On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c15.56

v1.c15.56

Near the "Raising-the girdle Tope", the pilgrim proceeds, was a well from which water had been drawn for the use of the Buddha. Close to it was an Asoka tope containing a relic of the Buddha, and there were in the vicinity, at places where he took exercise and preached, memorial topes at which there were miraculous manifestations with divine music and fragrance. At a short distance behind the Jetavana monastery was the place at which certain non-Buddhist Brahmachārins slew a harlot in order to bring reproach on the Buddha. These men, as Yuan-chuang's story goes, hired this harlot to attend the Buddha's discourses and thus become known to all. Then they secretly killed her and buried her body in the Park. Having done this they proceeded to appeal to the king for redress, and he ordered investigation to be made. When the body was discovered at the monastery the heretics exclaimed that the great Śramana Gautama, who was always talking of morality and gentleness, after having had illicit intercourse with the woman had murdered her to prevent her from talking. But thereupon the devas in the air cried out that this was a slander of the heretics.