Paper: Education and Self

Drawing upon traditions of Gurukuls and Monasteries

1. Gurukul System

In the Indian education , the place of a Guru has been considered as the highest of all which has
been well described in the following couplet:

“Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo, Maheshwarah, Guru SaakshatParabrahma,

Tasmay Shree GuruveNamah”

Guru Shishya Parampara has been the most ancient and is also known as the best system. From
the times of Veda, education has been given by the Guru orally which is known as Guru-mukh.
The student while living in a Gurukul would offer services to the Guru and at the same time,
living under a stringent discipline, spending moderate lifestyle and perpetually practicing
whatever education has been given to the student by the Guru and learning by heart was the only
way to receive knowledge. The description on education that we get from the Vaidik Yuga shows
that there were no names given to any school or even there were no niceties on the numbers of
students in each class. Whatever is available through passim sporadically they point to the fact
that education of vedas, upvedas, puranas etc. were taught giving personal attention and this
precisely has been defined as Guru- Shishya Parampara. In this way knowledge of music was
provided via guru-mukh. But, whatever literature or material is available in context to art forms of
Buddha Period, therefrom, a few names and information of Universities come to light. The
competency and scholastic commitment in Indian education is incomparable. The credit of
constant development of education goes categorically to the system of GuruShishya Parampara.
The knowledge gained by the Guru through sheer hard-work, practice and experiments- all of it
was delivered to the students. In lieu, on the same principles, anything and everything learnt by
the dedicated students from their Guru was saved, polished and the same was practised and
experimented which made it bloom and develop. To acquire correct knowledge of any form of
lore the best possible way would be to understand by the agency of Guru-mukh, that is why this is
known as obtaining knowledge ‘Guru-mukhi’. It is an undisputable truth that knowledge can only
be acquired through direct contact with the Guru.

In those days, the students used to live in the house of the Guru and acquire knowledge
traditionally. This system is called Gurukul system of learning. The meaning of Gurukul is,
“learning while living with the Guru in his house”. In this period, those who had intense volition
to take knowledge, they learnt while living in an aashram of the guru for many years. After the
full obeisance to the commandments of the Guru, the student would pass the final test for learning
only after the complaisance given by the Guru. After this test the Guru would grant knowledge
with an open heart to the student and also take full responsibility of the student’s future. Along
these lines, as they spent most of the time together both the Guru and the student had suavity and
intimacy in the relationship between them. No fees were taken by the Guru from the student. The
student’s devotion towards his Guru was what the teacher always cherished for. In short, in
ancient times education depended upon the Guru. There was no syllabus and neither there was
any provision to write the notations of the Bandishes learnt. The student would try to imitate
exactly the same way as rendered by the Guru. In the olden days the theoretical aspect of
education was given more weightage. The system did not give much importance to the intellectual
treatment but the rules of the practical wing and primary values were not violated and only by the
 Guru- Shishya Parampara the student would graduate and become an artist.
Education in Ancient India originated with the Gurukul system. This type of ancient school in
India was residential in nature with the Shishyas or students and the Guru or teacher living
in proximity within the same house. The students resided together irrespective of their social
standing. However, several temples and community centers regularly took the role of schools.
In addition to that ancient Indian education achieved a noticeable position in the early Vedic
period In the Vedic days, the teaching of the four Vedas, the hymns and ritual practices were
seen. The Vedas included the Sanskrit language which in turn became the language of
classical learning. Besides the pronunciation of the Vedas and their implication,
phonology, metrics, elementary grammar, and etymology were also taught.

In fair weather; classes were held under the shelter of the tree. In the rainy season schools
ran under thatched roof. Temple colleges of the past had been of great renown for having
spacious buildings for classrooms and the residential complexes of the students and the
"Gurus". Gurukuls and Ashrams were generally situated on the river banks or on the lake
to attain the knowledge.

Education at that time was free. It was free because no student was required to pay any fees. It
was free also because no outside agency could interfere in the matters of education. There was
perfect autonomy. No external authority no external beneficiary, no politics was permitted to
enter the school or college system. A student had to pay nothing in return for education he
received in a Gurukul or Ashram. Access to good education depended not on wealth but on
talent. The student was expected, if desired but never compelled to offer a field, cow, horse or
the elements of the daily needs to his teacher according to his financial position in the society.

