When they enter the refectory their demeanour is grave and orderly: they sit down in a regular order; they all keep silence; they make no noise with their bowls etc.; and when the attendants[1] serve more food they do not call out to each other but only make signs with their hands.[2] Hui Ching, Tao Chêng, and Hui Ta, started in advance towards the country of Chieh-ch'a, but Fa Hsien and the others wishing to see the procession of the images remained three months and some days. In this country there are fourteen large monasteries without counting the smaller ones. Beginning on the 1st of the 4th moon, they sweep and water the streets inside the city and decorate the principal thoroughfares. Over the city gate they stretch a large awning with all kinds of ornamentation, and there the King and Queen[3] and maids-of-honour reside. The priests of the Chü-ma-ti monastery belong to the Greater Development, which[4] is
- ↑ 凈人 has been utterly ignored by M. Beal whose translation is otherwise a considerable improvement on Rémusat's absurd rendering. Mr. Beal gives "when they (i.e. the priests) require more food there is no chattering one with the other, but etc." Now as we have just been told that "they all keep silence" it would seem unnecessary to repeat the remark in another form. Further 喚 never means to chatter. The 凈人 are the menials who wait upon the priests. Their heads are shaved but have not been branded with three (or more) marks 三戒 that are the pride of an ordained priest, and signify to the public that he has renounced for ever flesh, wine and woman.
- ↑ Mr. Beal wrongly joins 指 with 手, and translates it "fingers," instead of with 麾. The text is 但以手指麾.
- ↑ The text is 王及夫人采女 translates "the King and the court ladies, with their attendants."
- ↑ Not the priests, as Mr. Beal renders it in defiance of grammar.
At the same time we must object to Mr. Beal's idea that the three thousand priests take their meal together. 共 only implies that the hour was the same.
