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A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS
NOTES
＇1＇ See chap。 xxviii； note 1。
＇2＇ See chap。 xxv； note 9。 Pisuna is a name given to Mara； and
signifies 〃sinful lust。〃
＇3＇ See M。 B。； p。 320。 Hardy says that Devadatta's attempt was 〃by the
help of a machine；〃 but the oldest account in the Sacred Books of the East；
vol。 xx； Vinaya Texts； p。 245； agrees with what Fa…hien implies that he
threw the rock with his own arm。
＇4＇ And； as described by Hsuan…chwang； fourteen or fifteen cubits high；
and thirty paces round。
＇5＇ See Mr。 Bunyiu Nanjio's 〃Catalogue of the Chinese Translation of
the Buddhist Tripitaka；〃 Sutra Pitaka； Nos。 399； 446。 It was the former of
these that came on this occasion to the thoughts and memory of Fa…hien。
＇6＇ In a note （p。 lx） to his revised version of our author； Mr。 Beal says；
〃There is a full account of this perilous visit of Fa…hien； and how he was
attacked by tigers； in the 'History of the High Priests。'〃 But 〃the high
priests〃 merely means distinguished monks； 〃eminent monks；〃 as Mr。
Nanjio exactly renders the adjectival character。 Nor was Fa…hien 〃attacked
by tigers〃 on the peak。 No 〃tigers〃 appear in the Memoir。 〃Two black
lions〃 indeed crouched before him for a time this night； 〃licking their lips
and waving their tails；〃 but their appearance was to 〃try；〃 and not to attack
him； and when they saw him resolute； they 〃drooped their heads； put down
their tails； and prostrated themselves before him。〃 This of course is not an
historical account； but a legendary tribute to his bold perseverance。
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CHAPTER XXX
THE SRATAPARNA CAVE； OR CAVE OF THE FIRST COUNCIL。
LEGENDS。 SUICIDE OF A BHIKSHU。
Out from the old city； after walking over 300 paces； on the west of the
road； （the travellers） found the Karanda Bamboo garden；＇1＇ where the （old）
vihara is still in existence； with a company of monks； who keep （the
ground about it） swept and watered。
North of the vihara two or three le there was the Smasanam； which
name means in Chinese 〃the field of graves into which the dead are
thrown。〃＇2＇
As they kept along the mountain on the south； and went west for 300
paces； they found a dwelling among the rocks； named the Pippala cave；＇3＇
in which Buddha regularly sat in meditation after taking his （midday）
meal。
Going on still to the west for five or six le； on the north of the hill； in
the shade； they found the cavern called Srataparna；＇4＇ the place where；
after the nirvana＇5＇ of Buddha； 500 Arhats collected the Sutras。 When they
brought the Sutras forth； three lofty seats＇6＇ had been prepared and
grandly ornamented。 Sariputtra occupied the one on the left； and
Maudgalyayana that on the right。 Of the number of five hundred one was
wanting。 Mahakasyapa was president （on the middle seat）。 Amanda was
then outside the door； and could not get in。＇7＇ At the place there was
（subsequently） raised a tope； which is still existing。
Along （the sides of） the hill； there are also a very great many cells
among the rocks； where the various Arhans sat and meditated。 As you
leave the old city on the north； and go down east for three le； there is the
rock dwelling of Devadatta； and at a distance of fifty paces from it there is
a large； square； black rock。 Formerly there was a bhikshu； who； as he
walked backwards and forwards upon it； thought with himself：〃This
body＇8＇ is impermanent； a thing of bitterness and vanity；＇9＇ and which
cannot be looked on as pure。＇10＇ I am weary of this body； and troubled by
it as an evil。〃 With this he grasped a knife； and was about to kill himself。
But he thought again：〃The World…honoured one laid down a prohibition
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against one's killing himself。〃＇11＇ Further it occurred to him：〃Yes； he did；
but I now only wish to kill three poisonous thieves。〃＇12＇ Immediately with
the knife he cut his throat。 With the first gash into the flesh he attained the
state of a Srotapanna；＇13＇ when he had gone half through； he attained to
be an Anagamin；＇14＇ and when he had cut right through； he was an Arhat；
and attained to pari…nirvana；＇15＇ （and died）。
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NOTES
＇1＇ Karanda Venuvana； a park presented to Buddha by king Bimbisara；
who also built a vihara in it。 See the account of the transaction in M。 B。； p。
194。 The place was called Karanda； from a creature so named； which
awoke the king just as a snake was about to bite him； and thus saved his
life。 In Hardy the creature appears as a squirrel； but Eitel says that the
Karanda is a bird of sweet voice； resembling a magpie； but herding in
flocks； the /cuculus melanoleucus/。 See 〃Buddhist Birth Stories；〃 p。 118。
＇2＇ The language here is rather contemptuous； as if our author had no
sympathy with any other mode of disposing of the dead； but by his own
Buddhistic method of cremation。
＇3＇ The Chinese characters used for the name of this cavern serve also
to name the pippala （peepul） tree； the /ficus religiosa/。 They make us think
that there was such a tree overshadowing the cave； but Fa…hien would
hardly have neglected to mention such a circumstance。
＇4＇ A very great place in the annals of Buddhism。 The Council in the
Srataparna cave did not come together fortuitously； but appears to have
been convoked by the older members to settle the rules and doctrines of
the order。 The cave was prepared for the occasion by king Ajatasatru。
From the expression about the 〃bringing forth of the King；〃 it would seem
that the Sutras or some of them had been already committed to writing。
May not the meaning of King ｛。｝ here be extended to the Vinaya rules； as
well as the Sutras； and mean 〃the standards〃 of the system generally？ See
Davids' Manual； chapter ix； and Sacred Books of the East； vol。 xx； Vinaya
Texts； pp。 370…385。
＇5＇ So in the text； evidently for pari…nirvana。
＇6＇ Instead of 〃high〃 seats； the Chinese texts have 〃vacant。〃 The
character for 〃prepared〃 denotes 〃spread；〃they were carpeted； perhaps；
both cushioned and carpeted； being rugs spread on the ground； raised
higher than the other places for seats。
＇7＇ Did they not contrive to let him in； with some cachinnation； even in
so august an assembly； that so important a member should have been shut
out？
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＇8＇ 〃The life of this body〃 would； I think； fairly express the idea of the
bhikshu。
＇9＇ See the account of Buddha's preaching in chapter xviii。
＇10＇ The sentiment of this clause is not easily caught。
＇11＇ See E。 M。； p。 152：〃Buddha made a law forbidding the monks to
commit suicide。 He prohibited any one from discoursing on the miseries of
lif