India’s second famous university was known as Nalanda in modern-day Bargaon, 40 miles southwest of Patna.
It was developed in the middle of the fifth century by the donations of the Gupta kings.
Shakaditya probably laid the foundation of Nalanda by establishing a Bihar. The Buddhist temple of this Bihar was a famous temple for many centuries.
Later Tathagata Gupta, Narasimha, Baladitya built one each and the Vajra king built two Bihars in the sixth century.
In the 6th century, this school suffered a lot at the hands of Mihir Kul and Shashanka, but by the 7th century it was completely lost.
Yuan Chang wrote that the top floors of Nalanda were higher than the clouds and the spectator sitting there could see how the clouds changed their shape.
It is known from the description of the Chinese traveler that the number of monks in it was 10,000. Inising wrote that more than 3000 monks lived here.
From its remains and excavations it is known that there were one and two bedded rooms for the monks.
There were rocks for sleeping, ledges for lamps and books. In this university there were famous Buddhist masters like Dharmapala, Chandrapala, Gunamat, Sthiramat, Prabhakar Mitra, Jinmitra, Jinchandra, Shilabhadra, etc., who could explain the entire Buddhist literature.
It had eight large rooms and 300 smaller rooms. Hundreds of students from Korea, China, Tibet, Japan and Central Asia used to come for the study.
Nalanda had a huge library called Dharmaganj, being the center of Mahayana Buddhism, Buddhist philosophy was its main subject.
Apart from this, other subjects were also taught here. Due to the encouragement of Vikramshila by the Pallava kings in the 11th century, its value and function declined.
It was abolished by the Turks in the 12th century. Bihar government is trying to regain the glory of Nalanda University.
Final Thoughts –
Must Read –
- Essay on Discipline in English For Students
- Essay on Cinema in English For Students
- Essay on My Favorite Book in English