Page:History of India Vol 9.djvu/164

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A CHINESE ACCOUNT BY HIUAN TSANG

ing the end of winter") to signify the retreat during the rainy season; but this was because the people of foreign countries did not understand the exact sounds of the language of the Middle Country (of India), because the local dialects do not agree, and the translations therefore contain errors. And for the same reason there are discrepancies regarding the time of Buddha's conception, birth, renunciation, enlightenment, and Nirvana, which we shall notice in the subsequent records.

A GANDHARA SCULPTURE, APPARENTLY PORTRAYING THE BATHING OF THE INFANT BUDDHA. From the original in the editor's collection.

The towns and villages of India have gates; the surrounding walls are broad and high; the streets and lanes are narrow and crooked. The thoroughfares are dirty and the stalls are arranged on both sides of the road with appropriate signs. Butchers, fishermen, actors, executioners, scavengers, and so on, have their dwellings outside of the city. In coming and going

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