Nalanda, Nālandā, Nālanda, Nalamda, Nāḷandā: 15 definitions
Introduction:
Nalanda means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
The Sanskrit term Nāḷandā can be transliterated into English as Nalanda or Nalianda, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Dharmashastra (religious law)
Nālandā (नालन्दा) (5th–12th CE) in present-day Bihar, was among the world’s first universities. Taxila University’s different Schools taught many subjects. The Chinese scholars I-tsing (Yijing, left) and Hsüan-tsang (Xuanzang, right) visited Nālandā in the 7th century CE. According to them, the Nālandā university had eight separate halls, 300 apartments, meditation halls and classrooms, all surrounded by lakes and parks. Education was free and there were more than 5,000 students and 1,500 teachers. A hundred lectures were conducted every day and the practice of learning through debates and discussions was highly developed.
Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
1. Nalanda
A town near Rajagaha, (according to Buddhaghosa, DA.i.35) one league away. The Buddha is mentioned as having several times stayed there during his residence in Pavarikas mango grove, and while there he had discussions with Upali Gahapati and Dighatapassi (S.ii.110; M.i.376ff.), with Kevatta (D.i.211ff.), and also several conversations with Asibandhakaputta (S. ii. 311 23).
The Buddha visited Nalanda during his last tour through Magadha, and it was there that Sariputta uttered his lions roar, affirming his faith in the Buddha, shortly before his death (D.ii.81f.; iii.99ff.; S.v.159ff.). The road from Rajagaha to Nalanda passed through Ambalatthika (D.ii.81; Vin.ii.287), and from Nalanda it went on to Pataligama (D.ii.84). Between Rajagaha and Nalanda was situated the Bahuputta cetiya (S.ii.220).
According to the Kevatta Sutta (D.i.211), in the Buddhas time Nalanda was already an influential and prosperous town, thickly populated, though it was not till later that it became the centre of learning for which it afterwards became famous. There is a record in the Samyutta Nikaya (S.iv.322), of the town having been the victim of a severe famine during the Buddhas time.
Nalanda was the residence of Sonnadinna (VvA.144). Nigantha Nataputta is several times mentioned as staying at Nalanda, which was evidently a centre of activity of the Niganthas.
Hsouien Thsang (Beal: op. cit., ii.167f ) gives several explanations of the name Nalanda. One is that it was named after the Naga who lived in a tank in the middle of the mango grove. Another - and accepted by him - is that the Bodhisatta once had his capital here and gave alms without intermission, hence the name.
Nalanda is, in the northern books, given as the name of Sariputtas birthplace (see Nalaka).
Nalanda is identified with the modern Baragaon (CAGI. 537).
2. NalandaA village in the central province of Ceylon. Once Parakkamabahu I. occupied a camp there, and it is several times mentioned in the accounts of his campaigns. Cv.lxx.167, 207; lxxii.169.
1. Nalanda SuttaA conversation between the Buddha and Upaligahapati in Pavarikas mango grove, as to why some beings attain full freedom in this world while others do not. S.iv.110.
2. Nalanda SuttaSariputtas affirmation of faith in the Buddha - there never was, nor is, nor shall be, anyone possessing higher wisdom than the Buddha. S.v.159 f.; cp. D.ii.81 and D.iii.99ff.
Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Nālandā (नालन्दा) is the name of a village visited by Mahāvīra during his 22nd Year as Kevalī.—To the northeast of Rājagṛha was the city Nālandā. Once, the Lord was sitting in the garden Hastigrāma near a hall named Śeṣa-dravikā. There a monk of the Pārśva tradition, Peḍhālaputra Udaka met Indrabhūti. To resolving a query by Udaka with regard to the vow of non-killing, Indrabhūti said that the one who gives up violence on mobile living beings (or a being with one or two senses) is giving up violence on that being in the present.
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
India history and geography
Nalanda (Museum) is an archaeologically important site situated in Bihar (Patna district), known for inscriptions regarding the ancient history of India. For example, at Nalanda there is a stone slab found at Rājgir containing shell characters. There is also a Buddha image which refers to the image as the gift of a paramāpāśikā whose name seems to be given as Garttāka. Also contains the Buddhist formula and the names of Ārya-Sāriputra, etc.
