On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c10.s3.2

v1.c10.s3.2

The *Ta-cha-shi-lo* (Takshaśilā or Taxila) of this passage seems to be described by the pilgrim as adjacent to Gandhāra, but Fa-hsien makes Takshaśilā to be seven days' journey east from his Gandhāra.¹ These two travellers treat Takshaśilā as a district separate from Gandhāra, but in several of the Buddhist books it appears as a part or city of that country. Fa-hsien explains the name as meaning "cut off head" as if the second part of the word were śira. Another author translates it by sio-shih (削石) or "severed rock",¹ and another by ts'o-shih (磋石) or "chiseled rock;² it is rendered by "rock-cave",³ and interpreted as meaning "the Rock of the Takkas". The Pali form of the name is Takkasilā. In very old times, it is fabled, a city called Bhadraśilā was on the site afterwards occupied by Takshaśilā,⁴ and in modern times the latter has also had the name Mārikala.⁵ Baron Hügel thought that the site of the old city corresponded with that of the present Rawal-Pindi,⁶ but Cunningham places the site of Takshaśilā at the modern Shahdheri, a mile to the north-east of Kālaka-serai. There seems to be much in favour of Cunningham's identification which has been generally accepted.⁷ According to the statements in the Buddhist books Takshaśilā was at one time an important trading centre, and a great seat of learning specially famed for its medical teachers.⁸ It formed a part of Asoka's empire; and that sovereign, and after him his son, were viceroys appointed to reside at it before they succeeded to the throne.⁹