On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c20.140

v2.c20.140

Our pilgrim's narrative goes on to state that a journey of 150 or 160 *li* north-east from the mountain of Indra's Cave brought him to the Kapota (or Kapotaka) Ka-lan or Pigeon Monastery. The Brethren of this establishment, over 200 in number, were disciples of the Sarvāstivādin school. To the north-east of the monastery was an Asoka tope, and the pilgrim tells the foolish unBuddhistic story which accounted for the name of the monastery. He goes on to state that two or three *li* south from the Pigeon Monastery was a tall isolated hill well wooded and abounding in flowers and streams; on the hill were numerous sacred buildings with miraculous powers and executed with consummate art. In the central temple was a small image of Kuan-tzŭ-tsai P'usa, majestic and grave, holding a lotus in one hand, and having an image of Buddha above his forehead. Devotees fasted seven or fourteen days, or even a month, in the earnest desire of seeing the P'usa, and those who came under his influence beheld him in all his grandeur emerge from the image and address to them comfort and counsel. This temple was erected by a king of Ceylon who one morning looking into his mirror saw, not himself, but this P'usa in a tāla wood on a small hill in Magadha; deeply affected the king made search and found the image here like the one in his mirror; so he erected this temple and established worship. Other princes followed his example and built temples by its side, and religious services with flowers and music have been kept up continuously. A journey of above 40 *li* south-east from this hill brought one to a monastery with above fifty Brethren all Hīnayānists, and near to this was a miracle-working tope. To the north-east of this monastery above 70 *li* and on the south side of the Ganges was a large populous town with elegant Deva-Temples; near the south-east side was a large tope where the Buddha had once preached. Going east from this, and passing for above 100 *li* over hill and through wood, the pilgrim reached the Lo-pan (or yin)-ni (or yi)-lo town. In front of the Monastery here was a large Asoka tope on the spot where the Buddha had preached for three months; north of this two or three *li* was a large tank above thirty *li* in circuit with lotus flowers of the four colours blooming in all seasons.