Understanding Xuan Zang's Account of Nalanda Monastery

The question asks about the person at Nalanda Buddhist monastery who, according to the famous Chinese pilgrim Xuan Zang, was responsible for asking difficult questions to new entrants seeking admission. This practice was a stringent test to ensure only scholars of high caliber could enter the esteemed institution.

Analyzing the Role at Nalanda Entry

Xuan Zang, who visited Nalanda in the 7th century CE and spent many years studying there, provided a detailed account of the monastery's functioning in his writings. His description of the entry process is particularly famous.

According to Xuan Zang's records:

• Admission to Nalanda was highly selective.
• New entrants had to pass a difficult test.
• This test involved answering profound questions related to Buddhist philosophy and other subjects taught at the monastery.
• Xuan Zang specifically mentions the role of the person who administered this challenging entrance examination.

Identifying the Examiner at Nalanda

Based on Xuan Zang's detailed observations, the person who conducted these rigorous entrance examinations and posed difficult questions to potential students was the gatekeeper of the monastery. The gatekeepers (often learned scholars themselves) were the first line of assessment, filtering applicants before they could even be considered for formal admission by the senior monks.

Evaluating the Options

Let's look at the given options in light of Xuan Zang's account:

1. chief of monastery: While the chief (Abbot) was the overall head, Xuan Zang attributes the initial testing role to someone else.
2. gatekeeper: Xuan Zang's writings explicitly mention the gatekeeper's role in testing new entrants with difficult questions.
3. youngest monk: Younger monks were typically still learning and not in a position to examine new scholars.
4. oldest monk: While senior monks were respected scholars, the specific role of the first difficult test at the gate is attributed to the gatekeeper by Xuan Zang.

Therefore, Xuan Zang's account clearly identifies the gatekeeper as the individual responsible for asking difficult questions to new entrants.

Xuan Zang and Nalanda's Significance

Xuan Zang's journey to India and his time at Nalanda Mahavihara are significant historical events. His writings, particularly the 'Great Tang Records on the Western Regions', provide invaluable insights into the society, culture, and religious institutions of 7th-century India, especially detailing the academic rigor and structure of Nalanda.

Revision Table: Key Details from Xuan Zang's Account of Nalanda

Additional Information: Xuan Zang's Visit and Nalanda Mahavihara

Xuan Zang's visit to India lasted from 629 to 645 CE. He came in search of authentic Buddhist scriptures. He spent several years at Nalanda, which was then a premier center of learning, often described as one of the world's first great universities. At Nalanda, he studied under eminent scholars like Śīlabhadra. His detailed accounts of India, including his description of the rigorous academic environment and the strict admission process at Nalanda overseen by the gatekeeper, are crucial primary sources for understanding the history of that period.

Nalanda Mahavihara flourished under the Gupta Empire and later the Pala Empire. It attracted students from various parts of Asia. The description of the gatekeeper's role highlights the high standards maintained for entry into this renowned institution.