Buddhist Monastic Spaces through

Nalanda Mahavihara

Understanding the Space Monastery from Different Era

and Identifying the Paradigm of Buddhist Monastic Spaces

J ay Odhari a, UA341 7

I n tro d u cti on

M on as t ery …T he s p ace wher e one ada pt s t he rel i gi ous w ay of l i fe an d

purs u i t s t o al l o cat e ones el f t o s pi ri t ual work. The i dea of cr eat i ng t he S angh a
or co m m un i t y o f B h i kkhus (M onks ) was founded by Gaut am B uddha duri ng
hi s l i fet i m e ov er 25 00 years ago. B hi kk hus and bhi kkhuni s are exp ect ed t o
l i ve wi t h a m i nim um pos s es s i ons and l ay fol l owers from t he com m uni t y
prov i d ed dai l y food and s hel t er t o t hes e bhi kkhus .
M on as t i c Archi t e ct u re i s i nt egr at ed wi t h t he con cept s of rel i gi on es peci al l y
B udd h i s m . S om e of t he t hi ngs rem ai n cons t ant t hroughout al l m onas t ic
arch i t ect u ral m o num ent s or cur rent l y run ni ng m onas t eri es . M onas t ery i t s el f
i s an i n s t i t uti on whi ch refl e ct s t he co m m uni t y, cul t ure and t he rel i gi ous
i deo l o g y arou nd t hat part i cul ar regi on. Ident i fyi ng t he archi t ect ur al
parad i g m t hroug h di ffer ent B uddhi s t M onas t i c s paces o f di ff erent pe ri od.

If t h e d efi ni n g el em ent of a pi l gri m age cent re i s t he c ent ral s t upa or ri t ual

foci , t h e de fi ni ng el em ent of a m on as t er y i s t he vi har a. Wi t hout a pl ace t o
hous e t h e s an gha, a m onas t ery i s s i m pl y not a m onas t er y. B ut , j us t as
pi l gri m age cent r es oft en hav e s e condar y s t ruct ures bui l t ar ound t hem , t he
s ang h a o ft en cons t r u ct ed s t upas —bot h wi t hi n chai t yas and as fr ees t andi n g
s t ruct u res —adj a cent t o t hei r vi har as . I n earl i e r pe ri ods , t hes e s ubs i di ary
s t up a s were l i kel y i nt ended t o dr aw t he B uddhi s t l ai t y t o wors hi p at t h e
m on as t eri es , t hou gh i n l at er peri ods wors hi p at m onas t i c s tupas was l i kel y
l i m i t ed t o t he s ang ha t hem s el ves . In ge neral , B uddhi s t m onas t eri es be cam e
l arger an d t hei r l a yout m ore hom ogenous over t i m e. Where t he ea rl i es t
m on as t eri es l i kel y hous ed no m ore t han 100 m onks , l at er monas t eri es l i ke
Nal an d a i n t he Gan g et i c P l ai n had res i dent popul at i ons i n t he t hous ands .
(26) A n Ar cha eol ogi cal Hi s t or y of Indi an B uddhi s m

