Nalanda stands as one of the greatest centres of learning in ancient history — a monastic university that attracted scholars from across Asia and became a global symbol of knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual pursuit.
Location and Accessibility
Towards the Southeast of Patna is a village called the ‘Bada Gaon’, in the vicinity of which, are the world famous ruins of Nalanda University. It falls on way to Rajgir. It is also linked by rail with Patna, Rajgir and Bakhtiyarpur (on Delhi-Howrah main track).
Historical Timeline and Flourishing Period
Though it is traditionally dated to the time of the Buddha (6th-5th cent. BC), archaeological excavations date its current foundations to the 5th century AD. The university flourished during the 5th and 12th century. It was the first residential International University of the world. Housing about 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers, this university attracted pupils from all over the world. A walk in the ruins of the university, takes you to an era, that saw India leading in imparting knowledge, to the world – the era when India was a coveted place for studies. The courses of study included scriptures of Buddhism (both Mahayana and Hinayana Schools) Vedas, Hetu Vidya (Logic), Shabda Vidya (grammar), Chikitsa vidya (medicine) etc. The university received royal patronage of the great emperor Harshavardhana of Kannauj and also Pala kings. It was a great center of learning and students from foreign countries were also attracted to this university. Nalanda acquired a celebrity spread all over the east as a center of Buddhist theology and educational activities. Its importance as a monastic university continued until the end of the 12th century. The ruins extend over a large area and represent only a part of the extensive establishment. Excavations have uncovered nine levels of occupation.
Origin of the Name Nalanda
Hieun Tsang, the renowned Chinese traveller of the seventh century, says that according to tradition the place owed its name to a Naga of the same name which resided in a local tank. But he thinks it more probable that Lord Buddha, in one of his previous births as Bodhisatwa, became a king with his capital at this place and that his liberality won for him and his capital the name Nalanda or “Charity without intermission”. The third theory about the name of the place is that it derived from ‘Nalam’ plus ‘da’. ‘Nalam’ means lotus which is a symbol for knowledge and ‘Da’ means given the place had many lotuses.
Sacred Association with the Buddha and Mahavira
Nalanda is a place hallowed by the memory of the Buddha. Earliest literary accounts of Nalanda appear in the Pali scriptures. Buddha visited Nalanda several times. On his way from Rajagaha to Pataliputta he used to stop in Pavarika’s Mango-grove. The distance between Rajagaha and Nalanda was one yojana or about eight miles, Buddha used to cover it in one stretch. Rajagaha was the capital of the Magadhan kings during the time of the Buddha. Together with Rajagaha, Nalanda formed an important zone of Buddha’s activities. Mango-grove was built by Pavarika, a Setthi of the place and donated it to the Buddha and his Sangha. Whenever the Buddha visited the place he usually stayed in that Mango-grove and held discussions and preached the Dhamma to the people. His last sojourn in that Mango-grove at Nalanda was occasioned while he was on his last journey from Rajagaha to Kusinara where soon after he entered into the Mahaparinibbana. Nalanda was also frequented by other religious teachers like Makkhali Gosala. Among its own people there were some outstanding monks and laymen. The two chief disciples of the Buddha, Sariputta and Moggallana, hailed from the vicinity of Nalanda.
Besides the Buddha, Mahavira, known as Nigantha Natapatta in Buddhist scriptures, was another religious teacher who visited Nalanda off and on. He also had followers and supporters there, like Upali, Dighatapassi, Asibandhakaputta and others. Vardhman Mahavira (nigantha Nataputta) chose Nalanda for his rainy-season-retreat as many as three times. Once during his ascetic life, and twice during his role of Tirthankara. During his ascetic life, he met Makkhali Gosala at Nalanda in a weaver’s workshop which he selected for his stay during the rainy season. Mahavira many times went to Rajagraha from Nalanda for alms. Sometimes he also visited the Sannivesa called Kollaa situated near Nalanda, Nalanda appears to have continued to be a stronghold of Jainism for centuries though no literary or inscriptional evidence is available till we reach the Vikrama Samvat 1477 (1420 A.D.) which is found inscribed on an image of Risabhdeva still existing in the Jaina temple situated near the ruins of Nalanda.
Regarding the historicity of Nalanda, we read in Jaina texts that Mahavira Vardhamana spent as many as fourteen rainy seasons in Nalanda. During the days of Mahavira and Buddha, Nalanda was apparently a very prosperous temple city, a great place of pilgrimage and the site of a celebrated university. It is said that King Asoka gave offerings to the Chaitya of Sariputra at Nalanda and erected a temple there.
Great Scholars and Philosophers Associated with Nalanda
Taranath, a Tibetian monk, famous for his ‘History of Buddhism in India’ mentions this and also that Nagarjuna, the famous Mahayana philosopher of the second century A.D. studied at Nalanda. Nagarjuna later became the high-priest there. Suvishnu, a Brahman contemporary of Nagarjuna, was supposed to have built 108 temples at Nalanda to prevent the decline of both the Hinayana and the Mahayana schools of Buddhism. Aryadeva, a philosopher of the Madhyamika School of Buddhism (Fourth Century A.D.), Asanga, a Buddhist philosopher of the Yogachara school (Fifth Century A.D.) and Vasubandhu (brother of Asanga) were actively associated with Nalanda.
