for BHU students

1. MA I Sem
Centres of Education
Taxila-Nalanda-Vikarmshila
By
Prachi Virag Sontakke

2. Taxila
• Location: Gandhar
• Oldest amongst Indian universities.
• Intellectual capital of India
• Melting pot of various cultures
• Well known centre of education as early as
in 7th cent BCE.
• Discovered by A. Cunningham
• UNESCO World Heritage site

3. Teachers
• Each teacher an institution in himself
• The teacher's authority was complete and absolute
• No external authority like the king or the local leaders to direct their activities.
• Teacher’s authority final in fixing up the duration of the course, in directing the
courses of studies, in selecting or rejecting students and in laying down rules
for guiding the day-to-day work.
• The teachers had no objection to collecting knowledge from whatsoever
source it was available
• As each teacher was an authority on the subject of his specialization, there
was little scope for any conflict of interests or competition among them.
• The knowledge of all these teachers put together represented everything that
was worth knowing in those days.
• The studies terminated when the teacher was satisfied with the achievement
of his student.

4. Admission
• Requisite qualifications = Good moral conduct - freedom from jealousy,
straightforwardness and self-control
• No restriction about the choice of subjects = entirely left to students.
• The students could be admitted freely to any course provided they had the
necessary background.
• The fame of the teachers of Taxila must have forced the aspirants for admission to
make a very serious scrutiny of their own capacity to comprehend the high level of
knowledge imparted at the place.
• Some cases where teachers advised students to leave studies as they could not fit
themselves in the social/intellectual/moral atmosphere of their schools.

5. Duration of study
• No rigid regulation of any sort to regiment the duration of the course.
• Normally specialization in various subjects of study took eight years, but the period
could be reduced or lengthened in accordance with the intellectual capacity of the
students and the amount of energy and application shown by them.
• Examinations were treated as superfluous & so the completion of studies was not
marred by any formal examination.
• The students who completed their studies did not receive any written certificates or
convocation for conferring degrees because it was believed that knowledge was its
own reward and using it for earning bread or for achieving any selfish end was a
sacrilege.

6. Fees & Finances
• Necessary financial assistance supplied by the society.
• King: direct and indirect monetary help without exercising any control over
these institutions.
• Teachers: provided free boarding and lodging to all the students.
• No student was required to pay any fees on a compulsory basis.
• The non-payment of fees never resulted in expulsion from the institution nor
in any differential treatment.
• Stipulation that fees should be paid = vehemently condemned.
• Knowledge = too sacred to be bartered for money.
• Those who had no convenience conduct their studies as long as they liked and
enjoyed the same rights, privileges & duties as those who were monetarily
better placed.
• Student at the termination of his studies willingly offered something to his
teacher by way of Dakshina

7. Courses taught at Taxila
Scientific
Literary
Technical • Multidisciplinary approach
• Religious & vocational education
• Vedas & Shilpa

8. • Religious studies: Vedas
• Supplementary texts
• The study of these
auxiliary sciences was
necessary to precede the
comprehension of the
meaning of Vedas

9. Secular subjects
• 18 Shilpas : indicating a craft or vocation
based on practical skill as contrasted with
religious and literary subjects.
• Law, Mathematics, Accountancy, Agriculture,
Commerce, Cattle breeding, Smithy,
Carpentry, Medicine, Surgery, Archery and
allied military arts, Astronomy, Astrology,
Divination, Magic, Snake charming, Art of
finding hidden treasures, Music, Dancing and
Painting.

