Nalanda Monastery, Buddhist University of Ancient India. Nalanda - Encyclopedia of Buddhism Educational program of Nalanda University

Nalanda - a Buddhist university and monastery complex that existed in the V-XII centuries in northern India, one of the largest educational centers of his time, in which many outstanding Buddhist philosophers from different countries, and where numerous pilgrims gathered. Its name literally means “place that gives lotuses.” Currently, the ruins of Nalanda are a historical monument in the Indian province of Bihar, 90 km southeast of Patna , the ancient capital of India.

According to history, the Buddhist university was founded in the first third of the 5th century. Nalanda flourished during the reign of the Gupta dynasty, but the Pala rulers who replaced the Guptas continued to patronize this institution.

The famous Chinese Buddhist scholar and traveler of the 6th century wrote about Nalanda Xuanzang . A thousand professors taught there, ten thousand students studied there, the university owned nine-story buildings, 6 temples and 7 monasteries. Nalanda Library known as Dharma Gunj (Mountain of Truth) or Dharmagan-ja (Treasury of Truth), was the most famous repository of Buddhist knowledge in the world at that time. The library had three tall buildings - Ranasagara (Sea of ​​Jewels), Ratnodadhi (Ocean of Jewels), and Ratnaran-jaka (Admiration of Jewels), according to Xuanzang, there were more than nine million books in it.

In 1193, the university was destroyed as a result of the invasion of a Turkic army led by a Muslim fanatic. Bakhtiyar Khalji who spread Islam by force of arms. Thousands of monks were burned alive or beheaded, the richest library of Nalanda was burned (according to rumors, it burned for several months in a row). This event dealt a great blow to Buddhism in India, which then fell into decline. Many Buddhist monks fled to Nepal and Tibet to escape persecution.

Opened in Tibet in 1351 The educational center under the same name.

In the 9th-12th centuries, thanks to the activities of teachers from Nalanda, the Tibetan Buddhist tradition was formed. The overall influence of the university on both Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism was incomparable - many people and teachers came here who wanted to “join” the process of knowledge and learning. Scientist Darmakirti (ca. 7th century), one of the Buddhist founders of Indian philosophical logic, as well as one of the main theorists of Buddhist atomism, taught at Nalanda. Scientists from Nalanda formulated the fundamental principles of Mahayana, on which most schools of Far Eastern Buddhism later relied, as well as some ideas that were developed in Theravada.

Emperor Ashoka built Viharu , Emperor Harshvardhan ordered the creation of a copper buddha statue at 26 m high.

Nalanda University housed workshops for copying books, as well as workshops for the production of Buddhist painting and bronze sculpture. In all likelihood, Vajrayana canons for the depiction of Buddhist deities were developed in Nalanda, which were later transferred to the art of Nepal and Tibet along with the monks who fled from the Islamic iconoclasts.

Partially preserved ruins remain on the site of the university. A modern Theravada center is located nearby. The excavated archaeological area covers an area of ​​approximately 150,000 square meters. m, but a significant part of the excavations has not yet been carried out. The nearby museum houses manuscripts discovered during excavations. Many destroyed buildings have survived to this day. For example Surya Mandir temple .

In 1951, the International Center for the Study of Buddhism was opened in Nalanda, 2 km from here there is a Buddhist Institute Nava Nalanda Vihar . Nalanda Vihar is mentioned as the source of the traditions of the existing monasteries. Some modern Buddhist organizations are named after Nalanda, such as the Nalanda Monastery in France.

When Xuanzang set out on his long and dangerous journey, he was especially eager to get to Nalanda, a small settlement that is now difficult to even find on the map. In his time, the fame of this place, located near Rajagriha, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Magadha, reached as far as China. What attracted Buddhists from distant countries here?

Here one could obtain not only the religious merits that a pilgrim acquires when visiting a holy place, but also deep knowledge. Buddhist learning flourished in Nalanda for many centuries; it was a kind of university. A long line of monasteries stretched from west to east, and each housed many monks who were trained by famous teachers. They studied Sanskrit, canonical texts and a range of philosophical disciplines.

By the 7th century, Buddhism as a mass religion was already giving way to Hinduism and was undergoing decline, but behind this decline there was hidden high development philosophical thought: behind the walls of the monasteries there was intense debate on very complex doctrinal issues. A small circle of Buddhist intellectuals found a medium for communication in places like Nalanda. According to Hsuan-tsang, getting there was not easy: “If someone coming from another country, from another city, wants to participate in discussions, the gatekeeper asks him difficult questions, and then many fail and leave. Only those who have deeply studied both modern and ancient [works] are allowed entry. Then the newcomers demonstrate their abilities in sophisticated disputes. Out of ten, there are seven or eight rejected, and the remaining two or three, the most enlightened, once inside the community, may not avoid shame another time and lose their reputation.”

