Chap. II. 



ITS HISTORY. 



35 



I have described two in the celebrated monas- 

 tery of Koo-shan, near Foo-chow-foo in Fokien. 

 In a note published by the Keverend Dr. Med- 

 hurst the history of such relics is given by the 

 Chinese in the following manner : — " The Buddh- 

 ists say there are 84,000 pores in a man's 

 body, and thus, by following corruption and passing 

 through transmigration, he leaves behind him 

 84,000 particles of miserable dust. Buddha's 

 body has also 84,000 pores, but by resisting evil 

 and reverting to truth he has perfected 84,000 

 relics ; these are as hard and as bright as diamonds, 

 affording benefit to men and devas wherein they 

 are deposited. * * * * Eight kings contended for 

 these relics, which were divided into three parts, 

 one being assigned to the devas, one to the nagas, 

 and the third to the eight kings. During Buddha's 

 lifetime he was begging with 0-nan in a lane, 

 when they saw two boys playing with earth ; one 

 of them, being struck with the dignified appearance 

 of Buddha, presented him with some pellets of 

 earth, expressing a wish at the same time that 

 he might in future become one of his most zealous 

 worshippers. Buddha then .addressed 0-nan, say- 

 ing, ^After my obtaining nirvaan (nothingness, i.e, 

 death), this child will become a king, ruling over 

 the southern kingdoms, and building pagodas for 

 the preservation of my relics.' This was Ayuka, 

 who afterwards built 84,000 pagodas ; nineteen of 

 these were constructed in Cliina, and one of them 

 was fixed on the snow-hill in the prefecture of 



D 2 



