Image title: Thera Faxian (Fa-Hien) (biography)

English text:

Venerable Thera Faxian (Fa-Hien) (337-422 AD)

Venerable Thera Faxian (Fa-Hien), born in 337 AD at Shan Shi in China, was originally known as Shei. to mean "Dharma Gaveshi" (One who seeks Dharma). He was named Fa-hien, Faxian or Shashien as a monk. In the year 399 AD, he commenced his travels from Xian (Chang-An) and walked via the Silk Route to modern Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, and finally reached Sri Lanka by sea. The main intension of his travels was to collect books on monks' discipline (Vinayat and teke them to China. During his travels, he also had the opportunity of visiting and worshiping many Buddhist sites. In his return tour back to China in a trading ship, it faced a heavy wind and dragged towards Java, from where he managed to travel in a ship and arrived in China in the year 414 AD. Thereafter he translated the Buddhist books he brought into Chinese, and after rendering a great service to monkshood, Faxian passed away in 422 AD.

The Sri Lanka tour of Faxian is of utmost importance to Sri Lankans. He lived for two years at the Abhayagiri vihara, Anuradhapura. He was able to visit and worship many Sri Lankan Buddhist sites, including the Sripada mountain. He has left a record of the Dalada (Tooth Relic) pageant held at the Abhayagiri Vihara. According to his record, 5,000 monks lived in the Abhayagiri Vihara, 3,000 monks in the Mahavihara and 2,000 monks at the Jetavanarama. Besides, many other details like Sri Lanka's length and breadth, Buddhist sites, people, legacies, trade, Buddhist monks' educational centres, etc., are recorded. Faxian (Fa-Hien) is said to have brought the book on Mahisasaka Vinaya to Sri Lanka and took away many Buddhist books including the Hinayana manuscript on Sarvastivada to China from Sri Lanka.

Sinhala text (not proofread):

ෆාහියන් භික්ෂූන් වහන්සේ (ක‍්‍රි.ව. 337 - 422) — ක්‍රි.ව. 337 දී පමණ චීනයේ ශාන් - ශි නම් ප්‍රදේශයේ උපත ලැබූ මුන්වහන්සේ ගේ මුල් නාමය ශෙයි නම් වේ. ''ධර්ම ගවේශී” යන්න අර්ථවත් වනු පිණිස ෆාහියන්, යොශියන් හෝ ශාශියන් යන නම් යෙදිණි.

ක්‍රි.ව. 399 දී චීනයේ ශියාන් (චාන්ග් - ආන්) නම් ප්‍රදේශයේ සිට ගොඩබිම් සේද මාවත ඔස්සේ වත්මන් පාකිස්ථානය, ඉන්දියාව, නේපාලය, බංගලිදේශය යන රටවල සංචාරය කළ අතර, ඉන්දියාවේ සිට මුහුදු මාර්ගයෙන් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට පැමිණියහ. මෙම සංචාරයේ මූලික අරමුණ වුයේ චීන භික්ෂුන් වහන්සේලා සඳහා භික්ෂු විනය සම්බන්ධ පොත්පත් එක්රැස්කොට චීනයට රැගෙන යාමයි.

සංචාරය අතරතුර ඒ ඒ රටවල පැවති බෞද්ධ සිද්ධස්ථාන වැදපුදා ගැනීම ද සිදු කළහ. මෙම හිමියන් වෙළඳ නැවක් මගින් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ සිට පෙරලා චීනය බලා යන අතරතුර නැව කුණාටුවකට හසු වී ජාවා දූපතට ගොඩබට අතර, එතැන් සිට, නැවතත් නැවක ආධාරයෙන් ක්‍රි.ව. 414 දී චීනය බලා ගමන් ගත්හ. අනතුරුව, උන්වහන්සේ තමා රැගෙන ආ බෞද්ධ පොත්පත් චීන බසට පෙරළීම සිදු කෙරිණ. දිගු ශාසනික මෙහෙවරක යෙදුනු මෙම භික්ෂුන් වහන්සේ ක්‍රි.ව. 422 දී අපවත් වූ සේක.