Nālandā (नालन्दा) is the name of an ancient locality situated in Majjhimadesa (Middle Country) of ancient India, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—Nālandā is identified with modern Bargaon [Badgaon?], 7 miles to the north-west of Rājgir in the district of Patna. Nālandā acquired an orient-wide celebrity as the most important seat of Buddhist learning and culture in the days of the Guptas from the sixth and seventh centuries onwards. The famous Indrasilā cave may be located in the rugged hill rising immediatety to the west of the Badgaon village.
Nālandā is frequently referred to in early Pāli literature. The Buddha is said to have started once from Rājagaha for Nālandā. In the Saṃyutta Nikāya it is stated that the Buddha once visited Nālandā from Kosala. In the Majjhima Nikāya we read that once the Buddha dwelt in the Pāvārikambavana at Nālandā where he had a discussion with Dīgha Tapassi, a Nigaṇṭha, relating to the Nigaṇṭha doctrines and delivered the Upālisutta. In the Sumaṅgalavilāsinī we find that the distance from Rājagaha to Nālandā was one yojana.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Nālanda (नालन्द).—A village of great historical importance, near राजगृह (rājagṛha), a place of Bhddh. monastery.
Derivable forms: nālandaḥ (नालन्दः).
Nālanda (नालन्द).—nt. (Pali Nālandā, also Nāla, Nālaka, Nālika), or °dā, name of a village near (one-half yojana according to Mahāvastu) Rājagṛha, birthplace and family home of Śāriputra; also called Nālada according to Avadāna-śataka ii.186.6: rājagṛhasya ardha- yojane nālanda-grāmakaṃ (v.l. nālandaṃ) nāma grāmaṃ Mahāvastu iii.56.6; śrī-nālandā Mahāvyutpatti 4120.
Nālanda (नालन्द):—m. Name of a village near Rāja-gṛha containing a celebrated, [Buddhist literature] monastery, [Monier-Williams’ Buddhism 169 etc.]
Nālānda (नालान्द):—Nomen proprium eines Dorfes in der Nähe von Rājagṛha, welches ein berühmtes buddhistisches Kloster enthielt, [Burnouf 49] in der [Nalopākhyāna 456.] [Lebensbeschreibung Śākyamuni’s 255 (25).] [WASSILJEW 30 u.s.w.] [Hiouen-Thsang I, 254. 452. II, 41. 45.] Vie de [Hiouen-Thsang 143. 160. 163. 211.]
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Nālanda (नालन्द):—, nālāṇḍā [WILSON, Sel. Works 1, 293.]
Nālanda (नालन्द):—m. Nomen proprium eines Dorfes in der Nähe von Rajaṃgṛha.
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Nālāṇḍā (नालाण्डा):—f. = nālanda.
Nālandā (नालन्दा) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Ṇālaṃdā.
Nālandā (in Sanskrit) can be associated with the following Chinese terms:
1) 那爛陁 [nà làn tuó]: “Nālandā” [Sanskrit place name].
2) 那難大 [nà nán dà]: “Nālandā” [Sanskrit place name].
3) 那瀾陀 [nà lán tuó]: “Nālandā” [Sanskrit temple name].
4) 那爛陀 [nà làn tuó]: “Nālandā”; “Śrī-nālanda” [Sanskrit temple name].
5) 那爛陀寺 [nà làn tuó sì]: “Nālandā”; “Nālandā-saṃghārāma” [Sanskrit temple name].
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Prakrit-English dictionary
Ṇālaṃdā (णालंदा) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Nālandā.
Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.
Pali-English dictionary
1) nālandā (နာလန္ဒာ) [(thī) (ထီ)]—
[yadicchā]
[ယဒိစ္ဆာနာမ်]
2) nāḷandā (နာဠန္ဒာ) [(thī) (ထီ)]—
[yadicchā．(nālaṃda-saṃ,ṇālaṃdā-prā,nālaṃda-addhamāgadhī)]
[ယဒိစ္ဆာနာမ်။ (နာလံဒ-သံ၊ ဏာလံဒါ-ပြာ၊ နာလံဒ-အဒ္ဓမာဂဓီ)]
3) nāḷandā (နာဠန္ဒာ) [(thī) (ထီ)]—
[yadicchā]
[ယဒိစ္ဆာနာမ်]
[Pali to Burmese]
1) nālandā—
(Burmese text): (၁) နာလန္ဒာမြို့။ (၂) သီဟိုဠ်ကျွန်း ပရက္ကမဗာဟု မင်းကြီး၏ လက်ထက် ဘီအီး ၁၈-ရာစုနှစ်ရှေ့ပိုင်းတွင် ထင်ရှားသော သီဟိုဠ်ကျွန်းရှိ နာလန္ဒာမြို့။
(Auto-Translation): (1) Nalanda City. (2) Nalanda City, located on the island of Tihor, which came into prominence during the early 18th century under the rule of the great king.
