English
Chhandogya Upanisliad (The tale of Narad and Sanat Kumar), (d) Vedas with their Angas and Upanishads, archery, various religions, ethics, dialectics, politics and the 0 ; arts (See appen- <lb_)-_The8e were attributed to Baladeva and Krishna-Srimat Bhagavata. Also see Vishnu Puraoa Part III Chap. VI 28-29. EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA. the secular subjects. The sacred laws which also formed a part of the curriculum of these schools included ‘not only the precepts for the moral duties of all Aryas but also the special rules regarding the conduct of kings and the administration of justice’. As long as the various angas 1 consisted of short simple treatises there existed only one type of schools called the Vedic Schools. But as the materials for each of these sub¬ jects accumulated and the method of their treatment was perfected, the Vedic Schools became differentiated into the Vedic Schools and the Special Schools of Science. The members of the former devoted their energy only to get a full and accurate knowledge of the sacred texts but took very little care to understand the subject-matter, so that they became ‘living libraries’ but without any power to make any real use of their learning while their rivals, though they restricted their learning to only a few branches of 1 These are, Siksha or phonetics, Chhandas or Metre, Vyaka* raua or Grammar, Nirukta or etymology, Kalpa or religious practices and Jyotish or astronomy. science, taught their curriculum thoroughly and intelligently. So in time, the ^ edic schools ceased to be the centres of intellec¬ tual, and were supplanted by the special, schools of science. The curriculum of these schools included the science of the sacrifice, grammar, law or astronomy. Again, in course of time there developed by the side ot these a class of institutions called Special Law Schools which gave a thorough training in the different duties of men. The most important seats of learning, however, were the Parishojds or Brahmanic Colleges 1 answering to the Residential Uni¬ versities of Europe. These were originally conducted by three Brahmins, ~ but the number gradually increased till it was settl¬ ed that a Parishad ought to consist of 21 Brahmins well versed in Philosophy, iheo- logy and Law. 8 Unlike the later Buddhist or modem European Universities they were situated in places far away from the din and 1 Brihat Aranyaka Upanishad VI. 2. * Mann XII, 111. 3 Civilisation in Ancient India Vol. I (p. 163)—by R. C. Dutta. miSTffy EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA. <SL 'tistle of the town. The students were not only given free tuition but free board and lodging as well, the expenses under various heads being met from the endowments made by the kings, princes and the rich of the land, who considered it a sacred duty to help liberally those interested in education. ORGANIZATION. According to the Hindus the period from birth to the fifth year of a child was regarded as the time for play. 1 After which 3 or at any rate from the 8th year the time for study commenced. The child had to be initiated before he began to study. Hence the initiation ceremony as it marked the beginning of a boy’s spiritual life, was consi¬ dered as the momentous event in his life. The time for initiation was generally fixed ! *rci: 3?ifSTTiTr % %z??t w n , Vichnu P u ran a Part I, XII, 18. - 1 Kami II 37 . miST/fy^ at the 8 th, 11th and the 12th year in the ease of a Brahmin, Kshatriya or a Vaisya boy respectively. 1 But it might take place between 8 and 16 in the case of a Brahmin, between 11 and 22 in the case of a Kshatriya and between 12 and 24 in the case of a Vaisya. 2 The initiated boy was then sent to the house of his spiritual teacher or Diksha Guru so that under his fostering care he might receive his spiritual, moral and intel¬ lectual training. Here he lived as a religi¬ ous student for 12, 24, 36 or 48 years accord¬ ing as he wished to master one, two, three, or four vedas. The training he received in the house of his guru was intended to open his mind by making him acquainted with moral precepts and life’s duties and to develop in him such an attit ude of mind and habit that he might become fit intellectually, morally and physically for the life to come or in other words, the whole course was intended to tram the will. Hence, he spent a few hours daily, generally in the evening 3 1 Manu II 36. 