RAS question
Consider the following statements about Nalanda University: I. Nalanda was destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji around 1193–1203 CE II. The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang) visited Nalanda during the reign of Harshavardhana III. Nalanda was primarily a center for Theravada Buddhism IV. The library at Nalanda, known as Dharmaganja, comprised three large buildings called Ratnasagara, Ratnodadhi, and Ratnaranjaka Which of the above statements are correct?
Correct answer: (A) I, II and IV only.
Statements I, II and IV are correct: Nalanda was destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji around 1193-1203 CE, Xuanzang studied there during Harshavardhana's reign, and its Dharmaganja library comprised three major buildings—Ratnasagara, Ratnodadhi and Ratnaranjaka. Statement III is incorrect because Nalanda was primarily a Mahayana, not a Theravada, centre.
Explanation
Statements I, II and IV are correct, while Statement III is incorrect. Nalanda was founded in the 5th century CE, flourished for about 700 years and received its final blow from Bakhtiyar Khilji's invasion around 1200 CE. It taught the scriptures of the Mahayana and Hinayana schools along with philosophy, logic, grammar, astronomy and medicine. Because it was primarily a Mahayana centre, it cannot be described as mainly Theravada. Xuanzang's stay in India, around 629-645 CE, fell within Harshavardhana's reign, from 606-647 CE. Dharmaganja comprised the three multi-storey buildings Ratnasagara, Ratnaranjaka and Ratnodadhi.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Option B includes Statement III even though Nalanda was primarily Mahayana, not Theravada, and it omits the correct statement about the Dharmaganja library.
- (C) Option C omits Statement I even though Bakhtiyar Khilji's invasion around 1200 CE dealt the final blow to Nalanda, and it incorrectly includes the Theravada claim.
- (D) Option D treats all four statements as correct, but Statement III is incorrect because Nalanda was primarily a Mahayana, not a Theravada, institution.
Concept
This question tests knowledge of ancient Indian centres of learning and Buddhist institutional history. RAS often uses such statement-combination questions because Nalanda connects dynastic chronology, foreign travellers and religious-intellectual traditions.