Thursday, February 26, 2009

Takshila: World's first University

India has a long and venerable history in the field of higher education. In ancient times, the country was known to have been home to the oldest formal universities in the world.

The world's first University was established in Takshila or Taxila or Takshashila (now in Pakistan) in 700BC. This centre of learning was situated about 50 km west of Rawalpindi in Pakistan. It was an important Vedic/Hindu and Buddhist center of learning. It was not a well organized university like Nalanda.

There is some disagreement about whether Takshashila can be considered a university. While some consider Taxila to be an early university or centre of higher education, others do not consider it a university in the modern sense.

More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied here. The campus accommodated students who came from as far as Babylonia, Greece, Arabia and China and offered over sixty different courses in various field such as science, mathematics, medicine, politics, warfare , astrology, astronomy, music, religion, and philosophy. Generally, a student entered Takshashila at the age of sixteen. Students would come to Takshila and take up education in their chosen subject with their teacher directly.
They were supposed to pay for their expenses. However, if a student was unable to pay then he could work for his teacher. The Vedas and the Eighteen Arts, which included skills such as archery, hunting, and elephant lore, were taught, in addition to its law school, medical school, and school of military science.

Takshila was specialized in the study of medicine.

Panini, the famous Sanskrit grammarian, Kautilya (Chanakya) and Charaka, the famous physician of ancient India, and Chandragupta Maurya were the products of this university. It gained its importance again during the reign of Kanishka. It was probably, the earliest of the ancient seats of higher education. Takshashila is perhaps best known because of its association with Chanakya. The famous treatise Arthashastra (Sanskrit for The knowledge of Economics) by Chanakya, is said to have been composed in Takshashila itself.

Taxila has been listed by the UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites.

40 comments:

  1. hello Maboo
    i read yr this article. i get some new knowledge from yr this article, but i need detail knowledge about Takshila university, if u know then i will pay for that.
    vinita
    vini281@gmail.com

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  2. thanx for this wonderful article, takshila & nalanda are one of the great wonders :-)

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    Replies
    1. Not only Nalanda & Takshila but also Vikramshila are also famous University on that time

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  3. Nalanda University(Bihar, India) established in 4th century AD is the Oldest and first university of world. It stood active upto 800 AD

    Takshila University was established in 7th century AD.

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    1. JYOTI, TAKSHASHILA WAS FOUNDED IN 700 BC, THUS THIS IS THE OLDEST UNIVERSITY OF THE WORLD.

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  4. Dear Jyoti,
    Nalanda Was established by Chanakya, n he was student of Takshila. Also it was around 3rd century BC. then how come Nalanda is first??

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  5. Nalanda was established by KUMARGUPTA. But i dont know who found Takshila university. plz let me know...

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  6. when i'm in 10th class that time i read in book about it
    and chankya and panni
    i think i'm go this uni.
    but it's not avalible


    www.rpalvesh@gmail.com

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  7. can anybody sent me old sanscrict book transalations ?? varkiv@gmail.com

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  8. will u please tell who is the founder of takshashila university

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    Replies
    1. king Taksh who was the son of Bharat and the nephew of God Ram created takshashila

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    2. Amit Ji you are right but the ASIA has had adopted the BUDDHISM till that time and THE TAKSSHILA and NALANDA in both universities only the BUDDHA sects being taught by the buddhists monks

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  9. before few days i am collecting information about taksila and nalanda but ithink this is it
    plees give me some more information .
    THANKS...............MABBO
    anujprtp247@gmail.com

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  10. Does vishnu sharma was the student of takshila university? please give me some more names of takshila students

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  11. plz tell me when canakya came taksila and every important information related with it . from vaidika. veadu.1993@gmail.com

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  12. some peoples believe the founder of TAKSHSILA the king Taksh who was the son of Bharat and the nephew of God Ram, but much is not known. It was establised in 700 bc. atleast 100 yers before lord BUDDHA. The place Takshsila was on the name of Taksh.Lahor is Lavvor on the name of Lav God ram's son, Kashoor is KUSHAAWAR on the name Kush, and Multan is the place where the NARSIMHA incarnation of God Vishnu happened, it was earlier called MOOL STHAN meaning place of origin.

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  13. My grandfather's grandfather studied in takshila university he says that kumarsengupta found this university

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  14. hey, its very great discussion dudes, i am also trying to get the information, i will give the perfect information as early as possible...

    thank you.

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  15. its great to know that indeed university education started in Indian subcontinent, where people used to study different subjects, for the benefit of larger mass, Thanks to the gospel of Lord Buddha.

