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Fa-hsien: Famous Chinese Buddhist Pilgrim

A native of sanxi (Shansi), Fa-hsien was a Chinese monk who came to India on a pilgrimage tour during the reign of Chandra Gupta II ((reigned c 376-415). His motive for coming to India was to acquire authentic copies of the Buddhist scriptures and to visit the places associated with the Buddha. Being of religious nature, he gives information about temples and monasteries and the state of Buddhism in India at that time. He was so engrossed in the religious pursuits that he even doesn’t mention the name of Chandra Gupta II (376-415) of the Gupta empire though he spent some six years in India during the latter’s reign. The Buddhist canon Samyutta Nikata was translated into Chinese about 440 AD from a manuscript obtained by the pilgrim in Sri Lanka in 411. Fa-hsien was the earliest to refer to “pollution on approach” in regard to the untouchables.  

He traveled in India, particularly the Buddhist centres, extensively. His observations are of great importance to an understanding of the period.

Some of the important statements made by Fa-hsien about India are:
  • The country is prosperous and the people are happy
  • India is a peaceful state and one can travel from one place to the other throughout the empire without being harassed. There is no need for passport. The administration is mild. Capital punishment is not in vogue. Offenders are generally punished by fines. Crimes of serious nature, which are rare, are punished by amputation of one hand.  
  • People are vegetarians. Only people of low castes and untouchables ate meat. Respectable citizens don’t consume liquor.
  • Free hospitals are run by donations of pious subjects of the kingdom.
  • Buddhism is in a state of flourish and Kashmir, Punjab ad Afghanistan are centres of Buddhism.
  • Untouchables don’t form part of the society. The dwell outside the confines of villages in segregated localities. Before entering the villages they had to strike a piece of wood to warn others of their approach.

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