The University of Nalanda

Hasmukh Dhirajlal Sankalia

During the transformative early decades of 20th-century Indian scholarship, Hasmukh D. Sankalia's seminal 1934 study on the University of Nalanda represents a critical scholarly intervention in understanding medieval Indian educational institutions and Buddhist intellectual traditions. Situated within the complex archaeological and historical research landscape of colonial and post-colonial India, Sankalia's work meticulously reconstructs the academic and cultural significance of Nalanda, one of the world's earliest and most sophisticated residential universities operating from the 5th to 12th centuries CE. By synthesizing archaeological evidence, inscriptional records, and contemporary Chinese travelers' accounts—particularly those of Xuanzang and I-Tsing—Sankalia provided unprecedented scholarly insight into the institutional structure, pedagogical methods, and intellectual networks of this remarkable Buddhist monastic university. The study critically examines Nalanda's comprehensive curriculum, which encompassed Buddhist philosophy, Sanskrit literature, mathematics, astronomy, and advanced metaphysical studies, positioning it as a sophisticated center of learning that attracted scholars from across Asia. Sankalia's research was particularly significant in challenging colonial-era narratives about Indian educational systems, demonstrating the intellectual sophistication and systematic academic organization of pre-colonial Indian institutions. His methodological approach, blending archaeological analysis with historical interpretation, was pioneering for its time and established foundational methodological frameworks for subsequent generations of Indian historians and archaeologists. The work not only reconstructs Nalanda's institutional history but also illuminates the broader intellectual and cultural exchanges that characterized Buddhist scholarly networks across medieval South and Southeast Asia, making it an indispensable contribution to understanding India's rich educational and philosophical heritage.

English · 1934 · History, Education, Buddhist Studies

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Further reading

Wikipedia: Nalanda Wikipedia: H. D. Sankalia Open Library

The University of Nalanda

Overview

Hasmukh D. Sankalia’s The University of Nalanda (1934) provides early comprehensive study of Nalanda Mahavihara, ancient Buddhist monastic university in Bihar operating 5th-12th century CE. Drawing from Chinese pilgrims’ detailed accounts, inscriptions, and archaeological evidence, Sankalia examines Nalanda’s curriculum, administration, library, international reach, and role in Buddhist intellectual history.

About the Author

Hasmukh Dhirajlal Sankalia (1908-1989), pioneering Indian archaeologist, established scientific archaeology at Deccan College, Pune. Specialized in prehistory, proto-history, and ancient Indian civilization. Published extensively on ancient Indian culture, education, and archaeology.

Nalanda: Historical Context

Founded circa 5th century CE under Gupta patronage (possibly Kumaragupta I), Nalanda evolved into world’s preeminent Buddhist learning center. Flourished under Pala dynasty (8th-12th century). Peak enrollment: 10,000 students, 2,000 teachers. Housed Dharmaganja library (three buildings: Ratnasagara, Ratnodadhi, Ratnaranjaka) containing thousands of manuscripts. Destroyed circa 1193 CE during Bakhtiyar Khilji’s invasion.

Academic Excellence

Curriculum: Mahayana Buddhism (Yogacara, Madhyamaka philosophies), logic (Nyaya), grammar (Vyakarana), medicine (Ayurveda), mathematics, astronomy. Rigorous admission (entrance examinations, oral debates). Renowned scholars: Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Dharmakirti, Dignaga, Shantideva, Atisha. International students from China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Indonesia, Persia. Teaching methods: formal lectures, debate (vada), commentarial study.

Significance

Preserved and developed Mahayana Buddhist philosophy, transmitted Indian knowledge to East and Southeast Asia via Chinese, Tibetan, and Southeast Asian monk-scholars, pioneered residential university model (dormitories, communal facilities, structured curriculum), maintained extensive manuscript library, exemplified state-supported higher education. UNESCO World Heritage Site (2016).

How to Access

Available through Internet Archive (Digital Library of India), public domain, freely accessible.

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