30 Verification of the Itinerary of Hwan Thsang [July, 



Rani, after whom the place may once have been named. Ptolemy's 

 Selampura would however appear to point to the name of Rama in 

 Sri-Rampura.) 



No. 71 — Kiu-shi-na-kie-lo, Kushiagara, Klaproth and Landresse. 

 Stupa built by Asoka. To the N. W. of the town at 3 or 4 li (about 

 half a mile) across the A-chi-to-fa-ti (or Ajitavati) anciently called 

 Shi-lai-nu-fa-ti "riviere ou il y a de V or" (the Sioarnavati or 

 '' golden") and on the W. bank was the forest of So-lo (or Sat trees, 

 exactly where in Major Bunnell's map I find a "Forest of Sal trees.") 

 Here also was a Stupa of Su-pa-to-lo, "bon sage," (or Subhadra. 

 The distance next recorded from Benares points to the ruins of Kusid 

 on the Chota Gandak river, which are described by Mr. Liston in 

 Prinsep's Journal, vi. 477. The very name is the same, and the ruined 

 tope still existing there may be that mentioned by Hwan Thsang. But 

 we have a still more conclusive proof in the existence of an image of 

 Buddha at this place, which is still called Mata Kunwr, in Sanskrit 

 Mrita-Kum&ra, or the " dead Prince ;" this being, according to Fa- 

 Hian, the very place where Sakya died, on the bank of the river Hi-li- 

 an, in Sanskrit Hiranya, or "golden," a synonyme of Swarnavati. 

 Besides which Hwang Thsang, (in F. K. K. p. 237. N.) mentions that 

 there was a sculpture at this place, in a large temple, representing the 

 death of Sahya, which is most probably the very sculpture described by 

 Mr. Liston, as James Prinsep states that its compartments display the 

 various acts of Buddha's life. Hwan Thsang also mentions a pillar at 

 this place, which I should think night be discovered by a careful search. 

 Kusinagara is probably the Kassidia of Ptolemy. 



Thence at 500 li (83 miles) through forests to 



No. 72 — Pan-lo-ni-sse ; Vardnasi or Benares, Landresse. A large 

 town on the Ganges. To the N. E. of the town and to the W. of the 

 river Po-lo-ni (the Varana or Barna-nadi to the E. of the city) was a 

 Stupa built by Asoka. To the N. E. of the town at 10 li (about If 

 miles) was the "Deer-Park," and to the S. W. of the temple was a 

 Stupa of Asoka. Beside it also was a Stupa where Mei-tha-li-ye (or 

 Maitreya) received the history of Buddha : and to the W. of this was 

 the place where Sakya Bodhisatwa received the history of Kasyapa. 

 (The name of Varanasi is derived from Varana and Asi, the names of 

 the two small streams between which the city is situated. According to 

 Fa Hian there was a temple in the midst of the " Park of the Deer of the 



