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Nalanda University was established at Nalanda, the area around central Bihar India by the 5th century BC. The Gautama Buddha is believed to have visited Nalanda and given sermons near "the Mango Grove of Pavarika". The word "Nalanda" literally means the place that confers the lotus. It is one of the first Universities of the world. Nalanda University became an important Buddhist centre of learning, at its peak accommodating up to 10,000 students. According to Tibetan sources, Nagarjuna (c. 150-250) taught there but historical studies indicate that the university was established much later during the Gupta Empire (c. 240-550). The Tang Dynasty Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang left detailed accounts of the university in the 7th century.
A vast amount of what is considered to be Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana) actually stems from the late (9th-12th century) Nalanda teachers and traditions. Other forms of Buddhism, like the Mahayana followed in Vietnam, China, Korea and Japan, found their genesis in the hallowed portals of the ancient university. Theravada, the other main school of Buddhism, followed in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and elsewhere, and later the mystic Theravada schools also developed here. In 1193, the Nalanda University complex was destroyed by Turkish Muslim invaders under Bakhtiyar Khalji; this event is seen as the final milestone in the decline and near extinction of Buddhism in India.
Nalanda is not inhabited now, and the nearest habitation is a village called Bargaon. A number of ruined structures survive. Nearby is the Surya Mandir, a Hindu temple. The known and excavated ruins extend over an area of about 150,000 square metres, although if Xuanzang's account of Nalanda's extent is correlated with present excavations, almost 90% of it remains unexcavated. In 1951, a modern centre for Pali (Theravadin) Buddhist studies was founded nearby, the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara. Presently, this institute is pursuing an ambitious program of satellite imaging of the entire region. The Nalanda Museum contains a number of manuscripts, and shows many examples of the items that have been excavated.
Nalanda is also the name of the modern administrative district of Bihar in which the ancient university ruins are found.
Nalanda is also the name of three modern-day colleges, one in Bihar sharif , headquarter of Nalanda District , second in Sri Lanka and another one in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and of a monastery in France.
There are many versions of what the term Nalanda means. One is that Nalam means Lotus and Da means to give. Both combined together, Nalanda means Giver of Lotus. Since Lotus is supposed to represent knowledge,Nalanda means Giver of Knowledge.
Nalanda was the very first and the largest residential centre of learning that the world had ever known. During its days it was a flourishing residential university with over 10,000 students and 1500 teachers. The university was marked by a lofty wall and one gate.
The library was located in a nine storied building. The subjects taught at Nalanda University covered every field of learning.
See also
External links
- Nalanda College, Sri Lanka
- Nalanda College, Toronto, Canada
- Nalanda Monastery, Lavaur, France
- Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Bihar State, India
Ancient Universities of India | Closed colleges and universities | Former Buddhist temples | Ruins | Educational institutions established in the 5th century BC
"Nalanda University"