________________ 244 Homage to Vaisali In Nepal I wandered about the ancient city of Patana, which was perhaps visited by Gautama Buddha himself, and saw the stupas erected by Asoka at the four corners of that city and in the centre. I saw the village where Asuka's daughter lived, and I thought of the far-flung Mauryan Empire which stretched from the northern mountains of Nepal down to Southern India, and within whose confines the traveller could move unmolested along tree-lined roads, with rest houses every few miles, and when the whole country was at peace. That golden age did not last long. But some of the cities were still prosperous, and the great buildings were still standing, when Fa Hien travelled through the country 600 years after Asoka's death. In Pasaliputra he saw the lofty halls with their elaborate carving and inlaid sculpture-work, which made such a profound impression on the pious traveller. He could not believe that these marvels had been erected by human hands. At Vaisali he saw the double-galleried Vihara where Buddha dwelt, and the Vihara which the woman Ambapali built in his honour. Other writers for this volume will perhaps tell us of the glories of the city of Vaigali and the fame of the Licchavis. Such accounts will be read with great interest by many readers. I congratulate all those who are concerned in the publication of this volume dealing with that chapter of the storied past in which Vaigali and its people flourished.