Coming out of the monastery, the monks saw stupas lined up in a row, of which the largest and most richly decorated was the Shariputra stupa. This was the name of one of the main disciples of the Buddha, who was distinguished by his outstanding abilities in philosophical reasoning.

Nowadays, Shariputra's stupa is a massive brick structure, square in plan, filled with earth inside. Excavations have shown that the stupa changed its appearance seven times. The first three stupas were very small - about 3.5 m in height. The most dramatic changes occurred during the fifth reconstruction, when the stupa acquired its current appearance with four towers in the corners; later only the stairs leading up were changed.

Judging by the inscription found here, the fifth stupa dates back to the 6th century. It is believed that the shrine at the top of the stupa, reached by a staircase, contained a very large Buddha statue, based on the size of the pedestal. The towers at the corners of the stupa are very beautiful; figures of Buddha and bodhisattvas were placed in their niches.

This large building is surrounded by many small stupas. Such buildings were usually built by wealthy lay people - adherents of Buddhism - to improve their lot in the next life.

(photo: Small stupas and temple in Nalanda)

The Chinese pilgrim Fa-hsien, who visited India in the 5th century, mentions the stupa of Shariputra, but says nothing about the monasteries: “We came to Nalanda, the village where Shariputra was born. He also returned here to achieve parinirvana - a stupa was erected at this place, which still exists today.” The monasteries probably arose later, between the 5th and 7th centuries. Looking at the ruins of monasteries excavated by archaeologists, one can imagine their structure. All monasteries have a similar layout and are almost the same in size. In the center of each there was an open courtyard, along the perimeter of which there were monastic cells. In front of the entrances to the cells there was a covered gallery, evidenced by the remains of columns that once supported the roof. In the depths of the courtyard, opposite the entrance, there was a temple with a revered statue inside. Common prayers and obligatory rituals took place before him. Wells and depressions that served as ovens were discovered in the courtyard; food was probably prepared here. Judging by the surviving staircases, the monasteries had a second floor, most likely made of wood.

(photo: One of the Nalanda monasteries)

There is a picturesque lake not far from Nalanda. According to beliefs, it was inhabited by a naga (snake-like semi-divine creature) named Nalanda. When they built monasteries and dug the ground, his body was accidentally injured. Then a prediction was made that the monks in these monasteries would easily achieve perfection in all areas of knowledge, but a certain curse would weigh on them - sometimes they would vomit blood. Thus, in Buddhism, the refined erudition of philosophers was combined with popular superstitions.

(photo: Lake near Nalanda)

Nalanda, like Rome, was not built all at once. It took several centuries for it to gain fame and spread its civilized influence not only throughout the country, but also to such distant lands as Japan, Java, Korea, China or Tibet.

Legend has it that the Pawarika mango grove in Bihar was consecrated by Gautama Buddha himself. And later, King Ashoka built a Vihara (monastery) here and thousands of scientists had the opportunity to practice science in countless halls and temples.

It is believed that from the name of these monasteries the entire region, and then the Indian state, began to be called Bihar. Now, thanks to its rich heritage, Nalanda University has become international center education and culture. The pre-Buddhist heritage consisted of the ancient knowledge of the Vedas and Puranas, the Buddhist - from the codes of the Pitaka, Dhammapada, Abhidhamma with commentaries by such ancient thinkers as Nagarjuna and Vasibundu, who brought together and gave facets to disparate knowledge.

Nalanda has always been a university with hostels, what is now called a campus. Now, at the right time entrance exams, the following is perceived as particularly interesting. From ancient times, the “staff” of Nalanda University included “Gatekeepers or Gatekeepers” - scientists of very high rank, knowledgeable in their subject and selected from among the best in the country in order to examine applicants immediately upon arrival. The "entrance" exam was very tough. Only seven or eight scientists out of every ten could pass it successfully. Therefore, those insufficiently knowledgeable in the sciences came to the gates of Nalanda again and again - until the level of their training satisfied the Gatekeepers. And only one’s own merits, but not wealth or rank, could be a criterion. There are records that even scholars from the families of the rulers were refused, although the expenses of Nalanda were covered precisely by royal grants (though backed by taxes levied on villagers; there is evidence that such fees from several villages were granted to Nalanda for the maintenance of its hostels and management temples and monasteries). Many Chinese scholars studied at Nalanda, leaving behind memoirs from which the style of academic life at the university can be recreated.

