"As a flash of
lightning." Julien's Methode does not give the phonetic value in
Sanskrit of {.}.
[16] In an analysis of the number of times and the different forms in
which Sakyamuni had appeared in his Jataka births, given by Hardy (M.
B., p. 100), it is said that he had appeared six times as an elephant;
ten times as a deer; and four times as a horse.
[17] Chaitya is a general term designating all places and objects of
religious worship which have a reference to ancient Buddhas, and
including therefore Stupas and temples as well as sacred relics,
pictures, statues, &c. It is defined as "a fane," "a place for worship
and presenting offerings." Eitel, p. 141. The hill referred to is the
sacred hill of Mihintale, about eight miles due east of the Bo tree; -
Davids' Buddhism, pp. 230, 231.
[18] Eitel says (p. 31): "A famous ascetic, the founder of a school,
which flourished in Ceylon, A.D. 400." But Fa-hien gives no intimation
of Dharma-gupta's founding a school.
CHAPTER XXXIX
CREMATION OF AN ARHAT. SERMON OF A DEVOTEE.
South of the city seven le there is a vihara, called the Maha-vihara,
where 3000 monks reside. There had been among them a Sramana, of such
lofty virtue, and so holy and pure in his observance of the
disciplinary rules, that the people all surmised that he was an Arhat.
When he drew near his end, the king came to examine into the point;
and having assembled the monks according to rule, asked whether the
bhikshu had attained to the full degree of Wisdom.[1] They answered in
the affirmative, saying that he was an Arhat.