10. Methodology for imparting knowledge
Theoretical
learning
Exposition &
interpretation
of texts
Critical
analysis
Practical
exposure &
learning
Self
observation
& learning

11. Important alumni of Taxila University
• Jivaka the physician
• Panini the grammarian
• Chanakya the policy maker
• Prasenjit the king

12. Decline
• Prosperous till end of Kusana period.
• Faxian : visited Taxila but at time of his visit it was not famous as
centre for education.
• Huna invasion in mid 5th cent CE
• Xuan Zang : Glory of Taxila was completely destroyed

13. Nalanda
• Long history of being a religious center.
• Sanctified by the stay of Buddha and his disciples and had witnessed a number
of discussions on Buddhist doctrines.
• This was also the place where Mahavira, the Jain Tirthankara, met Gosala.
• This was the place of discussion carried on by Nagarjuna and others in the
early centuries of the Christian era.
• Asoka had built a temple and a Vihara at this place
• Although the place had been a great religious and educational center in its
early history, it became a university only in the earlier half of the fifth century
• The University was founded by Kumargupta Iand extended by his successors
Buddhagupta, Tathagatagupta & Baladitya .
• New buildings continued to be erected by Hindu and Buddhist donors down to
the eleventh century

14. Nalanda University

15. Fame of Nalanda
• The institution was known as a place where
learned men from all parts of the country as well as
from neighboring nations gathered for getting their
doubts solved and for gaining mastery in the aft of
disputation.
• Scholars from Mongolia, China, Korea, Tibet and
Tokhara.
• Although some of the scholars came for securing
manuscripts of Buddhism, there were many who
came to get a stamp of approval of their doctrines
from the authorities in the University.

16. Admission
• Imparted only higher education.
• D.G. Apte: There were some institutions for primary education run by the
university where six-year old were admitted.
• Admission was restricted to those who had the necessary background to follow
higher studies.
• Those who wanted to get entrance to the university had to undergo a very strict
examination
• Those who examined the candidates seeking admission were experts in religious
controversies and were always ready with difficult problems to try the
competence of aspirants for admission.
• Xuan Zang: Only twenty per cent of those who came seeking admission came out
successful and the remaining had to go back in disappointment.
• For all these students a very high standard of morality was prescribed and
students at Nalanda were taken as models of morality, and during the long
existence of seven centuries not a single case of guilty rebellion has been
reported

17. Structures
• The university covered an area at least one mile long and half
a mile broad, all buildings being arranged according to a
preconceived plan.
• The central college had seven halls attached to it with three
hundred rooms for teaching work.
• The grounds were beautified by deep translucent pond with
lotus & shaded by mango groves.
• Xuan Zang mentions six monasteries constituting the
Nalanda establishment in his time.
• Archaeological excavations carried out at this place amply
bear out the description of the artistic wealth of Nalanda.
• Each single seated cell has one stone bench, a double seated
one having two. Each room has one niche for a lamp and
another for books.
• Ovens of large sizes that have been unearthed show that
there was common messing.
• On the corner of the courtyard of each monastery was a
well.

18. Structures

20. Courses of study
• The curriculum of the university was very exhaustive
• The subjects were drawn from different fields of learning, Brahmanical and
Buddhist, sacred and secular, philosophical and practical, sciences and arts.
• Only a few of these many subjects were treated as compulsory.
• Study of Mahayana and acquaintance with all the eighteen schools of Buddhism
were prescribed as compulsory subjects.
• Among the subjects that were taught on a voluntary basis Logic played an
important part
• Astronomy was taught and for this purpose an observatory was specially
maintained by this university. According to Xuan Zang this observatory gave correct
time for all Magadha.
• Tantra was a very popular subject at this university &included study of Mudras,
Mantras, Dharanis, Yoga and Samadhi.
• Other subjects studied in this University were the Vedas and their six auxiliaries.
Medicine, Grammar, Sankhya, Philology, Law, Philosophy and other miscellaneous
subjects
• Study of prose and verse and metaphysics

21. Administration
• A federation of Bhikkus.
• At the head of the university was a Bhikkhu possessing character, scholarship and
seniority, who was elected by the various Sanghas comprising the federation.
• The head Bhikkhu controlled and directed the work of administering the affairs of
the university, academic and otherwise.
• He was helped by two councils
• One council looked after regulating the courses in various subjects, distribution of
work among teachers, holding of examinations at proper intervals, looking after the
securing and maintenance of manuscripts and the arrangement for copying
manuscripts which were greatly in demand in those days.
• The other council attended to the financial aspect, construction and repairs of
buildings, securing and supply of food to the inmates, arrangements of clothes and
medicines, allocation of rooms to students and teachers according to their standing
and the distribution among the residents of the menial work connected with the
working of the university.

