Nalanda Mahavihara : The oldest traditional university in India
The oldest traditional university
1 / Introduction :
Massive monasteries or educational institutions such as Takshashila, Vikramshila, etc. played an important role in the development of Vedic education in ancient India. Historians also identify these institutions as the ancient universities of India.Similarly, there was one of the most traditional educational institutions in ancient India, where the Chinese tourist Hiuen Tsang not only studied but also taught later.That renowned educational institution is the 'Nalanda Maha Vihara' (in Buddhist texts it is called the Revered Buddhist Vihara). Nalanda Maha Vihara was an important institution of higher learning in India from the 5th century AD to about 1200 AD. It is currently a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2 / Location :
Nalanda was a famous Buddhist monastery located in the kingdom of Magadha in ancient India (now Bihar in India). It is located 95 km (59 miles) southeast of Patna, the capital of Bihar, and near the town of Bihar Sharif.
3 / Development period :
Nalanda Mahavihara was developed in the 5th-6th centuries AD under the patronage of the Gupta emperors and later Harshavardhana, the emperor of Kannauj. The liberal cultural milieu of the Gupta period resulted in a period of development and prosperity in India till the ninth century AD. In the following centuries, however, that situation deteriorated. At that time there was a Tantric development of Buddhism in Eastern India during the Pala rule, which is one of the most significant events in the religious and cultural history of India.
4 / Source of information :
i) Travelogue : -
The Nalanda monastery is known mainly from the travelogues of East Asian pilgrims such as Hiuen Tsang and Itsing. They came to Nalanda in the 7th century AD. Vincent Arthur Smith thinks that the history of Nalanda is the history of Mahayana Buddhism. Many of the scholars whom Hiuen Tsang named as Nalanda's contribution in his travelogue were associated with the development of Mahayana philosophy.
ii) Archaeological material : -
Archaeologist David B. Archaeologists like Spunar, Hirananda Shastri, N. Nazim, Amalananda Ghosh etc. numerous sculptures, copper plates, engraved inscriptions, seals, coins, plaques, pottery and archeological material such as stone, bronze, terracotta artefacts, etc., obtained from the excavations have given us information about this monastery.
5 / Etymology :
There are several theories about the origin of the name 'Nalanda'. According to the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang, the name comes from the word "Na Alam Da". This word means "gift that has no pause" or "continuous gift". Another Chinese tourist, E Tsing, however, said that the name 'Nalanda' came from the name of a snake called 'Nag Nanda'. The snake lived in a local pond. Hirananda Shastri, who conducted excavations at Nalanda, said that a large quantity of ‘nal’ (lotus soil) was found in the area. So the original meaning of the name ‘Nalanda’ was ‘which gives nal i.e. the Mrinal of the lotus’.
6 / Nalanda in antiquity :
In ancient times Nalanda was a thriving village. Nalanda was located along the trade route that passed through Rajgirha (now Rajgir), the capital of Magadha. It is said that Jain Tirthankara Mahavira spent 14 years in Nalanda. It is further said that Gautama Buddha also gave advice in the Amravana called Pavarika near Nalanda. Sariputta, one of the two main disciples of the Buddha, was born in the Nalanda region and attained Nirvana here. In view of these two incidents, it can be said that Nalanda existed as a village from the 5th to the 6th century BC.
The condition of Nalanda for the next few hundred years is not known. In the seventeenth century, the Tibetan Lama Taranath wrote that in the third century BC, the Buddhist Mauryan emperor Ashoka built a large temple at Nalanda on the site of the Sariputta Chaitya. Taranath further writes that in the third century AD the Mahayana philosopher Nagarjuna and his disciple Aryadeva were personalities of Nalanda. Nagarjuna also became the principal of Nalanda. From the information given, it is clear that Nalanda was an emerging center of Buddhist practice even before the third century AD. But no archaeological evidence has been found to support such information.
7 / Nalanda in the Gupta Age :
The recorded history of Nalanda Mahavihara dates back to the Gupta period. It is known from a seal that the founder of this Mahavihara was a king named Shakraditya. Hiuen Tsang and another Korean pilgrim mention that Paryanavarman established a Sangharam at this place. Shakraditya was the Gupta emperor Kumargupta I (reigned approximately 415-455). His coins have been discovered in Nalanda. His successors Buddhagupta, Tathagata Gupta, Baladitya and Vajra later expanded and expanded the Nalanda monastery by constructing several more monasteries and temples.
