The Golden Road - How Ancient India Transformed the World

• Bodhidharma
  • He traveled from India to China in the 5th/6th century CE.
  • He is considered the founder of Chan Buddhism in China, which later evolved into Zen Buddhism in Japan.
  • Legend also suggests that he taught martial arts to his disciples, possibly Kalaripayattu.
    • Kalaripayattu is considered by some to be the oldest martial art form in the world and has its own fascinating history.
  • This video about him is quite interesting.
• Xuanzang
  • He traveled to India to study Buddhism, notably at Nalanda University.
  • At Nalanda, he studied under the renowned Buddhist scholar Śīlabhadra.
  • He mentioned the use of a water clock during his time at Nalanda for measuring time. Some theorize that pots found at Harappan sites like Mohenjo-Daro could have been used as water clocks, known as “Ghatika Yantra” in Sanskrit.
  • After his 17-year journey, he copied numerous Buddhist texts to bring back to China.
  • During his travels, he met the famous Indian king Harsha.
  • Upon his return to China, he petitioned the emperor for a tower to house the Sanskrit scriptures he had brought back, modeled after Nalanda. That tower, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, still exists today.
  • As a tribute to him, there is a memorial in Nalanda, India.