Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c6.99

c6.99

It seems that, apart from the monasteries, Buddhism did not offer any educational opportunities, but we have to ask the question as to how far, during all the centuries that Buddhism existed in India, Buddhist education influenced the general mass of the people, at least those who adhered to Buddhism, and provided opportunities of popular instruction. In more modern times in some Buddhist countries it is said that almost all boys went to the monastery and received at least some elementary education at the hands of the monks. Thus in Burma, before the country came under British control, almost the whole male population passed through the monasteries, and were taught by the monks.¹ Those who did not intend to join the religious order stayed till they were about twelve years of age, and received instruction in reading, writing, and arithmetic, as well as some religious instruction. There is no doubt that this system of popular education in connection with the Buddhist monastery is an ancient custom, and it has been claimed that the presence of Buddhist monasteries in India in ancient times implies a widespread, popular education there during the time that they flourished.¹ There does not, however, seem to be any very clear evidence of this, and we cannot say how soon it became the practice for the monasteries to give education of a popular kind. The question of the origin of popular education in India will be discussed in the later chapter on that subject, but it may be said here, that even if facilities existed for general instruction as early as the reign of King Aśoka, it was not necessarily in connection with the monasteries that it was given.