the richly adorned balustrades, and the roofs covered with tiles that reflect the light in a thousand shades, these things add to the beauty of the scene.

"The Sangharamas of India are counted by myriads, but this is the most remarkable for grandeur and height. The priests belonging to the convent, or strangers (residing therein) always reach to the number of 10,000, who all study the Great Vehicle as well as the works of the eighteen sects of Buddhism; and even ordinary works, such as the Vedas and other books, and the works on Magic (Atharva-veda); besides these they thoroughly investigate the "miscellaneous" works, There are 1,000 men who can explain twenty collections of sutras, and perhaps ten men, including the Master of the Law, who can explain fifty collections. Silabhadra alone has studied and understood the whole number. His eminent virtue and advanced age have caused him to be regarded as the chief member of the community. Within the temple they arrange every day about 100 pulpits for preaching, and the students attend these discourses without fail, even for a minute (an inch shadow on the dial).

"The priests dwelling here, are, as a body, naturally (or spontaneously) dignified and grave, so that during the 700 years since the foundation of the establishment, there has been no single case of guilty rebellion against the rules.

"The king of the country respects and honours the priests and has remitted the revenue of about 100 villages for the endowment of the convent. Two hundred householders in these villages day by day contribute several hundred piculs of ordinary rice, and several hundred catties 2 in weight of butter and milk. Hence the students here, being so abundantly supplied, do not require to ask for the four requisites. This is the source of the perfection of their studies, to which they have arrived."

The monastery sheltered several thousand priests of the highest ability and talents, whose fame spread over wide regions. Their conduct is stated to have been exemplary, and 1Picul-133 lbs. Catty-150 lbs. Food, clothes, bedding and medicine.

they followed with all sincerity the teachings of the moral law. The monastic regulations at Nalanda were of a rigid character and strict obedience to them was demanded. Discussion on the most abstruse problems proceeded from morn till night, to the mutual enlightenment of young and old. Those whose knowledge was confined to the Tipitakas alone, we are informed, had to hide themselves for shame. Students from

different parts of India flocked to the monastery to participate in the discussions; but before they could obtain admission they were required to give satisfactory answers to difficult questions put to them by the keepers of the gates.

Seven or

eight of every ten being unable to answer had to retire; while the others who succeeded were certain to be humbled as soon as they took part in the debate, and lose their renown. But the learned among them who secured admission had their doubts settled, and thus the stream of knowledge continued to flow out over the length and breadth of the country. Men of conspicuous talents, of solid learning, great ability, illustrious virtues, who had distinguished themselves above the ordinary had their names inscribed on the list of college celebrities; which included Dharmapala and Chandrapala, who gave a fragrance to Buddha's teachings; Gunamati and Sthiramati of excellent reputation; Prabhamitra of clear discourse; Jinamitra of exalted eloquence, etc. Such were the luminaries in the Buddhist intellectual firmament to whom are ascribed numerous treatises and commentaries, and whose doctrines were widely diffused and have survived to modern times.

In connexion with the ceremonial of worshipping the images, it is recorded that large offerings were made to the figure of Tara-Bodhisattva on every fast day of the year; and Yuan Chwang tells us that "the kings and ministers and the great people of the neighbouring countries offered exquisite perfumes and flowers, and carried gem-covered flags and canopies, whilst instruments of metal and stone resound in turns, mingled with the harmony of flutes and harps. These religious assemblies last for seven days."

The remains of Nalanda include a range of numerous massive brick ruins, running north and south, of the great stupas attached to the monastery, the original courtyards of which may possibly be traced in the square patches of cultivation set in a debrisstrewn area of some 1,600 by 400 feet. These open paces conceivably mark the positions of the courtyards of the six monasteries which Yuan Chwang describes.

To the south of the monastery, according to Yuan Chwang, there was a pool in which it is said the dragon, or Naga-Nalanda used to dwell, after whom the place has been named. Cunningham 1 identified this pool with the present small tank to the south called Kargidya Pokhar, which corresponds in position to the pool of the Naga.

Lying east of the stupa mounds, and running parallel to them north and south at a distance of about 300 feet, is a maze of quadrangles or viharas. Detached mounds farther afield to the cast, west and north mark the sites of other temples, while individual sculptures scattered all over the site point to the days of Nalanda's greatness. General Cunningham was of opinion that he met with the finest sculptures in India at this site; and it is probable that a considerable portion of the finest sculptures now in the Indian Museum, Calcutta, came from here.

Before entering on to a brief account of the progress of the excavations carried out on the site, it will perhaps be best briefly to describe the different principal types of structure to be found there.

Viharas.

The viharas or monastic establishments at Nalanda all conform to a common type, so far as they have been exposed. They form a rectangle in plan bounded by an outer range of cells or cubicles with an open verandah running round their inner face and enclosing a large quadrangular court, which usually contains a well, among other features. Sometimes the verandah is a colonnaded structure, and, in other instances, partakes of the form of a terrace open to 1 Archæological Survey Reports, Vol. I.-Burgaon.