22. Finances
• Royal endowments for the university
• Gupta kings Kumaragupta I, Buddhagupta, Tathagatagupta, Baladitya.
• Vardhan king Harshavardhana.
• Varman kings Purnavarman and Yasovarmadeva
• Pala King, Devapala is said to have donated five villages for the assembly of
venerable Bhikkhus and for the upkeep and repair of monasteries.
• The kings of the far-off Suvarnadwipa and Yavadwipa (Sumatra and Java) also
patronized these institutions.
• On account of such bountiful benefactions, the university never experienced any
financial difficulty and could develop to its fullest capacity
• Boarding and lodging arrangements for students were offered free.
• Fees were not insisted upon ; nor was any preferential treatment given to students
who were rich and paid fees.

23. Library
• The university had a large collection of manuscripts on various subjects in various
languages.
• Stored up in three splendid library buildings appropriately called Ratnasagara,
Ratnodadhi and Ratnaranjaka.
• Greatly helpful in the dissemination of knowledge.
• Numerous mentions of 37 scholars from abroad copying manuscripts in hundreds
from these libraries and taking them to their countries.
• It-sing copied from Nalanda, 400 Sanskrit works amounting to 5,00,000 verses.

24. Strength of Teachers & students
• At one time, 10,000 monks staying at Nalanda.
• Of these, 1,510 were teachers and the remaining 8,500 were students
belonging to various levels of attainments and studying various subjects.
• On an average ,a hundred lectures or discussions every day.
• On an average the number of students per teacher was seven or eight.
• Convenient to give individual attention to students.

25. Teachers
• Teachers famous all over the country.
• Had defeated many Pandits belonging to other faiths and converted them to
Buddhism.
• Teachers accepted as authorities even on Hinayana doctrines of Buddhism although
the university championed the cause of the Mahayana doctrine.
• One thousand Pandits from Nalanda University were present at the assembly held
at Kanyakubja ( Kannauj ) by Harsha Vardhan
• Teachers associated with this famous university : Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, Dinnaga,
Padmasaihbhava, Shantarakshita, Aryadeva, Rahulabhadra, Asanga, Jayadeva,
Chandrakirti, Dharmapala, Gunamati, Sthiramati, Prabhamitra and Jinamitra etc.

26. Decline
• The university worked with great vigor up to 1100
CE
• Later, its greatness began to be eclipsed by
Vikramasila which began to receive a greater share
of royal patronage.
• Received the final tragic blow at the hands of the
Muslim invaders under Bakhtiyar Khilji at the end of
the twelfth century
• Not even a single monk remained to narrate the
sad tale of its destruction.
• The priceless library of the university was also
wantonly set on fire and destroyed.

27. Vikramshila

28. Vikramshila
• A famous seat of learning.
• Situated on a hillock on the banks of the Ganga
in northern Magadha.
• Founded by king Dharmapala in eighth century
CE (circa 775-800).
• He gave liberal endowments to the university.
• The successors of King Dharmapala continued
to give bountiful donations to the institution.
• Prestigious center for Buddhist studies.
• Tibetan sources: One of the 5 famous
universities of its time- Nalanda,
Odantpuri,Somapuri, Jagaddala

29. Admission
• Provided only specialized instruction in various subjects at the collegiate level.
• Restricted only to those who aspired to become Buddhist monks who were to preach
Buddhist gospel in far-off lands.
• Students admitted only if they satisfied the tests given by eminent authorities in charge of
various subjects.
• Six erudite teachers guarded the six gates leading to the university.
• During the reign of Chanaka ( 955-983 CE), the following six eminent logicians were posted
for the work. Ratnakarasanti was placed at the east gate, Vagisvarakirti at the west, Naropa
at the north, Prajnakaramati, at the south, Ratnavajra at the first central gate and
Jnanasrimitra at the second gate.

