Ancient Nalanda Mahavihara: A Glorious History of Indian Knowledge
Keywords:
Mahavihara, Cultural Heritage, Indian History, Nalanda MahaviharaAbstract
India has been a land of knowledge since ancient times, and in this context, the knowledge tradition of Buddhism is most important. It once spread the light of its knowledge across the entire continent of Asia as well as parts of Europe and Africa. The Nalanda Mahavihara was one of the world's first residential universities, housing more than 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers. Founded during the Gupta era and operational from the 5th to 12th century CE in Ancient Magadha (present-day Bihar), Nalanda attracted scholars from Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, Indonesia, Persia, and Turkey. Illustrious scholars including Nagarjuna, Dharmakirti, Dignaga, Santaraksita, and Atisa studied and taught here. The Mahavihara was destroyed by Ikhtiyar-ad-Din Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1193 CE. This paper traces the early history, golden era, global influence, and eventual destruction of this remarkable institution of learning, and argues for its enduring significance in the Buddhist and global knowledge tradition.
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To make known "The Teaching of the Buddha".
To induce Human and Family Values.
To promote Moral and Spiritual Values.
To develop and cultivate Meditation & Wisdom.
To learn Pali Language & Literature.
To learn History of Buddhism in India & abroad