Nalanda Mahavihara

Ven. Dr. Nando Batha

 

The name Nalanda became synonyms of wisdom. It conjures up our vision a full fledged university attracting many students from various parts of India and Asia. Indeed it was a centre of Great attention in the academic word as the greatest centre of Buddhist learning.

In the ancient and mediaeval times universities whether in India or in Europe had to be religion oriented.

As stated by Chinese and Tibetan sources, which are cost reliable in reconstruction of its history, curriculum of Nalanda mahavihara was broad enough. Therefore, we can apply the term Mahavihara as university in modern sense.

The earliest Vihara at Nalanda was said to have been built by emperer Ashoka. Nalanda was acclaimed as a seat of learning which spread Buddhism right from the life time of Buddha.

Many references can be found in Pali literature. Dighanikaya, Silakhadhavagga, Kebatta Sutta reads this:---

" Ayam bhante nalanda iddha ceva phita ca bahujana akinna manussa bhagavati abhippasanna, This Nalanda, Venerable Sir, which is prosperous, flourishing, well populated crowded with people, is devoted to the Buddha.

In the quoted Sutta Nalanda was spelled " Nalanda " But there is no different meaning between L and L in Pali grammar ( la la Nama viseso natthi)

Since both Mahavihara and Buddha had stayed here Nalanda was a sare place for both the faiths, and enjoyed the activities of religions. However, later it came to be identified exclusively with Buddhism.

Sanskrit legend of the Nalanda Mahavihara seals reads:---

Srim Nalanda Mahavihariyarya---

Bhiksu- samghasya

The same reading can be found in Nalanda: Past and Present, Nalanda 1977, edited by C.S.Upasak.

He states that about 775 speciments of the sealings of the Nalanda Mahavihara have been found and they are of one type with the Dhammacakra and deer, and bear legend reading:--- Sri Nalanda Mahavihariya arya Bhiksu sanghasya.

C.S. Upasak collected various lengends of the Nalanda seals in his contribution "Nalans in Epigraphy" of the above quoted publication. These legends are inscribed in a script which bears the characteristic marks of the proto- Bengali- cum Maithili letters of the Pala inscriptions of the tenth and eleventh century A.D.

But Mosshadeva, famous treveller states us in his records that not long after the Nivana of Buddha, a former King named Sakrditya built Nalanda Sangharama after selecting a lucky spot carefully by augury.

Who was this Mokshadeva?

He was no other than Hiuen- Tsiang. He got Indian name here. He was staying here at Nalanda learning himself and teaching others and travelling many Buddhist Holy place. He was in India From 645 A.D. by travelling and learning.

It is not less interesting to note that Sangharama. Since Sangharam means a resting place for Buddhist Monks, there will be no difference between Sangharama and Mahavihara. Perhaps Mahavihara may surpass Sangharama in a sense of greatness. However, the development from Sangharam to Mahavihara is still remain unsolve.

Origin of the Name

As to the origin of the name of Nalanda Hiuen-Tsiang discusses some theories. He says " Going north from this 30 li or so, we came to Nalanda Sangharama. The old accounts of the country say that to the south of this Sangharama, in the middle of an amra ( mango)) grove, there is a tank. The Naga of this was callled Nalanda. By the side of it is built Sangharama, which therefore, takes the name of the Naga. But he continues, the truth is that Tathagata in old days practised the life of a Bodhisattva here and became the king of a great country and established his capital in the land. Moved by pitty for living things, he delighted in continually relieving them. In rememberence of this virtue he was styled" charity without intermission" , and Sangharama was called in perpetuation of his name.

Tsing, another Chinese traveller, who visited India after Hiuen - Tsiang, thinks that Nalanda derived from its name from the Naga Nanda

Prof. Beal discussed one etymological analysis of the name suggested by Hiuen- Tsiang's interpretation. In the footnote of the phrase" charity without intermission", he says " the word Nalanda would thus appear to be derived from Na- alam-da, not giving enouth, or not having enough to give.