30. Buddhist studies at Vikramshila
• Buddhist text-books belonging to Hinayana & Mahayana branches of
Buddhism must have been taught here.
• The main course was study of Mahayana.
• For the teaching of Tantra, special arrangements were made at the university
all throughout the four hundred years of its existence.
• Along with these all the important branches of Hindu learning were also
taught.

31. Brahaminical Studies at Vikramshila
• The courses did not cover all the branches of Hindu sciences.
• Many important subjects included in Hindu education were dropped out.
• Special stress on Grammar, Logic, Metaphysics and Ritualism.
• Courses in Hindu institutions: covered subjects necessary for a house-holder.
• Buddhism: averse to worldly pleasure or to the life of a house-holder.
• Belief that all existence was a mere shadow and a source of sorrow.
• No wonder that Vikramshila rejected the subjects leading to enrichment of
worldly life and stressed the renunciatory aspect of education.
• It is significant to note also that the institution was meant for prospective
Bhikkhus & Bhikkhunis and the knowledge of items that create fetters for
human beings were avoided

32. Conferring of Degree
• The authorities of this university used to confer the title of ' Pandita ' on those who had
finished their courses at the university.
• This function was usually presided over by the patron king.
• Tibetan literature: Jetari and Ratnavajra had received degrees at this university at the
hands of Kings Mahipala and Kanaka respectively.
• Customary to exhibit on walls the portraits of such alumni as possessing outstanding merit.
• Aim: to pay a grateful tribute to their scholarship as well as to place before other students
examples worthy of emulation.
• In accordance with this custom, two portraits of Nagarjun & Atisa were exhibited.

33. Administration
• Boards in charge of different duties connected
with the day-to-day working of the university.
• One chief as the president of these various
boards.
• Complete academic autonomy.
• The teachers in charge of various departments
responsible for the academic work conducted in
their departments.

34. Structures
• Well planned buildings at Vikramashila.
• 108 temples and 6 college buildings, spreading
out like lotus-petals, with a beautiful
Mahabodhi temple in the center with its six
gates leading to the six colleges.
• Each of those six buildings had spacious 48 halls
for lectures.
• These buildings were surrounded by a strong
wall.

35. Teachers & Students
• The teachers working at the university were well
known not only in India but even beyond her
frontiers for the depth and the width of their
learning.
• King Dharmapala of Bengal, its first patron, had
appointed 108 teachers and other specialists
making up a total of 114 teachers.
• In the twelfth century, there were 3,000 monk
scholars studying at this university.

36. Vikarmshila & Tibet
• Scholars from Tibet : particularly interested in the Tantras.
• Vikramasila scholars as the custodians of piety, knowledge and religion: have
practically built up the culture and civilisation of Tibet.
• Many of these scholars wrote books on various sciences in Sanskrit and
translated quite a few in Tibetan.
• Scholars in large numbers poured in from Tibet for whom a special arrangement
for boarding and lodging was made.
• Many scholars from Vikramasila who have greatly influenced Tibetan culture-
Acharya Buddha Jnanapada, Vairochana Rakshita,Jetari, Prajnakaramati,
Ratnakarasanti, Jnana Sri, Ratnavajra, Dipankara Sri Jnana (Acharya Atisa)
• It is said that Atisa alone wrote two hundred books, some originals and other
translations.

37. Destruction
• The tragic end of this university came in 1203 CE
• Bakhtiyar Khilji, an officer of Kutub-ud-din invaded & destroyed Vikramshila.
• All the Buddhist monks residing at the were slain.
• It has been reported that when the invaders came across the library of the
university, they wanted to know the contents of the books and searched for
some one to give them the necessary information. But the carnage had been
so mercilessly thorough that not one was available for the purpose.