Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c28.s1.14

c28.s1.14

We have again references to the various and widespread uses of writing in the Jātakas; to the writing of epistles [i, 377 (mentioning a correspondent), ii, 95, 174 (sealing a letter), iv, 145 (contents of a message given), vi, 370, 385, 403], to the forging of letters [i, 451; iv, 124], to inscription on gold plate [ii, 36, 372, 376; iv, 7, 257, 335, 488; v, 59, 67, 125; vi, 29], to inscription over a hermitage [vi, 520; iv, 489 (inscription in letters of vermilion upon a wall)], to letters of the alphabet engraved on gold necklets [vi, 390], to inscriptions upon garments and accoutrements [vi, 408], to the scratching of a message on an arrow [ii, 90], to writing on a leaf [ii, 174; iv, 55; vi, 369, 400 (writing on a leaf fastened on an arrow)]. Lastly, there is another passage [i, 451], which indicates how the art of writing was being regularly taught to the young in the elementary or primary schools. It tells how when a rich man's son "was being taught to write", his "young slave used to go with his young master's tablets and so learned at the same time to write himself". The three R's were evidently taught in these schools. We may recall in this connection the passage in the *Kauṭilīya* [i, 5], showing how after the ceremony of *chūḍākaraṇa* a boy was to be taught *lipi* or writing and *saṁkhyānam* or counting and arithmetic.