Historical evidences of Gurukuls

1.Takshshila(Taxila): Students arriving at Takshashila usually had completed their
primary education at home (until the age of eight), and their secondary education in the
Ashrams (between the ages of eight and twelve), and therefore came to Takshashila chiefly to
reach the ends of knowledge in specific disciplines. Both theoretical and practical aspects of the
subjects were taught.Every modern subjects(60in numbers ) were taught in Taxila (mathemaics,
Astronomy, Economics, Surgery, medical and technological Sciences, militry training and many
subjects)

2.The Mahabharata tells of numerous hermitages where pupils from distant parts gathered
for instruction round some far-famed teachers. A full-fledged Asrama is described as consisting
of several Departments which are enumerated as following:
Agnisthana: the place for fire-worship and prayers
Brahma-sthana: the Department of Veda
Vishnusthana: the Department for teaching Raja-Niti ETC
Mahendrasthana: Military Section
Vivasvata-sthana: Department of Astronomy
Somasthana: Department of Botany
Garuda-sthana: Section dealing with Transport and Conveyances
Kartikeya-sthana: Section teaching military organization, how to form patrols, battalions, and
army.

3.The hermitage of Kanva was another famous center of learning, of which a full description
is given. It is situated on the banks of the Malini, a tributary of the Sarayu River. It was not a
solitary hermitage, but an assemblage of numerous hermitages round the central hermitage of
Rishi Kanva, the presiding spirit of the settlement. There were specialists in every branch of
learning cultivated in that age; specialists in each of the four Vedas; in sacrificial literature and
art; Kalpa-Sutras; in the Chhanda (Metrics), Sabda (Vyakarana), and Nirukta. There were
also Logicians, knowing the principles of Nyaya, and of Dialectics (the art of establishing
propositions, solving doubts, and ascertaining conclusions). There were also specialists in the
physical sciences and art. There were, for example, experts in the art of constructing sacrificial
altars of various dimensions and shapes (on the basis of a knowledge of Solid Geometry); those
who had knowledge of the properties of matter (dravyaguna); of physical processes and their
results of causes and their effect; and zoologists having a special knowledge of monkeys and
birds. It was thus a forest University where the study of every available branch of learning was
cultivated.

4.Hermitage of Rishi Bharadvaja at Prayaga, or at Atri at Chitrakuta was center of learning

Vedas.

5.The hermitage of Vyasa was another seat of learning. There Vyasa taught the Vedas to his
disciples. Those disciples were highly blessed Sumantra, vaisampayana, Jamini of great wisdom,
and Paila of great ascetic merit." They were afterwards joined by Suka, the famous son of Vyasa.
 Some of the best known universities in India are Ancient Nalanda University, Takshashila
University, Odantapuri in Bihar, (500 to 1040), Somapura in Bangladesh, Jagaddal in Bengal
(now in West Bengal), Nagarjunakonda in Andra Pradesh, Vikramshila in Bihar, Saradhha
peeth in Kashmir, Valabhi in Gujarat (from Maitrak period), Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh,
Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, Manyakheta in Karnataka, Puspagiri and Ratnagiri in Orissa.

Merits of Gurukul System

1. The Gurus had enormous knowledge and knew how to teach the most arduous of the things.
2. This Parampara used to take its time and due to this the students used to come out in a very perfect manner.
3. They used to inherit a certain style and had the efficiency in it.
4. In this the student was well trained and he had the full authority for his art form.
5. The student used to have very humble respects for the Guru and discipline was pursued due to this they got
the opportunity to learn the good points of the attitude and art.
6. They were taught directly or face-to-face and there were lot of benefits of this style of teaching.
7. The environment provided to the student was made sure the he would come out an good scholar.

Demerits Gurukul System

1. The student never got a glimpse of the other genres because he came across only one Guru.
2. There was no time period allotted for the course. The student had to depend on the teacher totally.
3. The ancient system did not entertain the theoretical wing of the education.
4. The Guru used to hide a lot of important points which the student used to be unaware of.
5. The student also had to do all the inferior daily house cores.

All is history as in today’s world it is not possible for both the student and the teacher to have
harmony on the basis of these narrow traditions.

