Leaving the city by the south gate, and proceeding south four le, one enters a valley, and comes to a circular space formed by five hills, which stand all round it, and have the appearance of the suburban wall of a city.

Here was the old city of king Bimbisara; from east to west about five or six le, and from north to south seven or eight.

It was here that Sariputtra and Maudgalyayana first saw Upasena;( 8) that the Nirgrantha( 9) made a pit of fire and poisoned the rice, and then invited Buddha (to eat with him); that king Ajatasatru made a black elephant intoxicated with liquor, wishing him to injure Buddha;( 10) and that at the north-east corner of the city in a (large) curving (space) Jivaka built a vihara in the garden of Ambapali,( 11) and invited Buddha with his 1250 disciples to it, that he might there make his offerings to support them.

(These places) are still there as of old, but inside the city all is emptiness and desolation; no man dwells in it.
NOTES (1) Called by Hsuan-chwang Indra-sila-guha, or "The cavern of Indra." It has been identified with a hill near the village of Giryek, on the bank of the Panchana river, about thirty-six miles from Gaya.

The hill terminates in two peaks overhanging the river, and it is the more northern and higher of these which Fa-Hsien had in mind.