On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c12.s5: She-To-T'U-Lu
On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c12.s5
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She-To-T'U-Lu
v1.c12.s5.1
From Kuluto the pilgrim travelled south, over a high mountain and across a great river, for above 700 *li*, and reached the country called *She-to-t'u-lu*. This was above 2000 *li* in circuit, bounded on the west by a large river (supposed to be the Sutlej), and its capital was 17 or 18 *li* in circuit. It was an agricultural and fruit-producing country, and yielded much gold, silver, and other precious substances. The inhabitants were in good circumstances and led moral lives, observing social distinctione and adhering devoutly to Buddhism. In and about the capital were ten monasteries, but they were desolate, and the Brethren were very few. About three *li* to the south-east of the capital was an Asoka tope above 200 feet high, and beside it were traces of spots on which the Four Past Buddhas had sat and walked up and down.
v1.c12.s5.2
Nothing seems to be known of the country and city here described, and the suggestions for identification requiring some tampering with the text are not of much value¹. The restoration of the name as Śatadru has been generally accepted, but the transcription seems to require rather Śatadure, and this is perhaps better than Śatadru which is the name of a river (the Sutlej): the characters, however, may represent Śatadru.
v1.c12.s5.3
¹ See Julien III. p. 335: A. G. I. p. 144.