The University of Nalanda c15.74

c15.74

At Nālandā he stayed for ten years, and we have noted elsewhere his minute observation of the customs and manners of the priests and the life of students. "I lived in the Nālandā Vihāra", says he, "for ten years."¹ No mention is made about his studies at Nālandā; but we know that, besides collecting some 400 Sanskrit texts, amounting to 500,000 ślokas, I-Tsing translated the hymn of 150 verses composed by Mātṛketa, in praise of Buddha when he was staying in the Nālandā monastery (A. D. 675-685). It is called Sārdhaśataka-Buddhapraśamsāgāthā.² The reasons for translating this hymn are given by him. "The author (Mātṛketa) treats generally of the Six Pāramitās, and expounds all the excellent qualities of the Buddha, the World-honoured One. These charming compositions are equal in beauty to the heavenly flowers, and the high principles which they contain rival in dignity the lofty peaks of a mountain. Consequently in India all who compose hymns imitate his style, considering him the father of literature. Even men, like the Bodhisattvas Āsaṅga and Vasubandhu, admired him greatly.