Indian Antiquary Vol 28

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 74

60
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1899.
maintained. There remain thus for our guidance only the facts of the actual topography of Buner and that knowledge of its extant ruins which the tour described in this report has furnished. Reviewing then the most prominent of the ancient sites surveyed we can scarcely fail to note the remarkable agreement which the ruins of Pinjkōtai (Sanigram), Gumbatai (Tursak) and Girārai present with the three sacred spots specified in the Chinese accounts, both as regards their character and their relative position.
We start from Manglaur as our fixed point. Referring to the latest survey we find that Sunigram lies almost due south of it, exactly in the position indicated for the Mahāvana monastery. The nearest route between the two places lies over the Khalil Pass (west of Dosirri) and then via Gokand down to Padshah and Elai. It measures on the map about 26 miles, which distance converted according to the value previously indicated corresponds to about 156 l. If on the basis of the explanations already given, we add to this distance on the map one-fourth in order to obtain the approximate road measurement, we arrive at the result of 192 li. This agrees as closely as we can reasonably expect with the 200 of Hinen Tsiang's estimate.
The pilgrim's description of the Mahavana monastery as situated "by the side of a great mountain" is fully applicable to the Pinjkōtai ruins. Even the absence of any reference to a Stupa in connection with this monastery acquires significance in view of the fact that among the ruins, as described above, we fail to trace the remains of a Stupa of any size.
Mo-su Gumbatai. The next stage of Hiuen Tsiang's itinerary to the Mo-su monastery takes us down the mountain to the north-west of the Mahavana Sanghārāma for a distance of 30 or 40 li. Here the correspondence is again most striking. It is exactly to the north-west of the Pinjkōtai ruins, and after descending from the steep hill side on which they are situated, that we reach the Gumbatai site near Tursak. Its actual distance by road is about 6 miles, which corresponds to 36 li, or the mean of the approximate figures given by the pilgrim. Here we have no difficulty in recognizing the high Stupa mentioned both by Hiuen Tsiang and Sung-Yun in the still extant mound, which even in its ruined condition forms a striking feature of the site. It can scarcely surprise us that the rapid survey of the ruins failed to bring to light here the stone at the foot of the Stupa which according to the pious tradition marked the spot where Buddha had broken a bone of his body to write sacred texts with his marrow. The description of the site given above shows to what depth the base of the Stupa is now hidden under débris.
Girarai: Stupa of 'Dove-ransoming.' Going 60 or 70 li to the west of the Mo-su Vihara, Hiuen Tsiang had visited the Stupa reared over the spot where Buddha, according to the pious legend noticed also by Fa-Hien, had sacrificed his body to ransom the dove. The bearing and distance here indicated agree so accurately with those of the rained mounds near Girarai relative to Gumbatai that I do not hesitate to propose the identification of the former with the sacred site referred to by the two pilgrims. The ruined Stūpas of Ali Khan Kōtē lie as above indicated, about 1 miles to the west of Girarai village. The distance from the latter place to Tursak on the direct track I marched by, was estimated by me at the time at about 7 miles. The Gumbatai site again is, as already stated (p. 25) 1 miles distant from Tursak. The total of these measurements is 10 miles, which represents exactly the 60 li of Hiuen Tsiang's estimate. There is the same accurate agreement as regards the direction, the map and my own notes showing Girarai to be situated almost exactly due west of Tursak.
Route to Gandhara. There are two observations contained in the accounts of the Chinese pilgrims which enable us to test at this point our chain of identifications. Fa-Hien's narrative (see above, p. 46) tells us that the travellers going downwards from the spot where Buddha ransomed the dove, towards the east, in five days came to the country of Gandhara. From the remarks which follow, it can be concluded with great probability that the road disauce here given by Fa-Hien was measured to the spot "where Buddha in a former birth had