Mañjuśrī at Nālandā Mahāvihāra

📖 Stories

• Mañjuśrī at Nālandā — The Wisdom Patron of the World's Oldest University
  **Nālandā Mahāvihāra** (427-1197 CE) was the world's oldest residential university, housing up to **10,000 students and 2,000 teachers** at its peak. The university was considered the domain of **Mañjuśrī** — the Bodhisattva of Wisdom — who was invoked as the patron of all scholarly pursuit. **Mañjuśrī** is depicted bearing the **flaming sword that cuts through ignorance** and the **book of Prajñāpāramitā** (Perfection of Wisdom). His mantra **"Om Ah Ra Pa Ca Na Dhih"** was recited daily by students seeking intellectual clarity. **Faxian** (5th century) and **Xuanzang** (7th century) both studied at Nalanda and described Manjushri's veneration there. Xuanzang specifically noted how students invoked Manjushri for understanding difficult texts. The university was destroyed in **1193 CE** by Bakhtiyar Khilji's Turkic army; the library reportedly burned for **three months**. **Ibn Battuta** visiting in the 14th century found only ruins. Today the **14-hectare archaeological complex** (UNESCO World Heritage Site, 2016) includes temples, lecture halls, meditation chambers, and monk cells with Manjushri iconography on walls. The **modern Nalanda University** (established 2014, 25 km away) revives the ancient institution's tradition.
  — Buddhist tradition + historical records + scholarly sources