1895.] Alexander E. Caddy — Asoka Inscriptions in India. 161 



himself is absolutely unknown, but his image is worshipped variously ; 

 indeed, in one locality, the site of the Nalanda monastery, his image is 

 worshipped as Rukmini. Elsewhere a traditional worship has come 

 down, and I have seen his statue garlanded and milk poured over its 

 mouth — vermeil and redlead touching up every prominent feature, as it 

 also does with every other object they hold sacred. 



30. The objects of interest in the Rajgir valley, besides the shell 

 inscriptions, are : — 



\st. — The hot springs; where Brahmans have prepared bathing 

 places and built small temples, which make a very 

 picturesque group at the entrance of the valley. 



2nd. — The basement known as Jarasandha ha haitliak, immediate- 

 ly above these temples. 



3rd. — The Pipolo cave ; where Buddha used to sit in deep medi- 

 tation, after his midday meal. Originally it was a 

 pit from which stone was quarried for the basements. 



4ith. — The Great Northern Caves. 



bth. — A ruined temple of Mahadeo. 



6th. — The Son Bhandar cave. 



7 til. — The Cyclopean walls and platforms and the Nekpai embank- 

 ment. 



Sth. — The causeway to Sailaglri, with the two stairs leading one 

 to Ananda's cave and the other to Buddha's. 



9th. — The caves in the Sailagiri rocky eminence, — called Gridhra- 

 kiita. 



31. Ascending the Baihhnr hill we pass several basements and the 

 remains of two stupas. Continuing, Ave pass three Jain temples and 

 come to a fourth. Here, descending a mountain path, a few, yards, we 

 come to another basement, and crossing on to a natural platform, just north 

 of this temple, we are immediately in front of the Great Northern Caves. 

 These caverns pierce the hill horizontally for a depth of^'fifty feet and 

 more, leading into cross-galleries running at right angles to them for 

 t^iirty or forty feet. Many of the minor recesses near this may be taken 

 as caves. It is a mile from the Pipolo cave, in the northern shadow of 

 Baihhdr; consequently it answers the precise- description given of the 

 Saptaparna cave by the Chinese traveller Fa Hian, so far as position is 

 concerned. Of the tremendous labour with which it was converted into 

 an assembly hall for the 1st Buddhist synod, where 500 Arhats met to 

 discuss the future of Buddhism, there is no trace. The stairs, if any, 

 have long since disappeared; of embellishment there is none. A small 

 paved space exists at the entrance of the principal cave, but this may 

 have been made at any time. 



