The University of Nalanda c11.9

c11.9

Most probably as a sign of his conversion to Buddhism, Bālāditya may have erected the great saṅghārāma at Nālandā, which bore his name, even when Hiuen Tsiang visited the place.³ It is also not unlikely that Vasubandhu was greatly instrumental in persuading the king to show his love for Buddhism in a tangible shape in the form of the Nālandā buildings. To all these proofs, we may add one more, viz., Taranath, who in this case, contrary to that in the case of Nāgārjuna, is supported by other historical evidence. Says he of Asaṅga, "He lived in the period of his later life for 12 years in Nālandā."⁴ The words "later life" are important, because the greater portion of his life was spent at Peshawar and Ayodhyā,⁵ while the last years of his must have been spent in Nālandā.