One of the great Indian monastic universities. It was founded during the 8th century ce and was later supported by the Pāla dynasty. Little is known about this place beyond what is recorded in Tibetan sources although its layout provided a model for the construction of Samyé (Tibetan, bsam-yas), the first Tibetan monastery. It was destroyed by Muslim invaders around 1198 who converted it into a fortress after having slaughtered the resident monks. The location of Odantapurī has only recently been identified with the ruins at Bihārsharif, some 7 miles north-east of Nālandā. See also Tibet.
Odantapuri
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Odantapuri, also called Uddandapura, was a Buddhist vihara in what is now Bihar, India. It was established by king Dharmapala of Pala dynasty in the 8th century.It is considered the second oldest of India's universities and was situated in Magadha, about 6 miles away from Nalanda. Acharya Sri Ganga of Vikramashila had been a student here. According to the Tibetan records there were about 12,000 students at Odantapuri. In a Tibetan history of the Kalachakra tantra called dpal dus kyi 'khor lo'i zab pa dang rgya che ba'i dam pa'i chos byung ba'i tshul legs par bshad pa ngo mtshar dad pa'i shing rta, by the Sakya master Jamgon Amye Zhab (1597-1659) ('jam mgon a myes zhabs ngag dbang kun dga' bsod nams), it is mentioned that Odantapuri was administered by "Sendhapas," the Tibetan referent for Sri Lankan Theravadins.
The university perished at the hands of the Muslim invaders. It is said they mistook the universities with their high walls for fortresses. They thought the Buddhist monks were "Shaven headed Brahmins" who were idolaters.
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