Hiuen-Tsang (629-645 A.D.)
Xuan zang was a Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller, and translator who traveled to India in the seventh century and described the interaction between Chinese Buddhism and Indian Buddhism during the early Tang dynasty. He is known as Hiuen Tsang in history books of India. He became famous for his seventeen-year overland journey to India (including Nalanda), Si- yu-ki is his famous book, and he gives the social- political life of India during the time of Harshavardhana of Vardhan dynasty. Prince of Pilgrims was the name attributed to Hiuen Tsang.
Despite the refusal of the permission by the Emperor, Hiuen-Tsang visited to India. In 627, Xuan zang reportedly had a dream that convinced him to journey to India. He decided to travel to India for learn about Sanskrit and Buddhism. Tang China and the Gokturks were at war at the time and Emperor Taizong of Tang had prohibited foreign travel. Many peoples also suggested him to not go to India but he said them that, I would rather die going to the West than live by staying in the East. He then came to India with hidely from China at the age of 27. He came through the desert with his horse. One time his horse was saved his life. When he was unconscious in the journey, his horse took him near to a Pond. He then went to Kashmir through Silk route. This time Kashmir was the renowed place for Buddhism. He then learned about Buddhism in Ladakh, Jalandhar and Mathura. He then moves towards Lumbini, Kushinagar, Sarnath and Bodhgaya to learn Buddhism deeply.
He then reached to Nalanda and took admission at Nalanda University where there were 2,000 teachers and 10,000 students. It is believed that the Nalanda University is the first University in the World.
He was a good student of teacher Sheelabhadra who was very ill this time. God advice him to stay with endurance and a Chinese traveler came to him and his education was spread in all over the world. Sheelbhadra gave him the name Hiuen Tsang to Mokshadeva. Hiuen tsang was renowed Buddhist scholar this time.
He visited Taxila which was desolate and half-ruined, and found most of its sangharamas still ruined and desolate with the state having become a dependency of Kashmir with the local leaders fighting among themselves for power. During this time, Xuan zang wrote about the Fourth Buddhist council that took place nearby, 100 AD, under the order of King Kanishka of Kushana. At Matipura Monastery, Xuan zang studied under Mitrasena from here, he headed south to Sankasya kapitha, onward to Kannauj.
The king Harshavardhan invited him to come to Kannauj and Hiuen tsang accepted king’s request. At Kannauj, Harshavardhan organized 18 days of religious meeting ceremony. There Hiuen tsang beat to all 500 priests like Brahman, Jain and Budhist scholars in Shastrath. There was a friendship between Harshavardhan and Hiuen Tsang. According to Hiuen tsang, Harshavardhan distribute Gold, Jwelley, Silk, clothes and even his crown during Kumbh festival and the king used to feed daily to one lakh people at Kumbh festival.
He also writes down about military details like in the military department of Harshavardhan, there were 50,000 cavalry, chariots and more than one lakh soldiers. There was less crime rate during Harshavardhan reign. According to Hiuen Tsang king Harshavardhan called as Shiladitya which means Sun of virture. There were no death punish by the administration.
There was a unique type of punishment write down by Hiuen Tsang like, if a person kade any guilty, in a big balance, one side keep a big stone and another side the victim sit there. If the victim side heavy then he removed and if the stone side heavy then the victim punish as to Jail for lifetime.
According to Hiuen Tsang, during Harshavardhan time, girls and boys read Shastra after primary education. Shastra means, Grammar, science of arts and crafts, medicine, logic and philosophy in that time.
Xuan zang now returned northward to Shravasti Bahraich, travelled through Terai in the southern part of modern Nepal (here he found deserted Buddhist monasteries) and thence to Kapilavastu, his last stop before Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. Xuan zang turned southward and traveled to Andhradesa to visit the Viharas at Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda.
He stayed at Amaravati and studied 'Abhidhammapitakam'. He observed that there were many Viharas at Amaravati and some of them were deserted. He later proceeded to Kanchi, the imperial capital of Pallavas and a strong center of Buddhism. He continued traveling to at the invitation of Hindu king Kumar Bhaskar Varman, he went east to the ancient city of Pragjyotishpura in the kingdom of Kamarupa after crossing the Karatoya and spent three months in the region. Before going to Kamarupa he visited Sylhet what is now a modern city of Bangladesh. Nasik, Ajanta, Malwa, from there he went to Multan and Pravata before returning to Nalanda again.
Traveling through the Khyber Pass of the Hindu Kush, Xuan zang passed through Kashgar, Khotan, and Dunhuang on his way back to China. He arrived in the capital, Chang'an, on the seventh day of the first month of 645, 16 years before, he left Chinese territory, and a great procession celebrated on his return. On his return to China not only his secret exist from China was forgiven, but he was received with great honor.
In his journey to China, he was half drowning in the river but he was saved but many books were drowned in the river.
He went to China with 657 Buddhist texts, 150 Buddhist relics, 520 cases and 20 horses at the age of 42. In the middle way to China the people asked him why he went to China where he did not got respect then Hiuen Tsang replied them that, if god Buddha knowledge will not contribute among them who need for this knowledge what profit for my knowledge.
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