Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c30.43

c30.43

**Śrughna.** In Śrughna, "there were five Buddhist monasteries and above 1,000 Buddhist ecclesiastics, the majority of whom were Hīnayānists, a few adhering to other schools. The Brethren were expert and lucid expounders of abstract doctrines and distinguished Brethren from other lands came to them to reason out their doubts" (p. 318). It is also stated that these five monasteries were built at the places where these Śāstra-masters from other lands defeated in discussions the Tīrthikas and Brahmans to commemorate their victories (p. 319). One of these learned Doctors of Buddhism was Jayagupta by name, as we learn from the *Life*, with whom Hiuen Tsang stayed one winter and half of the spring following and "when he had heard all the *Vibhāshā* of the Sautrāntika School" he continued his journey (p. 322).