s were surrounded by balustrades, and doors,
windows, beams, walls, and stairs were ornamented with gilt work in
relief." In the three temples were large images representing the
Buddha, Tara and Avalokita.

The great centres of Buddhist learning and monastic life, mentioned by
both pilgrims, were Valabhi or Balabhi in Gujarat and Nalanda. The
former was a district rather than a single locality and contained 100
monasteries with 6000 monks of the Sammitiya school. Nalanda was in
Magadha not far from Gaya. The date of its foundation is unknown but a
great temple (though apparently not the first) was built about 485
A.D.[263] Fa-Hsien mentions a village called Nala but without
indicating that it was a seat of learning. Hence it is probable that
the University was not then in existence or at least not celebrated.
Hsuean Chuang describes it as containing six monasteries built by
various kings and surrounded by an enclosing wall in which there was
only one gate. I-Ching writing later says that the establishment owned
200 villages and contained eight halls with more than 3000 monks. In
the neighbourhood of the monastery were a hundred sacred spots,
several marked by temples and topes. It was a resort for Buddhists
from all countries and an educational as well as a religious centre.
I-Ching says that students spent two or three years there in learning
and disputing after which they went to the king's court in search of a
government appointment. Successful merit was rewarded not only by rank
but by grants of land. Both pilgrims mention the names of several
celebrities connected with Nalanda. But the worthies of the seventh
century did not attain to more than scholastic eminence. The most
important literary figure of the age is Santideva of whose life
nothing is known. His writings however prove that the Buddhism of this
period was not a corrupt superstition, but could inspire and nourish
some of the most beautiful thoughts which the creed has produced.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 230: See Vasilief, _Le Bouddhisme_, Troisieme supplement,
pp. 262 ff. Koeppen, _Rel. des Buddha_, I. 151. Takakusu in _J. Pali
Text Society_, 1905, pp. 67-146.]

[Footnote 231: _Records_, translated by Takakusu, p. 15.]

[Footnote 232: They are mentioned in the Sarva-darsana-sangraha.]

[Footnote 233: Kern (_Indian Buddhism_, p. 126) says they rejected the
authority of the Sutras altogether but gives no reference.]

[Footnote 234: See Vasilief, pp.