Main Temple

Nalanda

Nalanda complex

Nalanda(Nâlandâ) - the famous Buddhist university and monastic complex that existed for about 1000 years, in which many prominent Buddhist philosophers of India and foreign countries worked, taught and studied, numerous pilgrims came here. Among the teachers and students were such illustrious ones as Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Shantideva, Asanga, Vasubandhu and Padmasambhava himself (see Seventeen Masters of Nalanda). The university is located on the site of a mango grove, which Shakyamuni Buddha himself visited, not far from the Vulture Mountain (Rajgir, Bihar province, India), a few hours drive from Bodhgaya, the main Buddhist pilgrimage site, where Shakyamuni Buddha achieved enlightenment, 90 km to southeast of Patna, the ancient capital of India.

Nowadays it is a historical monument and a place of pilgrimage. Even a modern person who has visited the ruins of Nalanda University cannot but admire the magnificence of the ancient educational institution. About a thousand professors taught there, ten thousand students studied there, nine-storey buildings, 6 temples and 7 monasteries belonged to the university, about 9 million books were stored in the library. The heyday of Nalanda fell on the Gupta Empire. The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang also writes about Nalanda.

The exact date of the founding of the university is not exactly known, but some historians believe that it happened as early as the time of King Ashoka (3rd century BC). What is known is that for about a thousand years, Nalanda University was the most significant educational center in ancient the world not only in Mahayana and Hinayana philosophy but also in such sciences as medicine, logic, astrology and many others until it was destroyed by the Mughal invasion in the 12th century.

One of the most striking sights of Nalanda is the stupa built in honor of Shariputra, who, according to tradition, was born and died in that area. The great library of Nalanda was so large that, according to sources, it burned for 3 months after it was set on fire by the Mughals.

In 1193 the university was destroyed as a result of the invasion of the Turkic army of invaders led by Bakhtiyar Khalji. This event dealt a big blow to Buddhism in India, which then fell into decline. Many Buddhist monks, fleeing persecution, were able to escape to Tibet. In 1351 a training center under the same name was opened in Tibet.

Modern Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana) was formed thanks to the activities of teachers from Nalanda in the 9th-12th centuries. Scientists from Nalanda formulated the principles

Nalanda, like Rome, was not built immediately. It took several centuries for it to gain fame and spread its civilized influence not only throughout the country, but also to such distant lands as Japan, Java, Korea, China or Tibet.

Legend has it that Pawarik's mango grove in Bihar was consecrated by Gautama Buddha himself. And later, King Ashoka built a Vihara (monastery) here and thousands of scientists got the opportunity to do science in countless halls and temples.

It is believed that by the name of these monasteries the whole region, and then the Indian state, began to be called Bihar. Now, thanks to its rich heritage, the University of Nalanda has become an international center of education and culture. The pre-Buddhist heritage consisted of the ancient knowledge of the Vedas and Puranas, the Buddhist one - from the codes of Pitaka, Dhammapada, Abhidhamma with comments by such ancient thinkers as Nagarjuna and Vasibunda, who brought together and gave faceting to disparate knowledge.

Nalanda has always been a university with dormitories, what is now called a campus. Now, at the time of the entrance exams, the following is perceived as especially interesting. In the "staff" of the University of Nalanda since ancient times there were "Gatekeepers or Gate Keepers" - scientists of a very high rank, who know their subject well and are selected from among the best in the country in order to examine applicants immediately upon arrival. The entrance exam was very tough. Only seven or eight scientists out of every ten could pass it successfully. Therefore, those who were not well versed in the sciences came to the gates of Nalanda again and again - until the level of their training suited the Gatekeepers. And only one's own merit, but not wealth or rank, could be the criterion. There are records that even scholars from the families of the rulers were refused, although the expenses of Nalanda were covered precisely by royal grants (albeit secured by taxes levied on villagers; there is evidence that such fees from several villages were granted to Nalanda for the maintenance of its hostels and management temples and monasteries). Many Chinese scholars have studied at Nalanda, leaving memoirs that can be used to reproduce the style of academic life of the university.

For example, according to I-Sing, the minimum age for an applicant was years. And those who had already studied at some other university were admitted here in order to gain even higher knowledge. Thus, the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang, who arrived in Nalanda at the time of the "good King Harsha", testifies that "learned men from different cities, striving to be recognized in discussions, came here in multitudes to dispel their doubts." The gatekeepers of Nalanda were in fact the custodians of the treasury of Indian knowledge. At the same time, anyone wishing to take part in an open discussion on any issue relating to philosophy, religion, jurisprudence, or simply any life situations was welcomed.