The Gupta dynasty in general was a Brahmanical dynasty. Although Narsinghgupta (Baladitya) was influenced by the Mahayana philosopher Basubandhu. He built a Sangharam in Nalanda and a monastery 300 feet high. A statue of Buddha was also erected in this monastery. According to Hiuen Tsang, the monastery was similar to the "monastery built under a Bodhi tree." He further writes that Vajra, the son of Baladitya, also built a Sangharam with a "devotional heart".
8 / Post-Gupta era :
For a long time in the post-Gupta period, many kings "used the skills of sculptors" to build new monasteries, monasteries and temples in Nalanda. At one point, Nalanda, the "King of Central India", surrounded the courtyard of the monastery and built an ancient one-door high. Another king named Purnavarman (probably the king of the Maukhari dynasty, who is said to be the "last descendant of the Ashoka dynasty") erected a 60-foot-tall copper statue. He also built a six-step altar for the statue.
◆ Harshavardhana time : -
After the fall of the Gupta Empire, the most notable patron of the Nalanda monastery was Harshavardhana, emperor of Kannauj (reign 7th century AD). Harshavardhana converted to Buddhism and considered himself a slave to the monks of Nalanda. He built a bronze monastery within the Mahavihara and sanctioned revenue from 100 villages for Nalanda. He also instructed the 200 householders of those villages to supply rice according to the needs of the monks of the monastery. About a thousand monks from Nalanda used to attend the royal worship of Harshavardhana at Kanauj.
9/ Hiuen Tsang in Nalanda :
Hiuen Tsang, a Chinese pilgrim, visited India between 630 and 643 AD and he first came to Nalanda in this time. Then in 642 he came to Nalanda for the second time. He spent about two years in Nalanda monastery. He was given a warm welcome in Nalanda. Not only that, in Nalanda his Indian name was ‘Mokshadev’. He studied there under the then principal of Nalanda, Shilvadra. Hiuen Tsang thought that Shilvadra was an incomparable teacher of communication and that his travels abroad had paid off. In addition to Buddhism, Hiuen Tsang taught grammar, jurisprudence and Sanskrit in Nalanda. Later he also taught in this monastery.
i) Scene view : -
While in Nalanda, Hiuen Tsang describes the scene outside his living room window :
... The entire monastery is surrounded by a brick wall. This wall surrounds the entire monastery from the outside. One has to enter this magnificent monastery through a door. The other eight halls in Sangharam are separate from that monastery. The well-arranged pillars and the top-like pillars are inserted together like pointed mountain tops. It seems that the observatories are lost in the morning mist and the rooms at the top of the pillars are lost in the clouds.
ii) Criticism of the stagnant towards him : -
Hiuen Tsang was a contemporary of Harshavardhana and his honored guest. Hiuen Tsang describes Harshavardhana's philanthropic work. In the autobiography of Hiuen Tsang, Hui-li writes that in Nalanda, the Mahayana monastery was over-emphasized and some people did not like it. It is said that when King Harshavardhana visited Orissa, they condemned the king for patronizing Nalanda, mocked the 'Akashkusum' philosophy taught in Nalanda and said that Harshavardhana should also patronize a Kapalik temple. , Sent Prajnarashmi, Singharashmi and Hiuen Tsang to refute like the monks of Orissa.
iii) Return : -
On his return to China, Hiuen Tsang carried 756 Buddhist scriptures (many of which were Mahayana scriptures) and 150 preserved relics in 520 boxes on 20 horsebacks. He also translated 64 books. In the 30 years since his return to China, eleven Chinese and Korean tourists have visited Nalanda.
10 / It-Singh in Nalanda :
Inspired by reading the travelogues of Fahien and Hiuen Tsang, the pilgrim Y Tsing learned Sanskrit at Srivijaya and came to India in 63 AD. He spent fourteen years in India. During this time he spent ten years at the Nalanda monastery. When he returned to China in 695 AD, he took with him 400 Sanskrit texts. Only then are they translated.
i) Description of rituals and Buddhist rituals : -
Hiuen Tsang described the geographical and cultural landscape of seventh century India in his travelogue. But Ye Tsing focused his account mainly on the practice of that religion in India, the birthplace of Buddhism, and the descriptions of the monastery's customs, rituals, and rules. E Tsing writes that Nalanda was maintained from the revenue of 200 villages (note that at the time of Hiuen Tsang the number was 100). According to his account, Nalanda Mahavihara had eight halls and about 300 rooms.
