________________ 352 Homage to Vaisali The second reason then follows: "Well-known Buddhist legends, which it seems unnecessary to repeat in detail, clearly imply that Vaisali lay beyond the Ganges at a moderate distance in a northerly direction from Pataliputra, and on the road from that city to Kusinara (Kusinagara). "The traditional account of Gautama Buddha's last journey relates that be travelled leisurely from Pafaliputra to Vaigali in three stages, halting twice on the way, first at Kotigrama and next at Nadiyagrama. Travellers in India whose journey begins with the crossing of a great river are always glad to make their first halt as possible to the further bank of the river. The ancient town of Hajipur (N. lat. 25deg 40' B. long. 85deg 18' 3("), wbich stands on the eastern bank of the Gandak river and the northern bank of the Ganges at a distance in a direct line of six or seven miles from Patna, is still the first balting place for the traveller proceeding north from Patna. We may be quite certain that Kotigrama, the first camping-ground of Buddha, was at or close to Hajipur. "Lalganj, situated twelve miles from Hajipur and eight from Basas, is now the principal village intermediate between those two places, and Nadiyagrama should be looked for in the vicinity of Lalganj. Careful local enquiry would probably find the names Kotigrama and Nadiyagrama surviving in slightly modified forms, such as Kotgaon and Nadiyaon, but no such name are entered in the Indian Atlas, sheet No. 103. "The positions of Basa; at a distance of three easy marches north of Patna exactly agrees with the position of Vaisall in relation to Pasaliputra as described by Buddhist tradition." The third reason comes afterwards : "Hiuen Tsiang places the stupa marking the locality of the orthodox Council or Convocation of Vaisali at a spot two and a half miles (15 or 16 li) south-east from the city. At a distance of 15 or 16 miles (80 or 90 li) to the south of this stupa stood the splendid monastery of Svetapura, which marked the place where the sutra called "Bodhisattva-pitaka" was supposed to have been revealed. A stupa, ascribed to Agoka, stood beside the monastery, and preserved the memory of the spot where Buddha, when going south to Magadba, stopped to look back upon Vaisali. The Svetapura monastery, therefore, stood on the road from Vaigali to Patliputra, at a distance of about 20 miles from the former city, and close to the river. Five or six miles (30 li) to the south-east of Svetapura a stupa on the northern bank of the Ganges marked the position of the ferry