ෆාහියන් හිමි ගේ ශ්‍රී ලංකා සංචාරය ශ්‍රී ලාංකිකයන්ට ඉතා වැදගත් වේ. උන්වහන්සේ වසර දෙකක කාලයක් අනුරාධපුර අභයගිරි විහාරයේ නැවතී සිටි අතර, ශ්‍රී පාදස්ථානය ඇතුළු මෙරට බෞද්ධ සිද්ධස්ථාන ද, වැඳ පුදා ගත්හ. එම විහාරයේ පැවති දළදා පෙරහැර ගැනද, මෙකල අභයගිරි විහාරයේ භික්ෂුන් වහන්සේලා 5000 ක්ද මහා විහාරයේ 3000 ක් හා ජේතවන විහාරයේ 2000 ක්ද වැඩ වාසය කළ බව සිය වාර්තාවේ සඳහන් කරයි.

මීට අමතරව ලංකාවේ දිග පළල, බෞද්ධ සිද්ධස්ථාන, ජනතාව, සම්පත්, වෙළඳාම, බෞද්ධ විශ්ව විද්‍යාල පිළිබඳව ද සඳහන් වේ. මෙම භික්ෂුව විසින් ශ්‍රී ල

Transcription:

fāhiyan bhikṣūn vahansē (ka්ri.va. 337 - 422) — kri.va. 337 dī pamaṇa chīnayē śān - śi nam pradēśayē upata læbū munvahansē gē mul nāmaya śeyi nam vē. ''dharma gavēśī” yanna arthavat vanu piṇisa fāhiyan, yośiyan hō śāśiyan yana nam yediṇi.

kri.va. 399 dī chīnayē śiyān (chāng - ān) nam pradēśayē siṭa goḍabim sēda māvata ossē vatman pākisthānaya, indiyāva, nēpālaya, baṅgalidēśaya yana raṭavala saṅchāraya kaḷa atara, indiyāvē siṭa muhudu mārgayen śrī laṅkāvaṭa pæmiṇiyaha. mema saṅchārayē mūlika aramuṇa vuyē chīna bhikṣun vahansēlā sandahā bhikṣu vinaya sambandha potpat ekræskoṭa chīnayaṭa rægena yāmayi.

saṅchāraya ataratura ē ē raṭavala pævati bauddha siddhasthāna vædapudā gænīma da sidu kaḷaha. mema himiyan veḷanda nævak magin śrī laṅkāvē siṭa peralā chīnaya balā yana ataratura næva kuṇāṭuvakaṭa hasu vī jāvā dūpataṭa goḍabaṭa atara, etæn siṭa, nævatat nævaka ādhārayen kri.va. 414 dī chīnaya balā gaman gatha. anaturuva, unvahansē tamā rægena ā bauddha potpat chīna basaṭa peraḷīma sidu keriṇa. digu śāsanika mehevaraka yedunu mema bhikṣun vahansē kri.va. 422 dī apavat vū sēka.

fāhiyan himi gē śrī laṅkā saṅchāraya śrī lāṅkikayanṭa itā vædagat vē. unvahansē vasara dekaka kālayak anurādhapura abhayagiri vihārayē nævatī siṭi atara, śrī pādasthānaya ætuḷu meraṭa bauddha siddhasthāna da, vænda pudā gatha. ema vihārayē pævati daḷadā perahæra gænada, mekala abhayagiri vihārayē bhikṣun vahansēlā 5000 kda mahā vihārayē 3000 k hā jētavana vihārayē 2000 kda væḍa vāsaya kaḷa bava siya vārtāvē sandahan karayi.

mīṭa amatarava laṅkāvē diga paḷala, bauddha siddhasthāna, janatāva, sampat, veḷandāma, bauddha viśva vidyāla piḷibandava da sandahan vē. mema bhikṣuva visin śrī la

Transcription:

fahiyan bhikshun vahanse (ka්ri.va. 337 - 422) — kri.va. 337 di pamana chinaye shan - shi nam pradeshaye upata labu munvahanse ge mul namaya sheyi nam ve. ''dharma gaveshi” yanna arthavat vanu pinisa fahiyan, yoshiyan ho shashiyan yana nam yedini.