He writes that Nalanda was a part of daily life with multiple ceremonies performed by all. Bathing was indicated by a bell ringing every morning. Hearing this bell, hundreds or thousands of monks would come out of their respective monasteries and bathe in several large reservoirs in the middle or side of the courtyard. Then another bell was rung to indicate the time of worship. Chaityabandana was held in the evening. Part of the Chaitya Bandana was the ‘Three Episodes of Service’, recitation of specific hymns, verses and selected parts of scriptures. The ceremony was usually held in the center of the monastery. However, E Tsing writes that the number of Nalanda residents was so high that it was difficult to gather everyone in one place every day. So a short ceremony is common. On this occasion, a priest used to carry incense and flowers from one hall to another with the common servants and children. The ceremony would end at dusk.
11 / Nalanda in the Pala period :
The Pala Empire was established in northeastern India in the 8th century AD. Pala kings ruled the region until the twelfth century AD. The Pala dynasty was a Buddhist dynasty. During their reign, the Mahayana doctrine practiced in Nalanda was mixed with a Tantra-influenced doctrine of Mahayana philosophy known as Vajrayana. Nalanda Mahavihara carried the cultural heritage of the Gupta period and that heritage was much admired. The Pala emperors established more than one educational institution. During their rule, four monasteries were built in the style of Nalanda at Jagaddal, Odantapuri, Sompur and Vikramshila. It may be mentioned that Gopal, the founder of the Pala dynasty, established the Odantapuri monastery just 6 miles (9.6 km) from Nalanda.
From the inscriptions found in Nalanda, it is known that Gopal's son Dharmapala was the patron of Nalanda. Note that he established the Vikramshila monastery. However, the most notable patron of Nalanda in the Pala period was Devapala, the son of Dharmapala (reign 9th century AD). He founded the Somapura Vihara. Devapala is mentioned in several metal statues found in the ruins of Nalanda. He is also known for two important inscriptions. The first is a copperplate.
According to the inscription, Balputradev, a Shailendra-clan king of Subarnadwip (now Sumatra, Indonesia), "attracted by the multifaceted excellence of Nalanda" built a monastery there and requested Devpal to approve the revenue of five villages for its maintenance. Devpal complied with his request. The Ghosrawan inscription is another inscription of a contemporary of Devpal. It is known from this inscription that he received and patronized a Vedic scholar named Birdev. Birdev was later elected principal of Nalanda.
Decreased excellence of Nalanda in Pala period: -
It is known from many inscriptions and literary material that the Pala dynasty generously patronized Nalanda. However, in the Pala period, other monasteries accepted many educated monks from Nalanda, so Nalanda lost its single importance. The influence of Vajrayana on Buddhism gradually increased during the Pala period. It also had an effect on Nalanda. The Nalanda Mahavihara, which had in the past gained a reputation as a center of liberal excellence centered on Mahayana doctrine, gradually became centered on the practice of Tantric doctrine and magic. The history book written by Taranath in the 18th century claims that Nalanda probably came under the control of the principal of Vikramshila Mahavihara at some point.
12 / Description of Mahavihara :
The area of the Nalanda monastery that has been excavated to date has an area of only 1,600 feet (48 m) in length and 600 feet (244 m) in width or about 12 acres. However, in the Middle Ages, the size of Nalanda was even larger. Nalanda Mahavihara is a significant architectural masterpiece. It is characterized by a huge wall and its only entrance. Nalanda had eight separate courtyards and ten temples. There were also many meditation rooms and classrooms. Nalanda was a residential monastery. There were also multi-bedded dormitories for students. At the height of its fame, Nalanda Mahavihara had 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers. According to Chinese pilgrims, however, the number of students in Nalanda ranged from 3,000 to 5,000.
All sorts of things were studied here. Students and scholars from Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, Indonesia, Persia and Turkey used to come here to study and teach.
