Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c11.7

c11.7

A yet further and more remarkable literary development is registered in what are called the *Upanishads* of which the very title, like that of the *Āraṇyakas*, points to the special educational methods of which they are the fruits. The expression *upa-ni-shad* literally means "sitting down near" and indicated "confidential session" at which the secret or esoteric doctrines of these works were taught to select pupils towards the end of their studentship in discourses from which wider circles were excluded.