Modern Gurukul System

By the colonial era the gurukula system was declining in India. Dayananda Saraswati - the founder
of Arya Samaj and his follower Swami Shraddhanand were the pioneer of the modern gurukul
system, Swami Shraddhanand founded Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya on March 4, 1902. Arya
Samaj's The Dayand Anglo-Vedic education system is a non-governmental educational organisation
in India that runs several gurukuls as well as 900+ schools, 75+ colleges and a university.
In 1948, Shastriji Maharaj Dharamjivan das Swami followed suit and initiated first Swaminarayan
Gurukul in Rajkot in Gujarat state of India.
Recently several gurukula have begun, driven by a desire to uphold tradition. An example of these
new schools include the Ananda Marga Gurukula. Another examples of gurukuls in India are Gurukul
Kishangarh Ghasera, Gurukul Kaalba, etc. Yoga Guru Baba Ramdevhad studied in Gurukul
Kaalba. Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Puttaparthi, follows the gurukula system.

2. Monasteral System in Ancient India

In India during the time of Buddha, there was a racial discrimination in the society. This
discrimination was according to profession of man, and according to birth. In the society there were
four division of man of whom Brahman was superior. Brahmanism dominated the society and
established their supremacy in the country. They enjoyed rights for religious training and education.
But other category of people deprived of their religious and educational rights. At that time there were
62 heretical doctrines in existence and priesthood got upper hand. In this background a religious
revolution started in ancient India in 600 B.C. and a new doctrine or system developed which is called
Buddhist doctrine or Buddhist philosophy. It is to be said that on the foundation of Buddhism a new
and special Education System originated in ancient India. Buddhism made a tremendous movement
which played a valuable role in the development of Education System in ancient India or ancient
Buddhist world. It is well-known that with the rise of Buddhism in India there dawned the golden age
of India’s culture and civilisation. There was progress in all aspects of Indian civilisation under the
impact of Buddhism.

The goal of Buddha’s teaching-the goal of Buddhist education is to attain wisdom. In Sanskrit, the
language of ancient India, the Buddhist wisdom was called ―Anuttara-Samyak-Sambhodi meaning
the perfect ultimate wisdom. The Buddha taught us that the main objective of our practice or
cultivation was to achieve this ultimate wisdom. The Buddha further taught us that everyone has the
potential to realize this state of ultimate wisdom, as it is an intrinsic part of our nature, not something
one obtains externally. The chief aim of Buddhist education was all round development of child’s
personality. This included his physical , mental, moral and intellectual development. The aim of
Buddhist Education is to make a free man, a wise, intelligent, moral, non-violent & secular man.
Students became judicious, humanist, logical and free from superstitious. Students became free from
greed, lust and ignorance.

In the early period Buddhist Education was limited within the monasteries and only for the
members of the monastery. But later on it was open to all, even lay people got scope to have
education in those institutions. In modern days Buddhist Education became wide open and embraced
people of all walks of life. The aim of Buddhist Education is to change an unwise to wise, beast hood
to Buddha hood. Buddhist Education made revolutionary change in the society. The Buddhists in the
world first made Education open to all. Students irrespective of caste, creed, religion got opportunity
to have education which was denied by the superior class in the society. In India also, in Vedic
Educational schools students from lower classes were refused to get admission. The monasteries or
Buddha Vihars were the chief centres of learning and only the Budhist monks could be admitted to
them for education. Thus there was no planned arrangement for mass education as such during the
period. It form this position it would be wrong to construce that the Buddhist monks were unmindful
of the education of the people in general. So at the time of begging alms the monks used to remove
the religious doubts of the people through their interesting conversation or short and alp lectures. Thus
the people in general received moral and religious education from the monks.
 The aim of Buddhist Education is to make a free man, a wise, intelligent, moral, non-violent &
secular man. Students became judicious, humanist, logical and free from superstitious. Students
became free from greed, lust and ignorance. Buddhist Education was wide open and available to the
people of all walks of life. The principal goal of the Buddhist Education is to change an unwise to
wise, beast to priest. The teachers were the guardian of the students. They were responsible for
physical, mental, spiritual and moral development of the students. Since Educational Institution
(Monasteries) was residential therefore the relationship between the teachers and the students were
very cordial. The student was expected to serve his teacher with all devotion. On rising in the morning
the student will arrange everything for the daily routine of the teacher. He will cook his food and
clean his clothes and utensils. Whatever he acquired through begging alms, he would place before
teacher.

