History of Kanauj to the Moslem Conquest c14.6

c14.6

Harṣa also made munificent endowments to Nalanda, the great centre of Buddhist culture. One of his gifts to this University consisted in the construction of a magnificent *Vihāra* or temple covered with brass plates by the side of the principal monastery, about one hundred feet in height¹. Perhaps a few words about Nalanda may not be amiss here. It was at that time the most celebrated seat of learning, and the pride of the Buddhist world. Kings vied with one another in their liberality to patronise and endow this great institution. The *Life* tells us that its structures were added by no fewer than six rulers in connected succession, *viz.*, Śakrāditya, Budhagupta, Tathāgatagupta, Bālāditya, Vajra, and a king of “Mid-India.”² The sovereign of the country (i.e., Harṣa) had also “remitted the revenues of about 100 villages for the endowment of the convent.”³ Further, we learn that even the village householders contributed their mite towards supplying the four requisites of clothes, food, bedding, and medicine to the resident students.⁴ The whole establishment was surrounded on all sides by a lofty brick wall pierced by a big gate. The buildings inside were remarkable for their beauty and grandeur. To quote the picturesque language of the *Life*, “the richly adorned towers, and the fairy-like turrets, like pointed hill tops, are congregated together. The observatories seem to be lost in the vapours (of the morning) and the upper rooms tower above the clouds.”⁵ Nalanda counted on its rolls several thousand “Brethren” (according to the *Life* their number was 10,000),⁶ some of whom had even come from distant foreign countries “to put an end to their doubts.”¹ This high figure is no doubt striking if we take into consideration the fact that the University was meant for advanced studies, and it was not an easy matter to get admission into its portals. Yuan Chwang informs us that each candidate’s fitness and scholastic attainments were subjected to a searching examination by the method of discussion, on account of which many of them had often to return disappointed. Life at Nalanda was one of severe discipline and earnest endeavour. The “Brethren,” we are told, were very strict in observing the precepts and regulations of their order; they were looked upto as models by all India; learning and discussing they found the day too short; day and night they admonished each other, juniors and seniors mutually helping to perfection.²