(Fogelin)
B udd h i s t t ext ual s ources s ugges t t hat t he B uddha es t abl i s hed m onas t eri es
duri n g h i s l i fet i m e t o s erve as rai ny s eas on ret re at s . Thes e rock- cut
m on as t eri es pro vi de an excel l ent venue t o exam i ne t he s pat i al i t y of earl y
B udd h i s t m onas t eri es due t o t hei r al m os t perfe ct pr es erv at i on. Vi s i t i ng t hes e
s i t es feel s al m os t like wal ki ng i nt o a fos s i l i zed m onas t ery. M onas t i c cel l s
wi t h i n t h e vi har as s t i l l cont ai n rock-cut beds and wal l niches t he form e r
res i d en t s woul d h av e us ed. T h e n earby chai t yas ar e al s o al m os t com pl et el y
i nt act . Gi ven t hi s , the B uddhi s t m onas teri es of t he Wes t e rn Ghat s have l ong
s erved as t h e p ri m ar y foci fo r s chol a rs s eeki ng t o unde rs t an d t he nat ur e of
earl y B u dd hi s t m o nas t i ci s m .
In s u b s equ en t es s a y I wi l l addres s t he va ri ous and ch angi ng rol es o f
m on as t eri es , bot h i n t erm s of Indi an B ud dhi s m and i n t erm s of broade r s oci al
and eco n om i c con ce rns . R at her t han vi e w any one of t hes e expl anat i ons o f
Indi an B ud dhi s m as t he bes t , I wi l l ar gue t hat at di ffer en t t i m es , and i n
di fferen t pl ac es , B ud dhi s t m onas t eri es f ul fi l l ed al l of t hes e rol es and m or e.
I wi l l al s o ad dres s t he ways t hat t he des i gn and l ayout of B uddhi s t
m on as t eri es i m pact e d t he s angha t hem s el ves . Wh et her l i vi ng i n ret r eat s o r
t rade c en t ers , t he B uddhi s t s angha requi red m echani s m s t o reduce t ens i ons
and fo s t er gro up c ohes i on wi t hi n t he cl os e confi nes o f t he m onas t eri es .
(Fog el i n , pp. 2 6-29 )

Nal a n d a Mon as tery

Nal an d a m ah avi har a, an
anci en t B u ddhi s t
M on as t ery w as fou n ded i n
5 t h cen t ury d uri ng t he
dom i n i o n of Gupt a
Em p ero r Ku m ar ag u pt a I
nearb y ci t y R aj egri ha
(curr en t l y k nown as R aj gi r
i n B i h ar S t at e) whi ch was
capi t al o f M ag adha.
Photograph by Hirak Mukharjee
C onfi g u rat i on of S paces :
The o rg an i zat i o n o f s pac es at Nal and a M onas t ery s ugges t s t he cons ci ous
s hi ft fro m a cl us t er ed l ayout t o a l i ne ar al i gnm ent refl e ct i ng t he des i gn
pri n ci p l e ad opt ed t o ac com m odat e t he changes i n ri t ual s a nd t he gro wi ng

[1]

[1]Property : Excavated Remains of Nalanda Mahavihara. (n.d.). Archaeological Survey of India.

Pg244

s cho l ars h i p. The l ay out s hows t he i ni t i ati on of s egregat i ng fu nct i onal s paces
for s acr ed and s ecul ar act i vi t i es . Al l t he t em pl es are s egreg a t ed around t he
vi haras t h e l earni ng s paces . Whi l e t he c l us t ered pl anni ng al l owed m onks t o
be p ro x i m at e t o t he s acred core. T he l at er s t ruct ur es whi ch were bui l t pos t
4 t h cen t u ry o f Nal an da, i n cont ras t , s how form al and phys i cal s egregat i on o f
s ecu l ar and s ac red f unct i ons . [ 1 ]
The p eri od b et wee n 3 r d t o 7 t h c e n t u r y C E s aw com pl exes wi t h perfe ct ed
hi erar ch y , r epet i t i o n of s pat i al m odul es and es t abl i s hed i nt e rrel at i ons hi p of
s paces t h at co m m an ded act i vi t i es i n a vi hara. Anot he r char a ct eri s t i c feat ur e
of t h e m o num ent al pl anned vi haras o f 3 r d -7 t h C E i s t he devel opm ent i n
i con o g raph y t o gi ve s hape t o t he B u ddhi s t pant heon. The s i m ul t aneous
devel o p m ent of t he pant heon and panch ayat an chai t ya i n vihara com pl exes
of 3 r d -7 t h cent ury CE becam e i ns t rum en t al i n com pl et i ng t he t rans i t i on of
B udd h i s m i nt o a rel i gi on. Dependi ng on avai l abi l i t y of m at eri al , geo-
cl i m at i c an d cu l t ural condi t i ons , di f ferent t ypes o f vi haras em erg ed
m i rro ri n g t he cha n gi ng paradi gm s o f B uddhi s m . M at e ri al s us ed fo r
cons t ru ct i o n were B l ack B as al t , S t ucco and M et al and few pi eces of
t erra co t t a. S paces l i k e congreg at i onal hal l s , areas for m edi t at i on, recept i on
and re co rd k e ep i n g, areas for s t or age of m anus cri pt s et c be c am e i nt egral t o
vi hara co m p l ex es by t he 1 s t cent ury B C E .

