The University of Nalanda c13.25

c13.25

From the absolute absence of any of the *vidyās* and courses of study mentioned in the curriculum of students, previous to the foundation of the Nālandā University, in the account given by I-Tsing, the reader should not think that the student, prior to his admission to the University, did not study any of the *vidyās* mentioned previously. Some of the *vidyās*, for instance, *Dhanurvidyā*, *Sarpavidyā* or *Cikitsāvidyā* were never meant for all and sundry. Kṣatriya students as a general rule, would go in for archery, and if any one liked to study medicine or anything else, he could also do so in the University.¹ As to other subjects, Vēdas, Vēdānta, Sāmkhya, etc., we have the authority of Hiuen Tsiang who tells us that the student who sought admission in the University of Nālandā must have deeply studied both old and new (books), because the keeper of the gate proposed some hard questions and many being unable to answer had to retire.² The old and the new books are no other than the works on Hinduism,³ such as Vēdas, Vēdāngas, and Śāstras-Sāmkhya, Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, etc., and works on Buddhism, in all its subdivisions. The same conclusion can be deduced from the words of I-Tsing also, who says that the students learn Vinaya works, and sūtras and śāstras as well.⁴