Buddhist Learning in South Asia

Education, Religion, and Culture at the Ancient Sri Nalanda Mahavihara

By (author) Pintu Kumar

Publication date:

07 May 2018

Length of book:

338 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

ISBN-13: 9781498554923

This interdisciplinary study is the first book to provide a complete survey of Śrī Nālandā Mahāvihāra from the perspective of its educational curricula as well as its religious influence. It provides detailed descriptions of the origin, growth, management, and academic and cultural life of Nālandā, with particular attention to its pedagogy, curriculum, teachers, and students. It also presents an alternative interpretation of nationalist and popular notions about Śrī Nālandā as an international university and proves that it was, at its core, a Buddhist monastery and an institution of Buddhist learning focused on the study and promotion of Buddhism.

Chapter 1: Origin, Growth, and Decay of Śrī Nālandā Mahāvihāra
Chapter 2: Śrī Nālandā Mahāvihāra in Travelogues and Archaeology
Chapter 3: Pre-Nālandā/Brāhmaṇical Education in Ancient India: Gurukulas
Chapter 4: Śrī Nālandā Mahāvihāra: An Institution of Religious Learning
Chapter 5: Śrī Nālandā and Buddhist Learning
Chapter 6: Śrī Nālandā’s Monastic Organization and Religion
Chapter 7: Life, Ritual and Influences
Chapter 8: Conclusion

Pintu Kumar’s Buddhist Learning in South Asia sheds light on various aspects of this ancient monastery. In his book, Kumar addresses the problem whether Nalanda can be treated as a university. Buddhist Learning in South Asia is a comprehensive book that provides rich details about different aspects of the mahavihara. It is a welcome addition to the existing literature, where most books on Nalanda are quite old or lean volumes, covering only specific aspects.