The Travels of Fa-Hien

BHIDA. SYMPATHY OF MONKS WITH THE PILGRIMS.

After they had crossed the river, there was a country named Pe- t'oo, ¹ where Buddhism was very flourishing, and (the monks) studied both the mahayana and hinayana. When they saw their fellow-disciples from Ts'in passing along, they were moved with great pity and sympathy, and expressed themselves thus: "How is it that these men from a border-land should have learned to become monks, ² and come for the sake of our doctrines from such a distance in search of the Law of Buddha?" They supplied them with what they needed, and treated them in accordance with the rules of the Law.

NOTES

1 Bhida. Eitel says, "The present Punjab;" i.e. it was a portion of that.

2 "To come forth from their families;" that is, to become celibates, and adopt the tonsure.