kri.va. 399 di chinaye shiyan (chang - an) nam pradeshaye sita godabim seda mavata osse vatman pakisthanaya, indiyava, nepalaya, bangalideshaya yana ratavala sancharaya kala atara, indiyave sita muhudu margayen shri lankavata paminiyaha. mema sancharaye mulika aramuna vuye china bhikshun vahansela sandaha bhikshu vinaya sambandha potpat ekraskota chinayata ragena yamayi.

sancharaya ataratura e e ratavala pavati bauddha siddhasthana vadapuda ganima da sidu kalaha. mema himiyan velanda navak magin shri lankave sita perala chinaya bala yana ataratura nava kunatuvakata hasu vi java dupatata godabata atara, etan sita, navatat navaka adharayen kri.va. 414 di chinaya bala gaman gatha. anaturuva, unvahanse tama ragena a bauddha potpat china basata peralima sidu kerina. digu shasanika mehevaraka yedunu mema bhikshun vahanse kri.va. 422 di apavat vu seka.

fahiyan himi ge shri lanka sancharaya shri lankikayanta ita vadagat ve. unvahanse vasara dekaka kalayak anuradhapura abhayagiri viharaye navati siti atara, shri padasthanaya atulu merata bauddha siddhasthana da, vanda puda gatha. ema viharaye pavati dalada perahara ganada, mekala abhayagiri viharaye bhikshun vahansela 5000 kda maha viharaye 3000 k ha jetavana viharaye 2000 kda vada vasaya kala bava siya vartave sandahan karayi.

mita amatarava lankave diga palala, bauddha siddhasthana, janatava, sampat, velandama, bauddha vishva vidyala pilibandava da sandahan ve. mema bhikshuva visin shri la

Automated translation (not verified):

Fahion Monk (337 - 422 AD) — AD He was born around 337 in Shan-Shi region of China and his first name is Shei. The names Fahian, Yoshian or Shashian were used to make "Dharma Gaveshi" meaningful. AD In 399 AD, he traveled from Xi'an (Chang-an) in China along the overland Silk Road to present-day Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, and arrived in Sri Lanka by sea from India. The primary purpose of this visit was to collect books related to monk discipline for Chinese monks and take them to China. During the visit, they also visited the Buddhist shrines in the respective countries. These owners were transported from Sri Lanka by a merchant ship to China while the ship was caught in a storm and landed on the island of Java, and from there, again with the help of a ship in AD. In 414 they traveled to China. Then, the Buddhist books he had brought were translated into Chinese. These monks engaged in a long religious mission in AD. He died in 422. Fahian Thero's visit to Sri Lanka is very important for Sri Lankans. He stayed at the Anuradhapura Abhayagiri Vihara for two years and paid obeisance to Buddhist shrines in the country including Sri Padasthan. About the Dalada Perahera held in that temple, it is mentioned in the report that 5000 monks lived in Abhayagiri Vihara, 3000 in Maha Vihara and 2000 in Jetawana Vihara. In addition, Sri Lanka's length and breadth, Buddhist shrines, people, resources, trade, and Buddhist universities are also mentioned. By this monk Sri

Tamil text (not proofread):