The Core of Buddha’s teaching-the Buddha teaching contains three major points discipline,
meditation and wisdom. Wisdom is the goal and deep meditation or concentration in the crucial
process toward achieving wisdom. Buddhism encompasses the entire collection of works by Buddha
Shakyamuni and is called the Tripitaka.This can be classified into three categories sutra, Vinaya
(precepts or rules) Sastra (Commentaries) which emphasize meditation, discipline and wisdom
respectively. The monk and the students in Buddhist period were following the ‗simple living and
high thinking principle. their lives were full of purity, nobelness, dutifulness and humanity and are
suppose to follow the Astang Marg- the word Samma means ‘proper’, ‘whole’, ‘thorough’, ‘integral’,
‘complete’, and ‘perfect’ - 1. Samma-Ditthi —Complete or Perfect Vision. 2. Samma-Sankappa —
Perfected Emotion or Aspiration, 3. Samma-Vaca- Perfected or whole Speech. 4. Samma-Kammanta
— Integral Action. 5. Samma-Ajiva — Proper Livelihood. . 6. Samma-Vayama — Complete or Full
Effort, Energy or Vitality. 7. Samma-Sati — Complete or Thorough Awareness. 8. Samma-Samadhi
— Full, Integral or Holistic Samadhi.

TEACHING METHOD

Buddhist Education is a combination between individual and classroom education. The

curriculum was spiritual in nature. The aim of education was to attain salvation. So the study of
religious books was most important. Sutta, Vinaya and Dhamma Pitak were the main subjects
prescribed for study. Buddhist education aimed at purity of character. Like Vedic education it was
training for moral character rather than psychological development of the students. One has to
attain the stage of Bodhisattva.

Mental and moral development was emphasized. Following were the methods:-

• Verbal Education: Through the art of writing had been well developed up to Budhist
period yet, due to shortage and no availability of writing materials, verbal education was prevalent
as it was in Vedic age. The teacher used to give lessons to the novices who learnt them by heart.
The teacher used to put questions on the learning the lesson by heart.

• Discussion: In order to win discussion or Shastrartha and impress the general public, it was
necessary to improve the power of discussion. This was also needed to satisfy the critics and
opposing groups and establish ones own cult. Thus, rules were framed for discussion.
 • Prominence of Logic: The importance of discussion encouraged the logic in the Buddhist
period. The controversial matters could not be decided without logical argument. Logic was also
useful in the development of the mental power and knowledge.

• Tours: The main of the Buddhist monks was to propagate Buddhism .Hence some
Acharyas like Sariputta, Mahayaggalva, Aniruddha, Rahula, etc gave the importance to tours for
educating people.

• Conference: Conferences were arranged on every full moon and 1st day of month in the
Buddhist sangha. The monks of different sangha assembled and put forward their doubts freely.
The attendance of every monk was compulsory in such conference.

• Meditation in Solitude: Some Buddhist monks were more interested in isolated spiritual
meditation in lonely forests and caves. Only those monks were considered fit for lonely
meditation who had fully renounced the worldly attraction and had spent enough time in the
sangha and had gained the efficiency for solitary medications.

The teacher used to give lessons to the novices who learnt them by heart. The teacher used to
put questions on the learning the lesson by heart. Teacher gives lecture on good behaviour and
required topics and students were listening with attention. In early days teaching was a hearing
system. The teachers gave lectures; students heard it and kept it in their memory. In due course it
developed into dialogue and comparison method.

Contribution of Traditional Education for Modern World

The most important contribution of ancient India not only for India but also for the world is in
the field of education. It may also be remembered that education is not an abstract term. It is
manifested in the cultural economic, individual, philosophical, scientific, social and spiritual
advancement. In other words, education is the means for developing the mind for the betterment
of the individual and society. Seen from this perspective, the following views of great scholars
and thinkers deserve mention. According to Albert Einstein: “We owe a lot to the Indians who
taught us how to count without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have made.”
Mark Twain, an American Writer has also said that India is the cradle of the human race. Most
valuable and the most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only.