A detailed account of the 7th century Nalanda monastery is found in Hiuen Tsang's account. He writes of how neatly lined pillars, synagogues, hermits, and temples seemed to be "flying over the mist in the sky," so that monks could "witness the birth of wind and clouds" from their rooms. He writes:
A blue lake flowed around the monasteries. Floating in that lake were the full-blown blue lotus; Beautiful red conch flowers swayed here and there, and the inhabitants outside Amrakunj found their deep and safe refuge.
i) Library : -
Historians are certain that Itsing returned home with a large number of books after spending ten years in Nalanda. This proves that there was a rich library in this monastery. According to traditional Tibetan sources, the name of the Nalanda library was ‘Dharmaganj’ (‘Dharmer Hat’). The library was housed in three multi-storey buildings. The names of the buildings were ‘Ratnasagar’ (‘Ocean of Gems’), ‘Ratnodadhi’ (‘Sea of Gems’) and ‘Ratnaranjak’ (‘Ratnakhchit’). Ratnodadhi was a nine-storey building. It was here that the holiest scripture Prajnaparamita Sutra and Guhyasamaj were preserved.
It is not known exactly how many books were in the library of Nalanda Mahavihara. It is estimated, however, that there were millions of books. In that library only the books of scripture were kept. There were also books on grammar, jurisprudence, literature, astrology, astronomy and pharmacology. Historians speculate that the library at Nalanda Mahavihara had a hierarchical order and this order was arranged on the basis of the hierarchical order of the Sanskrit linguist Panini. The Buddhist scriptures were most probably arranged on the basis of the three main divisions of the Tripitaka (Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka and Abhidhamma Pitaka).
ii) Curriculum : -
a) Subject :
In Hiuen Tsang's autobiography, Huui-li writes that all the students of Nalanda studied the scriptures of the Mahayana and the eighteen (Hinayana) communities of Buddhism. They also studied the Vedas, ‘Hetuvidya’ (jurisprudence), ‘Shabdavidya’ (Sanskrit grammar and linguistics), ‘Chikitsavidya’ (herbal medicine), other books related to magic (Atharvaveda) and Samkhya philosophy.
b) Teaching :
Hiuen Tsang himself studied a number of subjects with Shilbhadra and others. In addition to theology and philosophy, regular debates and seminars were held to improve one's skills in jurisprudence. Every student of Nalanda Mahavihara had to thoroughly study the jurisprudence related to all branches of philosophy and at the same time he had to refute other views by arguing in favor of Buddhism. It is also speculated that law, astronomy and urban planning were taught in Nalanda.
According to traditional Tibetan beliefs, the "four doxographies" (Tibetan: grub-matha) were taught in Nalanda:
Realism is dialectical
Realism is universal
Madhyamaka, the Mahayana philosophy of Nagarjuna
Mahayana philosophy of Chittamatra, Asanga and Basubandhu.
c) Teacher :
According to Hiuen Tsang, there were about 1,510 teachers in Nalanda in the 7th century. Of these, about 1000 could explain 20 suras of Sutras and Shastras, 500 could explain 30 sums and only 10 could explain 50 sums. Hiuen Tsang himself was one of the few teachers who could explain 50 or more sets. At that time Principal Shilvadra studied only all the major collections of Sutras and Shastras.
iii) Administration : -
a) According to It-sing:
The Chinese monk Itsing writes that all decisions regarding the conduct of affairs and administration were made with the consent of all the monks living in Nalanda. In this case, they would decide together. The monks had to come together to discuss the matter. He then ordered his monk to go to all the resident monks and report the matter to the tax collector. The proposal would not have been accepted without the consent of a monk. He did not have to use force to express his opinion. If a monk did anything without the consent of all the inhabitants, he would be forced to leave the monastery. If there was a disagreement on any issue, they could argue (in front of the other group) to get consent. There was no coercion or pressure to obtain consent.
b) According to Hiuen Tsang :
Hiuen Tsang also wrote :
The lives of all these virtuous personalities were naturally governed by the most solemn and strictest habits. So in the seven hundred year history of the monastery no one has broken the discipline. The king paid homage to the monastery and spent the revenue collected from a hundred cities to feed the pious.
