On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c12.s3: Shê-Lan-Ta-Lo (Jālandhara)
On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c12.s3
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Shê-Lan-Ta-Lo (Jālandhara)
v1.c12.s3.1
From Tamasāvana a journey of about 140 *li* north-east brought the pilgrim to the *She-lan-ta-lo* (Jālandhara) country. This country was above 1000 *li* east to west and 800 *li* north to south, and its capital was twelve or thirten *li* in circuit. The region yielded much upland rice with other grain, trees were widely spread, and fruits and flowers abounded; the climate was warm; the people had truculent ways and a mean contemptible appearance, but they were in affluent circumstances. There were above 50 Monasteries with more than 2000 Brethren who made special studies in the Great and Little Vehicles. There were three Deva-Temples with more than 500 professed non-Buddhists of the Paśupata sect. A former king of this country had been a patron of non-Buddhistic systems; afterwards he met an arhat and learning Buddhism from him became a realous believer. Thereupon the king of “Mid-India” appreciating his sincere faith gave him sole control of matters relating to Buddhism in all India. In this capacity (as Protector of the Faith) the king of Jālandhara rewarded and punished the monks without distinction of persons and without private feeling. He also travelled through all India and erected topes or monasteries at all sacred places.
v1.c12.s3.2
The *She-lan-ta-lo* of this passage was long ago restored as Jālandhara, the name of a city and district in the north of the Panjab.¹ But it may be noted that the Life here and the Fang-chih have She-lan-ta-na as if for Jālandhana¹; in another passage the Life has She-lan-ta, and this is the form of the name used by I-ching². In the Sung pilgrim’s itinerary the name is given Tso-lan-t‘o-la (左蘭陀羅) that is, Jālandhana³.
v1.c12.s3.3
¹ A. G. I. p. 136.
v1.c12.s3.4
¹ Life ch. 5 and J. I. p. 260—1.
v1.c12.s3.5
² Hsi-yü-ch‘iu, ch. 1 and Chavannes Mémoires pp. 14, 15 and notes.
v1.c12.s3.6
³ Ma I. l., ch. 338.
v1.c12.s3.7
Of the 50 Monasteries here mentioned one was doubtless the Nagaradhana vihāra mentioned in the Life. In it Yuan-chuang found the learned Brother named Chandravarma with whom he spent four months studying the “Chung-shih-fên-vibhāshā”, or Commentary on the “Chung-shih-fên-Abhidharma-lun” already noticed.
v1.c12.s3.8
Our pilgrim, it will be noticed, represents the Brethren in this district as “making special studies in the Mahāyāna and Hinayāna”. His words are ta-hsiao-ērh-shêng-chuan-mên-hsi-hsio (大小二乘專門習學). These words are translated by Julien— “que l’étude particulière du grand et du petit Vehicule partage en deux classes distinctes”. This is a very unhappy rendering and the interpolation of the words “partage en deux classes distinctes” is unwarranted and spoils the author’s statement. What he wished us to understand was that the Brethren in the various Monasteries devoted themselves as they pleased to particular lines of study in the Mahāyānist and Hinayānist books.
v1.c12.s3.9
According to the Life our pilgrim revisited Jālandhara, and on that occasion was well treated by the king of “North-India” who had his seat of government in the city with this name. The king is called Wu-ti or Wu-ti-to (烏地多) restored as Udito. It was evidently the same king who treated courteously, and entertained hospitably, another Chinese pilgrim whose name was Hsüan-chao (玄照)⁴ whom we have met already.
v1.c12.s3.10
⁴ Hsi-yü-ch‘iu l. c.