Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c16.303

c16.303

**Conclusion.** We conclude this account of the philosophical Sūtras by the following vivid presentation of some of the characteristic aspects of this ancient Indian education by Max Müller [Royal Institution Lectures on Vedānta Philosophy]: “The study of philosophy in India was not only an integral part of the religion of the Brāhmaṇas but it was based from the very beginning on a moral foundation. We saw already that no one was admitted to the study of the Upanishads who had not been properly initiated and introduced by a qualified teacher, and who had not fulfilled the duties, both civil and religious, incumbent on a householder. But even that was not enough. No one was supposed to be fit for true philosophical speculation who had not completely subdued his passions. The sea must no longer be swept by storms, if it is to reflect the light of the sun in all its divine calmness and purity. Hence even the hermit in the forest was expected to be an ascetic, and to endure severe penances as a help for extinguishing all the passions that might disturb his peace. And it was not only the body that had to be subdued and hardened against all external disturbances such as heat and cold, hunger and thirst. Six things had to be acquired by the mind, namely, tranquillity, restraint, self-denial, longsuffering, collectedness, and faith [Śama, Dama, Uparati (often explained as relinquishment of all sacrificial duties), Titikshā, Samādhi, and Śraddhā]. It has been thought [Deussen, *System*, p. 85], that this quietness is hardly the best outfit for a philosopher who, according to our views of philosophy, is to pile Ossa on Pelion in order to storm the fortress of Truth and conquer new realms in earth and heaven. But we must remember that the object of the Vedānta was to show that we have really nothing to conquer but ourselves, that we possess everything within us, and that nothing is required but to shut our eyes and hearts against the illusion of the world in order to find ourselves richer than heaven and earth. Even faith, Śraddhā, which has given special offence as a requisite for philosophy, because philosophy, according to Descartes, ought to begin with *de omnibus dubitare*, has its legitimate place in the Vedānta philosophy, for, like Kant's philosophy, it leads us on to see that many things are beyond the limits of human understanding, and must be accepted or believed, without being understood.