Fa- hien who visited India for the first time in 404 A.D., says " A yojana, south west from this place, brought them to the village of Nala, where Sariputtta was born and had died. over the spot there was a stupa, which is still in existence. Many scholars identified this stupa,which covers our journal, with that of Sariputta erected by emporor Ashoka.

Archaeological survey of India excavated Nalanda in 1915- 16. Numerous images of Buddha, Bodhisattva, god, godess, stupas, a long range of temples etc. Were discovered. Most of speciments of sculpture revealed by excavations are of stone and bronze.

The entire site of Nalanda extends some 1600 feet north-south, by some 800 feet east- west, when it was measured at the time of excavation.

It is difficult to say the extensions of the area the Nalanda Mahavihara, but it must have extended upto the village Bargoan, because of appearing of the entire village to be situated on a huge mound, and numerous images of Buddhist pantheon are to be found even today, scattered here and there along the side of village. There are numerous mounds which still remain unearthed. Towards the south west of the Nalanda university, at a distance of about a mile and a half, there is a huge statue of Buddha. H.D Sankalia thinks the Nalanda University of ancient times probably might have extended to this place, too. Excavation revealed nothing the name. So we shall have to revert to that account of Fa-hien. Now we learn from his account that Nala was the place where Sariputta was born and had died. And this appears that this Nala was no other than Nalaka, where, according to Mahasudassana Jataka Sariputta was born.

Though Fa-hien did not mention Nalanda,his description of the place exactly tallies with that gather from other sources.

In mahavastu, a sanskrit text, nalanda gramaka was mentioned, half a yojana distance from Rajagrih, as the birth place of Sariputta. Tibetan sources also support description. The scholars, therefore, are inclined to identify Nala, Nalaka, Nalaka-grama and Nalanda with the same place.

Patronage of Various Kings

Nalanda Sangharama was founded by King Sakradityam according to Hien-Tsiang Sakraditya was identified with Kumaragupta I, who reigned in 415-55A.D. The name Sakraditya occurs in a seal discovered at Nalanda.

According to taranatha Ashoka was the founder of Nalanda , and it was a famous learning centre already at the time of Nagarjuna and continued to be so in the following centures, and 108 temples were built by Brahmana Suvisnu, who was contemporary of Nagarjuna. But archaeological evidence did not confirm the tradition of Suvisnu. The excavation did not reveal anything which can be supported the occupation of the site before the Guptas.

Fa-hien who visited India for the first time in 404 A.D. did not speak anything, but the village of Nala and one stupa. We have already identified the village Nala with Nalanda. If Nalanda was so famous when Fa-hien toured through Magadh, containing 108 temples and a great temple of Ashoka, the question has arisen here is that why his description is so cuccinct.

The earliest data found here are a copper- ;late of Samudragupta and a coin of kumaragupta. This is fully confirmed by Hiuen-tsiang's statement. He states that Sakraditya, Vajra and a king of central India continued to build Sangharama side by side.

As some of these names were boune by the Gupta emporors, it has been held that all of them refer to the Imperial Guptas of the fifth and sixth centuries.

Although Hiuen- Tsiang gave the name of royal supporters to Nalanda Sangharama, yet he did not mention the date of foundation. H.D. Sankalia set the date of foundation of Sangharama approximately based on Bilsad atone inscription and Mankuwar stone inscription. According to him the year 452 A.D. is the most probale date of the royal establishment of the University.

If the date suggested by Sankalia be accepted, then the University of Nalanda was nearly two centuries old when Hiuen-Tsiang visited the place, just not long after return of Fa-hien to his country.

The kings given by Hiuen-Tsiang were identified by Sankakia as follows:-

Sakraditya-Kumaragupta -I (415-to 455 A.D.)

Buddhaguptaraha-Skandaguupt (455 A.D.)

TathagataguptaPuragupta (467 A.D.)

Baladityaraja-Baladitya-Narahimhagupta (470 A.D.)

