Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c6.53

c6.53

‘Grammatical science,’ he says,⁴ ‘is called in Sanskrit Śabdavidyā, one of the five Vidyās.’ (The five Vidyās are: (1) Śabdavidyā, grammar and lexicography; (2) Śilpasthānavidyā, arts; (3) Chikitsavidyā, medicine; (4) Hetuvidyā, logic; and (5) Adhyātmavidyā, science of the universal soul, or philosophy.) ‘Śabda means “sound,” and vidyā “science.” The name for the general secular literature of India is Vyākaraṇa (i.e. Grammar), of which there are about five works, similar to the Five Classics of the Divine Land (China).’ These five he enumerates as follows:—