The University of Nalanda c11.98

c11.98

Once some students were anxious to know if this Śāntideva knew anything new. And an opportunity was offered to them to test his knowledge by a custom that was prevalent at Nālandā. Every year, in the bright half of the month of Jyeṣṭha (May-June), a discourse was given by pandits in imitation of the discourse of Ruddhi Pratihāryas which refuted the śāstras of Purṇa and others. So, on this day, they asked Śāntideva to give them a lecture on any new subject he could choose. Śāntideva humbly replied that he knew nothing. But the students persisted (because they were out for fun), as they knew very well that he was a blockhead and would make a fool of himself in the assembly, if he would speak anything. Then he was led out in the huge open space or hall of the Dharma-śālā, lying outside to the north-west of the Vihāra, where eminent pandits had assembled. Surrounded by this distinguished gathering, Śāntideva just thought to himself, "I have composed three works—Sūtrasamuccaya, Śikṣāsamuccaya and Bodhicaryāvatāra." Thus thinking he went to the professorial chair (simhāsana) and asked the audience, "Shall I lecture to you on what the Ṛṣis like Jina (Buddha) have said (Ārṣa) or what others have said (Anārṣa) ?"