Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c6.111

c6.111

Buddhism has passed away from India, but has left a considerable influence upon Indian philosophic thought and religious ideals; but on the educational side it is difficult to estimate the amount of its influence. Its curriculum was meagre, and, such as it was, was mostly borrowed or adapted from the Brāhmanic schools. The Vedas were replaced by its own sacred books. Medicine and logic¹ seem to have been the two subjects in which the Buddhist schools were distinguished, if we leave out of account their influence on philosophic thought. Mediæval Indian logic from about 400 to 1200 A.D. was almost entirely in the hands of Jains and Buddhists, and their books on this subject are very numerous. The Buddhist educational ideals and practice also were derived from, or closely connected with, those of Brāhmanism. It is not, however, improbable that in breaking down the monopoly of the Brāhmanic schools and offering the possibility of education to men of all castes, Buddhism may have done something to extend amongst the people of India the desire for some popular education besides the training of the young craftsmen, and to have stimulated a demand which led to the growth of the popular elementary schools which are described in a later chapter.