Vajra-Kumaragupta II (473 A.D.)

King of central India-Harsa of Kanauj (606-647 A.D.)

Former five Kings are Gupta emperors. King of central India was identified with Harsavardhana of Kanauj, who was contemporary of Hiuen-Tsian The former built a monastery of Brass here, which was under construction when the latter the place. . Biographer of Hiuen- Tsiang says that Garsa remitted "the revenues of about a hundred villages as an endowment of the convent and two hundred householders in these villages contributed the required amount of rice, butter and milk, Therefore, the students do not required to ask for four requisites (food, cloth, shelter and medicine).

Besides, Harsavardhana was not a mere Buddhist. He was not only an able general and statesman, but he also a scholar and writer of no mean merit. Three of his dramatic plays Ratnavali, Priya-darsika and Nagananda survive to testify to the literary skill of the royal author and won him high reputation both from contemporaries and posterity.

By the time of Hiuen-Tsiang Nalanda Mahavihara or Sangharama reached the starus of international reputation as a great learning centre.

Next to the guptas and Vardhanas comes Varmans. Hiuen-Tsiang speaks of one of purnavarma who presented to Nalanda a figure of Buddha standing upright and made of copper, 80 feet in hight, and to cover which he constructed a pavalion of six stages.

H.D. Sankalia is of the view that Yasovarmman must have in all probability built a Sangharama at Nalanda.

So Nalanda Mahavihara received the patronage and interest of various kings sontiuously, throuhg it appeared to be suddenly breaking off after Harsa, barring a period of about 100 years- from 648-734 A.D.

We meet the continous patronages of Pala kings to Nalanda, even more greatly.

Gopala founded the pala royal dynasty in the middle of the eight century A.D. The pala emperors held east India from 8th to 12th century. A.D. and they were devoted to Buddhism.

Probably Gopala could nt do anything for Nalanda because of political turmoil and naturally being busy with the consolidation of his power, although according to Tibetan tradition he had founded a monastery.

It is his off springs who bring the fame of Nalanda to International reputation as full fledged University and they established other monasteries at Vikram sila, Somapura Odantapuri and Jagaddala.

Academic Career

The academic careers followed by the Nalanda Mahavihara are noted worthy. Both Hiuen- Tsiang and I- Tsiang saw some students from foreign conntries like Korea, Mongolia, Tokhara, China and Tibet.

I-Tsing mentions 56 such foreign scholars pursuing higher studies and residing in Nalanda in his days. We cannot thank enough to Hiuen- Tsiang and I-Tsing for their vivid descriptions of the academic life of Nalanda Mahavihara. From their descriptions we can gather a lively structure of the academic career of the Mahavihara, method of taking admission, the famous acaryas and the students the daily and routine followed by the Mahavihara etc. Hiuen-Tsiang travelled in India for 16 years (629-654 A.D.) as a student and pilgrim out of which he spent five years as a student in the Nalanda Mahavihara, while I- Tsing spent 10 years, i.e.675-685 A.D. as a student here.

Great vehicle (Mahayana),the works belonging to the 18 sects, the Vedas, the Heetuvidya (logic) Sabdavidya (grammar and philosophy), Cikisavidya (medicine) , the works on Magic ((Atharva-veda), the Sankhya system of philosophy, while he was a student here.

From the accounts of Hiuen-Tsing it is apparent that the academic careerin Nalanda Mahavihara waslively force and always bustling literary activities:

