What they needed, and treated
them in accordance with the rules of the Law.
NOTES
[1] Bhida. Eitel says, "The present Punjab;" i.e. it was a portion of
that.
[2] "To come forth from their families;" that is, to become celibates,
and adopt the tonsure.
CHAPTER XVI
ON TO MATHURA OR MUTTRA. CONDITION AND CUSTOMS OF CENTRAL INDIA;
OF THE MONKS, VIHARAS, AND MONASTERIES.
From this place they travelled south-east, passing by a succession of
very many monasteries, with a multitude of monks, who might be counted
by myriads. After passing all these places, they came to a country
named Ma-t'aou-lo.[1] They still followed the course of the P'oo-na[2]
river, on the banks of which, left and right, there were twenty
monasteries, which might contain three thousand monks; and (here) the
Law of Buddha was still more flourishing. Everywhere, from the Sandy
Desert, in all the countries of India, the kings had been firm
believers in that Law. When they make their offerings to a community
of monks, they take off their royal caps, and along with their
relatives and ministers, supply them with food with their own hands.
That done, (the king) has a carpet spread for himself on the ground,
and sits down in front of the chairman; - they dare not presume to sit
on couches in front of the community.
![A Record Of Buddhistic Kingdoms - Being An Account By The Chinese Monk Fa-hien Of His Travels In India And Ceylon (a.d. 399-414) By James Legge
- How is it that these men
from a border-land should have learned to become monks,[2] and come
for - Page 70](../images/travel.jpg)