5 Ibid 38. ! Vishnu Purana Part III, XL 96. EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA. in receiving lessons in the secrets of religion and in the various sciences and arts. While the proper ideals which form the second phase of training the will, came to him from the moral and pure atmosphere in which he was brought up. But to develop in him habits of action i.e. to enable him to act up to the knowledge of right and ideals he possessed (which is the third- phase of will-training), the teacher from the very beginning taught him purity of habits, customary conduct, attendance on the sacri¬ ficial fire and sandhya devotions (69). The religious student had to rise before sun-rise and engage himself every day in duly muttering in a pure place the Gayitri during both the twilights with fixed attention after having made his ablution and become pure (222). Also he had to collect wood for the holy fire, beg food of his relations, sleep ou a low bed and perform such offices as might please his preceptor until his return home (108). Besides, he had to wear simple clothes (44) and avoid eating to excess (57) In fact, in order to be able to form habits of ORGANIZATION. self-abnegation and self-control he had to live a life of Brcthmachcii'i. Accordingly, the religious student was advised to avoid taking honey, meat, sweet scents, garlands, sweet and pungent drinks, intercourse with woman, all sour gruel or acid liquid, and the killing or injuring of animals (177); and to refrain fiom smearing the body with oil, painting the eyes with collyrium, using shoes or an umbrel¬ la, desire for enjoyment, anger, covetousness, dancing, singing and playing on musical instruments (178). He was further enjoined to forbear from gambling, petty quarrels calumniating people, speaking lies, looking wistfully at women, embracing them, and doing harm to others. Besides, he had to lie down alone in all places and should always remain physically pure (180). 1 Thus the life of the student in the house of the preceptor was one of discipline, and the fact that the student had to go through this drill and to reside in- the house of the preceptor shows that the Hindus even then understood that “religion and morality are not matters EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA. of the intellect merely—that they cannot be so much learnt as practised ; and that the atmosphere or environment to which a child is accustomed in early years is the most powerful agent in shaping and forming his religion and moral beliefs.” When the pupil thus finished his appren¬ ticeship he was allowed to return to his paternal home. He then married and began his household life. Method 1 . The following description found in the 15th chapter of the T*ratisakhy a of Rig Veda, gives in brief the method of teaching that was in vogue in the schools of ancient India. The pupils then used to embrace the reet of their teacher at the beginning and end of a lecture. This practice corresponds to the modern practice of rising and saluting a teacher when he enters and leaves the class. It appears from the description that the different words of a question (prasna) were first pronounced by the teacher and repeated by the pupil. These, when neces¬ sary, were explained by the teacher. JLhe MINfSr^ ORGANIZATION. students then had to repeat the question once more ; after which they went on learning it by heart, pronouncing every syllable with the high accent. Thus the recital was not mechanical as attention was constantly re¬ quired for the modification of the accents. The lectures continued during about half O the year, the term beginning generally with the rainy season. 1 There were, however, many holtdays on which no lectures were given. 2. According to Bachaspatimisra, (hearing of words) 33 =^ (apprehension of meaning), (reasoning leading to genera¬ lisation) (confirmation by a friend or teacher) and (application) are the five steps for the realisation of the meaning of a religious truth (rTt^^n)- 2 Curiously enough from the teacher’s point of view these correspond almost to the Dewey’s steps. 8 1 Curiously enough this corresponds to tlie time when the session in our colleges begins now. 3 Maharnahopadhaya C. K. Tarkalanlsara—Lectures on Hindu Philosophy (1st year)—pp. 299-301. s Dewey—How we think, The**following sloka gives step- similar to those of the Herbartians. trrctf mi i misr^y. EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA. Dewey’s steps. ^ 1. A problem and its location. (3) ■gn?' ] 2. Suggested solutions aud (4) J selection of a solution (5) 3. Action (application) Teachers’ course 1 In the Hindu sys¬ tem an individual before he was allowed to become a teacher, had to pass through the recognised curriculum and to fulfil all the duties of a Brahmanical student (brahma- charin). Discipline :—Discipline in the Hindu system was generally mild. Sloka 159 (Manu II) lays down that a teacher should give instruction for the benefit of his students, without doing injury (by way of punishment) to them, and by using sweet and mild words. But when a pupil committed grave faults he was beaten with a rope or split bamboo on the back part of his body only, and never on the noble part. He who would strike him •otherwise would incur the guilt of a thief. 2 It is interesting to note here that the 3 PratfeaUbya of Rig Veda—Chap.