13/ Influence of Nalanda Mahavihara on Buddhism :
Nalanda's teacher-traditions and customs are the source of a large part of both the Mahayana and Vajrayana branches of Tibetan Buddhism. Shantarakshit, a prominent scholar of Nalanda, played a major role in the propagation of Buddhism in Tibet in the 7th century AD. He was invited by King Khri-srong-deu-tsang of Tibet. He also established a monastery in Samye. Shantarakshit was the first principal of that monastery. He and his disciples taught the basics of lotus philosophy. It may be mentioned that Kamalshil was also a scholar of Nalanda Mahavihara. He is considered to be the founder of Tibetan Buddhism.
Pandit Dharmakirti ( 7th century AD ), one of the Buddhist pioneers of Indian philosophical jurisprudence, was one of the earliest theorists of Buddhist atomism taught at Nalanda Mahavihara.
Other branches of Buddhism, including the Mahayana, followed in Vietnam, China, Korea, and Japan, also developed in the Nalanda monastery. According to several scholars, several Mahayana scriptures, including the Surangama Sutra, an important source of East Asian Buddhism, follow the doctrines prevalent in Nalanda.
14/ Historical personalities associated with Nalanda :
According to traditional sources, both Mahavira and Gautama Buddha came to Nalanda in the 6th and 5th centuries BC. Moreover, Nalanda is the birthplace of one of the most famous disciples of the Buddha, Sariputra.
Aryabhata
Nagarjuna, the originator of the concept of emptiness
Aryadev, a student of Nagarjuna
Atish, Mahayana and Vajrayana scholars
Chandrakirti, a student of Nagarjuna
Dharmakirti, logical
Dharmapala, the best Palaraj
Dignaga, the promoter of Buddhist jurisprudence
Naropa, Tilopar student and Marpar teacher
Shilbhadra, teacher of Hiuen Tsang
Hiuen Tsang, Chinese Buddhist pilgrim
E Tsing, a Chinese Buddhist tourist
15 / Destruction and Extinction :
There is a connection between the disappearance of Buddhism from India and the extinction of Nalanda Mahavihara. While touring various places in India in the 7th century AD, Hiuen Tsang noticed that Buddhism was slowly declining. Not only that, he also got the sad prediction of the end of Nalanda. At that time Buddhism was rapidly losing popularity. Only the kings of modern Bihar and Bengal were patronizing this religion.
During the Pala rule, the traditional Mahayana and Hinayana sects of Buddhism included secret rituals and witch-centered Tantric practices. The emergence of Vaishnava and Shaivite philosophers in the Indian subcontinent and the overthrow of the Buddhist Pala dynasty in the eleventh century indicate that Buddhism suffered a political, philosophical and moral blow at that time. But even then, the rise of several Buddhist monasteries in India maintained the existence of Buddhism. They were attacked by Muslims in the eleventh century AD. That was the last blow to Buddhism in India.
◆ Enemy attacks :
i) Hun leader Mihirkul : -
This Jnanpith was destroyed. Not once, but three times. Nalanda was attacked several times by external enemies. For the first time during the reign of Skandagupta (455-46 AD). The Hanaras of Central Asia, led by Mihirakula, attacked Nalanda. They killed Buddhist students and religious leaders. Skandagupta and his later descendants rebuilt Nalanda.
ii) Gaurraj Shashanka : -
After nearly a century and a half, Nalanda was again destroyed. This time Shashanka, the ruler of Bengal, attacked. Shashanka, the ruler of Murshidabad, got into a dispute with King Harshavardhana. As a result, when King Shashanka entered Magadha, he destroyed the Buddhist holy places. Breaks the Buddha's 'footprints'. The history of the invasion of Shashanka and the destruction of Nalanda is revealed in the account of the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang.
iii) Muhammad-i-Bakht-i-Khalji : -
In the thirteenth century AD, Bakhtiyar Khilji, a Turkish chieftain, was appointed general of Awadh. The Persian historian Minhaj-i-Siraj, in his Tabaqat-i-Nasiri, records the plunder of Bakhtiyar Khilji over the next few decades. Two villages on the Bihar border were ceded to Khilji. These two villages became politically virtually unowned areas. Realizing the opportunity, Khilji started looting in Bihar. His superiors gave him both recognition and reward for his work. Inspired by this, Khilji decided to attack a fort in Bihar and was able to capture it. He looted a lot of wealth from this fort.
