Sunday, 11 November 2018

DAKSHINA ,AND THE PIGEON MONASTERY






        Fa-Hsein came   south from this 200 yojanas,there is country named Dakshina,where there is a monastery (dedicated to )the bygone Kashyapa Buddha,and which has  been hewan out from a large hill of rock.It consists in all of five stories ;-the lowest, having the form of an elephant,with 500 apartments in the form of a lion, with 400 apartments;the third,having the form of a horse,with 300 apartments;the fourth,having the form of an ox,with 200 apartments; and the fifth,having the form of a pigeon,with 100 apartments.At the very top there is a spring,the water of which, always in front of the apartments in the rock,goes round among the rooms,now circling,now curving,till in this way it arrives at the lowest story,having  followed the shape of the structure,and flows out there at the door.Everything in the apartments of the monks,the rock has been pierced so as to from windows for the admission of light,so that they are all bright,without any left in darkness.At the four corners of the (triers of )apartments,the rock has been hewn  so as to from steps  for ascending to the top(of each).The men of the present day,being of small size ,and going up step by step,manage to get to the top;but in a former age,they did so at in a former age,they did so at one step.Because of this, the monastery is called Paravata. There are always Arhats residing in it.

                              The country about is (a tract of)uncultivated hillocks,without inhibitions. At a very long distance from the there are villages,where the people all have bad and erroneous views,and do not know the Sramanas of the Law of Buddha, Brahmanas,or (devotees of )any of the other and different schools.The people of  that country are constantly seeing men on the wing,who come and enter this monastery. On one occasion, when  devotees of various countries came to perform their worship at it,the people of those   villages said to them,'Why do you not fly? The devotees whom we have seen hereabouts all fly,'and the  strangers answered,on the spur of the moment, 'our wings are not yet fully formed.' 
                          The kingdom of Dakshina is out of the way,and perilous to traverse.There are difficulties in connection with the road; but those who know how to manage such difficulties   and wish to proceed should bring with them money and various articles,
and give them to the king.He will then send men to escort them.These will (at different stages) pass them over to others,who will show them the shortest routes.Fa-Hsien,however,was after all unable to go there;but having received the (above)accounts from men of the country,he has narrated them.



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