It was very prestigious to study in the greatest center of knowledge. In addition, people from the most remote lands were attracted here by a multidisciplinary approach to learning. True, theology was a compulsory subject, but other disciplines, including medicine, were taught with no less zeal. Grammar and phonetics, etymology, history and yoga were all included in the schedule. Even ... archery was taught.

The aforementioned Hieun Tsang traveled to India through the Gobi Desert and the Himalayas. He remained at the university for 17 years: first as a student, then as a professor under the head of Shilabhadra. At Nalanda he was greeted at the gate with a thousand lamps, for the rumor of his erudition and reputation had reached the university before he himself. Here he studied to get a master's degree in law, and then became vice director of the entire huge university. The applicant very quickly turned into a student who was entrusted with deep research that required long and dangerous journeys.

According to Tsang's descriptions, the daily routine in Nalanda was full of various rituals. The morning began with a call for ablution. It seems that taking a bath was a must for everyone. Moreover, the morning ablution was prescribed for everyone to perform at a specially allotted hour for him. This was followed by the showering of the sacred image of the Buddha with flower petals, accompanied by recitation and singing of hymns. After a meager breakfast, everyone gathered in the halls for discussions and study sessions. After dinner, another ritual took place - the priests gathered in the main cell of the monastery and sang prayers in praise of the Buddha. And in hundreds of pulpits for prayers, students had to spend at least a few minutes every day. In the evenings it was time for walks. The night was for rest.

Knowledge of Sanskrit was compulsory. It included not only perfect mastery of the grammar of this parent language, but also the correct pronunciation. The university attached great importance to discussions that could last up to a day. Scientists have always welcomed them, because they were devoted to their favorite sciences, and in discussions there was an active enrichment of intellects and what is called "brainstorming" today.

Tsang was greatly impressed by Nalanda's discipline. In the 700 years of the existence of the university (by the time it entered), not a single case of a strike or any unrest was recorded, with the exception of academic disputes. True, in those of the latter, which concerned important principles, the battles were "not for life, but for death." Compulsory written work did not exist, although it was common to copy handwritten texts. Hiuen Tsang and Yi-Sing brought with them to China from Nalanda a huge load of such books.

Students were not charged for food, clothing and accommodation. There were no punishments. More precisely. Each delinquent, as a rule, immediately realized his offense and punished himself. And between the teacher and the student, the relationship was similar to the relationship between father and son. The greatest joy and highest reward for the teacher was if the student overshadowed his mentor. Students and professors wore identical yellow robes "wrapped around the waist and back and caught at the waist; the underwear, wrapped around the waist, descended below the knees." The food was very simple - from products delivered by two hundred householders from different villages.

But there was also a place for sports within the walls of the university. Students were allowed wrestling, boxing, various games (but not dice, despite the fact that such entertainment was very popular in the Indian society of that time).

Unfortunately, the blessed centuries-old life of Nalanda was once abruptly cut short. The conquerors destroyed the City of Knowledge in a few hours. Legend has it that several monks threw themselves at the feet of the enemy, trying to save at least Ratnavodhi - the world famous library. However, they themselves were thrown into the fire along with the books. The survivors fled. So only the memory of Nalanda and its history remained, subsequently presented to the Europeans, first by Hamilton, and then by Alexander Cunningham.

The twentieth century has arrived. In 1915, the first excavations were organized within the ancient university. They continued for about twenty years. And now, again, scientists are coming to the city of Nav, located near the ancient Nalanda - to restore the glory of this great center of knowledge.

Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda)

Nalanda is a Buddhist university and monastic complex that existed in the 5th-12th centuries in northern India, one of the largest educational centers of its time, in which many prominent Buddhist philosophers from different countries worked, taught and studied, and where numerous pilgrims gathered. Currently, the ruins of Nalanda are a historical monument in the Indian province of Bihar, 90 km southeast of Patna, the ancient capital of India.

The university was founded in the first third of the 5th century. The heyday of Nalanda fell on the period of the Gupta dynasty, the Pala rulers who replaced the Gupta continued to patronize this institution.

