Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c6.4

c6.4

Lay adherents were recognized and duties laid down for their guidance, but it was a logical conclusion from Buddha’s views of life that for rapid progress in spiritual improvement a life of retirement from the world was necessary, and this was urged upon those who wished to be earnest in their pursuit of freedom from earthly desires. A life of meditation in the solitude of a forest was considered to be the best of all, but from the first this was adopted only by the most earnest, and the majority of the monks, or *bhikkhus*, lived in companies in monasteries, or *vihāras*. These *vihāras* formed a characteristic feature of Buddhism, and for many centuries they were widely spread in India.