History
Nalanda and the ruins of the acient Nalanda Mahavihara are almost synonymous. The name Nalanda conjures up a picture of ancient Mahavihara, which was a great seat of Buddhist education for nearly 700 years between the 5th to 12th centuries AD.
The contribution of the Nalada Mahavihara, Nalanda in the development of Buddhist education is widely recognized. Many great Acaryas of Nalanda had helped is dissemination of Knowledge and Buddhist culture throught the world.
His Excellency, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first president of the Republic of India had initiated the idea and declared that the ancient seat of Buddhist learning at Nalanda would be revived and thus had emanated the vision of establishing the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara. On November 20, 1951, the foundation stone of the first building was laid with the following engraving :
“Let the rays of the sun of Nalanda rise from the summit of this rock in order to brighten the vernacular (lokabhasa in pali) after the passing away of its nights of darkness (period of its obscurity).”
At the insistence of Ven. Bhikshu Jagadish Kashyap and with this goal in mind, the Government of Bihar established a research institute called “Magadh Institute of Post-Graduate Studies and Research in Pali and Allied Languages and Buddhist Learning” at Nalanda in 1951. It later came to be known as Nava Nalanda Mahavihara.
Bhikshu Jagadish Kashyap became the Founder-Director of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, and continued in that capacity until February 1955. One of his major accomplishments was the complete publication, in 41 volumes, of a critical edition of the entire PaliTipitaka in Devanagari script. It was very popular and quickly went out of print.
The inspiration behind the establishment of this institute was to develop a centre of Higher Studies in Pali and Buddhism along the lines of ancient Nalanda Mahavihara. From the beginning, the Institute functioned as a residential institution, with a limited number of Indian and foreign students.
On November 13, 2006, the University Grant Commission accorded the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda the status of a Deemed to be University.
The present campus of the Mahavihara is some 100 kms from the metropolis of Patna, situated on the southern bank of the historical lake Indrapuskarani. Close to the northern bank lie the ruins of the ancient University of Nalanda.
Nalanda : An Overview
Nalanda had been an ancient seat of learning and a religious centre that imparted manifold knowledge. It existed in ancient Magadha (presently, Bihar and parts of Bengal, Orisha in India) between the fifth century AD to twelve century AD. It was believed that the term ‘Nalanda’ might have been originated from the word nalam (lotus), or da nalanda, signifying “giver of knowledge”. The ancient Mahavihara at Nalanda was established during the reign of a king called Śakrāditya, of the Gupta Dynasty.
Nalanda was visited by both Buddha and Mahavira around the fifth and sixth centuries BC. It was also the place of birth and nirvana of Sariputta, one of the famous disciples of Buddha. Many of the famous Buddhist scholars had studied and taught at Nalanda including Nagarjuna, who formalised the concept of Sunyata; Dharmapala, the teacher of Xuan Zang; Dharmakirti, the logician; Dinnaga, the founder of Buddhist Logic; Jinamitra Santaraksita, who founded the first monastic order in Tibet; Padmasambhava, the master of Tantric Buddhism; Candrakīrti, Śīlabhadra and Atisa.
Nalanda was one of the world’s first residential universities. More than 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers resided in this monastic campus. The Mahavihara, built in red bricks, was considered to be an architectural masterpiece. It had eight separate compounds and ten temples, along with many other meditation halls and classrooms. The library was located in a nine storied building where valued copies of texts were produced. The subjects taught by the renowned teachers amassed every field of learning, and attracted pupils and scholars from all parts of the world-Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, Indonesia, Persia and Turkey. Nalanda was ransacked and destroyed by an army of the Muslim Mamluk Dynasty under Ikhtiyar ad-Din Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1193 AD.
Presently, the ruins of the ancient Nalanda Mahavihara occupy an area of 14 hectares and most of it remains unexplored. The historical significance of Nalanda, Rajgir and Bodhgaya attract thousands of tourists every year from both India and abroad.
From the Desk of Vice-Chancellor
The honour of being the Vice Chancellor of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara is something I accept with great modesty and a strong feeling of purpose. This institution, profoundly anchored in the spiritual and intellectual heritage of Nalanda, perpetuates the legacy of one of the globe’s most esteemed centres of Buddhist scholarship and culture.
Tracing the ancient traditions of Nalanda is like embarking on a journey towards enlightenment, compassion, and the peaceful coexistence of all living things. Nava Nalanda Mahavihara was created to embody these ageless principles in a contemporary way, encouraging people to learn and share Buddhist philosophy and the principles it teaches, which include interconnectedness, mindfulness, and peace.
As we contemplate the future, my aspiration is to preserve and elevate this esteemed tradition by cultivating an academic milieu that harmoniously integrates the exploration of Buddhist teachings with contemporary interdisciplinary research. By fostering dialogue, intellectual rigour, and innovation, we can guarantee that the teachings of the Buddha remain a guiding beacon in confronting the intricate challenges of our era—be they related to social harmony, environmental sustainability, or human well-being.
In this regard, the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara will persist in its role as a guiding light for scholars, practitioners, and seekers from across the globe. We will strive to deepen our understanding of Buddha’s teachings, assess their relevance in contemporary contexts, and participate in the global discourse to promote a more compassionate and inclusive world.
It is a privilege to be a part of this endeavour, and I eagerly anticipate working with all those connected to the Mahavihara to continue its illustrious legacy while establishing new avenues for development and education.
With warm regards and metta (loving-kindness),