________________ 336 Homage to Vaisalz all. At every step commanding sites and old foundations are seen, which the succession of seasons and lapse of years have entirely destroyed. The forests are uprooted; the shallow lakes are dried up and stinking; nought but offensive remnants of decay can be recorded. Going north-west of the chief city 50 or 60 li, we come to a great stupa. This is where the Licchavis (Li-ch'e-po) took leave of Buddha. Tathagata having left the city of Vaisali on his way to Kusinagara, all the Licchavis, hearing that Buddha was about to die, accompanied him wailing and lamenting. The Lord of the World having observed their fond affection, and as words were useless to calm them, immediately by his spiritual power caused to appear a great river with steep sides and deep, the waves of which flowed on impetuously. Then the Licchavis were abruptly stopped on their way, moved with grief as they were.. Then Tatbagata left them his patra as a token of remembrance. Two hundred li to the north-west of the city of Vaisali, or a little less, is an old and long-deserted city, with but few inhabitants. In it is a stupa. This is the place where Buddha dwelt when, in old days, for the sake of an assembly of Bodhisattvas, men, and Devas, he recited an explanatory jataka of himself when as a Bodhisattva he was a cakravartin monarch of this city and called Mahadeva (Ta-tien). He was possessed of the seven treasures, and his rule extended over the world (the four empires). Observing the marks of decay in himself, and concluding in his mind about the impermanency of his body, he took a high resolve (being secretly affected by his reflections), left his throne, gave up his country, and. becoming a hermit, assumed the dark robes and gave himself to study. Going south-east from the city 14 or 15 li, we come to a great stupa. It was here the convocation of the seven hundred sages and saints was held. One hundred and ten years after the Nirvana of Buddha there were in Vaisali some Bhikkhus who broke the laws of Buddha and perverted the rules of discipline. At this time Yasada (Ye-she-t'o) Ayushmat was stopping in the country of Kosala (Kiao--so-lo); Sambogha (San-pu-kia) Ayushmat was dwelling in the country of Mathura; Revata (Li-po-to) Ayushmat was stopping in the country of Han-jo (Kanyakubja); Sala (Sha-lo) Ayushmat was stopping in the country of Vaisali; Pujasumira (Fu-she-su-mi-lo- Kujjasobhita ?) Ayushmat was stopping in the country of Sha-lo-li-fo (Salaribhu ?): all these were great Arhats, possessed of independent power, faithful to the three pitakas, possessed of the three enlightenment (vidyas), of great renown, knowing all that should be known, all of them disciples of Ananda.
