of Barma as Gautama Buddha, or simply Gautama. In the Vansalata* the Gautamas are said to be descendants of Arkabandhu, which is one of the names of Buddha given in the Amara Kosha of the famous Amara Sinha, who was himself a Buddhist. I have not visited Nagar myself, but I am informed that it possesses a khera, or mound of brick ruins, and that there are numerous remains of brick buildings in the neighbourhood. As Fa-Hian describes Kapila in the beginning of the fifth century as "literally a vast solitude, in which there was neither king nor people," but only a few monks and some ten or twenty houses, it is scarcely possible that there would be any conspicuous traces of the city which has lain desolate for upwards of twelve centuries. In the middle of the seventh century Hwen Thsang found the place so utterly ruined that it was impossible to ascertain its original size, I am therefore quite satisfied that the absence of any extensive ruins at the present day cannot overthrow the very strong claims which Nagar certainly possesses to be identified with the ancient city of Kapila. But this identification is still further strengthened by the names of several places in the vicinity, which would appear to represent some of the more holy spots that were famous in the early history of Buddhism. I allude more especially to the birthplaces of the two previous Buddhas, Krakuchanda and Kanaka-muni, and the Sara-kupa, or "arrow-fountain," which sprang into existence at the stroke of Buddha's arrow. Fa-Hian names Na-pi-kia as the birthplace of Kra *Buchanan, 'Eastern India,' is. 458. course about 6 miles to the eastward of Nagar. It is the Kooana and Quana of the maps, and the Koyane of Buchanan,* who describes it as "a fine little river, which, with its numerous branches, fertilizes all the south-eastern parts of the district." It therefore corresponds in all essential particulars with the Rohini of the Buddhist chronicles. The position of Koli is doubtful; but it may perhaps be referred to the village of Am Kohil, which is exactly 11 miles to the east of Nagar, and rather less than 3 miles from the nearest point of the Kohâna river. The road from Nagar to Kohil crosses the Kohâna opposite the small town of Mokson, which may probably be the site of the once famous Lumbini garden, as it was also called parádi-moksha,† or supreme beatitude.” In later times this appellation would have been shortened to Moksha or Mokshan, to which I would refer the possible origin of Hwen Thsang's name of the "River of Oil," as mrakshan is the Sanskrit term for oil. Abul Fazl calls the place of Buddha's birth Mokta,‡ which is perhaps only a misreading of Moksa. Another strong point in favour of the identification of Nagar with the ancient Kapila is the fact that the present chief of Nagar is a Gautama Rajput, and the districts of Nagar and Amorha are the head-quarters of the clan, as well as of the Gautamiya Rajputs, who are an inferior branch of the Gautamas. Now the Sakyas of Kapilavastu were also Gautama Rajputs, and Súkya Muni himself is still known amongst the people of Barma as Gautama Buddha, or simply Gautama. In the Vansalata* the Gautamas are said to be descendants of Arkabandhu, which is one of the names of Buddha given in the Amara Kosha of the famous Amara Sinha, who was himself a Buddhist. I have not visited Nagar myself, but I am informed that it possesses a khera, or mound of brick ruins, and that there are numerous remains of brick buildings in the neighbourhood. As Fa-Hian describes Kapila in the beginning of the fifth century as "literally a vast solitude, in which there was neither king nor people," but only a few monks and some ten or twenty houses, it is scarcely possible that there would be any conspicuous traces of the city which has lain desolate for upwards of twelve centuries. In the middle of the seventh century Hwen Thsang found the place so utterly ruined that it was impossible to ascertain its original size, I am therefore quite satisfied that the absence of any extensive ruins at the present day cannot overthrow the very strong claims which Nagar certainly possesses to be identified with the ancient city of Kapila. But this identification is still further strengthened by the names of several places in the vicinity, which would appear to represent some of the more holy spots that were famous in the early history of Buddhism. I allude more especially to the birthplaces of the two previous Buddhas, Krakuchanda and Kanaka-muni, and the Sara-kupa, or "arrow-fountain," which sprang into existence at the stroke of Buddha's arrow. Fa-Hian names Na-pi-kia as the birthplace of Kra *Buchanan, Eastern India,' is. 458. Thsang gives 200 li, or 33 miles, in the same direction.* But in spite of their agreement I believe that the distance is in excess of the truth. Their subsequent march to the bank of the Anoma river is said to be 3 yojanas or 21 miles by Fa-Hian, and 100 li or 16 miles by Hwen Thsang, thus making the total distance from Kapila to the Anoma river 8 yojanas, or 56 miles, according to the former, and 300 li, or 50 miles, according to the latter. But in the Indian Buddhist scriptures, this distance is said to be only 6 yojanas, or 42 miles, which I believe to be correct, as the Aumi river of the present day, which is most probably the Anoma river of the Buddhist books, is just 40 miles distant from Nagar in an easterly direction. The identification of the Anoma will be discussed presently. According to the pilgrims' statements, the position of Rámagráma must be looked for at about two-thirds of the distance between Nagar and the Anoma river, that is at 4 yojanas, or 28 miles. In this position I find the village of Deokali,† with a mound of ruins, which was used as a station for the trigonometrical survey. In the 'Mahawanso' it is stated that the stupa of Râmagâmo, which stood on the bank of the Ganges, was destroyed by the action of the current. Mr. Laidlay has already pointed out that this river could not be the Ganges; but might be either the Ghágra, or some other large river in the north. But I am inclined to believe that the Ganges is a simple fabrication of the Ceylonese chronicler. All the Buddhist scriptures agree in stating that the relics of Buddha were divided See Map No. XI. * Julien's Hiouen Thsang,' ii. 325. 'Mahawanso,' c. xxxi. p. 185. "Arrow Fountain," which Fa-Hian places at 30 li, or 5 miles, to the south-west of Kapila, while Hwen Thsang places it at the same distance to the south-east. In this instance also I believe that Fa-Hian is right, as Hwen Thsang makes the distance from the Sara-Kupa to the Lumbini garden from 80 to 90 li, or 13 to 15 miles, which, as I have already shown, was on the bank of the Rohini or Kohâna river, to the east of Kapila. Now, if the Arrow Fountain was to the south-east of the capital, its distance from the Lumbini garden could not have been more than 6 or 7 miles, whereas if it was to the south-west, as stated by Fa-Hian, the distance would be about 12 or 13 miles. The probable position of the Sara-Kupa, or Arrow Fountain, may therefore be fixed near the village of Sarwanpur, which is exactly 5 miles to the south-west of Nagar. In proposing all these identifications, I have assumed that Nagar is the site of the ancient Kapila, but as I have not examined this part of the country myself, and as the information which I have been able to obtain is necessarily vague, I feel that the final settlement of this important inquiry can only be satisfactorily determined by an actual examination of Nagar itself and the surrounding localities. In the meantime I offer the results of the present disquisition as useful approximations until the true sites shall be determined by actual observation. Rúmagráma. From Kapila both pilgrims proceeded to Lan-mo, which has been identified with the Rámagráma of the Fa-Hian makes the Buddhist chronicles of India. distance 5 yojanas, or 35 miles, to the east,* and Hwen *Beal's 'Fah-Hian,' c. xxii. p. 89. |