Marco Polo's Voyage to Indian Seas: 18: Origin of Buddhism in Seilan

I have also to tell you that in this island there is a great mountain, of which the rocks are broken that it can be ascended only by chains of iron suspended.  Using this chain the men may mount to the summit.  Here, according to Saracens, is the monument of our first father, Adam. But the idolaters consider it as that of Sergamon Borcam. [1]  They describe this last as the first man, whose image they worshipped, and the best that ever lived in the country.

He was son to a great and rich King, yet refused to succeed to the throne

or to attend to any worldly concern.

The monarch who had no other son, was both grieved and angry.  He made him large promises, offering even to resign, and raise him immediately to the throne, but the youth listen to no such proposal. The father was like to die of grief, but bethought himself a plan for bringing his son back to the world.  He lodged him in a very fine palace, and appointed 30000 beautiful damsels to serve and amuse him.  The prince however remained insensible to their 

seductions, and led a more virtuous and chaste life than before.  Now his habits had been so recluse that he had never seen a dead person or one not perfectly sound in his manners.

One day, happening to ride across the path, where a man lay dead, he was utterly astonished, and asked of his attendants what that was.  This 

being explained, he inquired if all men died, and being told they did so, he walked on, musing very deeply. Some time after he saw one unable to walk, and with all his teeth decayed through extreme old age. 

Having asked and being informed what that was, he declared he would no longer remain in this evil region, but would seek a place where men neither died nor grew old.  He left the palace and journeyed into great and trackless mountains, where he spent his whole life virtuously and chastely 

observing rigid abstinence; so that he had been a great Christian, he must have been a very great saint.  When he died, his corpse was carried to his father, who, on seeing the body of one, whom he loved better than himself, was grieved to the heart.  He made an image of him composed of gold and precious stones.  All the people of the country adored him as a god, and they say that he died eighty four times, first in ox, then a horse, then a dog and various other animals; that the eighty fourth time he became a god, and they worship him as their best and greatest.  These were the first idolaters, from whom all the others in Seilan were descended.  Many from most distant countries come hither on pilgrimage as Christians to the shrine of St James and the monument on this mountain is said to be the prince, whose teeth, hair and skull were preserved. But the Saracens say that it is that of Adam, our first parent. God knows which is right, but one cannot believe the latter.  For the scriptures of our holly church assure us that he died in another part of the world.  Now it happened that the great Khan, hearing that the tomb of Adam with other objects mentioned was on this mountain, sent, in 1284, a numerous embassy, who travelled by land to the island of Seilan.  They went to the king and procured two of the grinding teeth, which were very large, also the hair and the cup of beautiful green porphyry.  They then returned, and sent notice to the sovereign of what they were bringing, when he ordered his subjects to go forth and meet these relics of our first father.  All the citizens of Kambalu came out; the chief men received the sacred objects, and brought them to his majesty, who welcomed them with great joy and reverence.  They found this cup to be of such virtue, when food was offered for one man, there would be enough for five; and the great Khan declared he had tried this and found it truth.  Now, having told you truly all this history, I will leave it and relate other things.

Notes:-

1. Sergamon Borcam: It is the Venetian term for Gautama Buddha used by Marco Polo.  Or it may be a corruption of Sakya Muni, another name of Buddha.

End of the Section.