On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c21.s3: Pun-Na-Fa-Tan-Na
On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c21.s3
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Pun-Na-Fa-Tan-Na
v2.c21.s3.1
Our pilgrim's narrative proceeds to relate that from *Ka-chu-wu-khi-lo*, travelling east, he crossed the Ganges, and after a journey of above 600 *li* reached the *Pun-na-fa-tan-na* country. This country, he tells us, was above 4000 *li* in circuit, and its capital was more than thirty *li* in circuit. The country had a flourishing population. Tanks, hospices, and flowery groves alternated here and there; the land was low and moist, and crops were abundant. The Jack-fruit was plentiful but still held in esteem, and we have a description of the fruit. The climate of the country was genial; the people respected (in one text, liked) learning. There were twenty Buddhist Monasteries and above 3000 Brethren by whom the "Great and Little Vehicles" were followed; the Deva-Temples were 100 in number, and the followers of the various sects lived pell-mell, the Digambara Nirgranthas being very numerous. Twenty *li* to the west of the capital was a magnificent Buddhist establishment the name of which is given in some texts as *Po-shih-p'o* (跋始婆), while the D text of the Life has *Po-kih-p'o* (跋結婆) and the other texts have *Po-kih-sha*. In this monastery, which had spacious halls and tall storeyed chambers, were above 700 Brethren all Mahāyānists; it had also many distinguished monks from "East India". Near it was an Asoka tope at the place where Buddha had preached for three months; and near that were traces of the Four Buddhas having sat and walked up and down. Not far from this spot was a temple with an image of Kuan-tzŭ-tsai P'u-sa which gave supernatural exhibitions, and was consulted by people from far and near.
v2.c21.s3.2
The name of the country here described, *Pun-na-fa-tan-na*, has been restored as Puṇḍravardhana, but the word which Yuan-chuang heard and transcribed was evidently Puṇṇavaddhana or Puṇyavardhana. The country so called is apparently the Puṇḍavardhana of the Asokāvadāna in which Asoka put to death a great multitude of naked sectarians for doing despite to Buddhist worship.¹ In the Chinese translation the name is transcribed as *Fun-na-p'o-t'ê-na*, that is, Puṇṇavaddhana, but it is translated *Chêng-tsêng-chang* (正增長) that is, Puṇyavardhana, "Correct increase".² We also find mention of a town and wood called *Tsêng-chang*, but these were in Kosala.³ According to the T'ang-Shu Puṇṇavardhana was 1200 *li* south-west from Kāmarupa, and 400 *li* north-east from *Ka-chu-wu-khi-lo*.⁴ Cunningham proposed to identify the country of the present passage with the modern district of Pubna (Pabna); but Fergusson dissents from this view, and regards the country as corresponding rather to the modern Rungpur (Rangpur), both places being in the Bengal Presidency.⁵
v2.c21.s3.3
¹ Divyāv. p. 427.
v2.c21.s3.4
² A-yü-wang-ching, *ch*. 3.
v2.c21.s3.5
³ Sar. Vin. Yao-shih, *ch*. 8.
v2.c21.s3.6
⁴ *Ch*. 43.
v2.c21.s3.7
⁵ A. G. I. p. 480; Fergusson op. c. p. 238.
Linked texts (4)
- Divyāvadāna — Sanskrit
- Aśokāvadāna — Sanskrit
- *Aśokarājāvadāna — Sanskrit
- Sarvāstivāda-vinaya — Classical Chinese