Buddhist records of the Western world (Xuanzang)
by Samuel Beal | 1884 | 224,928 words | ISBN-10: 8120811070
This is the English translation of the travel records of Xuanzang (or, Hiuen Tsiang): a Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled to India during the seventh century. This book recounts his documents his visit to India and neighboring countries, and reflects the condition of those countries during his time, including temples, culture, traditions and fest...
Chapter 5 - Country of Wu-la-shi (Urasha)
The kingdom of Wu-la-shi (Uraśa)[1] is about 2000 li in circuit; the mountains and valleys form a continuous chain. The fields fit for cultivation are contracted as to space. The capital is 7 or 8 li in circuit; there is no king, but the country is dependent on Kaśmīr. The soil is fit for sowing and reaping, but there are few flowers or fruits. The air is soft and agreeable; there is very little ice or snow. The people have no refinement; the men are hard and rough in their disposition, and are much given to deceit. They do not believe in the religion of Buddha.
To the south-west of the capital 4 or 5 li is a stūpa about 200 feet or so in height, which was built by Aśoka-rāja. By its side is a saṅghārāma, in which there are but a few disciples, who study the Great Vehicle.[2]
Going south-east from this, crossing over mountains and treading along precipices, passing over chain bridges, after 1000 li or so, we come to the country of Kia-shi-mi-lo[3] (Kaśmīr).
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Uraśā appears as the name of a city in the Mahābhārata under the form Uragā (ii. 1027; and Raghuv. vi. 59), probably by a slip (see Lassen, I. A., vol. ii. p. 155, n. 1); in the Rājataraṅgiṇī (v. 216) it is Uraśā, the capital of Uraśa—mentioned in Pāṇini (iv. 1, 154 and 178, and Urasā in iv. 2. 82, and iv. 3, 93). Ptolemy (lib. vii. c. 1, 45) calls the country Arosa or Ouarsa, and its towns Ithagouros and Taxila (v. l. Taxiala), placing it between the upper waters of the Bidaspes and Indus, that is, in the Hazāra country. Conf. Cunningham, Anc. Geog. Ind., p. 103; J. A. S. Beng., vol. xvii. pt. ii. pp. 21, 283; Lassen, I. A., vol. ii. p. 175.
[2]:
Julien has "Little Vehicle."
[3]:
Formerly written Ki-pin by mistake.—Ch. Ed.