Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c6.26

c6.26

Thus the monastic system, which was an important feature of Buddhism, provided that every novice on his admission to the order should place himself under the supervision and guidance of a preceptor, and this state of pupillage was to last for ten years. I-Tsing says² that after five years from the time that the pupil masters the *Vinaya*, he was allowed to live apart from his teacher, but he must put himself under the care of some teacher wherever he went until ten years had elapsed after he was able to understand the *Vinaya*. The main ideas of this connection of teacher and pupil were taken over from the Brāhmanic education, and are in close similarity with it. From this provision for the instruction of novices arose the Buddhist educational system.