வனங்கற்குரிய ஃபாஹியன் பிக்கு (கி.பி. 337 422) — சுமார் கி.பி. 337 இல் சீனா நாட்டில் ஷான்ஷி எனும் பிரதேசத்தில் பிறந்திருக்கும் இவர்களின் ஆரம்பப் பெயர் ஷெய் எனப்படும். "தர்ம கவேஷி" என்பதை பொருள் படுத்தும் வண்ணம் ஃபாஹியன், பாஸியன் அல்லது ஷாஷியன் எனும் நாமங்களை பயன்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளன. கி.பி. 399 இல் சீனாவில் ஷியான் (சான்க் -கன்) எனும் பிரதேசத்தில் இருந்து நிலப்புறமாக அமைந்திருந்த பட்டு சாலை ஊடாக தற்போதைய பாகிஸ்தான், இந்தியா, நேபாலம், வங்காள தேசம். எனும் நாடுகளில் சஞ்சாரித்ததோடு இந்தியாவில் இருந்து கடல் வழி ஊடாக இலங்கை வந்தடைந்துள்ளார். இச் சஞ்சாரத்தின் அடிப்படை நோக்கமானது சீன நாட்டு பிக்குமார்களுக்கு தேவையான பிக்குமார்களின் ஒழுக்கம் தொடர்பான பௌத்த நூல்களை சேகரித்து சீன நாட்டுக்கு கொண்டு செல்வதாகும். சஞ்சாரம் இடையில் அந்தாந்த நாடுகளில் காணப்ME புனிதத் தளங்களை தரிசித்து சமய வழிபாடுகளை மேற்கொண்டனர். இப் பிக்கு ஒரு வர்த்தகக் கப்பல் மூலம் இலங்கையில் இருந்து மீண்டும் சீனாவுக்கு பயணிக்கின்ற வழியில் கப்பல் புயலில் சிக்கியதால் ஜாவா தீவுக்கு கரையேரியதோடு இங்கிருந்து மீண்டும் பிறதொரு ப்பல் மூலம் கி.பி. 414 ஆம் ஆண்டில் சீனா நாட்டுக்கு சென்றனர். பின்னர் இவர்கள் கொண்டு சென்ற பௌத்த சமய நூல்களை சீனா மொழிக்கு மொழிப்பெயர்க்கப்பட்டன. நீண்ட காலமாக சமயப் பணியில் ஈடுபட்டிருந்த வனக்கத்துக்குரிய இப் பிக்கு கி.பி. 422 இல் மரணமடைந்தனர்.

ஃ பாஹியன் பிக்குவின் இலங்கை சஞ்சாரம் இலங்கையினருக்கு மிகப் பெறுமதியானதாகும். இவர்கள் சுமார் இரு வருட காலமான அனுராதபுரம் அபய விகாரையில் தங்கி இருந்ததோடு சிவநடி பாதம் உட்பட இந் நாட்டில் நிலவிய பௌத்த சமயத் தளங்களை தரிசனம் செய்துக் கொண்டுள்ளார். இவ் விகாரையில் நடைப் பெற்ற தளதா பெரகராதொடர்பாகவும், இக் காலக்கட்டத்தின்போது அபயகிரி விகாரையில் 5000 பிக்குமார்களும், மகா விகாரையில் 300 பிக்குமார்களும் ஜேதவனை விகாரையில் 200 பிக்குமார்களும் வாழ்ந்து வந்ததாகவும் தமது அறிக்கையில் குறித்துள்ளார். இதற்கு மேலதிகமாக இலங்கை நாட்டின் நீளம், அகலம், பௌத்த சமயத் தளங்கள், பொது மக்கள், வளங்கள், வர்த்தகம், பௌத்த சமய பல்கலைக்கழகங்கள் தொடர்பாகவும் அறிக்கையிடப்பட்டுள்ளார். இப் பிக்குவினால் "மஹீசாசக" எனும் பௌத்த சமய ஒழுக்காற்று நூலை கொண்டு வரப்பட்டுள்ளதோடு "ஹீனயான" எனும் பௌத்த சமய பீடம்சார் ஒழுக்காற்றுகை நூல் உட்பட ஏனைய சமய நூல்களும் இலங்கையில் இருந்து கொண்டு சென்றுள்ளனர்

Transcription:

