An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c40.109

v2.c40.109

The traditional history of Nālandā goes back to the times of Buddha and Mahāvīra and it is said to be the birth-place of Śāriputra, a chief disciple of Buddha. Later Buddhist saints are also associated with it. But excavations have not revealed anything earlier than the Gupta period, the main focus of activity being during the time of the Pālas (8th-12th centuries). Fa Hien, early 5th century, does not mention any monastic establishment here except a *stūpa* (Legge, 1886, p. 31). But by the 7th century Nālandā had established its reputation as a centre of learning as Hiuen Tsang spent here a few years studying Mahālandā Buddhism and mentions a few monasteries supposedly built by later Gupta rulers. During his time Nālandā was humming with literary and religious activities presided over by distinguished priests (Beal, 1884, 2; p. 118), though attempts to identify the monasteries seen by him with their later counterparts as excavated have met with scanty success. So great was the celebrity of Nālandā during those days that within 30 years of Hiuen Tsang’s departure no less than 11 Chinese and Korean travellers, including I-Tsing, are known to have visited the centre. The Pāla rulers of e. India (8th to 12th century) continued their benevolence towards Nālandā though the establishment of other monasteries by them, including VIKRAMAŚĪLĀ, must have affected the importance of Nālandā.