"The priest to the number of several thousands are men of the hightest ability and talent. Their distinction is very great at the present time, and there are many hundreds whose fame has rapidly spread through distant regions. Their conduct is pure and unblamable. They follow in sincerity the precepts of the moral law. The rules of the convent are severe, and all the priests are bound to observe them. The countries of India respect them and follow them. The day is not sufficient for asking and answering profound questions. From morning till night they engage in discussion; the old and the young mutually help one another. Those who cannot discuss questions out of Tripitaka are little esteemed and are obliged to hide themselves for shame. Learned men from different cities, on this account, who desire to acquire a renown in discussion, came here in multitudes to settle their doubts, and then the streams (Of their wisdom) spread far and wide. For this reason some persons usurp the name(of Nalanda Students), and in going to and fro receive honour in consequence. If men of other quarters desire to enter and take part in the discusions, the keeper of the gate proposes some hard questions; many are unable to answer, and retire. One must have studied deeply both old and new (books) fefore getting admission. Those students, therefore, who come here as stranger, have to show their ability by hard discussion; those who fail compared with those who succeed are seven or eight to ten.

Hiuen-Tsiangs description is exhausive enough. In above quotation he says" The day is not sufficient for asking and answering profound questions. From morning till night they engage in discussion. We can accommulate an idea to from the daily life of Nalanda students by the above reference.

The Acaryas and the students are always busy with their academic careers. They help each other for development of their pure knowledge in the realm of academic career.

We come to know that, as I- Tsing tells us, there was a water- clock which set the timetable.

This water-clock was just a device which contained a small perforated copper bowl floating in a large one filled with water. The time was noted by each immersion of the smaller bowl and announced by an appointed person by beating of the drum at regular intervals. They (acarya and the students) carried the routine of their daily life in Nalanda It was mainly divided

into two sessions-study and religious.

Morover, there were ten great ponds, into the bargain, on the campus. The inmates took bath there as given the time by the water-clock.

Besides, there were, according to Tibetan sources, three libraries in Nalanda Mahavihara. They are magnificent libraries. A university without well- organized libraries cannot fulfil the intellectuals needs.

We have three libraries in the Nalanda University :- they are:1. Ratnodadhi (sea of Jewels) 2.Ratna- sagara (Ocean of Jewels)3.Ratna-ranjaka (Jewel-adorned).

Copying manuscripts is the most important task not only in Nalanda academic career but also other universities in ancient India. The wealth of its magnificent libraries grew up as a result of copying of the manuscripts undertaken by its laborious scholars.

I-Tsing got copies at Nalanda of four hundred Sanskrits works. According to him after the expiration of Buddhsit scholar at Nalanda his collection of manuscripts was added to the libraries. Thus the Nalanda unversity library ultimately grew out of the valuable collections of priceless mauuscripts.

So the university of Nalanda was quite broad enough, well- equipped with sufficient arrangement to feed the intellectual needs to the great thirst of knowledge seekers.

Famous Scholars of Nalanda

There must be proper scholars with sufficient knowledge in the subjects which the university parts. Indeed the university cannot forge ahead without renown scholars, who play the important role as well as the institutions, of which they are the makers.

According to Taranatha, Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Asanga and Vasubandhu were the head of Nalanda Mahavihara (pandita). But Nagarjuna was the comtemporary of the Satavahana king, Yajnasri Gautamiputra(166-196 A.D.) If it is so, we cannot include Nargarjuna in the list of great scholars of Nalanda, since Nalanda Mahavihara appeared much later than Nagarjuna, although he was great scholar and founder of Sunya Vada Nalanda University was very fortunate in getting the services of such eminent scholars in its very outset.

Nalanda was represented by us how the role of its panditaa in academic world was important. Several treatises writen by Nalanda Scholars were priceless esteems. So far abhidhamma -Kosa of Vasubandhu runs first among the topmost treaises, because of prusuing it by both Mahayana Schools and Theravada Schools.

it was the famous pandits of Nalanda who introduced Buddhism into Tivet, China and Mongloia etc. Santaraksita and Padmasambhava were the first scholars from Nalanda who visited Tibet. They erected a monastery in Tebit in749 A.D. with the assistence of the then Tibant king-khir-son-den-stan, who invited the formers Lamism, and now he is defined and celebrated in Lamaism as the Buddha himself. kamalasila, Acarya Dipankara Srijnna were the next to Buddha in Tibet. They all are from Nalanda University.