Muhammad-i-Bakht-iar bravely entered the place through the back door, captured the fort and looted a lot of goods. Most of the inhabitants of that place were Brahmins and all these Brahmins had their heads shaved. All of them were killed. There were lots of books. After seeing the books, the Muslims ordered some Hindus to give them information about the books. But all Hindus were killed. After being informed [about the contents of the books], it is known that the fort and the city were a college. In Hindu language they called it a college or monastery.
The above quote speaks of an attack on a Buddhist monastery (monastery) and its monks (Munditamastak Brahman). The exact date of this incident is not known. According to researchers, this event occurred sometime between 1198 and 1206 AD. Many historians believe that the monastery that was mistaken for a fort was Odantapura. However, according to some, the monastery was Nalanda. It is also believed that since the two monasteries were located a few miles apart, the same thing happened to both.
iv) Turkish invasion : -
Tibetan monk - pilgrim Dharmaswamy studied in Nalanda with Rahul Srivadra for six months. He was an eyewitness to the Turkish invasion of Nalanda. The nearby Odantapura (now Bihar Sharif) was then converted into a military headquarters for the Turks. The Muslim soldiers there attacked Nalanda. Only Dharmaswamy and his teachers remained and they hid. Other monks fled Nalanda. However, traditional Tibetan texts, which were written much later, state that Nalanda continued for some time. However, this monastery had completely lost its former glory. Lama Taranath says that the Turks conquered the whole of Magadha and destroyed many monasteries, including Nalanda. Nalanda was badly damaged. However, he added that a king of Bengal named Chagal Raja and his queen later patronized Nalanda in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. But no important work was done there.
v) According to Tibetan legend : -
Tibetan legends are known in the eighteenth-century Pag Sam Jong Zhang. According to this legend, a Buddhist saint named Mudit Bhadra repaired the temples and monasteries of Nalanda and Kukutsiddha, a minister of the then king, built a temple there. According to another story, while the building was being inaugurated, two angry pilgrim monks (Brahmins) appeared there. Some young apprentice monks abused them and sprinkled laundry water on them. To seek revenge, the monks performed austerities for twelve years to please the sun and perform a yajna at the end of the austerities. They sprinkled the 'awakened ashes' of Yajnakunda on the Buddhist temples. The Nalanda library caught fire. But water miraculously flowed from the holy books of Ratnoddhi and many books were saved. Those beggars were consumed by their own burning fire. It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. Archaeological evidence (including a small mound of burnt rice) is known to have led to large-scale fires in several buildings at Nalanda Chattar more than once.
16 / Remains :
After the fall, Nalanda almost sank into the abyss of oblivion. Francis Buchanan-Hamilton surveyed the area in 1811-1812 when locals drew attention to a large ruin in the area. However, he could not identify the mound of soil and ruins as the historic Nalanda monastery. This identification was done in 1848 by Major Markham Kitto. Alexander Cunningham and the newly formed Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducted a government survey here in 181-182. The excavation was completed in 1936. The second phase of excavation and renovation was organized in 1974 and 1972.
The land on which the ruins of Nalanda are located is 1,800 feet (48 m) from north to south and 600 feet (244 m) from east to west. Excavations have uncovered eleven well-planned monasteries and six major brick temples. A 100 ft (30 m) wide path stretched from north to south. There were temples on the west side of this path and monasteries on the east side. Observations of most of the installations have shown that these installations were built at different times. The new building was also built on top of the ruins of the old building. Many buildings have fire signs at least once.
i) Monastery ruins : -
All the monasteries in Nalanda are very similar in terms of design and general structure. Their design is rectangular. In the center of these was a quadrangular courtyard, surrounded by a porch. The verandah was again surrounded on the outside by an outer row of rooms built for monks to live in. The face of the central room was towards the entrance of the courtyard. This room was the temple room. Its construction style was such that as soon as you enter the building, you can see the temple room. Except for two buildings, all the monasteries faced west and their sewers faced east. The stairs were built in the south-west corners of the buildings. The first monastery is considered to be the oldest. It is the most important installation in the monastery. Multiple levels of construction are observed in this building. It is believed that this lower monastery was built in the ninth century during the reign of Devapala with the financial support of King Balaputra of Srivijaya. The building was originally at least two stories high and had a giant statue of the Buddha seated here.
