The Perilous Journey to Enlightenment
In the fifth year of Emperor Taizong’s Zhenguan era (631 CE), the 32-year-old Chinese monk Xuanzang arrived at Nalanda Monastery after an arduous 3-year journey across deserts and mountains. His pilgrimage from Tang Dynasty China to this Buddhist holy site in India was driven by an insatiable thirst for sacred texts, particularly the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra. Upon meeting the monastery’s 106-year-old abbot, Śīlabhadra, something extraordinary occurred. When Xuanzang humbly stated his purpose for coming, the elderly master suddenly burst into uncontrollable tears—a reaction that stunned everyone present. This moment revealed a hidden spiritual connection that transcended time and space.
The Prophetic Dream That Bound Two Souls
Three years earlier—precisely when Xuanzang began his westward journey—Śīlabhadra had suffered excruciating pain from what modern scholars believe was gout. The chronic condition became so unbearable that the aged monk resolved to starve himself to death. During this crisis, he experienced a visionary dream where three celestial beings appeared: golden-hued Mañjuśrī (Bodhisattva of Wisdom), green-skinned Avalokiteśvara (the male form of Guanyin in Indian tradition), and white-robed Maitreya (the Future Buddha).
Mañjuśrī delivered a divine message: Śīlabhadra’s suffering resulted from past karma as a neglectful king, and his duty was to endure and teach the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra to a destined Chinese monk. The prophecy specified: “A monk from the land of Cīna (China) seeks the Dharma and wishes to learn from you. Await and instruct him.” This revelation not only persuaded Śīlabhadra to live but also set the stage for an extraordinary teacher-student relationship that would shape Buddhist history.
Nalanda: The Oxford of the Ancient Buddhist World
Xuanzang’s choice of Nalanda was no accident. Rediscovered in 1861 based on his Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, this UNESCO World Heritage Site near modern Patna was the Harvard of 7th-century Asia. Its name, meaning “Charity Without Interruption,” reflected its intellectual generosity:
– A Library Like No Other: Three monumental repositories—Ratnākara (Jewel Mine), Ratnasāgara (Jewel Ocean), and Ratnodadhi (Jewel Sea)—housed scrolls on philosophy, medicine, and astronomy alongside Buddhist sutras.
– Global Academic Hub: With 10,000 residents including non-Buddhist scholars, Nalanda attracted minds from China (like Yijing and Daoxuan), Korea, and Central Asia. A “Han Temple” 50 miles east accommodated Chinese monks.
– Rigorous Scholarship: Daily lectures, debates, and strict monastic codes created an environment where, as Xuanzang noted, “those ignorant of profound doctrines felt ashamed to socialize.”
The VIP Treatment of a Destiny-Favored Scholar
Xuanzang received privileges reserved for royalty:
1. Luxurious Accommodations: Initially lodged in the fourth-floor chambers of elder monk Jñānabhadra, he was soon moved to a VIP suite near the quarters once occupied by Śīlabhadra’s teacher, Dharmapāla.
2. Gourmet Dharma Diet: His daily rations included:
– 120 jambu fruits
– 20 betel nuts
– 1 liter of Mahāliṅga rice—a fragrant grain exclusively for kings and eminent scholars
– Monthly allowances of oil (3 dou) and unlimited dairy products
The Tragic Twilight of a Knowledge Citadel
Nalanda’s glory ended around 1200 CE when Turkic invader Bakhtiyar Khalji burned its libraries. Persian historian Minhaj-i-Siraj recorded monks being massacred and scriptures set ablaze—an intellectual catastrophe comparable to Alexandria’s library destruction. Yet, Xuanzang’s detailed records allowed modern archaeologists to resurrect its memory.
Eternal Legacies: From Silk Road to Soft Power
– Sino-Indian Diplomacy: In 1957, China funded the Xuanzang Memorial Hall near Nalanda’s ruins—a symbol of cross-cultural exchange.
– Textual Resurrection: Over 600 texts Xuanzang later translated (like the Heart Sutra) became cornerstones of East Asian Buddhism.
– Modern Revival: Prime Minister Modi’s 2014 plan to rebuild Nalanda University echoes its ancient spirit of inclusive scholarship.
Xuanzang’s tearful reunion with Śīlabhadra reminds us that history’s most transformative moments often hinge on invisible threads of karma—where faith, perseverance, and celestial prophecies intertwine to illuminate the world.