For example, according to I-Sing, the minimum age for an applicant was years. And those who had already completed training at some other university were admitted here in order to gain even higher knowledge. Thus, the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang, who arrived in Nalanda during the time of the “good King Harsha,” testifies that “learned men from different cities, eager to be recognized in discussions, came here in large numbers to dispel their doubts.” The gatekeepers of Nalanda were actually the guardians of the treasury of knowledge of India. At the same time, anyone wishing to take part in an open discussion on any issue relating to philosophy, religion, jurisprudence or simply any life situations was welcomed.

It was very prestigious to study in the greatest center of knowledge. In addition, people from the most distant lands were attracted here by a multi-subject approach to learning. True, theology was compulsory subject, but other disciplines, including medicine, were taught with no less zeal. Grammar and phonetics, etymology, history and yoga were all included in the schedule. They even taught... archery.

The aforementioned Hieyun Tsang traveled to India through the Gobi Desert and the Himalayas. He remained at the university for 17 years: first as a student, then as a professor under the head Shilabhadra. At Nalanda he was greeted at the gate with a thousand lamps, for word of his erudition and reputation had reached the university before he himself. Here he studied to obtain a master's degree in law, and then became vice-director of the entire huge university. The applicant very quickly turned into a student who was entrusted with deep research that required long and dangerous travel.

According to Tsang's descriptions, the daily routine in Nalanda was full of various rituals. The morning began with a call for ablution. It seems that taking a bath was mandatory for everyone. Moreover, morning ablution was prescribed to everyone at a specially designated hour. This was followed by the showering of flower petals on the sacred image of Buddha, accompanied by recitation and singing of hymns. After a meager breakfast, everyone gathered in the discussion rooms and training sessions. After lunch, another ritual took place - the priests gathered in the main cell of the monastery and sang prayers in honor of the Buddha. And in hundreds of prayer pulpits, students had to spend at least a few minutes every day. In the evenings it was time for walks. The night was meant for rest.

Knowledge of Sanskrit was mandatory. It included not only perfect command of the grammar of this parent language, but also correct pronunciation. Very great importance at the university there was a focus on discussions that could last up to a day. Scientists have always welcomed them because they were devoted to their favorite sciences, and the discussions involved active enrichment of intellects and what is called “brainstorming” these days.

Tsang was greatly impressed by Nalanda's discipline. For 700 years of the university's existence (at the time of its entry), not a single case of strike or any unrest was recorded, with the exception of academic disputes. True, in those of the latter that concerned important principles, the battles were fought “not for life, but for death.” Mandatory written works did not exist, although rewriting of handwritten texts was common. Hiuen Tsang and I-Sing brought with them to China from Nalanda a huge cargo of such books.

Students were not charged for food, clothing or accommodation. There were no punishments. More precisely. Each offender, as a rule, immediately realized his offense and punished himself. And the relationship between teacher and student was similar to the relationship between father and son. The greatest joy and highest reward for a teacher was if a student outshone his mentor. Students and professors wore identical yellow robes "wrapped around the waist and back and held at the waist; the undergarment, wrapped around the small of the back, fell below the knees." The food was very simple - from products delivered by two hundred householders from different villages.

But sports also had a place within the university walls. Students were allowed wrestling, boxing, and various games (but not dice, despite the fact that such entertainment was very popular in Indian society of that time).

Unfortunately, Nalanda's blessed, centuries-long life was suddenly cut short. The conquerors destroyed the City of Knowledge in a few hours. Legend has it that several monks threw themselves at the feet of their enemies, trying to save at least Ratnavodhi, the world famous library. However, they themselves were thrown into the fire along with the books. The survivors fled. So only the memory of Nalanda and its history remained, subsequently presented to Europeans, first by Hamilton, and then by Alexander Cunningham.

The twentieth century has arrived. In 1915, the first excavations were organized within the ancient university. They continued for about twenty years. And now, again, scientists are flocking to the city of Nav, located near ancient Nalanda, to restore the glory of this greatest center of knowledge.

Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda)

Nalanda is a Buddhist university and monastic complex that existed in the 5th-12th centuries in northern India, one of the largest educational centers of its time, where many outstanding Buddhist philosophers from different countries worked, taught and studied, and where numerous pilgrims gathered. Currently, the ruins of Nalanda are a historical monument in the Indian province of Bihar, 90 km southeast of Patna, the ancient capital of India.