In fl u en c e i n Art :
 E arl y N al an da art repr es ent s s ynt hes i s of S arn at h art and l ocal
t radi t i ons .
 Du ri ng P al a peri od, S arnat h i nfl uence di m i ni s hed cons i derab l y, but by
t h i s peri od , Nal and a had expe ri m ent ed wi t h s t ucco, s t on e and m et al
m at eri al s .
 In fl uenc e of Gandh ara art c an be s een i n i ncl us i on of Dipankara,
Av al ok i t es hwar a, V aj rapani and P anchi ka-Ha ri t i i n s cul pt ural t hem es .

E xam pl e 1: L i k i r Mon as tery

It w as es t ab l i s h ed duri ng t he dom i ni on of
Ki ng L h ach en Gy al po i n 1065 AD at
Ladak h , Hi m al ay as , Nort h Indi a. It i s
l ocat ed o n t op o f a h i l l al ongs i de t he val l ey
of ri v er In dus . It s p res ent s t at e s ugges t s a
wel l -fo rt i fi ed M on a s t ery.
C onfi g u rat i on of S paces :
T h e S paces of t he m onas t ery are
al l ocat ed by a fu n ct i onal hi era rchy. T he
M ov em en t i s orde r ed hi er archi cal l y. T he
val u e o f t he el em e nt s i s denot ed by t he
val u e o f t he l i nk ed el em ent . The s pac es are
not i s o l at ed fro m each ot her. It has s o m e
i nt erch an g es wh e re t he funct i onal
organ i zat i on b ecom es a m et hod of orde ri ng
t he rel at i o ns hi p of vari ous el em e nt s
t hro u g h a j uxtapos i t i on of t hei r
di s t i n ct i v enes s . T he ori ent at i on of each
bui l t m as s i s pri orit i zed t he m ovem ent i s
organ i zed a cco rdi ngl y. T he overal l
organ i zat i on of t he com pl ex i s cl us t ered .
S ym b o l i s m:
The p o s i t i on of B udd ha i s cent ral t o t he fai t h, t hi s m yt hol ogy and general
bel i efs s y s t em s are refl e ct ed i n t he ove ral l arr angem ent of t he m onas t ery
com p l ex i t s el f. Th e m ai n ent ran ce co urt yard wi t h t he t e m pl e and t he
as s em b l y h al l , i t i s t he m os t i m port ant expres s i on i n t he overal l pl a n
organ i zat i on .

Hi erar chy:

T he bas i c hi e rar chy i n

m onas t ery i s t hat t he m ai n
s acred t em pl e and a s s em bl y
hal l com pl ex at t he upper
pl at eau of t he hi l l , fol l owed
by t he m onk’s res i dence and
t he vi l l age hous es at t he
l ower s l ope. [ 3 ]

[ 3] S ha n k ar , P . ( n . d . ). L i k i r M o n a s t er T h e S t r u c t u r i n g P r i n c i p l e s o f t h e
C o m p l e x . Ahm e da b a d. R e t ri e ve d fr om
h t t ps : / / w ww . a c a d em i a . e d u / 19 9 0 2 7 14 / Li k i r _M o n a s t er y _ T h e _ st r u ct u r i n g _ pr
i n ci p l e s _ of _ t h e _ c om pl e x

E xam pl e 2: Ajan ta Mon as tery

The B u d d hi s t rock cut m onas t ery Aj an t a was es t abl i s hed i n 2 n d cent ury
near Wag h or a ri ver i n S ahayadri rang e of t he Wes t e rn Ghat s , Aurangab ad
di s t ri ct , M ah aras ht r a S t at e.