vaṉaṅkaṟkuriya ḵpāhiyaṉ pikku (ki.pi. 337 422) — cumār ki.pi. 337 il cīṉā nāṭṭil ṣāṉṣi eṉum piratēcattil piṟantirukkum ivarkaḷiṉ ārampap peyar ṣey eṉappaṭum. "tarma kavēṣi" eṉpatai poruḷ paṭuttum vaṇṇam ḵpāhiyaṉ, pāsiyaṉ allatu ṣāṣiyaṉ eṉum nāmaṅkaḷai payaṉpaṭuttappaṭṭuḷḷaṉa. ki.pi. 399 il cīṉāvil ṣiyāṉ (cāṉk -kaṉ) eṉum piratēcattil iruntu nilappuṟamāka amaintirunta paṭṭu cālai ūṭāka taṟpōtaiya pākistāṉ, intiyā, nēpālam, vaṅkāḷa tēcam. eṉum nāṭukaḷil cañcārittatōṭu intiyāvil iruntu kaṭal vaḻi ūṭāka ilaṅkai vantaṭaintuḷḷār. ic cañcārattiṉ aṭippaṭai nōkkamāṉatu cīṉa nāṭṭu pikkumārkaḷukku tēvaiyāṉa pikkumārkaḷiṉ oḻukkam toṭarpāṉa pautta nūlkaḷai cēkarittu cīṉa nāṭṭukku koṇṭu celvatākum. cañcāram iṭaiyil antānta nāṭukaḷil kāṇapME puṉitat taḷaṅkaḷai taricittu camaya vaḻipāṭukaḷai mēṟkoṇṭaṉar. ip pikku oru varttakak kappal mūlam ilaṅkaiyil iruntu mīṇṭum cīṉāvukku payaṇikkiṉṟa vaḻiyil kappal puyalil cikkiyatāl jāvā tīvukku karaiyēriyatōṭu iṅkiruntu mīṇṭum piṟatoru ppal mūlam ki.pi. 414 ām āṇṭil cīṉā nāṭṭukku ceṉṟaṉar. piṉṉar ivarkaḷ koṇṭu ceṉṟa pautta camaya nūlkaḷai cīṉā moḻikku moḻippeyarkkappaṭṭaṉa. nīṇṭa kālamāka camayap paṇiyil īṭupaṭṭirunta vaṉakkattukkuriya ip pikku ki.pi. 422 il maraṇamaṭaintaṉar.

ḵ pāhiyaṉ pikkuviṉ ilaṅkai cañcāram ilaṅkaiyiṉarukku mikap peṟumatiyāṉatākum. ivarkaḷ cumār iru varuṭa kālamāṉa aṉurātapuram apaya vikāraiyil taṅki iruntatōṭu civanaṭi pātam uṭpaṭa in nāṭṭil nilaviya pautta camayat taḷaṅkaḷai taricaṉam ceytuk koṇṭuḷḷār. iv vikāraiyil naṭaip peṟṟa taḷatā perakarātoṭarpākavum, ik kālakkaṭṭattiṉpōtu apayakiri vikāraiyil 5000 pikkumārkaḷum, makā vikāraiyil 300 pikkumārkaḷum jētavaṉai vikāraiyil 200 pikkumārkaḷum vāḻntu vantatākavum tamatu aṟikkaiyil kuṟittuḷḷār. itaṟku mēlatikamāka ilaṅkai nāṭṭiṉ nīḷam, akalam, pautta camayat taḷaṅkaḷ, potu makkaḷ, vaḷaṅkaḷ, varttakam, pautta camaya palkalaikkaḻakaṅkaḷ toṭarpākavum aṟikkaiyiṭappaṭṭuḷḷār. ip pikkuviṉāl "mahīcācaka" eṉum pautta camaya oḻukkāṟṟu nūlai koṇṭu varappaṭṭuḷḷatōṭu "hīṉayāṉa" eṉum pautta camaya pīṭamcār oḻukkāṟṟukai nūl uṭpaṭa ēṉaiya camaya nūlkaḷum ilaṅkaiyil iruntu koṇṭu ceṉṟuḷḷaṉar

Transcription:

