The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-04-30
A Visit to Where Buddha Once Resided.

have lately explored the RUNS OF the
once famous city of Srayasti, the mod
ern name of which is Sahet Mahet (pro-
nounced Sa-hate Ma-hate and accented
on the last syllable) It is an out-of-the-
way corner of Dude, about thirty-nine
miles from Gonda. Exact chronology is
impossible, but about 5000 years ago it
was magnificent city of great import
ance.
It is famous for having been the center
of Buddhism, and the principal seat of
Buddhist learning Here Buddha rested
from his missionary labors for four
months every year, and from this city his
disciples wandered to propagate their
new religion. Some twelve centuries
later a Chinese pilgrim collected with
reverence the traditions of his faith
which still fingered around this sacred
city After this Chinese pilgrims did
not fail to visit this sacred spot, filed
with temples and shrines and fanes and
grand buildings, all in state of decay.
In the sixth century, A. D., when
Hwen Thsang, the famous Chinese pill
grim, historian, philosopher and theolo-
gian, visited Sahet Mahet, he found the
desolation complete, and only few
monks haunted the ruins. Very little
remains now of the once famous city, ex
cept the fortress, with a smaller ruin to
the southwest, few lofty mounds, nu-
merous piles of brick, the remains of an
cient pillars-all SO densely covered with
underbrush and verdure and mold as to
make exploration next to impossible.
One side of the fortress follows the curve
of the river Rapti; the other sides are
more or less curved, SO that the outline
looks the shape of baby's sock. Tue
ramparts vary considerably, the highest
point being the northwest bastion, fifty
feet in height. The ramparts must have
been partly surrounded by moat, the
remains of which formed swamp half a
mile long. The whole circuit of the old
earthern ramparts must have been over
three and half miles in extent. Inside,
face, caused by the remains of palaces
and temples which lie buried. The
main street runs through the center, and
is situated SO as to command a view of
the great Ora Jhar. The eastern half is
broken by the debris of buried houses.
The walls are pierced by numerous gate.
ways.
In the very center of the fortress are
the remains of the palace of King Pra-
senajita, who early became convert to
Buddhism; also pillar and a well in his
honor. The Hall of Law, built for Bud
dha, is between the palace and the main
street. Near the southeast gateway, not
far from the fortress, is the ruin of
Jetavana, one of the most celebrated
monasteries in India. To the south is
mound showing the spot where the sue
cessor of Prasenajita sacrificed 500 Bud
dhist virgins because they did not look
with favor upon Buddhism. There is
also a we'll where Buddha used to bathe.
The Ora Jhar is mound about 100 feet
in height, and means basket shakings. It
is supposed to be the place where Rama's
workmen emptied their baskets of earth.
It is probably the very oldest remain in
the neighborhood. There is q little
dilapidated temple on the top of it, the
abode of some modern fakir.
This city has only lately been discov-
cred and identified, and there have been
but few excavations made, as it is almost
to procure natives who are
willing to work. They have supersti-
ton that the old city is haunted by the
wraiths of departed Hindoos. and are un-
willing to enter it. It is one of the
most celebrated places in the annals of
Buddhism, and would delight the soul of
a real antiquary. We dug up fine
image of Buddha, but it was stolen by
native before we reached home.
Sahet Mahet, the city of Buddha, and
the pride of India. is to-day q waste,
howling wilderness; but the religion of
Buddha lives, and has its seat in Thibet,
and sways more hearts to-day than any
other religion in the world.-Neao York
Observer.
A Doc SToRY.-Dr. Calderwood, Pro-
fessor of Moral Philosophy in the Uni
versity of Edinburgh, has in his work re-
Gently published, entitled ssThe Rela-
tions of Mind and Brain, I" the following
story of dog: ga dog belonging to
United Presbyterian minister, killed the
fowls while the family were at church
and buried them in. the garden. The
dog was taken to the garden and immedi-
ately confessed his guilt. His master
took him to the library, and, having
shut the door; began reprimand after
this fashion: What wicked thing you
have done in numbering the hens! You
are minister's dog, and should have
boen an example to other dogs instead of
doing such thing as this Then, this is
the Sabbath day, and the deed is all the
worse on account of the day on which it
was DONE. Thus admonished, the dog
was put out of the room and the door
shut. Next morning he was found dead.
A veterinary surgeon was consulted, and
declared that the dog had died of