The ro ck cut m ona s t ery i n pl an cons i s t i ng of an open c ourt yard and

veran d ah wi t h c el l s on ea ch s i de, a c ent ral hal l s i ded b y 14 cel l s , a
ves t i b u l e and garbh gri ha (i nner s anct u m ).
C onfi g u rat i on of S paces :
The i d ea of cent ra l i t y i s refl ect ed i n al l t he
vi haras i n t he ca ve. T he c el l arou nd t he
court y ard w er e us e d by m onks for res t i ng and
t he co u rt y ard bec am e t he s pac e of l earn i ng and
gat h eri n g . T he i de a of Garbhg ri ha s a cr ed pl ace
wi t h i n t h e v i h ara i s di fferni ng fro m ot her
m on as t i c s paces .

The wo rs h i p h al l s wer e known as C hai t ya

Gri h as , was bu i l t i n t he form a re ct ang l e. T he
wors h i p h al l s are di vi ded i nt o a naï ve and t wo
ai s l es . T he h al l con s i s t s of a s t upa and an as pe.
A s t u p a i s a hem i s p h eri cal s t ru ct ure h a vi ng t he
rem ai n s of B ud dhi s t m onks . The aps e i s a s em i -
ci rcu l ar s t ru ct ure h a vi ng a vaul t or s em i -dom e.

The Aj an t a cav es ar e engul fed i n darknes s . The s pat i al qual i t y of darknes s

hel p ed t h e m on ks w hi l e m edi t at i ng.
C ul t u ral i dent i t y :
The i d ea o f p ai nt i n gs i n t he Aj ant a cav es predom i nant l y na rrat e t h e J at ak a
t al e wh i ch rep res en t s t he di ffer ent s t ori e s of l ord B uddha.
 E x am p l e 3: E l l o ra M onas t ery
El l o ra cav es exc av at ed from 6 t h t o 9 t h cent uri es em brac e groups of
B udd h i s t , Hi n du and J ai n
caves i n an al m o s t s t rai ght
l i ne o f ab o ut t wo ki l om et res .
The cav es a re dens el y

s cul pt ed wi t h s t at ues of B uddha and hi s rel at i ons ,

The Hi ndu pant heon and t he J i nas ( Ti rt hakaras ) o f
J ai ni s m . It i s refl e ct i ng t he m ul t i pl e cul t ure of
di fferen t rel i gi on .

Organ i zat i on of s p a ces :

The i d ea of cel l s a round t he court ya rd i s not s een. The c hange i n t he
t ypo l o g y o f vi haras becaus e of t he i nf l uence of ot her rel i gi ous s paces ,
Es peci al l y t he Kai l a s h Tem pl e.

Exam p l e 4 : T akht - I- B ahi M onas t ery

Takh t - I-B ah i (Th ro ne of Ori gi ns ) i s a m onas t i c com pl ex founded i n t he
earl y 1 s t cent ury A .D. and i t i s s p e ct acul arl y pos i t i oned on va ri ous
hi l l t o p s . It i s a rel i c of B uddhi s m i n Gandhar R egi on i n P aki s t an.

[4]

It co m p ri s es a m ai n s t upa court , a group of t hree s t upas , t he m onas t i c

quad ran g l e wi t h m edi t at i on cel l s , g at heri ng s pa ce (con f erenc e h al l ),
pas s ag ew ays and ot her s ecul ar bui l di ngs . [ 4 ]
[ 4] L e, H. P . ( 20 1 0 ) . B u dd h i s t A r c h i t e c t ur e. Gr a f i k o l . p ag e 5 6 / 5 8 R e t r i e v e d
f r om
h t t ps : / / bo o k s .g o o gl e . c o. i n/ b o o ks ?i d = 9 j b 3 6 4 g 4B vo C & dq = t a k h t + i + b a h i & s o
u r c e= gb s _n a vl i n ks _ s

