Vikramashila

Vikramashila University (Skt. Vikramaśīla, Tib. རྣམ་གནོན་ཚུལ་, Wyl. rnam gnon ngang tshul ) was established at the end of the eighth century by King Dharmapala of Bengal (783 to 820 AD), successor to Gopala, the founder of the Pala dynasty, at a time when the influence of Nalanda University was waning. Atisha Dimpakara was one of Vikramashila abbots. In order to be admitted, students had to answer correctly to test questions asked by the teachers present at all six main gates.

Vikramashila was destroyed by Muslim invaders along with the other major centers of Buddhism in India around 1200. The remains of the ancient university have been partially excavated at village Antichak in the Bhagalpur district, Bihar state, India, and the process is still underway.

Further Reading

• Sukumar Dutt, Buddhist Monks And Monasteries Of India: Their History And Contribution To Indian Culture. George Allen and Unwin Ltd, London 1962