A Land of Learning. The Arabic Quest. The Chinese Quest

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1 A Land of Learning The knowledge of India was sought after by different civilizations of the world through millennia. The Arabic Quest Arabs and Persians have continuously sought this knowledge. Many of the texts of India were translated into Arabic and Persian and from there they kept making their way into Europe. The Chinese Quest The Chinese have sought this knowledge and transported it back to China. Xuan Zang (Huien Tsang) was a Chinese scholar who visited India during the rule of Harsha Vardhana. He travelled all over India A Land of Learning 39

2 and even spent time at Nalanda University. He was so impressed with this knowledge that he carried back a whole lot of manuscripts when he returned to China. Even after Huien Tsang returned to China, he kept up his communication with India. There is an interesting communication between Huien Tsang and Prajnadeva that throws light on the flow of texts from India to China. Xuan Zang (Huien Tsang ) being welcomed in China on his return from India in 645 CE Huien Tsang enroute to China had lost many of the manuscripts. So, he requests Prajnadeva, his old friend from Nalanda University to send him some. Communication from Huien Tsang to Prajnadeva 40 Brand Bharat - Leads From India Part 1 - Led To India

3 The Greek Quest Around 323 BCE, Aristotle, Alexander s teacher, had instructed him to bring back works and scholars of this land if he ever made it upto India. We see through the times, scholars world over have sought out knowledge from India. Takshasila- The 1 st International University of the World A Beacon To The World Shining as a torch-bearer, for an international University of repute, was the Takshasila University of Bharat, which flourished until 455 CE. Attracting Students From World Over Takshasila University was so popular, that it attracted the best of students, not from within Bharat alone but also from neighbouring civilizations. Students from China to Southeast Asia to Arabia, to Persia, Kashgar, Central Asia to Rome, came to Takshasila to study. This truly made it the 1 st international university. Takshasila University in India attracting students for Ayurveda from Rome to China A Land of Learning 41

4 Understanding Takshasila The word Takshasila, comes from, Taksha, to be incisive and sila, the whetstone used to sharpen a blade. A Whetting, Sharpening Stone A Takshasila The minimum age for entry into this university was 16 years, which means, students came here only for advanced studies. They came here to complete their education and not to begin it. The popular subjects of this university were, Medicine - Ayurveda Military, strategy Dhanurveda Arts, Music, Fine Arts Gandharva Veda Jeevaka, the Physician Among the students of Ayurveda, the prominent student who made it big, was Prince Jeevaka, son of King Bimbisara, who went on to become the personal physician of Gautama Buddha. Jeevaka the physician was so famous that his statue finds prime place in front of the Buddha shrine in the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. 42 Brand Bharat - Leads From India Part 1 - Led To India

5 Jeevaka, Patron Hermit of Medicine, Wat Phra Kew, Grand Palace, Bangkok Locational Advantage - On Trade Route Takshasila was ideally located on the ancient trade route. Infact, it was at the meeting point of 3 busy trade routes of the ancient world. This locational advantage helped in The fame of this University spreading to all lands along these routes Making it easy for students to come from other civilizations on these trade routes Raising funds for the University from the prosperous trade across times. A Land of Learning 43

6 Takshasila, at the intersection of 3 Trade Routes 44 Brand Bharat - Leads From India Part 1 - Led To India

7 Beginnings of Takshasila From Mahabharata Times The beginnings of this first University of the world, goes way back into the mists of time. This city was named as Takshasila, after king Taksha, who conquered this region and ruled these parts. The Mahabharata epic, was first recited at a huge Yagna performed here by Janamejaya, the son of Parikshit, the grandson of Abhimanyu and the great grandson of Arjuna, one of the Pandavas, who fought the Mahabharata war. A Yagna is a focused effort with purpose, an assemblage for rituals, All this should have happened close to the Mahabharata period of 3000 BCE, for, the 4 th generation from Arjuna, who shed his mortal coils in 3031 BCE, should have been around 2950 BCE, taking 80 years for 4 generations from 3031 BCE. An International University With this great Yagna, which had called in, a large assemblage of scholars, this place naturally evolved into a place for scholars and men of learning. Since then Takshasila, has shone like a beacon for higher education, across the land, across civilizations, for nearly two and half millennia. Has any university enjoyed such excellence and allure, is a moot point? No wonder then that they called it a Vishwa Maha Vidyalaya, literally meaning a Great, Global Abode of Learning, an International University. While it was called an University, it was infact a complete town of learning, a University town to be precise. The pupils stayed at the house of the teacher, preceptor and paid for their boarding and lodging in cash or in the form of service to the teacher and his family. Monasteries in this town too took care of students. A Land of Learning 45

8 A Gory End Sadly though, this University, along with its name, fame, manuscripts and libraries, was razed to the ground by the Huns. This university, was attacked and destroyed by the Huns in 455 CE and it now lies as ruins near Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. A Glorious History Aerial View of the Ruins of Takshasila -If an university, destroyed way back, over 1550 years ago, had attained such levels of fame that it had spread world over, then just imagine, how many years it would have taken to earn this status? how important the subjects taught there would have been? how well it must have taught? how well it must have functioned? how much wealth would have gone to support it? how much wealth the land would have had monetary wealth and knowledge wealth? 46 Brand Bharat - Leads From India Part 1 - Led To India

9 Nalanda Another International University From where Takshasila left off, the Nalanda University took over. From Huien Tsang s records, we learn that, when he came to Nalanda in 630 CE, there were resident students there from India, Sri Lanka, Tibet, China, Japan, Korea, Sumatra and Java. There were 1510 teachers and 1500 workers within the campus and the Chancellor then was Sila Bhadra Maha Thera, who was a foremost Buddhist scholar Xuan Zang (Huien Tsang) Silabhadra Maha Thera Strictly by Admission Test Only Admissions to Nalanda, were by Oral exams and the scholars who examined the applicants were referred to as Dvara Pandita, Dvara in Samskrt means door, entrance. Only 20% of foreign and 30% of Indian applicants used to pass the entrance tests and qualify for admission. Caste, creed, nationality were no barriers. World Class System The University was supported by revenue, from the 100 odd villages that surrounded it. From this, we can see a University that was truly world class and a well -entrenched system of higher education in India, in great demand all over the world. A Land of Learning 47

10 Nalanda University Other International Universities Nalanda or Takshasila were not the only centres of learning in India. Seats of learning were strewn across the length and breadth of the land. Some like the Nalanda or Takshasila were institutions established by certain kingdoms while in other cases, such as Kasi or Varanasi, Kanchi, Ujjain etc. the entire city itself was a seat of learning with scholars of different schools having made it their home. India had a brand image of a land of learning, education, universities and knowledge. 48 Brand Bharat - Leads From India Part 1 - Led To India