In the history of Buddhsit logic Dinnaga took a pre-eminent position. Dr. Vidyabhusana rightly said in his work., History of India Logic p.270, that the real founders of mediaval logic were Buddhists. He was also one of the great pandita of Nalanda.

Thus Nalanda University produced thousands of students for a period of 800 to 900 years, from A.D. to 1205 A.D.

End of Nalanda

History of the of Nalanda is not a not a mere end of the famous University ,but it forms a chapter in the history of complete extinction of Buddhism its originated land. Most scholars regard this fact.

muslim invasion made the great university meet its end. As to the date if assault of Mahamadan on university , H.D. Sankalia gives the approximate sugestion. He says the year 1205 or 1306 will be the most probable that the university was not c ompletely demolished, and still some pandits and students remain stay there. For in A.D.1234 Dharmasvamin, a Tibetan monk visited Bodh Gaya and Nalanda, and he noticed that though some buildings were destroyed, others had escaped destructions, and Mahapandita Rahulasribhadra, four other pandits and about 70 oter monk students were still pursuing Grammar and others. But the treats of sudden attack from "Turuskas" were always there.

A vivid account of the last days of Nalanda given by named Rahula Sribhadra had made his dwelling and taught Sanskrit grammar to seventy students. He was in the last stage of poverty and decrepitude. He lived on a small allowance for food given by a Brahmin lay disciple Jauadeva who lived at Odantapuri. Time and again came threats of an impending raid from military head- quarters there. Jayadeva himself vecame a suspect. In the midst of these alarm, he was suddenly arrested and thrown into a military prison at Odantapuri. While in captivity he came to learn that a fresh raid on flee Postehsts. By then every one had left Nalanda except the old and his Tibetan disciple. Not carrying for the little remainder to quit. They went, the pupil carrying the master on his back along with a small supply of rice, sugar and a few books to the temple of Jnnanath at some distance and hid themselves. While they remained in hiding 300 Muslim soldiers arrived, armed and ready for assault. The raid came and passed over. Then the two refugees stole out of their hiding place back again to Nalanda.

The account of the last days of Nalanda given by Tibetan sources was fully confirmed by Persian chronicler Minhaj.

His descriptions in Tabakat- I-Nasiri given by are the impression of an eye-witness.

From the study of tabakat-I- Nasiri, we find that find that Bakhtiya Khilji went to the gate of the fort of Vihara with only two hundred horses and surprised the enemy. Great plunder fell into the hands of the victor. Most of the inhabitants of the place, were Brahmins, with shaven heads. They were put to death. Large number of books were found there and when the Mahammadans saw them, they called for some persons to explain their contents, but study. In the Hindi language the word Bihar. (I.e., Vihara) means a college.

Thus, Nalanda with lively force of religious activities coming down from the life times of Buddha, Nagarjuna, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Santaraksita, Dipandkara Srijnnana, treasuring several esteemed works and culture in its three storeyed libraries, diffusing knowledge among thousand of students and spreading it to the remote lands of Java, Sumatra,China, Japan, Tibet etc. met its the last doom.

Nalanda University was mainly cynosure of Mahayana learning although it imparted various subjects of Buddhist and non-Buddhist.

Nava Nalanda Mahavihara

The Nava Nalanda Mahavihara , the institute for post-graduate teaching and reseach in Pali and Budddhology,has been established by the state Government in 1951for reviving the past glories of the ancient Sri Nalanda Mahavihara.

Nava Nalanda Mahavihara is situated adjacent to ruins of the ancient Sri Nalanda Mahavihara by the bank of an ancient lake name Indra Puskarni 90 K.M. to the southeast of Patna. The land for the Mahavihara was offered by a local Mualim landlord of islampur.

On the 20the November 1951 the foundation stone was laid by Dr. Rajendra Rrasad, the first president of the Republic of India, After completion of the first building, it was inaugurated by the then vice president of India, Dr.Radhakrishnan on March 20, 1956.

