|
li
to the east of the royal city is a large expanse
of marshland several tens of
qing
in area, the earth of which is reddish-black
in color; it supports no vegetation whatsoever. I heard some old people say
that this was the place where the army [of this country] was defeated. In the
past a country in the east once raised a million troops to make an invasion
to the west. At that time the king of Gostana prepared an army several
lakh
s
strong to resist the enemy from the east. The two armies met at this place
and engaged in battle and the soldiers of the west were defeated by the troops
from the east. The latter, advancing in the flush of victory, slaughtered people
cruelly, captured the king [of Gostana], killed his generals, and massacred
the soldiers, sparing not a single one. The ground was stained with blood
and the traces are still visible.
Going eastward for more than thirty
li
from the battleground, I reached
the city of Bhīmā, in which there is a standing image of the Buddha carved
340
945b
Fascicle XII
out of sandalwood, over twenty feet high, which has shown spiritual responses
many times and often emits a bright light. If someone who suffers from a
painful ailment pastes a piece of gold foil on the image at the part that corre-
sponds to where his ailment is, he may be instantly relieved of the pain. If
someone says prayers to the image with earnest devotion their wishes will be
fulfilled in most cases. I heard the local people say that this image was made
by King Udayana of the country of Kauśāmbī when the Buddha was living
in the world. After the Buddha’s demise the image came through the air from
that country to the city of Araurak in the north of this country [of Gostana].
The inhabitants of this city were living in happy and wealthy conditions
and were deeply attached to erroneous views so when the image first came
to the city they did not treasure or respect it. Even though they heard that it
had come by itself they merely regarded this as a miracle and did not venerate
the image as an unusual object of worship. An arhat later came to worship
this image and the people, amazed at his strange garb, hurriedly went to
report this to the king, who then ordered them to throw sand and earth on
the strange person. The arhat was covered with sand and earth and no food
was provided to him. At that time a man who always worshiped the image
with veneration could not bear to see the arhat being starved and secretly
offered him food. When the arhat was about to leave he told the man, “Seven
days from now a sandstorm will cover the entire city and no one will remain
alive. You should know this and prepare an esacpe for yourself. This disaster
will occur because the people cast sand and earth on me.” After saying this
the arhat departed and immediately disappeared.
That man entered the city and warned his relatives and friends, but those
who heard the information sneered at him. On the following day a big gale
swiftly arose and blew away the filthy dust, while various kinds of gems and
precious substances rained down all over the roads and thoroughfares. The
people then berated their informant all the more, but the man knew that
disaster was a certainty and secretly excavated a tunnel leading out of the
city and made it into a cellar. After midnight on the seventh day sand and
earth rained from the air and filled up the city. The man escaped through the
tunnel and went east to this country [of Gostana], where he stayed in the city
of Bhīmā. No sooner had he arrived than the image also came to that place,
where it was worshiped with offerings and no one dared remove it. I heard
341
The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions
a prophet say that by the end of Śākyamuni’s Dharma the image will enter
the dragon’s palace.
The city of Araurak has now become a big mound. Kings and powerful
persons of many countries have attempted to excavate the precious treasure,
but each time they have come to the side of the mound a strong, violent gale
has arisen, raising a shroud of dust and clouds in which they lose their way.
From the east of the valley of Bhīmā I entered a desert. After going for
more than two hundred
li,
I reached the city of Nina, which is three or four
li
in circuit, situated in a vast marsh. The marsh is hot and humid and it is
difficult to pass through it. This region is overgrown with reeds and wild
grass and has no tracks or paths. Because this is the only passageway leading
to the city travelers have to go leave and depart by this way. Gostana made
this city a frontier station in its eastern region. Going east from there I entered
the Great Desert, in which the shifting sand is piled up and scatters with the
wind. No trace of wayfarers can remain visible on the sand and travelers
often lose their way in the vast wilderness and do not know which direction
to go, so they have collected the skeletons of the dead to serve as landmarks.
Water and pasture are scarce in the desert and the wind is hot; whenever the
hot wind blows people and animals fall into a swoon and become ill. The
sound of singing and shouting, or wailing and crying, is sometimes heard
but when one looks around to locate the source of the sound no one can tell
where it comes from. This phenomenon often causes death, as it is mischief
wrought by ghosts and devils.
Going further for more than four hundred
li,
I reached the old country of
Tukhāra, which has been deserted for a long time; all the cities are in ruins.
From here proceeding to the east for more than six hundred
li,
I reached the
old country of Calmadana, the land of Jumo. The lofty city walls are still
there but there is no trace of human habitation. Continuing my journey toward
the northeast for more than one thousand
li,
I reached the old country of
Navāp, namely, the land of Lulan.
The purpose of composing this book has been to describe the mountains and
valleys [of the Western Regions], to investigate and collect data on the con-
ditions in different lands, to narrate in detail the upright and variable customs
of various countries, and to record the climatic and topographic situations
342
945c
Fascicle XII
of diverse locales. As circumstances were always changing I laid emphasis
on different points at different times. Although it was difficult for me to trace
the origin of everything I described by no means did I resort to conjecture
or fabrication, but I could write only in a brief manner about what I saw or
heard on my journey and keep a record of the spread of the edification of
Buddhism. Up to the place where the sun sets all people live under the benefi-
cence of the Emperor, whose ultimate virtue is admired by all within the
reach of his moral influence. The entire empire is a great unity and the world
is the manifestation of oneness. Am I merely a solitary envoy going in a
single carriage, passing through travelers’ rest stations for a distance of ten
thousand
li
?
343
The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions
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