On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c22.s2.4

v2.c22.s2.4

As to Āchāra's great monastery in the east part of the country Mr. Burgess and others are confident that the pilgrim's description applies to the Ajaṇṭā caves.² This may be so, but it may be doubted whether the Achala of the inscription given by Mr. Burgess is the A-chê-lo of the pilgrim's description. This inscription merely states that "The ascetic Sthavira Achala, who glorified the faith and was grateful, caused to be built a mountain-dwelling for the Teacher, though his wishes were fulfilled". It is to be noted, however, that the pilgrim does not use the translation *so-hsing*, and his transcription may, as Mr. Burgess contends, represent Achala. All commentators on the pilgrim's account of this monastery seem to assume that he did not go to it, and the silence of the Life is in favour of the assumption. But the description, especially the part which tells of the temple of the monastery, seems to favour the view that he made a personal visit, and this view is apparently supported by the distance and direction of the pilgrim's next journey. There is not a word in the text to warrant the statement that he describes the monastery from report, and it was apparently on the spot that he learned its history, and heard the unsatisfactory explanations of its marvels.¹