NALANDA UNIVERSITY: A CENTRE OF WORLD LEARNING IN THE CONTEXT OF EDUCATION SYSTEM AND CULTURAL LIFE

Abstract

Mere the utterance of ‘Nalanda University’ is enough for making one travel to the beautiful ancient Indian terrain of all vidyas. It is called the centre of ‘panch vidya’as Sabda Vidya, Shilpa-Sthana Vidya, Chikitsa Vidya , Hatu VIdya and Adhayatma Vidya. Its existence is proved beyond 1200BCE by archaeological excavations. It was famed for its way of learning and for its famous and renowned teachers like  Sheelbhadra, Gunnmati, Sthirmati, Prabhamitra, Jinnmitra and Ghyanchandra. They were known for their ‘Vedic learning and great reverence for teaching.  Learners used to join this seat of learning getting higher education and knowledge and removing their doubts related to spiritualism as well as for learning language and its grammar. Not only the Students were enrolled here from various countries like, China, Tibet, Greece and Persia but the   Buddhist monks also used to go to various countries as Korea, Tibet and China from Nalanda to spread this great culture and civilization that is why it is considered  a centre of world learning. This paper explores the contribution of Achariyas and the students for maintaining the Indian ancient ways of learning and the culture of translation.