The prefect Le E was a reverent believer in the Law of Buddha. When he
heard that a Sramana had arrived in a ship across the sea, bringing with
him books and images, he immediately came to the sea-shore with an
escort to meet the traveller, and receive the books and images, and took
them back with him to the seat of his government. On this the merchants
went back in the direction of Yang-chow; but when Fa-hien arrived at
Ts'ing-chow, the prefect there begged him to remain with him for a
winter and a summer. After the summer retreat was ended, Fa-hien, having
been separated for a long time from his fellows, wished to hurry to
Ch'ang-gan; but as the business which he had in hand was important, he
went south to the Capital; and at an interview with the masters there
exhibited the Sutras and the collection of the Vinaya which he had
procured.
After Fa-hien set out from Ch'ang-gan, it took him six years to reach
Central India; stoppages there extended over six years; and on his
return it took him three years to reach Ts'ing-chow. The countries
through which he passed were a few under thirty. From the sandy desert
westwards on to India, the beauty of the dignified demeanor of the
monkhood and of the transforming influence of the Law was beyond the
power of language fully to describe; and reflecting how our masters had
not heard any complete account of them, he therefore went on without
regarding his own poor life, or the dangers to be encountered on the sea
upon his return, thus incurring hardships and difficulties in a double
form.
Pages:
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335