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
In this way the tempest continued day and night, till on the thirteenth
day the ship was carried to the side of an island, where, on the ebbing
of the tide, the place of the leak was discovered, and it was stopped,
on which the voyage was resumed. On the sea hereabouts there are many
pirates, to meet with whom is speedy death. The great ocean spreads out,
a boundless expanse. There is no knowing east or west; only by observing
the sun, moon, and stars was it possible to go forward. If the weather
were dark and rainy, the ship went as she was carried by the wind,
without any definite course. In the darkness of the night, only the
great waves were to be seen, breaking on one another, and emitting a
brightness like that of fire, with huge turtles and other monsters of
the deep all about. The merchants were full of terror, not knowing where
they were going. The sea was deep and bottomless, and there was no place
where they could drop anchor and stop. But when the sky became clear,
they could tell east and west, and the ship again went forward in the
right direction. If she had come on any hidden rock, there would have
been no way of escape.
After proceeding in this way for rather more than ninety days, they
arrived at a country called Java-dvipa, where various forms of error and
Brahmanism are flourishing, while Buddhism in it is not worth speaking
of. After staying there for five months, Fâ-hien again embarked in
another large merchantman, which also had on board more than two hundred
men. They carried provisions for fifty days, and commenced the voyage on
the sixteenth day of the fourth month.
Fâ-hien kept his retreat on board the ship. They took a course to the
northeast, intending to fetch Kwang-chow. After more than a month, when
the night-drum had sounded the second watch, they encountered a black
wind and tempestuous rain, which threw the merchants and passengers into
consternation. Fâ-hien again, with all his heart, directed his thoughts
to Kwan-she-yin and the monkish communities of the land of Han; and,
through their dread and mysterious protection, was preserved to
daybreak. After daybreak, the Brahmans deliberated together and said,
"It is having this Sramana on board which has occasioned our misfortune
and brought us this great and bitter suffering. Let us land the bhikshu
and place him on some island-shore. We must not for the sake of one man
allow ourselves to be exposed to such imminent peril." A patron of
Fâ-hien, however, said to them, "If you land the bhikshu, you must at
the same time land me; and if you do not, then you must kill me. If you
land this Sramana, when I get to the land of Han, I will go to the king,
and inform against you. The king also reveres and believes the Law of
Buddha, and honors the bhikshus." The merchants hereupon were perplexed,
and did not dare immediately to land Fâ-hien.
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