Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s2.t14: Nalanda
Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s2.t14
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Nalanda
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Located near Patna and Gaya in Bihar, Nālandā rose to be the most famous seat of education and learning in India after the destruction of Taxilā by the Huńas in the 5^th^ century CE. The name Nālandā was perhaps derived from the word, *Nālā* meaning "lotus stalks". Situated near the ancient cities of Pātalipūtra (now Patna) and Bodhgaya (now Gaya) and within easy reach of trade routes between upper India and Magadha and the Gangetic riverine traffic, Nālandā, according to legend, was "influential, prosperous and full of folk". Lord Buddha is said to have visited this
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An image of Xuanzang preserved in the Tokyo National Museum
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place several times. It was also the birthplace of Sariputra, one of the great disciples of Buddha. According to Jain tradition, the historic discourse between Lord Mahavira and Gosala took place at Nālandā. Lama Taranath associates this place with the Mauryan king Aśok (268-231 BCE) who built a great Buddhist temple here and Nagarjuna (150 CE), the famous Mahayana philosopher.
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Nālandā came into the limelight when the Gupta King Kumargupta I, also known as Sakrāditya, (c. 415-455 CE) selected this place as an "auspicious spot" for building a monastery. By the middle of the 6^th^ century CE, under the successive patronage of different Gupta rulers, it developed into a Mahāvihāra (large academic institution) with a huge campus. The majesty and grandeur of the campus, particularly its tall and stately towers soaring above the encompassing wall, caught and ravished the eyes of all who saw it. Benefactions of Harshavardhana, the ruler of Kanauj (606-646 CE) and the Pāla rulers, Dharmapala (783-820 CE) and Devapala, (c. 810-850 CE) further sustained the activities of Mahāvihāra till the end of the 12^th^ century CE.
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Throughout its existence of about seven centuries, Mahāvihāra played a key role in promoting Sino-Indian cultural relations. It was host to hundreds of scholar-monks not only from China but also from other parts of Central and Southeast Asia as well as from Japan and Korea. Detailed accounts of its superior academic environment by Faxian, Xuanzang and Yijing indicate its global reach. Following either the land route via Khotan in Central Asia or Tibet and Nepal or by the sea-route via Tamralipti to India, these monk-scholars aimed to earn spiritual merit by pilgrimage to study Buddhism in its homeland and collect authentic Buddhist texts. The most prominent among them was Xuanzang who visited India from 630 to 642 CE and stayed in Nālandā for about four to five years. He specialised in the Yogacara School of Buddhism under the abled-guidance of the chief abbot-rector, Śīlabhadra. In 645 CE, he returned to China carrying back some images of Buddha and several hundred copied texts and notes. His travelogue, *Xiyuji* and biography, *Fa-shi-chuan*, inspired many new works on India and created an unprecedented interest in Indian culture in China. Another notable visitor to Nālandā was Yijing who spent about 10 years in Nālandā. On his return home, he translated no less than 56 works in 230 volumes and introduced into China practically the whole texts of Vinaya belonging to the Mulasarvāstivadin School. The Chinese texts have also preserved biographies of 67 Chinese pilgrims who had been to India during the second half of the 7^th^ century CE. Among them are found some Koreans and Central Asian monks who were educated in China and went to Nālandā from China. The first noted scholar of Nālandā to go to China in the Tang period in 627 CE was Prabhakaramitra on the invitation of the Prince of Gaoping. Later, Subhākarasinha (716 CE) and Buddhakirti (989 CE) also went to China.
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*Ruins of Nālandā, Bihar, India*
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The Chinese accounts tell us that Nalanda accommodated about 1,500 teachers and 10,000 resident monk scholars during its heyday. The process of admission to the Mahāvihāra was elaborate and tough with only one or two out of 10 getting admitted. Once admitted, monks and scholars studied works related to Mahāyāna, Hīnayāna (18 sects), the Vedas and the five traditional areas of knowledge (*pancvidyå*), namely Hetuvada (logic), *Śabdavidya* (grammar and philosophy), *Cikitsāvidya* (medicine), *Silpakarmavidya* (fine arts) and *Adhyātmavidya* (metaphysics).
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Buddhism entered a new phase during the Pāla period (750-1175 CE) and came to be dominated by Tantrik Buddhism. Tantric texts were introduced in China as early as the 8th century CE by Vajrabodhi (719 CE) who presented a copy of Mahāprajñapārimitā Sutra to the Chinese Emperor and Amoghavajra (724 CE). But it was Tibet which emerged as the main centre of Tantric Buddhism. Sino-Indian cultural relations continued thereafter. During the Song period (960-1127 CE), two Nālandā scholars, Dharmadeva (973 CE) and Buddhakirti (989 CE), visited China. This was also probably due to the efforts of Pāla rulers to protect their commercial interests in the Buddhist kingdoms of Southeast and East Asia.
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In 12th century CE, Nālandā succumbed to the onslaught of Muslim invaders. Tibetan sources indicate several raids by the Turks. In about 1205 CE, the Mahavihara was destroyed and burnt by Bakhtiyar Khilji. Subsequent raids totally destroyed it by 1400 CE. It was during the British period that the massive remains of Nalanda were unearthed by archaeologists. With the Buddhist revival in India, a new Mahavihara (Nalanda Nava Mahavihara) was established in 1951 due to the efforts of Ven. Bhikku Jagadish Kashyap. He also brought a portion of Xuanzang's remains from China to enshrine here. Now with promises of financial help from the governments of China, India and many other countries, a massive Nalanda University is gradually coming up there. Nalanda is thus once again on the path to revival.
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*(RK Sinha & Kamal Sheel)*