The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c17.178

c17.178

During this period royal munificence was responsible for the foundation or maintenance of big monasteries and academies which, without any stretch of language, may be called universities. For instance, the revenues of a hundred villages had been remitted for the support of Nâlanda, the great centre of Buddhist piety and learning. Six successive kings had added to its endowments and buildings until it assumed the status of an all-India institution. Yuan has left a glowing description of its "richly adorned towers, and the fairy-like turrets, like pointed hill-tops," congregated together. "The observatories seem to be lost in the vapours (of the morning), and the upper rooms tower above the clouds . . . All the outside courts, in which are the priests' chambers, are of four stages. The stages have dragon-projections, and coloured eaves, the pearl-red pillars, carved and ornamented, the richly adorned balustrades, and the roofs covered with tiles that reflect the light in a thousand shades . . . ” Here were gathered 1,510 teachers who altogether delivered 100 discourses a day on different subjects. The number of students is put at 10,000. Adherents of different persuasions came from all over the country to challenge Nâlanda monks to discussion. The Chinese pilgrim who studied here for several years adds that “the saṁghârâmas of India are counted by myriads but this (Nâlanda) is the most remarkable for grandeur and height.”¹ So it appears that there were numerous smaller seats of learning.