Vikramshila University

News– The government is planning the revival of another ancient center of learning in Bihar—Vikramshila University.

About Vikramshila University

• Location:- It was located in Bhagalpur, Bihar, along the banks of the Ganges River.
• Founder: It was established by King Dharmapala of the Pala Dynasty in the late 8th to early 9th century AD. It was founded to address the declining academic standards of Nalanda University.
• Significance:
  • Vikramshila became a major center for Tantric and Vajrayana Buddhism, playing a crucial role in propagating these traditions.
  • Unlike Nalanda, which had a more comprehensive curriculum, Vikramshila was known for its emphasis on tantric and and occult studies.
  • Under King Dharmapala’s rule, Vikramshila exerted considerable influence over Nalanda, showcasing its prominence in academic and administrative matters.
  • With an enrollment of over 1,000 students and 100 teachers, the university attracted scholars from different parts of India and beyond.
  • It produced notable scholars, including Atisa Dipankara, who played a key role in spreading Buddhism in Tibet.
• Features:
  • The university featured a central stupa surrounded by 208 cells, which served as living quarters for student-monks engaged in study and meditation.
  • It housed a well-equipped library with an innovative cooling system that used water from a nearby reservoir to protect delicate manuscripts.
  • The academic curriculum covered diverse subjects, including theology, philosophy, grammar, metaphysics, logic, and tantras.
• Decline: It was destroyed by the forces of Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji around 1193.