Accounts of Famous Chinese Pilgrims
Hiuen Tsang had visited Nalanda and had seen an 80″ University Remnants high copper image of the Buddha raised by Purna-varman. Hiuen Tsang also mentions that king Harsha-Vardhana of Kanauj (606-647) at Nalanda was building a large monastery of brass. It is said that one thousand monks from Nalanda were present at the royal congregation at Kanauj. Nalanda was a flourishing university, teaching hundreds of students when Hiuen Tsang visited the place.
Hiuen Tsang’s account mentions a number of monasteries and temples at Nalanda. He studied philosophy, logic, grammar, medicine and Atharvaveda at Nalanda University. He had very high praise for the priests and students and was struck by the great fervor with which discussions used to be held from morning till night. Hiuen Tsang was given the name of Mokshadeva at Nalanda. After Hiuen Tsang as many as 11 Chinese and Korean travelers had visited Nalanda. Another pilgrim who stayed at Nalanda for a considerable time was I-Tsing. He mentions that there were more than 3,000 monks at the Nalanda monastery and that they were supported by more than 200 villages gifted by kings. The older monks helped the younger ones.
Silabhadra was the head of the Nalanda monasteries when Hiuen Tsang visited the place. In many ways it seems to have been like a modern university. A basic knowledge of the Tripitakas was the minimum qualification required of all the monks who came to learn. There was a rigorous oral entry examination conducted by erudite gatekeepers, and many students were turned away. To study or to have studied at Nalanda was a matter of great prestige. However, no degree was granted nor was a specific period of study required. The monks’ time, measured by a water clock, was divided between study and religious rites and practice. There were schools of study in which students received explanations by discourse, and there were also schools of debate, where the mediocre were often humbled, and the conspicuously talented distinguished. Accordingly, the elected abbot was generally the most learned man of the time. The libraries were vast and widely renowned. Silabhadra was probably succeeded by Dharmakirti, who is said to have defeated Kumaralila, a renowned Brahmanical philosopher. Padmasambhava, a great Buddhist scholar from Nalanda, had visited Tibet. He is credited with having founded the institution of Lamaism in Tibet. Another Nalanda scholar, Santarakshita, had also visited Tibet and stayed on there till his death in 762.
Patronage by Later Dynasties
The Pala emperors, who held East India from the 8th to the 12th Century A.D., had also been very sympathetic to Nalanda and they were known to have established a number of other monasteries in Bihar and other Provinces. One of these was Vikramasila, which is generally identified with Patherghatta in Bhagalpur district. The Odantapuri monastery established by the Palas is said to be at the site of the modern town of Bihar in Patna districting only five miles from Nalanda.
Archaeological Excavations and Architectural Grandeur
In 1872, Bradley carried out some excavations and published a monograph. The Royal Asiatic Society of London gave a liberal grant and the Archaeological Survey of India, with the help of this grant, took up a well-planned excavation of the site of Nalanda from 1915. Later on, the Archaeological Survey of India did the excavations on its own resources. Great results have been achieved by the activities of the Archaeological Survey of India and a very large number of relics have been found and the monuments were saved from further ruin. Nalanda, as the site of a great temple city at one time, is one of the most important visiting places in India now. Careful excavation of the place has revealed many stupas, monasteries, hostels, stair cases, meditation halls, lecture halls and many other structures which speak of the splendour and grandeur this place enjoyed, when the place was a center of serious study. The monastic university, Nalanda was a magnificent architectural structure. An inscription of King Yashovarman of 7th century AD describes Nalanda as “rows of monasteries with their series of turrets licking the clouds”. Nalanda is spread out over an area of 14 hectares and has the ruins of 11 monasteries and 5 temples.
Sariputra’s Stupa is the most imposing structure standing in the south, a few minutes walk from the main gate. This large stupa was built over the mortal remains of Sariputra. Its corner towers display niches holding well modeled stucco figures of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. A flight of steps leads to the shrine chamber which once housed a colossal image of Lord Buddha.
Prime Sites in Nalanda
The Nalanda University Archaeological Complex: The total area of the excavation is about 14 hectares. All the edifices are of red brick and the gardens are beautiful. The university was constructed in the Kushana style of architecture, but the impact of the Pala dynasty is widely visible throughout. Past excavations suggest that a large part of the University is still unexcavated, but nowhere does it suggest that the whole site could have accommodated 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers. The buildings are divided by a central walkway that goes south to north, the monasteries or “Viharas” are east of this central alley and the temples or “Chaityas” to the west. The Vihara-1 is perhaps the most interesting with its cells on two floors built around a central courtyard where steps lead up to what must have been a dais for the professors to address their students. A small chapel still retains a half broken statue of the Lord Buddha.
The enormous pyramidal mass of the Temple No. 3 is impressive and from its top commands a splendid view of the entire area. It is surrounded by smaller stupas, many of which are studded with small and big statues of the Lord Buddha in various poses or “Mudras”.
