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elsewhere in the city a common supply of food for five or six thousand
more。 When any want； they take their great bowls； and go （to the place of
distribution）； and take as much as the vessels will hold； all returning with
them full。
The tooth of Buddha is always brought forth in the middle of the third
month。 Ten days beforehand the king grandly caparisons a large elephant；
on which he mounts a man who can speak distinctly； and is dressed in
royal robes； to beat a large drum； and make the following proclamation：
〃The Bodhisattva； during three Asankhyeya…kalpas；＇9＇ manifested his
activity； and did not spare his own life。 He gave up kingdom； city； wife；
and son； he plucked out his eyes and gave them to another；＇10＇ he cut off
a piece of his own flesh to ransom the life of a dove；＇10＇ he cut off his
head and gave it as an alms；＇11＇ he gave his body to feed a starving
tigress；＇11＇ he grudged not his marrow and his brains。 In many such ways
as these did he undergo pain for the sake of all living。 And so it was； that；
having become Buddha； he continued in the world for forty…five years；
preaching his Law； teaching and transforming； so that those who had no
rest found rest； and the unconverted were converted。 When his connexion
with the living was completed；＇12＇ he attained to pari…nirvana （and died）。
Since that event； for 1497 years； the light of the world has gone out；＇13＇
and all living beings have had long…continued sadness。 Behold！ ten days
after this； Buddha's tooth will be brought forth； and taken to the
Abhayagiri…vihara。 Let all and each； whether monks or laics； who wish to
amass merit for themselves； make the roads smooth and in good condition；
grandly adorn the lanes and by…ways； and provide abundant store of
flowers and incense to be used as offerings to it。〃
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When this proclamation is over； the king exhibits； so as to line both
sides of the road； the five hundred different bodily forms in which the
Bodhisattva has in the course of his history appeared：here as Sudana；＇14＇
there as Sama；＇15＇ now as the king of elephants；＇16＇ and then as a stag or
a horse。＇16＇ All these figures are brightly coloured and grandly executed；
looking as if they were alive。 After this the tooth of Buddha is brought
forth； and is carried along in the middle of the road。 Everywhere on the
way offerings are presented to it； and thus it arrives at the hall of Buddha
in the Abhayagiri…vihara。 There monks and laics are collected in crowds。
They burn incense； light lamps； and perform all the prescribed services；
day and night without ceasing； till ninety days have been completed； when
（the tooth） is returned to the vihara within the city。 On fast…days the door
of that vihara is opened； and the forms of ceremonial reverence are
observed according to the rules。
Forty le to the east of the Abhayagiri…vihara there is a hill； with a
vihara on it； called the Chaitya；＇17＇ where there may be 2000 monks。
Among them there is a Sramana of great virtue； named Dharma…gupta；＇18＇
honoured and looked up to by all the kingdom。 He has lived for more than
forty years in an apartment of stone； constantly showing such gentleness
of heart； that he has brought snakes and rats to stop together in the same
room； without doing one another any harm。
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NOTES
＇1＇ It is desirable to translate ｛。｝ ｛。｝； for which 〃inhabitants〃 or
〃people〃 is elsewhere sufficient； here by 〃human inhabitants。〃 According
to other accounts Singhala was originally occupied by Rakshasas or
Rakshas； 〃demons who devour men；〃 and 〃beings to be feared；〃 monstrous
cannibals or anthropophagi； the terror of the shipwrecked mariner。 Our
author's 〃spirits〃 ｛。｝ ｛。｝ were of a gentler type。 His dragons or nagas have
come before us again and again。
＇2＇ That Sakyamuni ever visited Ceylon is to me more than doubtful。
Hardy； in M。 B。； pp。 207…213； has brought together the legends of three
visits；in the first； fifth； and eighth years of his Buddhaship。 It is plain；
however； from Fa…hien's narrative； that in the beginning of our fifth
century； Buddhism prevailed throughout the island。 Davids in the last
chapter of his 〃Buddhism〃 ascribes its introduction to one of Asoka's
missions； after the Council of Patna； under his son Mahinda； when Tissa；
〃the delight of the gods；〃 was king （B。C。 250…230）。
＇3＇ This would be what is known as 〃Adam's peak；〃 having； according
to Hardy （pp。 211； 212； notes）； the three names of Selesumano；
Samastakuta； and Samanila。 〃There is an indentation on the top of it；〃 a
superficial hollow； 5 feet 3 3/4 inches long； and about 2 1/2 feet wide。 The
Hindus regard it as the footprint of Siva； the Mohameddans； as that of
Adam； and the Buddhists； as in the text；as having been made by Buddha。
＇4＇ Meaning 〃The Fearless Hill。〃 There is still the Abhayagiri tope； the
highest in Ceylon； according to Davids； 250 feet in height； and built about
B。C。 90； by Watta Gamini； in whose reign； about 160 years after the
Council of Patna； and 330 years after the death of Sakyamuni； the
Tripitaka was first reduced to writing in Ceylon； 〃Buddhism；〃 p。 234。
＇5＇ We naturally suppose that the merchant…offerer was a Chinese； as
indeed the Chinese texts say； and the fan such as Fa…hien had seen and
used in his native land。
＇6＇ This should be the pippala； or bodhidruma； generally spoken of； in
connexion with Buddha； as the Bo tree； under which he attained to the
Buddhaship。 It is strange our author should have confounded them as he
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seems to do。 In what we are told of the tree here； we have； no doubt； his
account of the planting； growth； and preservation of the famous Bo tree；
which still exists in Ceylon。 It has been stated in a previous note that
Asoka's son； Mahinda； went as the apostle of Buddhism to Ceylon。 By…
and…by he sent for his sister Sanghamitta； who had entered the order at the
same time as himself； and whose help was needed； some of the king's
female relations having signified their wish to become nuns。 On leaving
India； she took with her a branch of the sacred Bo tree at Buddha Gaya；
under which Sakyamuni had become Buddha。 Of how the tree has grown
and still lives we have an account in Davids' 〃Buddhism。〃 He quotes the
words of Sir Emerson Tennent； that it is 〃the oldest historical tree in the
world；〃 but this must be denied if it be true； as Eitel says； that the tree at
Buddha Gaya； from which the slip that grew to be this tree was taken more
than 2000 years ago； is itself still living in its place。 We must conclude that
Fa…hien； when in Ceylon； heard neither of Mahinda nor Sanghamitta。
＇7＇ Compare what is said in chap。 xvi； about the inquiries made at
monasteries as to the standing of visitors in the monkhood； and duration of
their ministry。
＇8＇ The phonetic values of the two Chinese characters here are in
Sanskrit sa； and va； bo or bha。 〃Sabaean〃 is Mr。 Beal's reading of them；
probably correct。 I suppose the merchants were Arabs； forerunners of the
so…called Moormen； who still form so important a part of the mercantile
community in Ceylon。
＇9＇ A Kalpa； we have seen； denotes a great period of time； a period
during which a physical universe is formed and destroyed。 Asankhyeya
denotes the highest sum for which a conventional term exists； according
to Chinese calculations equal to one followed by seventeen ciphers；
according to Thibetan and Singhalese； equal to one followed by ninety…
seven ciphers。 Every Maha…kalpa consists of four Asankhyeya… kalpas。
Eitel； p。 15。
＇10＇ See chapter ix。
＇11＇ See chapter xi。
＇12＇ He had been bor