Nalanda University has been known as the best Buddhist educational centre in India. According to Hiuen Tsang it was founded by the Gupta emperor Shakraditya, identified as Kumaragupta I (415-454 AD), to show his deep devotion to Buddhism.
The main sources of maximum information about this university are the accounts of Chinese travellers Hiuen Tsang and Itsing and the Nalanda inscriptions of Kannauj king Yashovarman. Kumaragupta’s son Budhagupta also built a Buddhist Vihar there. Later Emperor Harshvardhan also built a Vihar here. During Harshvardhan’s time, Nalanda Mahavihara became famous as an international educational institution.
Apart from India, students from Java, Tibet, China, Korea and Sri Lanka came here to study. All subjects were taught in this university, but the education of Mahayana branch of Buddhism was especially noteworthy. A huge library named Dharmagajja was located in three buildings named Ratnodadhi, Ratnasagar, Ratnaranjak in Nalanda University. The nine-storey library building was a spectacular architectural masterpiece. Sheelbhadra was the famous Vice Chancellor here.
Dharmapala, Chandrapala, Gunamati, Sthiramati, Prabhamitra, Jinamitra, Dinganaga, Jnanachandra, Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, Asanga, Dharmakirti and others He was a famous teacher of Nalanda University.
The medium of education in Nalanda University was Pali language. The Pala dynasty ruler Dharmapala had donated 200 villages to Nalanda Mahavihara.
Balaputradeva, the ruler of the Shailendra dynasty of Java and Sumatra, built a monastery there and to maintain it, he obtained permission from his friend Devapala, the ruler of the Pala dynasty of Bengal, to build a Buddhist temple in Nalanda.
Devpal gave five villages and financial help (in the form of grants) for the maintenance of that temple. Nalanda University was destroyed in the last decade of the twelfth century (early medieval period) due to the invasion of Bakhtiyar Khilji.
Nalanda University
In 2006, then President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam inspired Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to establish a new international Nalanda University.
In 2007, the Bihar Vidhan Mandal passed a resolution regarding the establishment of this university and in the same year a mentor group was formed. In 2007 and 2009, many countries like Laos, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Germany, Japan, Australia etc. expressed their desire to cooperate in its reconstruction.
In 2010, the bill for this university was passed in the Parliament. In 2012, Nobel Prize winning economist Amartya Sen was chosen as the chief of the mentor group. Dr. Gopa Sabharwal was made the first Vice Chancellor (VC) of this university.
Although its first academic session started on 1 September 2014 with the study of two subjects- ‘Historical Studies’ and ‘Ecology and Environmental Studies’, it was formally inaugurated on 19 September 2014 by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The first convocation of this university was held on 27 August 2016.
Odantapuri University
Odantapuri was the ancient name of the present-day city of Bihar or Bihar Sharif. Odantapuri University was established by the first ruler of the Pala dynasty, Gopal (730-749 AD).
Dharmarakshit and Sheelrakshit were the prominent scholars of Odantapuri University.
During its heyday, one thousand students used to study here. One of the prominent students here was Atasha Dipankar Shriman, who had acquired considerable knowledge of Buddhism.
The script ‘Bhaukshuki’ invented by Buddha was prevalent here.
In the beginning of the 13th century, Muhammad, son of Bakhtiyar Khilji destroyed it.
Vikramshila University
Vikramshila University was the main centre of the Vajrayan branch of Buddhism. Education in Nyaya, philosophy and grammar was provided here.
Vikramshila Mahavihara, situated on a hill called Patthar Ghat, about 24 miles east of the present Bhagalpur city, was founded by the Pala dynasty ruler Dharmapala (775-800 AD).
Among the great scholars of this university, the names of Rakshit, Virochana, Gyanbhadra, Jetari, Ratnakar, Shanti
Gyan Shrimitra, Abhayankar Gupta, Tathagata, Ratnavajra etc. are prominent.
Dipankar Shri Gyan was a renowned scholar here and the Vice Chancellor of the University.
There were six colleges in Vikramshila University and for admission in each college, there was a tradition of the candidates being tested by the door pandit. Admission to the college was possible only after being successful in this test. This university was also destroyed by Bakhtiar Khilji. This incident has been mentioned by the contemporary historian Minhaj-us-Siraj in his book ‘Tabakat-e-Nasiri’.
Tiladhak Mahavidyalaya
Tiladhak was a famous educational centre in Magadha. Chinese travellers Hieun Tsang and Itsing have mentioned this college in their travelogues. This was the centre of Mahayana sect. Its famous scholar was Prajnabhadra.
The credit for the establishment of Tildhaka Mahavidyalaya goes to the rulers of Haryak dynasty. This college has been identified as Tillas village near Nalanda.