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of his hearers. By the side of it are traces where the four past Buddhas sat down or walked for exercise. The common report says on the western frontier of this country is the kingdom of Ki-kiang-na (Kikana?). The people live amid the great mountains and valleys in separate clans. They have no chief ruler. They breed an immense quantity of sheep and horses. The skew, horses are of a large size, and the countries around breed but few, and therefore they are highly valued.

Leaving this country and going north-west, after traversing great mountains and crossing wide valleys, and passing a succession of smaller towns, and going 2000 li or so, we leave the frontiers of India and come to the kingdom of Tsau-ku-ta.

Note.—The remainder of the section, noticed on pp. 248, 249, records a mission sent to the same king of Ceylon, Alibunar, by the Emperor of China (Ch'h§ng Tsu), under the direction of the eunuch Ch'hing Ho; his object was to offer incense and flowers. Having arrived, he exhorted the king to respect the teaching of Buddha and to expel the heretics. The king being enraged, desired to slay him, but Ch'hing Ho being aware of the plot, escaped. Again the same ambassador was sent to receive the homage of foreign states, and came to Ceylon (Si-lan-shan-kwo, the country of the Seilan mountain). The king rebelliously refused to pay any respect to the embassage, and collected 50,000 soldiers to block the way and to destroy the ships. Ch'hing Ho having learned the purpose of the king, sent secretly by a circuitous way to the ships, and got 3000 soldiers by night to mareh on the royal city. Being surrounded by the enemy's troops, they defended the city for six days, and then having treated the king with contumely, they opened the gates in the morning, and fought their way for twenty li; when the daylight began to fail, they offered up prayers to the sacred tooth, and suddenly an unusual light shone before them and lighted them on their way. Having reached their ships, they rested in peace, and arrived at the capital in the ninth year of Yung-loh (a.d. 1412), the seventh month, and ninth day.

END OF BOOK XI.

BOOK XII.

Contains an account of twenty-two countries, viz., (i) Tsu-ku-cha; (2) Fo-U-shi-sa-t'ang-na; (3) 'An-ta-lo-po; (4) K'woh-si-to; (5) Hwoh; (6) Mung-kin; (7) 0-li*ni; (8) Ho-lo-hu; (9) Kili-seh-mo; (10) Po-li-ho; (11) Hi-mo-ta-lo; (12) Po-to-chang-na; (13) In-po-Mn; (14) Kiu-lang-naj (15) Ta-mo-si-tie-tiy (16) Shi-Vi-nij (17) Bhang-mi; (18) K'ie-pan-to; (19) U-sha; (20) Kie-shaj (21) Gho-kiu-kiaj (22) K'iu-sa-ta-na

TsU-KU-CHA (TSAUK^TA).

This country 1 is about 7000 li in circuit, the capital, which is called Ho-si-na (Ghazna), is about 30 li round. There is another capital, Ho-sa-la,2 which is about 30 li round. Both of them are naturally strong and also fortified.3 Mountains and valleys succeed each other, with plains intervening, fit for cultivation. The land is sown and reaped in due season. "Winter wheat is grown in great abundance; shrubs and trees grow in rich variety, and there are flowers and fruits in abundance. The soil is favourable for the yo-Jein plant (fairmeric) and for the Mng-kiw;4, this last grows in the valley Lo-ma-in-tu.6 In the city Ho-sa-lo is a fountain, of which the water

1 For some reference to the country in question, is not older than the Tsaukuta, see ante, vol. i. p. 62, n. time of Chinghiz Khan; he, there218. Cunningham identifies it with fore, proposes Guzaristan, on the the Arachosia of classical writers Helmand, the Ozola of Ptolemy, as (Anc. Gepg. of India, p. 40), the equivalent of the Chinese sym

2 The identification of Ho-si-na bols (ibid., loc. cit.)

with Ghazni wa3 first made by M. s For the strength of Ghazni see

V. de St. Martin ; he also proposed Cunningham [op. cit., pp "41, 42).

to restore Ho-sa-la to Haz&ra, but 4 Hingu, assafcetida (Julien),

General Cunningham remarks that 5 R&mendu? (Julien). this name, as applied to the district

divides itself into many branches, and which the people utilise for the purposes of irrigation. The climate is cold; there are frequent hail and snow storms. The people are naturally light-hearted and impulsive; they are crafty and deceitful. They love learning and the arts, and show considerable skill in magical sentences, but they have no good aim in view.

They daily repeat several myriads of words; their writing and language differ from those of other countries. They are very specious in vain talk, but there is little body or truth in what they say. Although they worship a hundred (many) spirits, yet they also greatly reverence the three precious ones. There are several hundred sangJidrdmas, with iooo or so priests. They all study the Great Vehicle. The reigning sovereign is sincere and honest in his faith, and is the successor of a long line of kings. He applies himself assiduously to religious work (merit) and is well instructed and fond of learning. There are some ten stilpas built by A^oka-raja, and several tens of D6va temples, in which sectaries of various denominations dwell together.

