Page:Asoka - the Buddhist Emperor of India.djvu/112

110 monks, stood on the south—eastern side of the capital, but has not been identified, Which is not surprising, as it had been already long in ruins at the time of Hiuen Tsang's visit in the seventh century. According to Târanâth, the great monastic establishment at Nâlandâ near Râjagriha, which became the head quarters of Indian Buddhism, Was founded by Asoka, who erected splendid buildings there. It seems likely that excavation on the site of Nâlandâ, which is well defined and easily accessible, will almost certainly yield results far richer than can be hoped for at Patna. The explorations at Nâlandâ started by Dr. Spooner in 1915-16 are most promising.

The stûpas, or cupolas, on which the emperor lavished so much treasure, have been more fortunate than the palaces and monasteries in that one group of buildings of this class, thanks to its situation in an out-of-the-way locality, survived destruction, and would now be tolerably perfect but for the ravages of English amateur archaeologists in the early part of the nineteenth century. The group alluded to is that at and near Sanchi in the Bhopâl State, Central India (lat. 23° 29' N., long. 77° 45' E.), which included ten stûpas, besides the remains of other buildings, as late as the year 1818.

A stûpa, it should be explained, was usually destined either to enshrine a casket containing the relics of a Buddha or other saint, or simply to mark