Chinese and Arabian Literature - E. Wilson - The Search For Mecca

244
THE TRAVELS OF FA-HIEN
and they all in dying became Srotapannas.^ A tope was erect-
ed at this last place, which is still existing.
Several li northeast from the city was the king's field, where
the heir-apparent sat under a tree, and looked at the ploughers.
Fifty li east from the city was a garden, named Lumbini,
where the queen entered the pond and bathed. Having come
forth from the pond on the northern bank, after walking
twenty paces, she lifted up her hand, laid hold of a branch of a
tree, and, with her face to the east, gave birth to the heir-apparent.
When he fell to the ground, he immediately walked
seven paces. Two dragon-kings appeared and washed his
body. At the place where they did so, there was immediately
formed a well, and from it, as well as from the above pond,
where the queen bathed, the monks even now constantly take
the water, and drink it.
There are four places of regular and fixed occurrence in the
history of all Buddhas : first, the place where they attained to
perfect Wisdom and became Buddha ;
they turned the wheel of the Law ;
second, the place where
third, the place where they
preached the Law, discoursed of righteousness, and discomfited
the advocates of erroneous doctrines ; and fourth, the
place where they came down, after going up to tlie Traya-
strimsas heaven to preach the Law for the benefit of their
mothers. Other places in connection with them became remarkable,
according to the manifestations which were made
at them at particular times.
The country of Kapilavastu is a great scene of empty desola-
tion. The inhabitants are few and far between. On the roads
people have to be on their guard against white elephants* and
lions, and should not travel incautiously.
' The Srotapannas are the first class them the Law. They died in the faith,
of saints, who are not to be reborn in and were reborn in the region of the
a lower sphere, but attain to nirvana four Great Kings. Thence they came
after having been reborn seven times back and visited Buddha at Jetavana
consecutively as men or devas. The in the night, and there they obtained the
Chinese editions state there were one reward of Srotapanna.
thousand of the Sakya seed. The gen- * Fa-hien does not say that he himeral
account is that they were five hun- self saw any of these white elephants,
dred, all maidens, who refused to take nor does he speak of the lions as of any
their place in king Vaidiirya's harem, particular color. We shall find by and
and were in consequence taken to a by, in a note further on. that, to make
pond, and had their hands and feet cut them appear more terrible, they are
off. There Buddha came to them, had spoken of as " black."
their wounds dressed, and preached to