vanangarkuriya qpahiyan pikku (ki.pi. 337 422) — sumar ki.pi. 337 il sina nattil shanshi enum pirathesathil piranthirukkum ivarkalin arambap peyar shey enappadum. "tharma kaveshi" enpathai porul paduthum vannam qpahiyan, pasiyan allathu shashiyan enum namangalai payanpaduthappattullana. ki.pi. 399 il sinavil shiyan (sank -kan) enum pirathesathil irunthu nilappuramaga amainthiruntha pattu salai udaga tharpothaiya pagisthan, inthiya, nepalam, vangala thesam. enum nadugalil sancharithathodu inthiyavil irunthu kadal vazhi udaga ilangai vanthadainthullar. is sancharathin adippadai nokkamanathu sina nattu pikkumarkalukku thevaiyana pikkumarkalin ozhukkam thodarpana pautha nulkalai segarithu sina nattukku kondu selvathagum. sancharam idaiyil anthantha nadugalil kanapme punithath thalangalai tharisithu samaya vazhipadugalai merkondanar. ip pikku oru varthagak kappal mulam ilangaiyil irunthu mindum sinavukku payanikkinra vazhiyil kappal puyalil sikkiyathal java thivukku karaiyeriyathodu ingirunthu mindum pirathoru ppal mulam ki.pi. 414 am andil sina nattukku senranar. pinnar ivarkal kondu senra pautha samaya nulkalai sina mozhikku mozhippeyarkkappattana. ninda kalamaga samayap paniyil idupattiruntha vanakkathukkuriya ip pikku ki.pi. 422 il maranamadainthanar.

q pahiyan pikkuvin ilangai sancharam ilangaiyinarukku migap perumathiyanathagum. ivarkal sumar iru varuda kalamana anurathapuram apaya vigaraiyil thangi irunthathodu sivanadi patham udpada in nattil nilaviya pautha samayath thalangalai tharisanam seythug kondullar. iv vigaraiyil nadaip perra thalatha peragarathodarpagavum, ig kalakkattathinpothu apayagiri vigaraiyil 5000 pikkumarkalum, maga vigaraiyil 300 pikkumarkalum jethavanai vigaraiyil 200 pikkumarkalum vazhnthu vanthathagavum thamathu arikkaiyil kurithullar. itharku melathigamaga ilangai nattin nilam, agalam, pautha samayath thalangal, pothu makkal, valangal, varthagam, pautha samaya palkalaikkazhagangal thodarpagavum arikkaiyidappattullar. ip pikkuvinal "mahisasaga" enum pautha samaya ozhukkarru nulai kondu varappattullathodu "hinayana" enum pautha samaya pidamsar ozhukkarrugai nul udpada enaiya samaya nulkalum ilangaiyil irunthu kondu senrullanar

Automated translation (not verified):

Fahion Bhikkhu the Forester (337 422 AD) — Around AD Born in 337 in Shanxi, China, their initial name is Shei. The names Fahian, Bhasian or Shashian are used to mean "Dharma Kaveshi". AD In 399 AD, the Silk Road was established overland from the region of Xi'an (Sanq-Gun) in China to present-day Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bengal. He has traveled to Sri Lanka by sea from India. The main purpose of this pilgrimage was to collect Buddhist texts related to the discipline of monks needed by Chinese monks and bring them to China. During their journeys, they visited sacred sites in Andantha countries and performed religious rituals. On his way back to China from Sri Lanka in a trading ship, the ship got caught in a storm and ran aground on the island of Java and from here again by another ship in AD. They went to China in 414. Later, the Buddhist scriptures they carried were translated into Chinese. This famous monk, who had been engaged in religious work for a long time, died in AD. Died in 422. Bahian Bhikkhu's visit to Sri Lanka is of great value to Sri Lankans. They stayed in Anuradhapuram Abhaya Vihara for about two years and visited the Buddhist religious sites in the country including Shiva Nadi Padam. Regarding the Talatha Perakara that took place in this Vihara, he mentioned in his report that during this period 5000 Bhikkumars lived in Abhayagiri Vihara, 300 Bhikkumars in Maha Vihara and 200 Bhikkumars in Jethavanai Vihara. In addition to this, Sri Lanka's length, breadth, Buddhist sites, population, resources, trade, and Buddhist universities are also reported. This Bhikkhu brought the Buddhist discipline book "Mahisasaka" and other religious books including "Hinayana" Buddhist discipline book from Sri Lanka.

Gallery information:

These photos were taken at the Galle National Museum—one of the most significant heritage sites in Sri Lanka's southern half constructed in Dutch architectural design. The main objectives of the museum are to the acquisition, conservation, study and research of historical and cultural heritage of the Southern half of Sri Lanka and to exhibit those objects to encourage public knowledge and education.