The Tirthaka6 heretics are very numerous; they worship principally the Deva Kshuna (T'seu-na). This Deva spirit formerly came from Mount Aruna ('O-lu-nao) in TCapisa, and took up his abode here in the southern districts of this kingdom, in the Mount Sunagir.7 He is severe or good, causing misfortune or exercising violence. Those who invoke him with faith obtain their wishes; those who despise him reap misfortune. Therefore people both far off and near show for him deep reverence; high and low alike are filled with religious awe of him. The princes, nobles, and people of this as well as of foreign

6 The symbols Wai-tao may denote for which see Eitel, Handbook, sub

the Ttrthakas, as Julien seems to voc.

suppose; or they may be simply 7 For this mountain see onJe, voh

equal to "only the greater part are i. p. 62. It may be restored to

Wai-tao" the symbols wai-tao are Kshuna Hilo or Hila. generally applied to the Tirthakas,

countries assemble every year at" a season of rejoicing which is not fixed, and offer gold and silver and precious objects of rare value (choice trifles), with sheep, and horses, and domestic animals; all which they present in simple and confiding trust, so that though the earth is covered with silver and gold, and the sheep and horses fill the valleys, yet no one would dare to covet them: they consider them as things set apart for sacred purposes. The heretics (Tirthakas), by subduing their minds and mortifying their flesh, get from the spirits of heaven sacred formulae. By the use of these they are frequently able to control diseases and recover the sick.

Going from this northwards 500 li or so, we come to the kingdom of Fo-li-shi-sa-t'ang-na.

Fo-li-shi-sa-t'ang-na (paksusthana, or Vardasthana ?)

This kingdom 8 is about 2000 li from east to west and 1000 li from north to south. The capital is called U-pi-na (Hupian),9 and is 20 li round. As regards the soil and the manners of the people, these are the same as in Tsu-ku-cha; the language, however, is different. The climate is icy cold; the men are naturally fierce and impetuous. The king is a Turk (Tu-kieuh). They have (or he has) profound faith for the three precious objects of worship; he esteems learning and honours virtue (or, the virtuous, i.e., the priests).

Going to the north-east of this kingdom, traversing mountains and crossing rivers, and passing several tens of little towns situated on the frontier of the country of Kapisa, we come to a great mountain pass called Po-lo

8 Panini mentions ParsustMna, the tribes Parsioi and Parsuetai (ib.,

the country of the Parsus, a warlike s. 3), somewhere in this vicinity.

tribe,in thisdirection(v. 3,117; Brih. "Hupian or Opian, a little to the

£am.,xiv. 18). Baber (Mem., p. 140) north of Charikar, in lat. 350 2'N.,

mentions the Parachis among the long. 69" 1' E., at the entrance of a

tribes of Afghanistan. Ptolemy pass over the north-east end of the

has two places, Parsiana (lib. vi c. 18, Pamghan range, s. 4) and Parsia (ib., s. 5), and also

si-na (Varasena),10 which forms part of the great snowy mountains. This mountain pass is very high; the precipices are wild and dangerous; the path is tortuous, and the caverns and hollows wind and intertwine together. At one time the traveller enters a deep valley, at another he mounts a high peak, which in full summer is blocked with frozen ice. By cutting stepsoip the ice the traveller passes on, and after three days he comes to the highest point of the pass. There the icy wind, intensely cold, blows with fury; the piled snow fills the valleys. Travellers pushing their way through, dare not pause on their route. The very birds that fly in their wheeling flight11 cannot mount alone this point, but go afoot across the height and then fly downwards. Looking at the mountains round, they seem as little hillocks. This is the highest peak of all Jambudvipa. No trees are seen upon it, but only a mass of rocks, crowded one by the side of the other, like a wild forest.

Going on for three days more, we descend the pass and come to 'An-ta-lo-po (Andar-ab).12

'an-ta-lo-po (andae-ab).

This is the old land of the Tu-ho-lo country.13 It is about 3000 li round; the capital is 14 or 15 li round. They have no chief ruler; it is dependent on the Turks (Tuh-kiueh).14 Mountains and hills follow in chains, with valleys intersecting them. The arable land is very contracted. The climate is very severe. The wind and the snow are intensely cold and violent; yet the country is regularly cultivated and productive: it is suitable also for flowers and fruits. The men are naturally fierce and

10 This pass over the Hindu Kush 12 See Book i., n. 146

(the Paropamisus or Indian Cau- 18 That is, of the Tokbari people,

casus) is probably the same as the See Book i., n. 121. Khawak Pass described by Wood 14 That is, on the Turkish tribe

(Oxus, p. 274). He found it to be from the borders of China that had

13,000 feet in height. overrun this district (see note, he.

11 JV'go ts'eung, soaring birds. cit.)

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