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A. M. Broadley — The Buddhistic Bemains of Bihar. [No. 3, 
caves and temples of Rajagriha were abandoned to the ravages of decay, 
and when the followers of Tathagata forsook the mountain dwellings of their 
great teacher, the monastery of Nalandd arose in all its splendour on the 
banks of the lakes of Bargaon. Successive monarehs vied in its embel- 
lishment ; lofty pagodas wore raised in all directions ; halls of disputation 
and schools of instruction were built between them ; shrines, temples, and 
topes were constructed on the side of every tank and encircled the base of 
every tower ; and around the whole mass of religious edifices were grouped 
the “ four-storied” dwellings of the preachers and teachers of Buddhism. 
Fah-IIiyan visited the spot in 415, A. D., and tells us that Saripiitra was 
born at Nalanda, and that he subsequently returned to it to enter nirvana. 
Ho also infonns us that this memorable event in Buddhistic ecclesiastical 
history had been commemorated by the erection of a lofty town which he 
saw, but he says nothing of the existence of any vihara or sangharama. 
Hwen Thsang, according to the chronology of his travels, so ably and elabo- 
rately established by Major-General Cunningham, arrived at the gates of 
the great Nalanda vihara somewhere about the 1st March 637, A. D., and 
spent within its precincts, and in visiting tho holy places in its immediate 
neighbourhood, no less a period than twenty-two months. His description 
of the antiquities of the place, of the manners, customs, and language of its 
inmates, of the pious gifts of its long line of royal benefactors, and of the 
architecture and decorations of its countless temples, pagodas, and shrines, 
is singularly minute and vivid, and fills a large space in the first volume of 
M. J ulien’s translation of the ‘ Memoires.’ Before proceeding to describe, 
and subsequently to attempt an identification, of its ruins, I feel bound to 
quote somewhat at length from the records of the pilgrim. He writes as 
follows : “ Le dixieme jour, les religieux du couvent de Na-lan-to (Nalanda 
vihara) envoyerent au-devant de lui quatre hommes d’une virtu eminente 
[i. e., to Bodh-Gaya]. II partit avec eux et apres avoir fait sept yodjanas, il 
arriva au village ou est situe le couvent. Ce fut dans ce village (appelle 
Nalmdagra/md) quo naquit l’honorablo Meo-lien ( Mdudgalya ydna). Au 
moment de son arrivee, il vit en outre deux eonts religieux et un millier de 
fideles qui accouraient au-devant de lui avec des etendards, des parasols, des 
parfums, et des fleurs. Ils toumerent autour lui en celebrant ses louanges 
et entrerent dans le couvent de Nfllanda. Une fois arrives, ils se joignirent 
a la multitude des premiers religieux. Quand le Maitre de la loi eut fini de 
les saluer, ils placerent sur l’estrade du president un fauteuil particulier et 
le prierent do s’y asseoir. La multitude des religieux et des fideles s’assit 
pareillement. Apres quoi on chargea le wei-max (le Karmaddna, le sous-diree- 
teur) de frapper la plaque sonore Kien-tehi (Gnanti) et d’inviter a haute 
voix le Maitre de la loi a demeurer dans le couvent, et a faire usage en com- 
ntun de tous les ustonsiles et effets des religieux qu’ils etaient rassembles.” 
