Page:Report of a Tour in Bihar and Bengal in 1879-80, from Patna to Sunargaon.djvu/16

 2.—KURKIHAR.

I first visited Kurkihâr in the end of i86i, and my account of the ruins will be found in the first volume of my Reports’. I then identified the site with the Kukula-pddagin, or “Hill of the Cock’s Foot,” which is described by the two Chinese pilgrims FaHian and Hwen Thsang. I was then informed that the true name of Kurkihdr was Kurak- Vihdr, which I took to be only a contracted form of Kukkuta-pdda Vihdra, as the Sanskrit kukkuta is now represented by the Hindi forms kukkar and kurak. Mr. Beal has accused me of confounding the “ Vihdr of the Cock’s Foot,” which was just outside the city of Pâtaliputra, or Patna, with the “Hill of the Cock’s Foot,” which, according to Hwen Thsang, was i6 miles to the east of Gyaa2. But it is Mr. Beal himself who has made a mistake, as I particularly mention in my report (Vol. 1, page i6) that “there was a monastery also of the same name (Kukkuta-p.da VihAra), but this was close to P&taliputra, or Patna.” The name of Kurkihdr I took to be only a shortened form of Kurak Vihdr, which must certainly have referred to a monastery. In fact no Buddhist establishment could have existed without a monastery, and I presume that the monastery of Kurkihâr was known as the Kukkutapdda-giri Vihdra, or “VihAr of the Cock’s Foot Hill,” while the monastery at Pâtaliputra was simply the “Kukkuta-pâda Vih.ra, or Vihãr of the Cock’s Foot.”

I paid a second visit to Kurkihâr in the end of 1879, chiefly with the object of exploring the lull to the north of the town, as it was the scene of some of Mahâ-kâsyapa’s miracles, and eventually of his nirvana, or death.

FaHian’s account is as follows3 :—“ The great Chia-yeh (Kâ.syapa) is at present in this mountain. He split the moun-

1 Arch ologicaI Survey of India, Vol. 1, pp. 14-16.

2 Beals Fallian, C. XXXIII, p. 132, note. FaHian himself has made a mistake in placing the Cock’s Foot Hill at only 3 Ii, or half a mile, to the south of Pâtaliputra. Mr. Beal would correct this to 3 yojanas, or 2! miles. But as the actual distance is over 50 miles, I would suggest 300 ii, or 50 miles, as the true reading.

3 Translation of FaHian’s Travels by Herbert A. Giles, p. 83.