There doesn't seem to be any doubt on "if Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar did hit Nalanda" or not.
How do we know this? Because the "visiting monk wrote about it"! #Thread
How do we know this? Because the "visiting monk wrote about it"! #Thread
The “visiting monk” who wrote about Nalanda in the “1230s” is the Tibetan monk Dharmasvamin.
We get the information from his biography Chag Lo Tsaba Chos-rje-dpal.
We get the information from his biography Chag Lo Tsaba Chos-rje-dpal.
This biography was written down by the author, as dictated by Dharmasvamin himself, and therefore, a firsthand contemporary account.
This was translated into English by the venerable Tibetologist George Roerich.
Mild detour - The Roerichs were from Russia.
I found this translation by G. Roerich at the library of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussorie.
Mild detour - The Roerichs were from Russia.
I found this translation by G. Roerich at the library of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussorie.
“Most of these were built by the Raja. Some were built by the queen.
They were damaged by the Turushkas and there was absolutely no one to look after them or to make offerings.”
They were damaged by the Turushkas and there was absolutely no one to look after them or to make offerings.”
Dharmasvamin is not under any doubt about who damaged the buildings of Nalanda.
So, there's no "if Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar did hit Nalanda".
So, there's no "if Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar did hit Nalanda".
With Dharmasvamin's account on who destroyed Nalanda, the DN Jha-Taranatha story of Nalanda having been set on fire by "Hindu fanatics" falls flat.
At the time of Dharmasvamin’s account, a 90+ year old monk called Mahapandita Rahula Sribhadra lived in Nalanda.
He's patronised by a local king, Buddhasena of Magadha and a local wealthy Brahmin Jayadeva, who have provided him basic requirements including a mosquito net.
He's patronised by a local king, Buddhasena of Magadha and a local wealthy Brahmin Jayadeva, who have provided him basic requirements including a mosquito net.
Dharmasvamin writes, that because of the services Jayadeva provided to the monk, the Brahmin was summoned and detained with his family by a Turushka officer.
Jayadeva sends a panic message to the monk, informing them of a possible attack and asking them to flee.
Rahula Sribhadra’s disciples escape, while Dharmasvamin carries the Guru to a shrine of Jnananatha, a small distance away.
Rahula Sribhadra’s disciples escape, while Dharmasvamin carries the Guru to a shrine of Jnananatha, a small distance away.
As for the shrine of Jnananatha, Dharmasvamin writes that the Turushkas had carried away all the stones of this shrine and threw impurities and dust on the murti of Jnananatha.
Apart from Nalanda, Dharmasvamin mentions nothing about the life of the Vihara of Oddantapura.
Instead both his mentions of the Oddantapura Vihara are that it was being used as the residence of a Turushka officer.
Instead both his mentions of the Oddantapura Vihara are that it was being used as the residence of a Turushka officer.
Of the great Vihara of Vikramasila, there’s nothing left of it when Dharmasvamin visits.
He writes that the Turushkas have razed it to the ground and have thrown the foundation stones into the Ganga.
He writes that the Turushkas have razed it to the ground and have thrown the foundation stones into the Ganga.
When he visits the city of Vajrasana, located in the south of Magadha, the place is deserted.
Dharmasvamin finds only four monks. He is informed that the others have fled from “Turushka soldiers”.
Dharmasvamin finds only four monks. He is informed that the others have fled from “Turushka soldiers”.
The monks also tell him that they have built a wall in front of the Mahabodhi image, to protect it.
A desperate tactic that we find repeating itself across history.
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A desperate tactic that we find repeating itself across history.
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Thank you for reading.
@threadreaderapp Please compile.
@threadreaderapp Please compile.
PS: In case I get blocked or the OG tweet is deleted.
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