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height； and eight cubits at the base from knee to knee of the crossed legs。
On fast…days it emits an effulgent light。 The kings of the （surrounding）
countries vie with one another in presenting offerings to it。 Here it is；to
be seen now as of old。＇5＇
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NOTES
＇1＇ Eitel and others identify this with Darada； the country of the
ancient Dardae； the region near Dardus； lat。 30d 11s N。； lon。 73d 54s E。
See E。 H。 p。 30。 I am myself in more than doubt on the point。 Cunningham
（〃Ancient Geography of India；〃 p。 82） says 〃Darel is a valley on the right
or western bank of the Indus； now occupied by Dardus or Dards； from
whom it received its name。〃 But as I read our narrative； Fa…hien is here on
the eastern bank of the Indus； and only crosses to the western bank as
described in the next chapter。
＇2＇ Lo…han； Arhat； Arahat； are all designations of the perfected Arya；
the disciple who has passed the different stages of the Noble Path； or
eightfold excellent way； who has conquered all passions； and is not to be
reborn again。 Arhatship implies possession of certain supernatural powers；
and is not to be succeeded by Buddhaship； but implies the fact of the saint
having already attained nirvana。 Popularly； the Chinese designate by this
name the wider circle of Buddha's disciples； as well as the smaller ones of
500 and 18。 No temple in Canton is better worth a visit than that of the
500 Lo…han。
＇3＇ Riddhi…sakshatkriya； 〃the power of supernatural footsteps；〃=〃a
body flexible at pleasure；〃 or unlimited power over the body。 E。 H。； p。 104。
＇4＇ Tushita is the fourth Devaloka； where all Bodhisattvas are reborn
before finally appearing on earth as Buddha。 Life lasts in Tushita 4000
years； but twenty…four hours there are equal to 400 years on earth。 E。 H。； p。
152。
＇5＇ Maitreya （Spence Hardy； Maitri）； often styled Ajita； 〃the
Invincible；〃 was a Bodhisattva； the principal one； indeed； of Sakyamuni's
retinue； but is not counted among the ordinary （historical） disciples； nor is
anything told of his antecedents。 It was in the Tushita heaven that
Sakyamuni met him and appointed him as his successor； to appear as
Buddha after the lapse of 5000 years。 Maitreya is therefore the expected
Messiah of the Buddhists； residing at present in Tushita； and； according to
the account of him in Eitel （H。； p。 70）； 〃already controlling the
propagation of the Buddhistic faith。〃 The name means 〃gentleness〃 or
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A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
〃kindness；〃 and this will be the character of his dispensation。
＇6＇ The combination of ｛。｝ ｛。｝ in the text of this concluding sentence；
and so frequently occurring throughout the narrative； has occasioned no
little dispute among previous translators。 In the imperial thesaurus of
phraseology （P'ei…wan Yun…foo）； under ｛。｝； an example of it is given from
Chwang…tsze； and a note subjoined that ｛。｝ ｛。｝ is equivalent to ｛。｝ ｛。｝；
〃anciently and now。〃
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A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
CHAPTER VII
CROSSING OF THE INDUS。 WHEN BUDDHISM FIRST
CROSSED THE RIVER FOR THE EAST
The travellers went on to the south…west for fifteen days （at the foot of
the mountains； and） following the course of their range。 The way was
difficult and rugged； （running along） a bank exceedingly precipitous；
which rose up there； a hill…like wall of rock； 10；000 cubits from the base。
When one approaches the edge of it； his eyes become unsteady； and if he
wished to go forward in the same direction； there was no place on which
he could place his foot； and beneath where the waters of the river called
the Indus。＇1＇ In former times men had chiselled paths along the rocks； and
distributed ladders on the face of them； to the number altogether of 700； at
the bottom of which there was a suspension bridge of ropes； by which the
river was crossed； its banks being there eighty paces apart。＇2＇ The （place
and arrangements） are to be found in the Records of the Nine
Interpreters；＇3＇ but neither Chang K'een＇4＇ nor Kan Ying＇5＇ had reached
the spot。
The monks＇6＇ asked Fa…hien if it could be known when the Law of
Buddha first went to the east。 He replied； 〃When I asked the people of
those countries about it； they all said that it had been handed down by their
fathers from of old that； after the setting up of the image of Maitreya
Bodhisattva； there were Sramans of India who crossed this river； carrying
with them Sutras and Books of Discipline。 Now the image was set up
rather more than 300 years after the nirvana＇7＇ of Buddha； which may be
referred to the reign of king P'ing of the Chow dynasty。＇8＇ According to
this account we may say that the diffusion of our great doctrines （in the
east） began from （the setting up of） this image。 If it had not been through
that Maitreya；＇9＇ the great spiritual master＇10＇ （who is to be） the successor
of the Sakya； who could have caused the 'Three Precious Ones'＇11＇ to be
proclaimed so far； and the people of those border lands to know our Law？
We know of a truth that the opening of （the way for such） a mysterious
propagation is not the work of man； and so the dream of the emperor Ming
of Han＇12＇ had its proper cause。〃
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NOTES
＇1＇ The Sindhu。 We saw in a former note that the earliest name in
China for India was Shin…tuh。 So； here； the river Indus is called by a name
approaching that in sound。
＇2＇ Both Beal and Watters quote from Cunningham （Ladak； pp。 88； 89）
the following description of the course of the Indus in these parts； in
striking accordance with our author's account：〃From Skardo to Rongdo；
and from Rongdo to Makpou…i…shang…rong； for upwards of 100 miles； the
Indus sweeps sullen and dark through a mighty gorge in the mountains；
which for wild sublimity is perhaps unequalled。 Rongdo means the
country of defiles。 。 。 。 Between these points the Indus raves from side to
side of the gloomy chasm； foaming and chafing with ungovernable fury。
Yet even in these inaccessible places has daring and ingenious man
triumphed over opposing nature。 The yawning abyss is spanned by frail
rope bridges； and the narrow ledges of rocks are connected by ladders to
form a giddy pathway overhanging the seething cauldron below。〃
＇3＇ The Japanese edition has a different reading here from the Chinese
copies；one which Remusat （with true critical instinct） conjectured should
take the place of the more difficult text with which alone he was
acquainted。 The 〃Nine Interpreters〃 would be a general name for the
official interpreters attached to the invading armies of Han in their
attempts to penetrate and sub