[Footnote 1:  This would be what is known as “Adam’s peak,” having, according to Hardy, the three names of Selesumano, Samastakuta, and Samanila.  There is an indentation on the top of it, a superficial hollow, 5 feet 3 3/4 inches long, and 2 1/2 feet wide.  The Hindus regard it as the footprint of Siva; the Mohammedans, as that of Adam; and the Buddhists, as in the text—­as having been, made by Buddha.]

[Footnote 2:  We naturally suppose that the merchant-offerer was a Chinese, as indeed the Chinese texts say, and the fan such as Fa-hien had seen and used in his native land.]

[Footnote 3:  A Kalpa, we have seen, denotes a great period of time; a period during which a physical universe is formed and destroyed.  Asankhyeya denotes the highest sum for which a conventional term exists—­according to Chinese calculations equal to one followed by seventeen ciphers; according to Thibetan and Singhalese, equal to one followed by ninety-seven ciphers.  Every Maha-kalpa consists of four Asankhye-yakalpas.]

CHAPTER XXXIX

Cremation of an Arhat—­Sermon of a Devotee

South of the city seven li there is a vihara, called the Maha-vihara, where three thousand 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.  They answered in the affirmative, saying that he was an Arhat.  The king accordingly, when he died, buried him after the fashion of an Arhat, as the regular rules prescribed.  Four or five li east from the vihara there was reared a great pile of firewood, which might be more than thirty cubits square, and the same in height.  Near the top were laid sandal, aloe, and other kinds of fragrant wood.

On the four sides of the pile they made steps by which to ascend it.  With clean white hair-cloth, almost like silk, they wrapped the body round and round.  They made a large carriage-frame, in form like our funeral car, but without the dragons and fishes.

At the time of the cremation, the king and the people, in multitudes from all quarters, collected together, and presented offerings of flowers and incense.  While they were following the car to the burial-ground, the king himself presented flowers and incense.  When this was finished, the car was lifted on the pile, all over which oil of sweet basil was poured, and then a light was applied.  While the fire was blazing, every one, with a reverent heart, pulled off his upper garment, and threw it, with his feather-fan and umbrella, from a distance into the midst of the flames, to assist the burning.  When the cremation was over, they collected and preserved the bones, and proceeded to erect a tope.  Fa-hien had not arrived in time to see the distinguished Shaman alive, and only saw his burial.