On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c17.s3.67

v2.c17.s3.67

In placing the tope of the cremation of Buddha to the north of Kuśinagara Yuan-chuang follows the Yu-hsing-ching but differs from nearly all the other authorities. According to the Pali and Tibetan texts and the "Ta-pan-nie-p'an-ching" the cremation occurred outside of the east gate of the city, while the "Pan-ni-huan-ching" and other texts describe it as taking place outside the west gate. The particular spot where it occurred was at the Malla's Makuṭa (or Makula)-bandhana-chaitya, in Csoma's translation from the Tibetan "the chaitya that has a head ornament tied on by the champions".¹ *Makuṭa-bandhana* means a diadem-band or turban, and the name of the spot is rendered in Chinese by *T'ien-kuan-chih-t'i* (天冠支提) the "Chaitya of the Deva (or Royal) tiara", and by *Chuang-shi-hi-kuan* (壯士繫冠) *chih-t'i*, the "Chaitya of the Mallas' diadem-binding. In some texts, however, we have the name transcribed *Chu-li-p'o-tan*, that is, the Chūli (for chūla or chūḍa)-bandhana with *tien* added, meaning the Shrine of Diadem-binding. We find also other names such as the *T'ien-kuan-ssŭ*, and *Pao-kuan-chih-t'i* or the "Diadem chaitya". One account places the scene of cremation at the temple of the god *U-ch'a* (區茶), perhaps for Ojas, outside the city on the west side.²