DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.635#0057
44 BENARES, THE SACRED CITY
polished and of blue colour (probably lapis lazuli), in
which the reflection of Buddha might always be seen.
At a distance of nearly two miles farther on, north-east
from the river, he arrived at the Deer-park, where
there was a monastery, built in eight sections, within
a walled enclosure. There were pavilions of one and
two stories for the accommodation of the monks, 1500
in number, who were studying the doctrine of the
" Little Vehicle". In the midst of the enclosure was
a temple-monastery, the lower part of stone, sur-
mounted by a tower of brick faced with stone, or
perhaps by the curvilinear sikra, or spire, similar to
that of modern Jain and Hindu temples in northern
India, which was crowned by the melon-shaped amdlika
wrought in embossed gold. The amalika formed the
base of the finial.
Round about the tower, or spire, in tiers rising one
over the other, were a hundred niches, each containing-
an image of Buddha, which Hiuen Thsang supposed
to be of gold, but which were probably only of bronze
or copper gilt, like those now found in Buddhist shrines
and monasteries in Nepal, Sikkim, and Tibet. The
temple contained a life-size statue of Buddha, made of
brass, in the attitude of preaching. The illustration
here given of a Nepalese Buddhist temple probably
closely resembles the temple seen by Hiuen Thsang.
To the south-west of this temple was a stone stupa,
built by Asoka, w7hich had become partly buried,
though it was still 100 feet in height. It was built to
mark the very spot where Buddha, "having attained
to perfect knowledge ", began to expound to his fellow-
seekers after truth the wisdom he had gained under
the Bodhi tree at Gaya.
polished and of blue colour (probably lapis lazuli), in
which the reflection of Buddha might always be seen.
At a distance of nearly two miles farther on, north-east
from the river, he arrived at the Deer-park, where
there was a monastery, built in eight sections, within
a walled enclosure. There were pavilions of one and
two stories for the accommodation of the monks, 1500
in number, who were studying the doctrine of the
" Little Vehicle". In the midst of the enclosure was
a temple-monastery, the lower part of stone, sur-
mounted by a tower of brick faced with stone, or
perhaps by the curvilinear sikra, or spire, similar to
that of modern Jain and Hindu temples in northern
India, which was crowned by the melon-shaped amdlika
wrought in embossed gold. The amalika formed the
base of the finial.
Round about the tower, or spire, in tiers rising one
over the other, were a hundred niches, each containing-
an image of Buddha, which Hiuen Thsang supposed
to be of gold, but which were probably only of bronze
or copper gilt, like those now found in Buddhist shrines
and monasteries in Nepal, Sikkim, and Tibet. The
temple contained a life-size statue of Buddha, made of
brass, in the attitude of preaching. The illustration
here given of a Nepalese Buddhist temple probably
closely resembles the temple seen by Hiuen Thsang.
To the south-west of this temple was a stone stupa,
built by Asoka, w7hich had become partly buried,
though it was still 100 feet in height. It was built to
mark the very spot where Buddha, "having attained
to perfect knowledge ", began to expound to his fellow-
seekers after truth the wisdom he had gained under
the Bodhi tree at Gaya.