, choose a white horse, set it free for 100 days, or say three years, then trace its footprint, at the cost of gold, with all means to take the horse and kill it, while killing the horse they would sing: Vasu kills thee, the horses might go to heaven for its sacrifice.”