The great Nalanda University

Nalanda was a renowned Mahavihara  (Buddhist monastic university) in ancient Magadha, located in modern-day Bihar, eastern India. Historians consider it the world’s first residential university and one of the greatest centers of learning in the ancient world. Positioned near the city of Rajagriha (now Rajgir) and approximately 90 kilometers (56 mi) southeast of Pataliputra (now Patna), Nalanda thrived from 427 to 1197 CE. During the 5th and 6th centuries CE, often referred to as the “Golden Age of India” by scholars, Nalanda played a pivotal role in fostering the patronage of arts and academics.

Established during the Gupta Empire era, Nalanda received support from various Indian and Javanese patrons, including both Buddhists and non-Buddhists. Over its 750-year history, the university boasted faculty members who were among the most revered scholars of Mahayana Buddhism. Nalanda Mahavihara provided teachings on six major Buddhist schools and philosophies, such as Yogachara and Sarvastivada, along with subjects like Vedas, grammar, medicine, logic, mathematics, astronomy, and alchemy. The university served as a significant source of 657 Sanskrit texts transported by pilgrim Xuanzang and 400 Sanskrit texts carried by Yijing to China in the 7th century, influencing East Asian Buddhism. Numerous texts composed at Nalanda played a crucial role in the development of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, including the Mahavairocana Tantra and the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra of Shantideva.

Unfortunately, at the end of the 12th century, invader Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khalji demolished the monastery, killed the monks, and burned the library. Despite this destruction, Nalanda is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In 2010, the Government of India took steps to revive the legacy of this famous university, leading to the establishment of a contemporary institute, Nalanda University, at Rajgir. Recognised as an “Institute of National Importance” by the Government of India, it serves as a continuation of the rich educational tradition that once flourished at the ancient Nalanda.