ii) Remains of the temple : -
Temple No. 3 is the most notable of the Nalanda Mahavihara premises. Multiple stairs lead up to the top of the temple. At first the temple was a small installation. Subsequently, its size gradually increased. Archaeological evidence suggests that the last structure was formed as a result of seven such reconstructions. Of these layered temples, Temple No. 5 is the most attractive and the most well-preserved. This temple has four pillars at the four corners. Three of these pillars are extroverted. The pillars along the stairs are also decorated with extraordinary panels rich in Gupta art. These panels are carved with various stucco statues. These statues depict Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, scenes from the Jataka story, Brahmanical deities like Shiva, Parvati, Kartik and Ghazalakshmi, various forms of Kinnar playing, Capricorns and mating of men and women. There are many stupas around this temple. Some of them are made of bricks. They have various quotations from Buddhist scriptures engraved on them. There is an altar at the top of the 3rd temple. At present there is an altar in this room. In the past, a huge statue of Buddha was placed on this altar.
A dado with 211 sculptural panels can be seen in Temple 2. These panels feature religious motifs and scenes from art and daily life. The courtyard of the 13th temple features a four-chambered brick metal smelting furnace. Burnt metals and alloys have been discovered here. It is understood that it was used for the extraction of metals. To the north of this temple are the ruins of Temple No. 14. A huge statue of Buddha has been discovered in that temple. The altar of this statue is the only mural in Nalanda which is still preserved.
iii) Unclaimed Remains : -
Numerous sculptures, murals, copper plates, engraved inscriptions, seals, coins, plaques, pottery and artefacts made of stone, bronze, stucco and terracotta have been discovered from within the ruins of Nalanda. Among the Buddhist sculptures in it are the statues of Buddha, Avalokiteshvara, Jambhal, Manjushri, Marichi and Tara in a variety of notable poses. Also found in the ruins are idols of Vishnu, Shiva-Parvati, Ganesha, Mahisasurmardini and Surya - all these Brahmanical deities.
17 / Nalanda Survival Book :
While fleeing from Nalanda, the monks took some books with them. Some of these are still available. It is preserved in the following archives:
Los Angeles County Museum, California, USA
Asia Society, New York, USA
Earlung Museum, Florida, USA
18 / Reconstruction Efforts :
In 1951, near the ruins of Nalanda Mahavihara, the Bihar government established a new Nalanda Maha Vihara as a center for Pali and Buddhist education in imitation of the ancient Maha Vihara. In 2006, it was recognized as a prestigious university.
On September 1, 2014, the first academic year of a modern Nalanda University started with 15 students at Rajgir near Nalanda. The university was established for the purpose of reviving the ancient learning center. The Government of India has sanctioned 455 acres of land and Rs. The governments of China, Singapore, Australia, Thailand and other countries also funded the establishment of this university.
19 / Tourist Center :
Nalanda is a popular tourist destination in the state of Bihar. Nalanda is also an important destination for Buddhist tourists.
i) Nalanda Archaeological Museum : -
The Archaeological Survey of India operates a museum for the convenience of visitors near the ruins of Nalanda. The museum displays antiquities from Nalanda and nearby Rajgir. However, out of 13,463 antiquities, only 349 visitors got a chance to see them. These are displayed in four galleries.
ii) Hiuen Tsang Memorial Hall : -
Hiuen Tsang Memorial Hall is an Indo-Chinese joint venture. The hall was built in honor of Chinese Buddhist monk and tourist Hiuen Tsang. In this hall, a small skull bone of Hiuen Tsang is displayed.
iii) Nalanda Multimedia Museum : -
Another private museum called Nalanda Multimedia Museum has been set up near the ruins of Nalanda. The history of Nalanda is displayed in this museum through three-dimensional animation and other multimedia presentations.
20 / Conclusion :
Undoubtedly, Nalanda Mahavihara, the university that rose to prominence as a legendary university after gaining fame, prestige and relevance, has gone through a period of destruction due to simultaneous retaliation and external enemy attacks.Even so, if you go to that place in Bihar even today, you will see the ruins of that tradition and the story of that traditional history of Mahavihara will float in the mind of the reader.
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