Xuanzang, a well-known Chinese Buddhist scholar and traveler of the 6th century, wrote about Nalanda. A thousand professors taught there, ten thousand students studied there, nine-story buildings, 6 temples and 7 monasteries belonged to the university, 9 million books were stored in the library. According to Xuanzang, there was an early semblance of entrance examinations at the university: those who arrived to participate in discussions were asked difficult questions by the gatekeepers, so that those who could not give an answer abandoned the idea of ​​​​entering.

In 1193, the university was destroyed as a result of the invasion of the Turkic army of invaders, led by the Muslim fanatic Bakhtiyar Khalji, who spread Islam by force of arms. Thousands of monks were burned alive or beheaded, the richest library of Nalanda was burned. This event dealt a big blow to Buddhism in India, which then fell into decline. Many Buddhist monks, fleeing persecution, fled to Nepal and Tibet.

In 1351, a training center under the same name opened in Tibet.

In the 9th-12th centuries, thanks to the activities of teachers from Nalanda, the Tibetan Buddhist tradition was formed. Through the efforts of the Nalanda philosophers, the Madhyamaka and Yogachara doctrines were formulated in the form in which they were later transferred to Tibet.

The University of Nalanda housed book copying workshops, as well as workshops for the production of Buddhist painting and bronze sculpture. In all likelihood, Vajrayan canons of images of Buddhist deities were developed in Nalanda, which later, together with the monks who fled from Islamic iconoclasts, were transferred to the art of Nepal and Tibet.

Partially preserved ruins remained on the site of the university. Nearby is a modern Theravada center. The excavated archaeological zone covers an area of ​​about 150,000 m², but a significant part of the excavation has not yet been carried out. The nearby museum houses manuscripts found during excavations.

Since 2006, the revival of the University of Nalanda under the name of Nalanda International University was planned by the Buddhists of India and other countries.

The revived Nalanda University, an international educational hub in Bihar that has attracted more than 1,000 applications from all over the world, began its first academic session on September 1 with 15 students, including 5 women, and 10 faculty members, The Times of India reported.

The temporary campus is located in Rajgir, 12 km from the site of the ancient Nalanda University until the 12th century. The university with a hostel is planned to be completed by 2020. It will have seven faculties, as well as graduate and doctoral programs. The main courses will be devoted to natural sciences, philosophy and spiritual and social sciences.

Ruins of ancient Nalanda University

“More than 100 students from 40 countries applied for admission to Nalanda University [this year]. But only 15 students were selected, including one each from Japan and Bhutan. The rest of the students are from India,” Vice Chancellor Gopa Sabhrawal told India's largest news portal IANS.

Initially, it was decided to enroll 40 students - 20 in each of the two faculties currently open (the Faculty of History and the Faculty of Environment and Ecology) - but after careful study and communication with applicants, only the best students were selected, Ms. Sabharwal said.

Applications for admission were received from the United States, Russia, England, Spain, Germany, Japan, Myanmar, Austria and Sri Lanka, as well as from countries in Western and Southeast Asia. The 15 selected students will stay at the Tathagat Hotel, owned by Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation in Rajgir. Classes will be held at a nearby state government conference room.

Rajgir attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world every year. It is the second most visited tourist site on the map of Buddhism in Bihar after Bodhgaya, considered the birthplace of Buddhism, where the Buddha attained enlightenment over 2,500 years ago. Rajgir (at that time Rajagriha) was the first capital of the kingdom of Magadha and one of the favorite places of the Buddha.

Nalanda University is an initiative of the Indian government and the 18th Southeast Asia Summit.

During his trip to Brunei in October 2013, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed treaties with the seven countries of the Southeast Asia Summit - Australia, Cambodia, Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand, Laos and Myanmar - laying the groundwork for the project.

China pledged US$1 million to support the project, a memorandum of understanding on this issue was signed during Manmohan Singh's visit to Beijing in November 2013. Singapore pledged US$5-6 million and Australia about A$1 million.

In May 2013, the Nalanda Council approved an architectural plan for the university, with a large lake at the center of the campus. The library, a huge domed structure, will be located in the middle of the lake, half under water.

The Central Government of India has allocated Rs 2,700 crore (US$445 million) for university expenses for a period of more than ten years.

Founded in the 5th century during the Gupta Dynasty, the ancient Nalanda University has served as home to thousands of scholars and thinkers from all over the world. It was destroyed by the invading Turkic armies of Bakhtiyar Khilji, General Kutbuddin Aibak, and the fire in the large library did not die out for several days.

Elena Ondar based on materials