Chapter IX · SOO-HO-TO. LEGEND OF BUDDHA.
James Legge translation
In that country also Buddhism(1) is flourishing. There is in it the place where Sakra,(2) Ruler of Devas, in a former age,(3) tried the Bodhisattva, by producing(4) a hawk (in pursuit of a) dove, when (the Bodhisattva) cut off a piece of his own flesh, and (with it) ransomed the dove. After Buddha had attained to perfect wisdom,(5) and in travelling about with his disciples (arrived at this spot), he informed them that this was the place where he ransomed the dove with a piece of his own flesh. In this way the people of the country became aware of the fact, and on the spot reared a tope, adorned with layers(6) of gold and silver plates.
NOTES
Notes in this chapter
Note 1 · (1) Buddhism stands for the two Chinese characters {.} {.}, “the Law of Buddha,” and to that rendering of the phrase, which is of frequent oNote 2 · (2) Sakra is a common name for the Brahmanic Indra, adopted by Buddhism into the circle of its own great adherents;—it has been said, “becauNote 3 · (3) The Chinese character is {.}, “formerly,” and is often, as in the first sentence of the narrative, simply equivalent to that adverb. At Note 4 · (4) It occurs at once to the translator to render the characters {.} {.} by “changed himself to.” Such is often their meaning in the sequel,Note 5 · (5) That is, had become Buddha, or completed his course {.} {.}.Note 6 · (6) This seems to be the contribution of {.} (or {.}), to the force of the binomial {.} {.}, which is continually occurring.