Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c32.s2.20

c32.s2.20

9. **Dīpaṁkara.** Dīpaṁkara Śrī Jñāna, also known as Āchārya Atīśa, was the greatest of Indian scholars who worked as missionaries in foreign countries. Born of a royal family in Gauḍa in A.D. 980, he renounced his riches and became a monk at the monastery of Kṛishṇagiri under a teacher named Rāhula Gupta. At 19 he took the sacred vows from Śīla Rakshita, the Mahāsāṁghika Āchārya of Odantapurī Vihāra, who gave him the new name of Dīpaṁkara Śrī Jñāna, by which he is known. At 31 he received the highest ordination from Āchārya Dharma Rakshita. He was a master of both Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna, of Vaiśeshika, and Tantras. After thus completing his education, he sailed off to Suvarṇadvīpa (identified with Thaton in Pegu), where he was initiated further into the mysteries of Buddhism by Āchārya Chandrakīrti, the High Priest of that place. There he studied for twelve years and then returned to India, visiting Ceylon on the way. He defeated in a discussion at Vajrāsana (Bodh-Gaya) many Tīrthikas assembled there and was soon elected as the Head of the Community of Buddhist Monks of Magadha and Gauḍa. King Naya Pāla, in recognition of his learning and reputation, fittingly appointed him to the Headship of Vikramśīlā. At this time the Tibetan king, Chan Chub, anxious to purge Tibetan Buddhism of its many corruptions, sent his envoy to secure the services of a great Indian Paṇḍita for the purpose. The envoy selected had already been to India and studied Sanskrit there. He came to India after overcoming unusual dangers and difficulties on the way and delivered his king's invitation to Dīpaṁkara who answered: "I have now grown advanced in age and have the keys of many monasteries in my charge and many works still remain unfinished. So I cannot shortly set out for Tibet."