The university was founded in the first third of the 5th century. Nalanda flourished during the reign of the Gupta dynasty; the Pala rulers who replaced the Guptas continued to patronize this establishment.

The famous Chinese Buddhist scholar and traveler Xuanzang of the 6th century wrote about Nalanda. A thousand professors taught there, ten thousand students studied there, the university owned nine-story buildings, 6 temples and 7 monasteries, and the library stored 9 million books. According to Xuanzang, the university had an early version of entrance examinations: those who arrived to participate in the discussions were asked questions by the gatekeepers. difficult questions, so those who were unable to give an answer abandoned the idea of ​​​​entering.

In 1193, the university was destroyed as a result of the invasion of the Turkic invading army led by the Muslim fanatic Bakhtiyar Khalji, who spread Islam by force of arms. Thousands of monks were burned alive or beheaded, and the richest library of Nalanda was burned. This event dealt a great blow to Buddhism in India, which then fell into decline. Many Buddhist monks fled to Nepal and Tibet to escape persecution.

In 1351, a training center under the same name opened in Tibet.

In the 9th-12th centuries, thanks to the activities of teachers from Nalanda, the Tibetan Buddhist tradition was formed. Thanks to the efforts of the Nalanda philosophers, the doctrines of Madhyamaka and Yogacara were formulated in the form in which they were later transferred to Tibet.

Nalanda University housed book copying workshops, as well as workshops for the production of Buddhist painting and bronze sculpture. In all likelihood, Vajrayana canons for the depiction of Buddhist deities were developed in Nalanda, which were later transferred to the art of Nepal and Tibet along with the monks who fled from the Islamic iconoclasts.

Partially preserved ruins remain on the site of the university. A modern Theravada center is located nearby. The excavated archaeological zone covers an area of ​​about 150,000 m², but a significant part of the excavations has not yet been carried out. The nearby museum houses manuscripts discovered during excavations.

Since 2006, the efforts of Buddhists in India and other countries have been planning to revive Nalanda University under the name Nalanda International University.

Ruins of the ancient Nalanda monastery- historical, located in the state of Bihar near Rajgir and included in. The most famous of the ancient Indian universities was located here. Nalanda was a prosperous city during the time of Buddha. He visited him during his missionary travels. In Nalanda, Buddha stayed with his disciples in the mango grove of Ambavana. We have extensive information about Nalanda University thanks to the writings of Xuan Zan and Fa Xian, who left notes about their travels and stays at the university.

The first monastery in Nalanda was built by King Kumara Gupta (415-455 AD). This was a seminary for training Buddhist monks. It was located near the city and for this reason was chosen by the monks as an ideal center for Buddhist learning. As a result of the growth and expansion of this seminary, Nalanda University came into being. King Buddha Gupta (455-467 AD), King Jatagatha Gupta (467-500 AD), King Baladitya (500-525 AD) and Vijra (525) contributed to the expansion of the university in terms of additional facilities. King Baladitya built a sanctuary 300 feet high. His son Vijra built the fifth monastery. King Harsha Siladitya built the sixth monastery and surrounded the university with nine high walls.

In the tenth century, when Xuan Zan came to the university, 10,000 students lived here. They all came here from various parts India and other countries. It was a leading Indian university. Its rector was considered the most eminent Buddhist scholar in India and during Xuan Zan's residence this was Silabhadra Maha Thera. At that time there were 10,000 students, 1,510 teachers and 1,500 workers. Students came from Tibet, China, Japan, Korea, Sumatra, Java, and Sri Lanka.

Those who have passed are allowed to study at the university oral exam. He was received in the lobby by the professor, whose name was Dvara Pandita. It was necessary to know Sanskrit well, since the training was carried out in it. All the Chinese monks who wanted to receive higher education in India, they first went to Java to hone their skills in Sanskrit. Xuan Zan wrote that only 20% of foreign students passed the difficult exams. Among Indians the percentage was higher - 30%. Thus, the standard requirements were high. Neither caste, nor worldview, nor nationality influenced the passing of the exams - in full agreement with the Buddhist approach. There were no part-time students at the university.

The university was supported by the income of seven villages by decree of the king. Study of Mahayana Buddhism was mandatory. The student could also choose to study the doctrines of the other 18 Hinayana Buddhist schools, as well as secular subjects: science, medicine, astrology, art, literature, commerce, management and so on. The six systems of Hindu philosophy were also taught. The tallest building housed an observatory. Part of the university course of study included lectures, debates, and discussions. Xuan Zan wrote that 100 lectures were given every day. Exemplary discipline reigned at the University.

