प्राचीन भारत में शिक्षा (डॉ. ए.एस. अल्तेकर - गुरुकुल एवं बौद्ध विहार शिक्षण इतिहास)

124      EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA      [Ch. near modern Wala in Kathiawar, was the capital of an important kingdom and a port of international trade with numerous warehouses full of rarest merchandise. During the 7th century, however, it was more famous as a seat of learning. I-tsing informs us that its fame rivalled with that of Nālandā in eastern India;¹ it is however a pity that he should not have given us any details about its literary and educational activity. There were about a hundred Buddhist monasteries at the place in c. 640 A.D.²; and they accommodated six thousand monk-students. The famous Buddhist scholars, Sthiramati and Guṇamati, were the leading scholars of the University at the middle of the 7th century A.D.³ Like Nālandā, Valabhi also was not an exclusively Buddhist or monastic centre of learning. Even Brahmanas from the distant Gangetic plain used to send their sons to that place for higher education⁴. Graduates at Valabhi used to be appointed to posts in the executive line (I-tsing, p. 177); this would have been impossible if secular subjects like law, economics, accountancy and literature had not been cultivated at the place. The University was famous for its catholicity and intellectual freedom.

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1. P. 177.
2. Watters, II p. 246.
3. A copper plate grant given in 580 A.D. to a monastery founded by Sthiramati has been found ; I.A., VI, p. 11.
4. अन्तर्वेद्यामभूत्पूर्वं वसुदत्त इहि द्विजः । विष्णुदत्ताभिधानश्च पुत्रस्तस्योपपद्यत ॥ स विष्णुदत्तो वयसा पूर्णषोडशवत्सरः । गंतुं प्रवृत्ते विद्याप्राप्तये वलभीपुरम् ॥   K. S. S. Chap.                      XXXII, 42-43.