The University of Nalanda c13.126

c13.126

A reference to the question of morality was made when we spoke about the discipline of students. An Indian student who lived in the *āśrama* of a *guru* had very few occasions when he could come into contact with women. Even on those few occasions he had to act in strict conformity with the rules laid down by religious codes.² His chances of going astray, consequently, were very few. Matters were different, however, with students who took education in Buddhist institutions. These were open to nuns, and so side by side with male students, women also lived. Hence, the students had greater scope of association with women. Every possible precaution was, therefore, taken to dissuade the students from acts of immorality. Whenever a woman entered a monastery, she was not allowed to proceed to the apartments of either priests or students; she could only speak to them in a corridor, and go away.³ From an instance cited by I-Tsing it would seem that the students and priests alike were very sensitive on this question of morality. For a teacher who sent to a tenant’s wife two *Shang* (*prastha*) of rice gratis, resigned his post, out of sheer shame when this incident was reported to the assembly, even though the assembly declared that he had committed no crime.¹ Though instances such as these would show that the students as well as teachers scarcely violated the code of morality we are inclined to say from other sources that acts of immorality must have been committed at least in the later centuries, that is to say, in the 9th and 10th centuries. Buddhist religion at this time was in a very decadent state.² Advent of new cults such as Mantrayāna, and so many other yānas had led their devotees to produce all sort of rubbish and trash literature. Many base and immoral practices were advocated. And we can just imagine what must be the actual deeds of these persons when they openly wrote on such subjects. It was only in the 11th century that Atiśa and others restored Buddhism to its pristine position. For, even though they were the exponents of Mantras and Dhāraṇīs they moved in a much higher sphere than their predecessors.³