On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c20.54

v2.c20.54

The pilgrim’s narrative proceeds. From the capital (li. e. the walled city of Old Rājagaha) he went north-east 14 or 15 *li* to the Gridhrakūṭa or Vulture Peak Mountain. This, he says, is continuous with the south side of the North Mountain, and rises to a great height, blending with the empyrean. Its summit is a perch for vultures, and is like a terrace. During the fifty years of his spiritual administration the Buddha lived much and taught his religion on this mountain. There is a road from the foot to the top, made by king Bimbisāra in order to reach the Buddha and hear him preach. The top is elongated from east to west, and narrow from north to south. Close to a cliff on the west side is a magnificent brick hall (*ching-shê*), opening to the east, in which the Buddha often preached. In it is a life-size image of the Buddha in the attitude of preaching. To the east of this hall is a large stone, an exercise-place of the Buddha, and at its side a rock, about fourteen feet high and above 30 paces in circumference, where Devadatta hurled a rock at the Buddha. South of this, and below the cliff, is a tope on the spot where the Buddha delivered the "Fa-hua-ching". To the south of the temple, and at the side of the cliff, is a large cave in which the Buddha once sat in samādhi. North-west from this is another cave, with a large flat stone, in front of which Māra as a vulture frightened Ānanda. Near the temple are caves in which Śāriputra and other arhats went into samādhi.