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  16. TAKSHASHILA IS THE FIRST UNIVERSITY IN THE WORLD,BUT AS I AM INDIAN.I PROUDLY FEEL THAT INDIA IS THE FATHER AND MOTHER OF EDUCATION.
    "MERA BHARAT MAHAN"

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  17. There is unnecessarily CHANKYA inserted by Brahmani-cal People.It was Pure Buddhist Peoples

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  18. Nalanda is the first university in Asia. The site of Nalanda is located in the Indian state of Bihar, about 55 miles south east of Patna , and was a Buddhist center of learning from the fifth or sixth century CE to 1197 CE. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] It has been called "one of the first great universities in recorded history". [ 2 ] The Gupta Empire also patronized some monasteries . Nalanda flourished between the reign of the Śakrāditya (whose identity is uncertain and who might have been either Kumara Gupta I or Kumara Gupta II) and 1197 CE, supported by patronagefrom the Hindu Gupta rulers as well as Buddhist emperors like Harsha and later emperors from the Pala Empire . [ 3 ]
    The complex was built with red bricks and its ruins occupy an area of 14 hectares. At its peak, the university attracted scholars and students from as far away as Tibet , China , Greece , and Persia . [ 4 ] Nalanda was ransacked and destroyed by Turkic Muslim invaders under Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1193. The greatlibrary of Nalanda University wasso vast that it is reported to haveburned for three months after the invaders set fire to it, ransacked and destroyed the monasteries, and drove the monks from the site. In 2006, Singapore , China , India , Japan , and other nations, announced a proposed plan to restore and revive the ancient site as NalandaInternational University .

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    1. Both Nalanda & Takshshila are great old & famous universities of Ancient India. While Nalanda is enormous vast in size and well organised, Takshashila was also no less great. Do u all know, that all great religions of dis world is associated with India. It is also believed that Jesus & Prophet Mohammad were associated with Takshashila, studied Philosphy there and incorporated in their teachings. Jesus life history starting from his journey at age 12 to age 30 when he returned is missing in all bible stories and it's believed by many that he utilised dis period to study eastern philosphy, religious teachings at Takshshila. Same was also believed in case of Mohammad. Anyway, we hav 2 accept dat Education & teachings were spread all over the world by these 2 ancient universities and shaped dis new world.

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    2. dear friend, I want to share my knowledge about Prophet Muhammed(pbuh) .
      Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) was an illiterate & uneducated person before he recieved his prophecy. Prophet Muhammed's(pbuh) lived during the sixth century AD. Takshashila was destroyed during fifth century AD. so Its impossible to say that Prophet Muhammed(pbuh) studied at takshashila.

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  19. Inam 19/05/2012 16:53

    Nice Blog, I like it,

    Is there anybody have a Real Image of Takshila and Nalanda.
    if have plz send me on
    inam@shantijuniors.com
    or
    inamullah.agra@googlemail.com

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  20. Friends, chanakya was one of the student of takshila university which was the first university in the world.
    Takshila university is located near khandhar in pakistan.
    Magadha now which became BIHAR in our india.
    chankya came from magadha to Takshila university along with one reference letter as well as 50 gold coins after death of his father.
    He was one of excellent student in that university. He spent 10 years in that university.
    Chankya has three close friends in that university. Names are mentioned below. kindly remember friends.
    1. Siharan belongs to Mallapriya kingdom
    2. Mehar belongs to persia.
    3. Saranga Rao distinction student in that university.They were friends of chankya in Tahshila university.
    Email: mrkvision@rediffmail.com

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  21. Every one has to read chankya's story who. has strived alot of . If you would like to change the present politics, Read chankya's story

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    Replies
    1. READ Buddha sects everybody to save the world LIVE and LET Live

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  22. i think... Jesus was the student of thakshila university....

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  23. gud information, every Indian should know about out history, gr8

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  24. world oldest univesity TAKSHASHILA founded in INDIA( at that time), in 700 BC,proud to our history.we was VISHWA GURU, we have to take back our place.in the field of research we have to do better and implementation of these research paper is also very important.

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  25. Its a heritage of India, now in pakistan, pakistanis should understood their legacy.

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  26. ya but they are not made for good stuff..

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  27. this information that we have that takshila university was established in 700 BC is provided to us by some western history manipultors that corrupted our history and made us believe what ever they wished. Earliest record of takshila university is 3200BC where 12 mayan decendents were students of this university. they learned maths and architecture. One of the student as mentioned in mahabharta also created a sabha on the request of Arjun and Krishna.(Book 6 of Mahabharta).
    Remember these lunatic western historian made us believe that mahabhatat and Ramayan er EPIC.
    Coming back to Takshila university , it is said that there was a school in tashkant area where the first Mayasura (The Mayans) studied and its recorded that he studied there arounf 10000BC. The first Mayan ever, that travelled to India via kumari kundalani, (As refered in Tamil Vedas). Be proud of our great past,When these western lunatics were struggling , killing human for food our ancestors were counting surface area of Venus, jupitor..

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