2) nāḷandā—
(Burmese text): (၁) နာလန္ဒာမြို့။ (၂) သီဟိုဠ်ကျွန်း ပရက္ကမဗာဟု မင်းကြီး၏ လက်ထက် ဘီအီး ၁၈-ရာစုနှစ်ရှေ့ပိုင်းတွင် ထင်ရှားသော သီဟိုဠ်ကျွန်းရှိ နာလန္ဒာမြို့။
(Auto-Translation): (1) Nalanda City. (2) Nalanda City, a prominent location on the island of Thihoride, during the reign of King Min Gyi in the early 18th century.
3) nāḷandā—
(Burmese text): နာဠန္ဒနိဂုံး။ နာဠကဂါမ (က) လည်း ကြည့်။
(Auto-Translation): The translation of the provided Burmese text is: "See the Nahtalin Dictionary. Also, look at the Nahkaga Dictionary (A)."
Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+0): Nalamdaijja, Nalamdale, Nalandanamaka, Nalandara, Nalandasamgharama, Nalandasutta, Nalandavagga, Nalandavasi, Nalandavasika.
Full-text (+128): Nalandasutta, Nalandavagga, Shi wu yan, Na lan tuo, Nalandavasika, Shrinalanda, Nalandanamaka, Nalandavasi, Odantapuri, Na lan tuo si, Nalandasamgharama, Uddandapura, Na lan da, Nagarjuna, Rajagriha, Shantarakshita, Na lan da tu, Ming min, Nalandara, Lahulla.
Relevant text
Search found 124 books and stories containing Nalanda, Nālandā, Nālanda, Nāḷanda, Nālānda, Nālāṇḍā, Nalamda, Ṇālaṃdā, Ṇālandā, Nāḷandā; (plurals include: Nalandas, Nālandās, Nālandas, Nāḷandas, Nālāndas, Nālāṇḍās, Nalamdas, Ṇālaṃdās, Ṇālandās, Nāḷandās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Formal Education System in Ancient India (by Sushmita Nath)
The Nālandā Vihāra university < [Chapter 3 - Centres of Learning in Vedic and Buddhist Period]
The 7th century Valabhī university < [Chapter 3 - Centres of Learning in Vedic and Buddhist Period]
Subjects studied in the Buddhist Period < [Chapter 5 - Subjects studied in the Vedic and Buddhist period]
Majjhima Nikaya (Middle Discourses)
Discourse 56: With Upāli < [Gahapati-vagga: The Chapter on Householders]
Settlement in Early Historic Ganga Plain (by Chirantani Das)
Chapter IV - Reviewing the Rājagṛha-Nālānda Zone
Part 7 - Nalanda’s Rise of a Multi-functional Nodal Centre < [Chapter III - Nālandā: Evidence for rise and progress of the settlement]
Part 3 - Related works on our settlement zones < [Introduction]
Digha Nikaya (Long Discourses) (by Bhikkhu Sujato)
Introduction to Kevaṭṭa-sutta < [Discourse 11: With Kevaddha]
1. Talk on Wanderers < [Discourse 1: The Divine Net]
1. Sāriputta’s Lion’s Roar < [Discourse 28: Inspiring Confidence]
Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies
How to Create a Great Monastery < [Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies 3.1 (2020)]
Faxian and the Establishment of the Pilgrimage Tradition of Qiufa... < [Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies 2.1 (2019)]
Reading Medieval Buddhist Manuscripts: Thoughts on Text and Image < [Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies 1.2 (2018)]
The Indian Buddhist Iconography (by Benoytosh Bhattachacharyya)