Surya Mandir: Near the University of Nalanda, is a temple dedicated to the Sun God. This temple has a number of statues of Hindu and Buddhist deities. The five feet high statue of Parvati is of particular interest and attraction.
Nav Nalanda Vihar: To keep alive the ancient tradition of spreading knowledge, Bihar Government has set up a Pali Institute near the ancient university. In this institute Indian as well as foreign students study and do research work. On the 20th Nov. 1951 the foundation stone of this institute was laid by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, near the famous Lotus Pond. This Institute has been attracting students from Japan, Sri Lanka, Korea, Tibet, Bhutan, Indonesia etc. Mainly students do research work on Buddhism and Pali here.
The Nalanda Archaeological Museum: This museum was established in 1971 and has a good collection of ancient manuscripts and Buddhist statues. The manuscripts kept here were found during the excavation of area and many of them are rare in appearance and style. The museum also displays the culture of the Hindu society during the Maurya, Gupta and other periods. The Nalanda museum has an exclusive collection of images of the Pala, Gupta and other periods, The images are either Buddhistic or Brahmanical and several of them show clear Tantric influence. Some of the images are in bronze. The Buddha images are of various types and so are the images of the Bodhisattvas. There are some images of common types of Manjushri Bodhisattvas. There are also finely executed images of Jambhala, the Buddhist (god of wealth), Tara, Prajnaparamita, Marichi, Hariti, Sarasvati, Aparajita, etc. Brahmanical images include those of Vishnu, Balarama, Siva-Parvati, Surya, Durga, Mahishasurmardini, Revanta, Ganesha, etc. The museum has also a collection of copper plates, stone inscriptions, and brick inscriptions, ceiling plaques, coins, carved bricks, pottery and small heaps of burnt rice.
Inscriptions
Copper-Plates: Monastery Site 1 yielded three copper-plate inscriptions belonging to Samudragupta (circa 335-75), Dharmapala (circa 770-819) and Devapala (circa 810-59) respectively. The copper-plate of Dharmapala records the grant of a village in the district (vishaya) of Gaya in the Nagara (Patna) division (bhukti). The copper-plate of Devapala is much more important. The original copper-plates are now in the Indian Museum.
Stone Inscriptions: The following two stone inscriptions, both of which are very important, are now in the Nalanda Museum:
(1) Inscription of the time of Yasovarmadeva, recording various gifts, including a permanent grant to the temple erected at Nalanda by king Baladitya, by Malada, the son of minister of king Yasovarmadeva, evidently the renowned king of Kanauj of the first quarter of the eighth century.
(2) Inscription of Vipulasrimitra, recording the activities of the ascetic Vipulasrimitra, who, among other things, built a temple of Tara, adorned with a court and tank, at Somapura, where he resided for a long time and renovated a local monastery. At Nalanda he erected a monastery, ‘an ornament of the world, surpassing in a wonderful manner the palace of Indra,’ and made it over to the line of ascetics to which he belonged. The inscription was recovered from the uppermost level of Monastery Site 7, which, as we have already seen, shows three periods of occupation. On the basis of this inscription we may ascribe the construction of the uppermost monastery to the first half of the twelfth century, to which the inscription may be referred on palaeographical considerations.
Brick Inscriptions: Many brick inscriptions, mostly fragmentary, have been discovered from the core of the small votive stupas attached to the Main Temple. The inscriptions give either the Buddhist creed, dharma, etc., or the more elaborate Nidana-sutra or Pratityasamutpada-sutra, with or without the nirodha portion. This sutra is found in many Buddhist texts, both in Sanskrit and Pali.
Sealings and Plaques: The vast number of sealings and plaques discovered at Nalanda fall under two categories: (1) ecclesiastical and (2) civil. Under the former head come those seals which bear the Buddhistic creed, sometimes with the figure of Buddha, or bear only the image of Buddha without any other stamp. Of the secular sealings, historically the most important are those which belong to royal personages, such as Narasimhagupta and Kumaragupta II of the Gupta dynasty, Sarvavarman and Avantivarman of the Maukhari dynasty, Supratishthitavarman and Bhaskaravarman of Assam, Harshavardhana of Kanauj, and Pasupatisimha Devasimha and Isanasimha of an unknown lineage.
The personal sealings give a vast number of names. There are also seals of particular offices, such as the office of the Kumaramatya in the Magadha division (bhukti), office of the Gaya district (vishaya), office of the Rajagriha district, office of the Kumaramatya of the Nagara (Patna) division, etc.
Conclusion
Nalanda remains an everlasting symbol of humanity’s thirst for knowledge, spiritual inquiry, and cross-cultural exchange. From its deep roots in the time of the Buddha and Mahavira, through centuries of patronage by Gupta, Harsha, and Pala rulers, to the vivid eyewitness accounts of Hiuen Tsang and I-Tsing, Nalanda represented the zenith of ancient higher education. Its vast libraries, rigorous academic traditions, international student body, and architectural magnificence continue to inspire awe even in ruins. Preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nalanda invites every visitor to reflect on the timeless power of learning, debate, tolerance, and the pursuit of truth that once flourished here and still echoes through the ages.