Nalanda played a major role in promoting Buddhism and spreading Indian culture abroad, especially in China and Tibet. Without exaggeration, we can say that during its heyday (VII-X centuries) Nalanda was one of the largest Asian centers of education and science. From Central Asia, Tibet, China, Korea, Japan, Indochina, Indonesia, Ceylon, Buddhist scholars came to India who wanted to complete their education under the guidance of famous teachers. So from I Ching we learn that in the forty years between Xuan Tsang’s trip and his own, 56 scientists from countries visited India East Asia and most of them were trained in Nalanda.

Even more foreigners came to India in the following centuries. Having received a comprehensive education here and collected hundreds of valuable manuscripts, they returned to their homeland, where they founded Buddhist communities, taught Sanskrit to their compatriots and translated works of Indian literature into their languages. This is how Indian culture seeped into the most remote countries of Asia.

The university occupied an area of ​​30 acres. There were three large libraries: Ratna Sagara, Ratna Nidhi, Ratna Ranjana, one of which was nine stories high. Nalanda is known for the greatest Buddhist thinkers, among whom are Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Dharmapala, Silabhadra, Santarakshita, Kamalasela, Bhaviveka, Dignaga, Dharmakirti. Their works are represented by fourteen Tibetan and Chinese translations. The originals, however, fell into oblivion when Muslim invaders led by Bhaktiar Khilji burned the university and beheaded the monks in 1037. Until this moment, Nalanda flourished for a thousand years, was a storehouse of wisdom and learning, the only one of its kind in the whole world.

Bhaktiar Khilji invaded Magadha and attacked Nalanda just as the monks were about to have lunch. It's confirmed archaeological evidence which showed that the monks left the food in great haste. The same fact is confirmed by the fact that charred rice remained in the granaries. The blessed centuries-old life of Nalanda was once abruptly cut short. So only the memory of Nalanda and its history remained, which was subsequently presented to Europeans, first by Hamilton, and then by Alexander Cunningham.

The ruins and excavations of Nalanda are protected by the Indian government. In 1958, Indian President Rajendra Prasad inaugurated the Nava Nalanda Viharaya near the site of the ancient university.

Now almost all the ruins have been put in order, and the territory of the complex itself is carefully maintained and in some places looks like a huge flower garden, with clean paths, benches, and flower beds.

Unfortunately, we can only see the ruins of the monastery. But they are also amazing in their scale. According to archaeologists, most of the buildings still remain hidden underground. But since even what is already open to view occupies an area of ​​one and a half hundred thousand square meters, there is no doubt that the university was of impressive size.

On the site of today's ruins there were once several temples, seven monasteries, numerous buildings for classes (according to some estimates there were several hundred), large auditoriums, and dormitories. In addition to this, of course, there were other buildings here - it was a whole city, bounded by walls, and it had everything that was necessary for a normal life (and about ten thousand people lived in Nalanda) and excellent education.

Even the ruins of monasteries allow you to see a lot - lecture halls, student rooms, food preparation rooms, you can even see how the ventilation and sewage system was arranged. The wide foundation and preserved bases of the walls allow one to imagine the size of the buildings.

In the center of the complex stood a large educational institution with eight separate spacious halls adjacent to it. Fabulously beautiful pavilions crowned magnificent, brightly painted multi-story buildings. Among them, the observatory stood out, which, according to Xuan Zang, touched the clouds with its tower top.

Numerous rooms for the clergy and mentors, grouped around courtyards, were distinguished by the richness of their decoration: painted cornices, a carved balustrade, red pillars covered with carvings and paintings; brightly colored tiles glittered and shimmered in a thousand shades on the roofs.

Some buildings were higher than 60 m, and in one of them - five storeys - there was a copper statue 24 m high. The roofs were covered, perhaps, with gilded copper or colored tiles. Precious stones and gems were used in the interior decoration. Wooden columns and beams were brightly painted (often red). The tallest building in Nalanda, reaching a height of about 90 m, was one of the largest structures of its era.

All educational campus was surrounded by a wall with corner towers and several gates. The towers were adapted for astronomical observations. On the gate, every visitor could read the names of the famous teachers of Nalanda and thus, from the very beginning, was imbued with respect for this temple of science.

The Shariputra stupa has been best preserved to this day, with external staircases, stucco images of Buddha on the walls, and many small stupas nearby. Obviously, other temples were equally richly decorated with sculptures and bas-reliefs.