Chinese literature : $b Comprising the Analects of Confucius, the Sayings of Mencius, the Shi-King, the Travels of Fâ-Hien, and the Sorrows of HanFaxian
Philosophy
Chinese literature : $b Comprising the Analects of Confucius, the Sayings of Mencius, the Shi-King, the Travels of Fâ-Hien, and the Sorrows of Han
Faxian
China -- Literary collections; Chinese literature; Chinese literature -- Translations into English
When Fâ-hien and Tâo-ching first arrived at the Jetavana monastery, and
thought how the World-honored one had formerly resided there for
twenty-five years, painful reflections arose in their minds. Born in a
border-land, along with their like-minded friends, they had travelled
through so many kingdoms; some of those friends had returned to their
own land, and some had died, proving the impermanence and uncertainty of
life; and today they saw the place where Buddha had lived now unoccupied
by him. They were melancholy through their pain of heart, and the crowd
of monks came out, and asked them from what kingdom they were come. "We
are come," they replied, "from the land of Han." "Strange," said the
monks with a sigh, "that men of a border country should be able to come
here in search of our Law!" Then they said to one another, "During all
the time that we, preceptors and monks, have succeeded to one another,
we have never seen men of Han, followers of our system, arrive here."
Four li to the northwest of the vihâra there is a grove called "The
Getting of Eyes." Formerly there were five hundred blind men, who lived
here in order that they might be near the vihâra. Buddha preached his
Law to them, and they all got their eyesight. Full of joy, they stuck
their staves in the earth, and with their heads and faces on the ground,
did reverence. The staves immediately began to grow, and they grew to be
great. People made much of them, and no one dared to cut them down, so
that they came to form a grove. It was in this way that it got its name,
and most of the Jetavana monks, after they had taken their mid-day meal,
went to the grove, and sat there in meditation.
Six or seven li northeast from the Jetavana, mother Vaisakha built
another vihâra, to which she invited Buddha and his monks, and which is
still existing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account