प्राचीन भारत में शिक्षा (डॉ. ए.एस. अल्तेकर - गुरुकुल एवं बौद्ध विहार शिक्षण इतिहास)

V] EDUCATIONAL CENTRES AND INSTITUTIONS 117
lay students also,—who were usually Hindus,—in view
of its having received so many endowments from
Hindu patrons.
The Number of Scholars : When I-tsing was
living at Nālandā (c. 675 A.D.), there were more than
3,000 monks residing in the establishment (p. 154).
The biographer of Yuan Chwang states that in the
second quarter of the seventh century the number of
the residents of Nālandā would always reach 10,000
(p. 112). The biographer had never been to India
and his information therefore was second hand. His
figure seems to be a little exaggerated since it is given
in round numbers, and since Yuan Chwang himself
simply observes that there were some thousand brethren
residing at the place (II p. 165). It would, however,
seem certain that the actual number of the monks
staying at Nālandā must have been at least about 5,000
towards the middle of the 7th century A. D.
Both a Monastery and a University : Nālandā,
however, was not a mere monastery ; it had obtained
so wide a fame primarily because it was a very
famous centre of learning. Yuan Chwang says, 'In
the establishment were some thousand brethren, all
men of great learning and ability, several hundreds
being highly esteemed and famous ; the brethren were
very strict in observing the precepts and regulations
of their order ; learning and discussing they found
the day too short, day and night they admonished
each other, juniors and seniors mutually helping to
perfection. Hence foreign students came to the
establishment to put an end to their doubts and then
became celebrated, and those who stole the name (of
Nālandā) were all treated with respect wherever they
went' (II, p. 165). The names of deep scholars and
skilful debators, who had distinguished themselves at