Faxian

Faxian (?-414?), also spelled Fa-hsien, Chinese monk, who brought many important Buddhist sutras (holy writings) from India to China. Born in the province of Shaanxi, China, Faxian was moved by a desire to visit the homeland of Buddhism. After crossing Central Asia, a journey which took him three years, he reached northwestern India in 402. He visited centers of Indian learning and sites associated with the life of Buddha. Settling in southeastern India at Pātaliputra (now Patna), site of the third council of Buddhism, Faxian intensively studied early Sanskrit Buddhist sutras, especially those on the role of the sangha (monastic community). He subsequently spent two years in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), where he continued his studies. Finally sailing for China, Faxian reached home after a long and difficult voyage. He spent the rest of his life translating his collected texts into Chinese. His record of his travels, the Fo-kuo-Chi (A Record of the Buddhist Countries) includes invaluable descriptions of Buddhist India.