On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c17.s1.1

v2.c17.s1.1

"From this" (that is apparently, the neighbourhood of Śrāvastī) the pilgrim continued his journey, he tells us, and going south-east for above 500 *li* he came to the Kapilavastu country. This he describes as above 4000 *li* (about 800 miles) in circuit, and as containing more than ten deserted cities all in utter ruin. The "royal city", (that is, the district of the capital) Yuan-chuang adds, was such a complete waste its area could not be ascertained. But the solid brick foundations of the "Palace city", within the "Royal city", still remained, and were above fifteen *li* in circuit. As the district had been left desolate for a very long time it was very sparsely inhabited. The country was without a sovereign, each city having its own chief; the soil was fertile and farming operations were regular; the climate was temperate, and the people were genial in their ways. There were remains of above 1000 Buddhist monasteries; and near the "Palace city" was an existing monastery with above 30 (in the D text 3000) inmates, adherents of the Sammatiya School. There were two Deva-Temples, and the sectarians lived pell-mell.