Formal Education System in Ancient India
by Sushmita Nath | 2016 | 63,563 words
This page relates ‘Religious Education’ of the study on the (formal) education system in Ancient India with reference to Vedic and Buddhist period, investiging educational institutions and universities which existed during this time. Professional educational methods were found in ancient Sanskrit literature (Brahamanas, Dharma-Shastras, Puranas, Jatakas, etc.), including rules, ceremonies and duties of pupils in ancient India.
Religious Education
The most potent influence of ancient Indian education was that of the religion. Religion ceremonies are there way of life. Religion customs has deeply saturated ancient peoples life. Some religious customs are so important for the people of ancient period that they sacrifice their life for them. Both the Vedic and Buddhist system of education are virtually influenced by the religion. R.K.Mookerji in his book ‘Ancient Indian Education’ mentions that one unique feature of ancient Indian civilization is that it has been shaped and molded in course of its history more by religious influence than by political or economic consideration[1].
In ancient India we find that teachers gradually belonged to Priestly class. They follow their religious traditions and customs. These teachers were very virtuous and religious. That is why, in the beginning of the educational career, a child had to perform religious ceremonies. Without the performance of religious ceremonies, the child was unable to receive education. First a child had to perform the Vidyārambha ceremony. In that ceremony the child should worship the Sarasvatī, Hari, Lakṣmī, Vināyaka and tutelary deities. After that when the child was ready for higher education he had to perform Upanayana ceremony. In this time he also performed Sāvitrī Vrata, Medhajana Vrata and many more vratas. These were the religious observances. Every student had to observe all these ceremonies during his educational career. Another important thing is that during the educational career, the student had to perform morning and evening oblation or homage[2]. This adoration must be done with a concentrated mind in a pure place outside in the village, and in standing posture, and in silence. The Vedas give references about this[3]. The Manusmṛti and Mahābhārata[4] also give reference that the student prays to the Sūrya in the morning and to Agni in the evening. All this performances train up the boy in right moral conduct and also stimulate his preconscious thought. His moral side received direct training by performing the morning and evening prayer and the performance of sacrifice. During the academic session, the students also perform some other rituals. When the session began in the month of Śrāvaṇa or Bhādrapada, the student had to perform special ceremony called the Upākrama ritual and when the annual education session closed in the month of Pauṣa or Māgha, they had to perform Utsarjana ceremony[5]. In these ceremonies, the student used to offer their tribute of respect to the Saraswati, Hari, Lakṣmi, Vināyaka and tutelary deities. These ceremonies make a person very humble and they always try to maintain this humbleness in his life. At the end of the educational career the student had to perform the Samāvartana ceremony. An auspicious day was selected for the performance of this religious ceremony. In this day a student become a Snātaka. But before taking the title Snātaka, he had to perform some other rituals. He had to perform Homa and give the gurudakṣinā to his preceptor[6]. After all these sacrifices he became a perfect member of the community. The students had to perform all these religious ceremonies during his educational career.
From the Vedas we find that during the age people were very much aware of the religious ceremonies. The religion rite had a great hold over the public mind. The prayer, worship and sacrifice were the beginning as well as the conclusion of all training. People spend most of their time in pondering the religious works. It is a matter of fact they think that through the religious ceremonies they can achieve all efficacious things or can attain all the desire[7]. For this reason the each system education in ancient India has grown out of religious instruction. Each system tries to explain in own way the inter relation of men, nature and God. Religious instructions or rites were carefully imparted by both theory and practice. The teacher always tried to nourish the child’s mind from within by religious exercise and moral tales and to prepare it for work in worldly life.
The Buddhist education system also deeply influenced by the religious traditions and customs. Preaching on religious topic was their chief duty. For all the monks performing of religious instruction was compulsory. They proclaimed that all the subjects should be received religious instruction. It is a fact that they believe that the performance of religious ceremonies a man obtains happiness in the next world. That is why they think that there was no wrong time for religious ritual[8]. In beginning of their educational career or at the time of Pabbaja ceremony they take oath like–I take Refuge with the Buddha. I take Refuge with the Religion. I take Refuge with the Order[9]. In this oath they mentioned that they always follow the religious tradition and customs.
During the age people always worship and perform sacrifices. That is why; the life of the pupil was full of ritual acts. Every pupil were required to perform all the religious ceremonies dully. They had to participate all the religious festivals. They think that education without religious instruction was no education at all. It is a matter of fact that religious rite is a force which unites man with a man. It helps to stimulate and up hold the right moral conduct. It is a total configuration implying morality, virtue and duty. That is why both the education have the same opinion about religious education. But Buddhists education systems do not believe the concept of God. They are the opinion the real thing is true not imaginary. That is why in Buddhist period secular object of education also received equal importance. They mentioned that both the religious and secular object of education is very important. Through the secular education people understand the realities of society. As a matter of fact, after several years Buddhists education system developed a new phase of Indian religious thought.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Mookerji, R.K. Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist), Motilal Banarasi Dass Publishers, Delhi 2011,Prologue I.
[2]:
[4]:
Brāhmomuhurte budhyeta dharmārthau cānucintayet ……………..evamevāmaraṃ saṃdhyām samupāsit vāgytaḥ ||Mahābhārata Anu.104.16-17. Manusmṛti II.101.222.
[5]:
Śrāvaṇyāṃ prauṣṭapadyāṃ vāhapyupākṛtya yathāvidhi | yuktśchandāṃsyadhīyita māsān viprohardva pañcamān ||Ibid.IV.95; puṣye tu chndasāṃ kuryādvahirutsarjanaṃ dvijaḥ | māghaśuklasya vā prāpte pūrvahne prathmehahani||Ibid.IV.96.
[6]:
Vidyānte gurumarthena nimantrayaṃ kṛtvānujñātasya vā snānaṃ | Āśvalāyana Gṛhyasūtra III.9.4.
[7]:
Vratā niyamadharmāśca sarve sankalpajāḥ smṛtāḥ||Manusmṛti II.3.