With late Bhikkhu Jagadish Kashyap as its founder director , Siri Nva Nalanda Mahavihara is a nuque institute for higher study and research in pali nand Buddhology. As the institute was envisage as resurrection of the ancient Sri Nalanda Mahaviharm popularly known as the ancient University of Nalanda, it also went by the old name with the adjective "Nava" meaning new , inserted to symbolize the aspirations of its founders. The seal of the ancient Mahavihara which bears the symbol of Dharmacakra with deer on the both sides has also been retained as the seal of the present Mahavihara.s

So for far the students with orientation in traditional ways of learning there are:

Certificate Course In Pali

Acharya Cours In Pali

M .A In Pali, Philosophy, Ancient India and Asian studies.

Diploma In pali, Chinese, Tibetan, Japanese, Sanskrit, Hindi.

B.A Spicial In English.

Mahavihara sussessfully published pali Tripitaka in Devanagari Script, some athakathas and research Volumes.

In order to give the Mahavihara a free hand in its development programme, the state Government made it an autonomous institution in 1981. Since then in stead of developing Mahavihar started to slow sown in its activities.

The functioned from Patna and spent six months in Germay. During his period teaching and research work were badly affected and the number of students decreased.

Although the Mahavihara in its the very outset could attract many students from remote corner of Asia like Sri lanka, Burma, Thiland, bahgaldesh, Vietnam,Japan Korea, Bhutan etc. Even for a single xerox copy th students have to rush to Biahrsharif, the distict town.

The Cental Government took Mahavihara over for its integrated development. On

25.2.1994.

Present Director of Mahavihara is D.K Barua. He is a renown scholar in Buddhism. He takes the charge on 1/4/1996. However, he must struggle to overcome the deteriorating condition of mahavihara with serious efforts. We hope at his directorship Mahavihara has been primarily the cynosure of Mahavihara learning.

References

1.D.K.B. the ancient University of Nalanda :Nalanda:Past &present silver jubilee Souvenir, 1977, p 1

2.Dighnikaya,kevatta Sutta,Burmese script, Rangoon 1956, p205.

3.Dr. Gustav Roth, Shri Nalanda Mahavihara;Homage to Bhikkhu Jagdishkashyap, commenoration volume, 1986,p 291

4. C.S,U. Nalanda in epigraphy,op.cit p. 56s

5.Dr.Gustav Roth. op.cit. p. 292

6.Hiuen-Tsiang, Buddhist records of western world tr. by s. Beal. reprint: Motilal Bauanasi Das, Delhi, 1981 part II, Book IX P. 167-168

7.H.D. Sankalia:university of Nalanda-1972,p26

8.Hiue-Tsiang ,op cit ,p42

1. J Takakusu, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, N.SXIII. P 571

2. H.D.Sankalia, op.cit. p.42.

3. Fa-hien, Arecord of Buddhsit Kingdom, tr. by legge. p 81.

4. D.KB. Op .cit , P 8.

5. A . Ghosh, Nalanda, 1986,p 4

6. Ibid, P.5

7. H.D.Sankalia, Op. cit, p 57

8. A Ghosh, Op cit p. 64.

9. Ibid

10. D.K.B.Op.cit p.10

11. H.D.Sankalia. Op cit. p 64.

12. D.K.B. Op. cit P 13

13. S. Dutt, Buddhistmonks and Monasteries in India, 1962. P48

14. Hiuen-Tsiang, Op cit , II. P 171

15. 2500 years of Buddhism, p. 194

16. H.D. Sankalia, op .cit p. 124

17. Ibid. line. 14

18. Hiuen-Tsisng I,Hwui li, p. 160

19. H.D Sankalia , op cit , p 141

20. Ibid ,line, 8

21. Ibid p . 245

22. S.Dutt, Op cit ,p 348

23. Ibid p. 358

24. Siri Nava Nalanda Mahavihara; News letter, Vol. I, p,3

25. Bihar :Past and Present, P. 312