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Updated: June 4, 2025
When the cremation was over, they collected and preserved the bones, and proceeded to erect a tope. At that time the king, who was a sincere believer in the Law of Buddha and wished to build a new vihara for the monks, first convoked a great assembly.
Fâ-Hien stayed at the Dragon vihara till after the summer retreat, and then, travelling to the southeast for seven yojanas, he arrived at the city of Kanyakubja, lying along the Ganges. There are two monasteries in it, the inmates of which are students of the hinayâna.
Rather more than ten le to the north-east of the city, he found the vihara in the park of "The rishi's Deer-wild." In this park there formerly resided a Pratyeka Buddha, with whom the deer were regularly in the habit of stopping for the night. The Pratyeka Buddha heard their words, and immediately attained to nirvana; and hence this place was named "The Park of the rishi's Deer-wild."
They answered in the affirmative, saying that he was an Arhat. The king accordingly, when he died, buried him after the fashion of an Arhat, as the regular rules prescribed. Four of five le east from the vihara there was reared a great pile of firewood, which might be more than thirty cubits square, and the same in height. Near the top were laid sandal, aloe, and other kinds of fragrant wood.
The hill terminates in two peaks overhanging the river, and it is the more northern and higher of these which Fa-Hsien had in mind. It bears an oblong terrace covered with the ruins of several buildings, especially of a vihara. This does not mean the top or summit of the hill, but its "headland," where it ended at the river. See the account of this visit of Sakra in M. B., pp. 288-290.
The kings of various countries are also constantly sending messengers with offerings. The vihara stands in a square of thirty paces, and though heaven should shake and earth be rent, this place would not move. In the midst of the city there is also the tope of Buddha's tooth, where offerings are made in the same way as to the flat-bone of his skull.
When people of other countries come to it, they are exceedingly attentive to them all, and supply them with what they need. Fifty yojanas north-west from the monastery there is another, called "The Great Heap." Great Heap was the name of a wicked demon, who was converted by Buddha, and men subsequently at this place reared a vihara.
The "Chaitya Vihara" or chapel cave alone is worth a visit. Pillars and pilasters with eight-sided shafts and waterpot-bases, which scholars attribute to the period B. C. 90 to A. D. 300, stand sentinel over verandahs stretching away into darkness on either side of the main aisle.
As you go out from the city by the south gate, and one thousand two hundred paces from it, the Vais'ya head Sudatta built a vihâra, facing the south; and when the door was open, on each side of it there was a stone pillar, with the figure of a wheel on the top of that on the left, and the figure of an ox on the top of that on the right.
Nothing seems to be known of this naga but what we read here. See E. H., p. 55. Ghochira was the name of a Vaisya elder, or head, who presented a garden and vihara to Buddha. Dr.
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