The cen t res a re p l ac es of ori ent at i on. T he cent re be com i ng t he generat o r

of t h e p l an . T h e R el i gi ous hi erarchy i s s een i n di ff erent ways i n t he
m on as t eri es t hrou gh l evel s or ori ent at i on or pl a cem ent . The m os t s acr ed
s pace t em pl es a re g i ven a s peci al i m po rt ance. T h e m onas t i c s paces are
s pat i al l y s ym m et ri c becaus e of t he geom et ry of s pa ce and t h e rep et i t i on of
el em en t s t hro ugho ut .
In t h e l at e ni net een t h cent ury, t he ro ck- cut t em pl es of t he Wes t ern Gh at s
were ex cav at ed and m apped by Fe rgus s on and B urges s ([1 880] 1988). To
t hi s d ay , t hei r p rec i s e el evat i ons and ground pl ans i nform m uch of t he
s cho l ars h i p on earl y B uddhi s t m onas t i ci s m . Fergus s on and B urges s ’s vi ew
of t h e m on as t eri es , howeve r, w as p r i m ari l y i nform ed b y re adi ngs of
B udd h i s t m on as t i c l i t erat ure t hat depi ct ed m onas t eri es a s rai ny s eas o n
ret re at s —l ocat i on s where t he B uddhi s t s angha coul d i s ol at e t hem s el ves an d
engag e i n ex t ended m edi t at i on. L i ke ot her e arl y B ri t i s h arch aeol ogi s t s (e.g. ,
B rown 1 9 65; C un nin gham [1854] 1997), Fergus s on and B urges s bel i eved
t hat B u d d hi s t m onas t eri es we re s uppor t ed by royal don at i ons . Over t h e
t wen t i et h cen t u ry, t he perc ept i on of i s ol at i on and royal pat ronage has
grad u al l y s h i ft ed t o a vi ew of B uddhi st m onas t eri es as more act i ve and
engag ed wi t h wo rl d l y conce rns . Th apar (2002) and R ay (1 986) not ed t h at
m uch o f t he s u pport for B uddhi s t m onas teri es was deri v ed fr om craft gui l ds
rat her t h an t h e ro y al t y. T hapar, whi l e cont i nui ng t o s ee m onas t eri es as
i s ol at ed ret reat s , i n t erpret ed t hes e gi ft s as evi dence t hat m onas t eri es wer e
t he re ci p i ent s of d onat i ons res ul t i ng from com pet i t i ve g i vi ng bet ween
gui l d s , l es s er el i t e, and t he royal t y. In cont ras t , R ay s aw B uddhi s t
m on as t eri es as m or e act i vel y eng aged i n econom i c act i vi t i es , s ervi ng as
nodes o n l o ng-di s t an ce t r ade n et works (s ee al s o Lahi ri 1992; M orri s on 1995)
and m an agi n g agri cu l t ural product i on i n t he peri phe ri es of de vel opi ng s t at es
(s ee al s o Hei t zm an 1997). R ecent l y, S haw (2000, 2007, 2013b) has argued
t hat B u d dhi s t m onas t eri es fos t e red a nd prom ot ed t he cons t ruct i on of
i rri g at i o n s ys t em s t o es t abl i s h pat ronag e s ys t em s wi t h l ocal popul at i ons . In
m y o wn wo rk, I h ave pres ent ed B ud dhi s t m onas t eri es as prec ari ous l y
bal an ci n g t hei r publ i c and pri vat e rel i gi ous obl i gat i ons wi t h t hei r n eed t o
prov i s i o n and s u s t ai n t he res i dent popul at i on (Fogel i n 2006) .

Bibl i og rap hy
Asher, F. M. (2015). Nalanda Situating the Great Monastery.

Fogelin, L. (n.d.). An Archaeological History of Indian Buddhism. Oxford University Press.

Le, H. P. (2010). Buddhist Architecture. Grafikol. Retrieved from

https://books.google.co.in/books?id=9jb364g4BvoC&dq=takht+i+bahi&source=gbs_navlinks
_s

Mani, C. (2008). THE HERITAGE OF NALANDA. Aryan Books International, New Delhi.

Property : Excavated Remains of Nalanda Mahavihara. (n.d.). Archaeological Survey of India.

Shankar, P. (n.d.). Likir Monaster The Structuring Principles of the Complex. Ahmedabad. Retrieved
from
https://www.academia.edu/19902714/Likir_Monastery_The_structuring_principles_of_the_
complex