On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c19.83

v2.c19.83

The account here given of the Pre-bodhi (Prāgbodhi) mountain, and the P'usa's experiences on it, was probably derived from local legend. Our pilgrim evidently did not visit the mountain on his way from Pāṭaliputra to the Bodhi Tree. According to the Life he proceeded from the Tilacheka (Tiloshika) monastery southwards, and after a journey of above 100 *li* arrived at the Bodhi Tree; but this statement probably means no more than that from the monastery to the Tree was above 100 *li* in a straight line south. Yuan-chuang apparently went first to the city of Gayā, thence to the Gayā mountain, and from that eastwards to the Tree. So also Fa-hsien went from Gayā to the Bodhi Tree, but it is not easy to learn from his narrative the exact position of the Tree. Prāg-bodhi is evidently a Buddhist name of late origin, but the mountain is apparently the "isolated hill" of the Sarvata Vinaya. This work represents the P'usa as going to this hill with the intention of realising on it perfect enlightenment (bodhi); but the devas, as in Yuan-chuang's story, explained to him that the convulsions which had occurred indicated that this was not the proper place, and told him whither he should go. ¹