On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c19.88

v2.c19.88

Julien’s translation here makes the pilgrim describe the enclosing wall as having a gate on the west side: this is probably due to his text having the *O* (扉) of the B edition instead of the *O* (阨) of the other editions. The former character is sometimes used in the sense of a door, and the latter character means a *barrier* or *obstruction*. The “fine grass” of this passage is *hsi-so* (細沙), the reading of the B text, but C and D have “fine sand”. Then instead of the *yuan* (緣) “to climb”, of the B and old Chinese texts, C and D have *lü* (綠) “green”. Thus the D text makes the pilgrim state that “fine sand and strange vegetation cover all with a green mantle”. The reading “fine sand” does not seem to suit the passage, but it is apparently in agreement with the account of the Vajra-seat in the next paragraph. There that sacred spot is described as being covered with sand earth. In this passage “India” is for the *Chan-pu-chou* or Jambudvīpa of the original, and the pilgrim may have used this term in a comprehensive way including India and the adjacent countries. As the space enclosed within the walls of the sacred place of the Bodhi Tree was not great, the topes and shrines erected as memorial structures must have been of small dimensions.