Hyecho studied esoteric Buddhism inTang China,initially underŚubhakarasiṃhaand then under the famous Indian monkVajrabodhiwho praised Hyecho as "one of six living persons who were well-trained in the five sections of the Buddhist canon."
On the advice of his Indian teachers in China, he set out for India in 723 to acquaint himself with the language and culture of the land of theBuddha.
During his journey of India, Hyecho wrote a travelogue in Chinese named theMemoir of a Pilgrimage to the Five Kingdoms of India(Hướng năm ngày Trúc quốc truyền,Wang Ocheonchukguk Jeon).
The travelogue reveals that Hyecho, after arriving by sea in India headed to the Indian Kingdom ofMagadha(present-dayBihar), then moved on to visitKushinagarandVaranasi.However Hyecho's journey did not end there and he continued north, where he visitedLumbini(present-dayNepal),Kashmir,the Arabs.[1]Hyecho left India following theSilk Roadtowards the west, via Agni orKarasahr,[2]to China where the account ends in 729 CE.
He referred to three kingdoms lying to the northeast of Kashmir which were "under the suzerainty of the Tibetans…. The country is narrow and small, and the mountains and valleys very rugged. There are monasteries and monks, and the people faithfully venerate theThree Jewels.As to the kingdom of Tibet to the East, there are no monasteries at all and the Buddha's teaching is unknown; but in [these above-mentioned] countries the population consists of Hu, therefore they are believers. "[3]
Rizvi goes on to point out that this passage not only confirms that in the early eighth century the region of modernLadakhwas under Tibetan suzerainty, but that the people were of non-Tibetan stock.
It took Hyecho approximately four years to complete his journey. The travelogue contains much information on local diet, languages, climate, cultures, and political situations.
It is mentioned that Hyecho witnessed the decline of Buddhism in India. He also found it quite interesting to see the cattle roaming freely around cities and villages.
The travelogue was lost for many years until a fragment of it was rediscovered byPaul Pelliotin theMogao Cavesin China in 1908 and was subsequently translated into different languages over the years. The original fragment is now in France.
One of the important excerpts from Hyecho's work relates to his visitJibin(Kapisa) in 726 CE: for example, he reports that the country was ruled by a Turk King, thought to be one of theTurk Shahis,and that his Queen and dignitaries practice Buddhism (Tam bảo,"Triratna"):[4][5]
Text of the visit ofJibinby Hyecho: he reports that the Turk King, Queen and dignitaries practice Buddhism (Tam bảo,"Triratna"). 726 CE.[4][5]
"Lại từ đây lãm sóng quốc mà đi vào núi. Kinh với tám nhật trình. Đến Kế Tân Quốc. Này quốc cũng là kiến chở la vương sở quản. Này vương hạ ở kế tân. Trục lạnh mà ngồi. Đông hướng kiến chở la. Sấn ấm mà trụ. Bỉ tức vô tuyết. Ấm mà không hàn. Này Kế Tân Quốc mùa đông tuyết đọng. Vì thế lãnh cũng. Này quốc thổ người là hồ. Vương cập binh mã Đột Quyết. Quần áo ngôn âm thực uống. Cùng phun lửa la quốc. Đại đồng thiếu dị. Vô hỏi nam chi cùng nữ. Cũng toàn [ điệp * mao ] bố sam khố cập ủng. Nam nữ quần áo vô có khác biệt. Nam nhân cũng cắt râu tóc. Nữ nhân phát ở. Thổ địa ra đà loa dương mã lừa ngưu [ điệp * mao ] bố quả nho lớn nhỏ nhị mạch uất kim hương chờ. Người trong nước đại kính tin tam bảo. Đủ chùa đủ tăng. Bá tánh gia các ti tạo chùa. Cung cấp nuôi dưỡng tam bảo. Đại thành trung có một chùa. Danh sa mịch chùa. Trong chùa bối Phật ốc búi tóc cốt xá lợi thấy ở quan lại bá tánh mỗi ngày cung cấp nuôi dưỡng. Này quốc hành tiểu thừa. Cũng trụ trong núi đỉnh núi vô có cỏ cây. Đúng như lửa đốt sơn cũng".
From Lampaka ( lãm sóng quốc,Kashmir), I again entered the mountains. After eight days journey I arrived at the country of Kapisa (JibinKế Tân Quốc )). This country is also under the authority of the king ofGandhara( kiến chở la ). During the summer the king comes to Kapisa and resides here because of the cool temperature. During the winter he goes to Gandhara and resides at that warm place because there is no snow and it is warm and not cold. In the winter the snows accumulate in Kapisa. This is the reason for the cold. The natives of the country are Hu (Barbarians) people; the king and the cavalry areTurks( Đột Quyết, "Tuque" ). The dress, language, and food of this place are mostly similar toTokharistan( phun lửa la quốc ), though there are small differences. Whether man or woman, all wear cotton shirts, trousers, and boots. There is no distinction of dress between men and women. The men cut their beards and hair, but the women keep their hair. The products of this land include camels, mules, sheep, horses, asses, cotton cloth, grapes, barley, wheat, and saffron. The people of this country greatly revere theThree Jewels( tam bảo ). There are many monasteries and monks. The common people compete in constructing monasteries and supporting the Three Jewels. In the big city there is a monastery called Sha-hsi-ssu. At present, the curly hair (ushnisha,Ốc búi tóc ) and the relic bones of the Buddha are to be seen in the monastery. The king, the officials, and the common people daily worship these relics.Hinayana( tiểu thừa ) Buddhism is practised in this country. The land is situated in the mountains. On the mountains there is no vegetation. [It looks] as if the land had been burned by fire. "[6][7]
Fuchs, W., ed. (1939), "Huei-ch'ao's Pilgerreise durch Nordwest-Indien und Zentral-Asien um 726" [Hyecho's Pilgrimage to Northwest India and Central Asia in 726],Sitzungberichten der Preußischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Phil-hist. Klasse(in German), vol. XXX, Berlin, pp. 426–469{{citation}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link).
Sen, Surendranath (1956),India through Chinese Eyes,Sir William Meyer Endowment Lectures, Madras: University of Madras.
