On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c19.18

v2.c19.18

Our pilgrim next describes the stone with Buddha’s footprints. This stone, which is large in one part of the description and not large in another, was in a temple near the Relic Tope. The pilgrim informs us that when the Buddha was leaving Magadha, for the last time on his way north to Kuśinagara, he stood on this stone and turned round to take a farewell look at Magadha. He left his footprints on it, and these were still distinctly visible at the time of the pilgrim’s visit. The foot-prints, he says, were 18 inches long by 6 inches wide; on the right and left sides were wheels or disks; each of the ten toes had artistic venation; the lamination was distinct, and at times shed a bright light. When Asoka removed to Pāṭaliputra he had the Foot-prints Stone put under a cover, and as it was near the capital he was constant in paying it worship. Afterwards various princes tried to have the Stone carried to their countries, but it could not be removed. In recent times king Śaśāṅka having tried in vain to efface the footprints caused the Stone to be thrown into the Ganges, but it returned to its original place.