On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c21.s5.1

v2.c21.s5.1

The narrative in the *Records* proceeds to relate that from Kāmarūpa Yuan-chuang went south, and after a journey of 1200 or 1300 *li*, reached the country of *San-mo-ta-t'a* (Samataṭa). This country, which was on the sea-side and was low and moist, was more than 3000 *li* in circuit, and its capital was above twenty *li* in circuit. It had more than 30 Buddhist Monasteries and above 2000 Brethren all adherents of the Sthavira School. There were 100 Deva-Temples, the various sects lived pell-mell, and the Digambara Nirgranthas were very numerous. Near the capital was an Asoka tope where the Buddha had preached seven days for devas and men. Beside this were vestiges of a sitting and an exercise place of the Four Buddhas. In a monastery near this spot was a dark-blue jade image of the Buddha, eight feet high, showing all the distinctive characteristics and exercising marvellous powers. The pilgrim then names in succession six countries beyond Samataṭa; these were not visited by him but he gained information about them at Samataṭa. These six countries are—(1) *Shih-li-ch'a-ta-lo* to the north-east among the hills near the sea, (2) south-east from this on a bay of the sea *Ka-mo-lang-ka*, (3) *To-lo-po-ti* to the east of the preceding, (4) east from To-lo-po-ti was I-shang-na-pu-lo, (5) to the east of this was Mo-ha-chan-p'o, the Lin-yi (林邑) of the Chinese, and (6) to the south-west of this was the Yen-mo-na-chou country.