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attempts to penetrate and subdue the regions of the west。 The phrase
occurs in the memoir of Chang K'een； referred to in the next note。
＇4＇ Chang K'een； a minister of the emperor Woo of Han （B。C。 140…87）；
is celebrated as the first Chinese who 〃pierced the void；〃 and penetrated to
〃the regions of the west；〃 corresponding very much to the present
Turkestan。 Through him； by B。C。 115； a regular intercourse was
established between China and the thirty…six kingdoms or states of that
quarter；see Mayers' Chinese Reader's Manual； p。 5。 The memoir of
Chang K'een； translated by Mr。 Wylie from the Books of the first Han
dynasty； appears in the Journal of the Anthropological Institute； referred to
already。
＇5＇ Less is known of Kan Ying than of Chang K'een。 Being sent in A。D。
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88 by his patron Pan Chao on an embassy to the Roman empire； he only
got as far as the Caspian sea； and returned to China。 He extended； however；
the knowledge of his countrymen with regard to the western regions；see
the memoir of Pan Chao in the Books of the second Han； and Mayers'
Manual； pp。 167； 168。
＇6＇ Where and when？ Probably at his first resting…place after crossing
the Indus。
＇7＇ This may refer to Sakyamuni's becoming Buddha on attaining to
nirvana； or more probably to his pari…nirvana and death。
＇8＇ As king P'ing's reign lasted from B。C。 750 to 719； this would place
the death of Buddha in the eleventh century B。C。； whereas recent inquirers
place it between B。C。 480 and 470； a year or two； or a few years； after that
of Confucius； so that the two great 〃Masters〃 of the east were really
contemporaries。 But if Rhys Davids be correct； as I think he is； in fixing
the date of Buddha's death within a few years of 412 B。C。 （see Manual； p。
213）； not to speak of Westergaard's still lower date； then the Buddha was
very considerably the junior of Confucius。
＇9＇ This confirms the words of Eitel； that Maitreya is already
controlling the propagation of the faith。
＇10＇ The Chinese characters for this simply mean 〃the great scholar or
officer；〃 but see Eitel's Handbook； p。 99； on the term purusha。
＇11＇ 〃The precious Buddha；〃 〃the precious Law；〃 and 〃the precious
Monkhood；〃 Buddha； Dharma； and Sangha； the whole being equivalent to
Buddhism。
＇12＇ Fa…hien thus endorses the view that Buddhism was introduced
into China in this reign； A。D。 58…75。 The emperor had his dream in A。D。
61。
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A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
CHAPTER VIII
WOO…CHANG； OR UDYANA。 MONASTERIES； AND THEIR
WAYS。 TRACES OF BUDDHA。
After crossing the river； （the travellers） immediately came to the
kingdom of Woo…chang；＇1＇ which is indeed （a part） of North India。 The
people all use the language of Central India； 〃Central India〃 being what
we should call the 〃Middle Kingdom。〃 The food and clothes of the
common people are the same as in that Central Kingdom。 The Law of
Buddha is very （flourishing in Woo…chang）。 They call the places where the
monks stay （for a time） or reside permanently Sangharamas； and of these
there are in all 500； the monks being all students of the hinayana。 When
stranger bhikshus＇2＇ arrive at one of them； their wants are supplied for
three days； after which they are told to find a resting…place for themselves。
There is a tradition that when Buddha came to North India； he came at
once to this country； and that here he left a print of his foot； which is long
or short according to the ideas of the beholder （on the subject）。 It exists；
and the same thing is true about it； at the present day。 Here also are still to
be seen the rock on which he dried his clothes； and the place where he
converted the wicked dragon。＇3＇ The rock is fourteen cubits high； and
more than twenty broad； with one side of it smooth。
Hwuy…king； Hwuy…tah； and Tao…ching went on ahead towards （the
place of） Buddha's shadow in the country of Nagara；＇4＇ but Fa…hien and
the others remained in Woo…chang； and kept the summer retreat。＇5＇ That
over； they descended south； and arrived in the country of Soo…ho…to。＇6＇
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NOTES
＇1＇ Udyana； meaning 〃the Park；〃 just north of the Punjab； the country
along the Subhavastu； now called the Swat； noted for its forests； flowers；
and fruits （E。 H。； p。 153）。
＇2＇ Bhikshu is the name for a monk as 〃living by alms；〃 a mendicant。
All bhikshus call themselves Sramans。 Sometimes the two names are used
together by our author。
＇3＇ Naga is the Sanskrit name for the Chinese lung or dragon； often
meaning a snake； especially the boa。 〃Chinese Buddhists；〃 says Eitel； p。 79；
〃when speaking of nagas as boa spirits； always represent them as enemies
of mankind； but when viewing them as deities of rivers； lakes； or oceans；
they describe them as piously inclined。〃 The dragon； however； is in China
the symbol of the Sovereign and Sage； a use of it unknown in Buddhism；
according to which all nagas need to be converted in order to obtain a
higher phase of being。 The use of the character too ｛。｝； as here； in the
sense of 〃to convert；〃 is entirely Buddhistic。 The six paramitas are the six
virtues which carry men across ｛。｝ the great sea of life and death； as the
sphere of transmigration to nirvana。 With regard to the particular
conversion here； Eitel （p。 11） says the Naga's name was Apatala； the
guardian deity of the Subhavastu river； and that he was converted by
Sakyamuni shortly before the death of the latter。
＇4＇ In Chinese Na…k'eeh； an ancient kingdom and city on the southern
bank of the Cabul river； about thirty miles west of Jellalabad。
＇5＇ We would seem now to be in 403。
＇6＇ Soo…ho…to has not been clearly identified。 Beal says that later
Buddhist writers include it in Udyana。 It must have been between the
Indus and the Swat。 I suppose it was what we now call Swastene。
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CHAPTER IX
SOO…HO…TO。 LEGEND OF BUDDHA。
In that country also Buddhism＇1＇ is flourishing。 There is in it the place
where Sakra；＇2＇ Ruler of Devas； in a former age；＇3＇ tried the Bodhisattva；
by producing＇4＇ a hawk （in pursuit of a） dove； when （the Bodhisattva） cut
off a piece of his own flesh； and （with it） ransomed the dove。 After
Buddha had attained to perfect wisdom；＇5＇ and in travelling about with his
disciples （arrived at this spot）； he informed them that this was the place
where he ransomed the dove with a piece of his own flesh。 In this way the
people of the country became aware of the fact； and on the spot reared a
tope； adorned with layers＇6＇ of gold and silver plates。
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A RECORD O