CHAPTER V. his superior wisdom, and his venerable age that he owed the rank he held within the sacred walls.87 Introduction of The details connected with the entrance of Hiouen-Thsang into this famous institution form a curious illustration of monastic manners in the old Buddhist times. Hiouen-Thsang's reputation and travels had naturally excited great curiosity in the Indian monasteries. Four monks of distinguished learning and piety brought him the invitation to take up his abode in the Nálanda Sangháráma in due form. When he approached the spot, two hundred monks came out to receive him, accompanied by a crowd of the faithful. They carried umbrellas, flags, perfumes, and flowers. They sounded his praises after the manner of royal eulogists; and conducted him with all ceremony into the sacred enclosure. They first led him to the raised dais on which the president was seated; and then the sub-director sounded the gong and repeated the invitation to the Sangháráma. Hiouen-Thsang then paid his homage to the venerable Sílabhadra, and henceforth received his lessons, and served him as a disciple. He was lodged in the best rooms, together with his suite consisting of ten persons; and he received a daily supply of provisions from the king. Two monks became his servants, the one a Sráman and the other a Bráhman; and they occasionally conducted him to one or other of the holy spots in the neighbourhood, either on an elephant, or on a car, or in a palanquin. During five years he steadily pursued his studies under the guidance of the learned Sílabhadra. 87 Saint Hilaire, Bouddha, part ii., chap. i. He especially studied the Sanskrit grammar of CHAPTER V. Pánini, which was a resumé of all previous works upon the subject. At length he was a thorough master of the Sanskrit language. He had acquired a perfect knowledge of the three baskets of Buddhist scriptures, as well as of all the books of the Bráhmans. He accordingly left Nálanda, and set out on his travels.87 disputations. During his residence at Nálanda, Hiouen-Thsang Great public had more than one opportunity of displaying his controversial powers in those great public disputations which seem to have been an institution in Buddhist India. On one occasion a celebrated Bráhman challenged the whole Sangháráma to refute forty articles of belief which he set up in writing over the gates of the college. Hiouen-Thsang accepted the challenge by tearing down the document, and effectually silenced his opponent by disproving every article, and then exposing the errors of all the heresies. At this juncture Raja Síláditya had been offended by some Buddhist monks of the little Vehicle; and he requested the venerable superior of the Sangháráma at Nálanda to send four of his best masters to his capital at Kanouj, to confute the refractory Srámans. Hiouen-Thsang and three others were chosen. The disputation was heard in the presence of the king, and all his ministers and feudatories. At early dawn a golden statue of Buddha was carried in a grand procession of elephants from the royal pavilion to a great tower; and all present, from the Raja downwards, paid their homage to the statue. After this procession, an entertainment was served up in an 87 Saint Hilaire, Bouddha, part ii., chap. i. CHAPTER V. assembly hall, and the so-called disputation began. It resolved itself however into an eloquent oration, which was delivered by Hiouen-Thsang, and lasted several days. Every morning the statue was carried from the pavilion to the tower, and every evening it was carried back from the tower to the pavilion. Meantime Hiouen-Thsang continued his discourse day by day. No report has been preserved of this celebrated harangue, but it is easy to infer its general character. The acute exponent of the great Vehicle was familiar with all the metaphysical philosophy, which occupied the intellects of the learned, in an age when the physical sciences were scarcely known. He belonged to that school of thought which sought by study and contemplation to abstract itself from all humanity; and consequently looked down with disdain on the petty rules of discipline, by which the monks of the little Vehicle guarded against the approaches of passion or desire. Against such an intellectual system of philosophy the morality of the little Vehicle was powerless to contend. It could only appeal to humanity, and the great Vehicle ignored humanity. Hiouen-Thsang, on the contrary, could open up those fields of abstract thought and speculation, which dazzled and bewildered inferior minds, and against which it would have been useless for the men of the little Vehicle to appeal. In this way the followers of the little Vehicle may have been enforced to silence. The religion of the heart was overpowered by the reasoning of the religion of the intellect. The victory of Hiouen-Thsang was proclaimed by the Raja, and he was hailed by the multitude as the deity of the great Vehicle.88 88 Saint Hilaire, Bouddha, part ii., chap. i. But there was one important event that occurred CHAPTER V. during the residence of Hiouen-Thsang at Nálanda, Festival of exwhich illustrates beyond all others the true spirit of ancient Buddhism. This was the celebration of the great quinquennial expiation, which had been ordained by Asoka, and which Fah-Hian had witnessed on a small scale at the city of Kartchou before entering India. Confession an The history of this festival is extremely signifi- almsgiving." cant. It was associated with the ancient practice of confession. Originally every Buddhist monk had been required to confess twice a month, namely, at the new and full moon.89 This rite gradually extended to the laity, but proved inconvenient. Accord ingly the great festival of expiation by confession and alms-giving was only celebrated every five years; and after Hiouen-Thsang's time, confession. amongst the laity disappeared altogether. It was on these occasions that the kings of Magadha engaged in those royal liberalities, which were symbolically described as the cultivation of the field of happiness. ness at Prayága. The scene was a large plain, five or six miles Field of happiround, at the confluence of the Ganges and Jumna, -the holiest spot in all Hindustan. From time immemorial this had been known as the field of happiness. To give a pice in that field was as meritorious as to give a lakh elsewhere." Raja Síláditya had already celebrated five of these festivals; and the one witnessed by Hiouen-Thsang was the sixth of the reign. The preparations were made in conformity with ancient custom. A large area, four thou 89 Saint Hilaire, Bouddha, part ii., chap. i. 90 The pice is a small copper coin. The lakh is a hundred thousand rupees, equivalent in round numbers to ten thousand pounds sterling. CHAPTER V. sand feet square, was hedged round with roses. Within this enclosure were a series of halls filled with gold and silver, vestments of silk and cotton, and valuables of every kind. In the neighbourhood of this enclosure were a hundred dining houses arranged in a straight line like the shops of a bazaar. In each house a thousand persons could eat at once. For many days before the festival, proclamations had been made inviting all Srámans and Bráhmans, all the destitute, the fatherless, and the kinless, to come to Prayaga and share in the liberality of the pious Raja. Monks, Bráhmans, and people, to the number of half a million, flocked to the field of alms. Síláditya was there with all his ministers and tributaries. Foremost amongst the tributary kings was his sonin-law Dhruvapatu, Raja of Vallabhi; he was lord of all the western Dekhan. Beside him was Kumára, Raja of Káma-rúpa, the modern Assam; he was lord of all eastern India. The armies of the three Grand royal liberalities. sovereigns were encamped round the field. The enormous multitude pitched their tents to the westward of the army of Dhruvapatu.91 91 The festival commenced with the utmost pomp, and was characterized throughout by the largest toleration. It was consecrated to the honour and glory of Buddha; and yet due regard was shown to those heretics who worshipped the gods. On 91 Saint Hilaire. The arrangements here described are somewhat significant. The vast riches stored up in the field of happiness must have caused some anxiety before and during the distribution. The field itself was immediately to the west of the confluence of the two rivers; and was guarded by an army on every side. Siladitya was posted with his force on the north bank of the Ganges; his son-inlaw Dhruvapatu was posted immediately to the west of the field, between the multitude and the field; whilst Kumára was posted on the south bank of the Junina. |