Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c6.82

c6.82

This passage makes it quite clear that there were in the monastery not only the professed monks and novices, but also those who were studying the Buddhist scriptures with a view to joining the order and also those who had no intention of doing so, but were residing at the monastery only for the sake of education. This practice also may have been influenced by the Brāhman schools which were open not only to young Brāhmans who were destined for the priestly office, but to others of the twice-born castes as well. There was nothing to prevent a man who had joined the Buddhist order from returning to the world, and probably many did so, and with regard to Bhartṛihari, who composed some of the works I-Tsing refers to, he tells us¹ that he became seven times a priest, but seven times returned to the laity, and that he wrote the following verses full of self-reproval :—