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

V] EDUCATIONAL CENTRES AND INSTITUTIONS 123
tion in this work from Padmasambhava, a Kashmirian
monk educated at Nālandā¹. Intellectual and literary
activity of Nālandā must have continued in subsequent
centuries also, for several manuscripts have been
preserved to this time, which were copied at Nālandā
during the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries A.D.
Supersession by Vikramasila University : Tārā-
nāth informs us that the professors of Vikramaśīlā
were often appointed to watch over the affairs of
Nālandā by the Pāla rulers². From the 11th century
onwards the new University of Vikramaśīlā began to
receive a greater share of the royal patronage ; this
circumstance may have led to the decline of Nālandā
during the 11th and 12th centuries. Evidence from
the Tibetan sources shows that by this time Tantricism
had aquired a hold over the Buddhist mind and it
may have perhaps affected the progress of serious
studies. We have, however, no definite evidence on
the point.
The Destruction of the University : The ruin of
the establishment was brought about by the Muslim
invaders under Bakhtiyar Khilji towards the end of
the 12th century. The buildings were burnt or
destroyed and the whole of the monk population was
put to the sword. The priceless library of the
university was also wantonly committed to flames.
Thus perished this famous university at the hands of
fanatic invaders who did not know its value.
VALABHI³
A Famous Centre of Learning : Valabhi, situated

1. Bose, Indian Teachers of Buddhist Universities, pp. 116-81.
2. Ibid, p. 86.
3. See Altekar, A History of Important Towns and Cities in
   Gujarat and Kathiawar, pp. 89-40 for the history of this place.