On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c18.s1.6

v2.c18.s1.6

Above 200 li east from the capital was the A-pi-t'ê-ka-la-na (restored by Julien as Aviddhakarṇa) Sanghārāma ("the monastery of the Brethren with unpierced ears"). This monastery had been built for the use of Buddhist pilgrims from Tokhāra, and the pilgrim tells the story which accounted for the name. Above 100 li south-east from this monastery, and on the south side of the Ganges, was the town of Mo-ha-sho-lo (that is, Mahāsāla or Mahāsāra); in it all the inhabitants were brahmins, and there were no Buddhists. Then to the north of the Ganges was a Nārāyaṇa Temple, with halls and terraces beautifully adorned, and with sculptured stone images in the highest style of art. Thirty li east from this was an Asoka tope half sunk in the ground, and in front of it was a stone pillar surmounted by a lion. An inscription on the pillar told how the Buddha here subdued and converted certain cannibal demons of the wilderness. Not far from this place were several Buddhist monasteries which were all in a bad condition, but still contained a number of Brethren, all Mahāyānists.