[Footnote 2:  Sudatta, meaning “almsgiver,” was the original name of Anatha-pindika, a wealthy householder, or Vaisya head, of Sravasti, famous for his liberality.  Of his old house, only the well and walls remained at the time of Fa-hien’s visit to Sravasti.]

[Footnote 3:  The Angulimalya were a sect or set of Sivaitic fanatics, who made assassination a religious act.  The one of them here mentioned had joined them by the force of circumstances.  Being converted by Buddha, he became a monk.]

[Footnote 4:  Arya, meaning “honorable,” “venerable,” is a title given only to those who have mastered the four spiritual truths:—­(i) that “misery” is a necessary condition of all sentient existence; this is duhka:  (ii) that the “accumulation” of misery is caused by the passions; this is samudaya:  (iii) that the “extinction” of passion is possible; this is nirodha:  and (iv) that the “path” leads to the extinction of passion; which is marga.  According to their attainment of these truths, the Aryas, or followers of Buddha, are distinguished into four classes—­Srotapannas, Sakridagamins, Anagamins, and Arhats.]

[Footnote 5:  Hsuean-chwang does not give the name of this murderer; see in Julien’s “Vie et Voyages de Hiouen-thsang “—­“a heretical Brahman killed a woman and calumniated Buddha.”  See also the fuller account in Beal’s “Records of Western Countries,” where the murder is committed by several Brahmacharins.  In this passage Beal makes Sundari to be the name of the murdered person.  But the text cannot be so construed.]

[Footnote 6:  A devalaya is a place in which a deva is worshipped—­a general name for all Brahmanical temples.]

[Footnote 7:  Their speech was somewhat unconnected, but natural enough in the circumstances.  Compare the whole account with the narrative in 1 Samuel v. about the Ark and Dagon, that “twice-battered god of Palestine.”]

CHAPTER XXI

The Three Predecessors of Sakyamuni

Fifty li to the west of the city brings the traveller to a town named Too-wei, the birthplace of Kasyapa Buddha.  At the place where he and his father met, and at that where he attained to pari-nirvana, topes were erected.  Over the entire relic of the whole body of him, the Kasyapa Tathagata, a great tope was also erected.

Going on southeast from the city of Sravasti for twelve yojanas, the travellers came to a town named Na-pei-kea, the birthplace of Krakuchanda Buddha.  At the place where he and his father met, and at that where he attained to pari-nirvana, topes were erected.  Going north from here less than a yojana, they came to a town which had been the birthplace of Kanakamuni Buddha.  At the place where he and his father met, and where he attained to pari-nirvana, topes were erected.

CHAPTER XXII

Legends of Buddha’s Birth