Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c28.s1.16

c28.s1.16

**Religion and Humanities.** The invariable mention of the three Vedas shows that the study of the Atharva Veda was not included in the curriculum for general education at the time of the Jātakas. The Vedas were of course to be learnt by heart. We are told of a teacher at Takkasilā from whose lips 500 Brahman pupils learnt the Vedas [i, 402] The Bodhisatta is frequently referred to as having learned the three Vedas by heart [cf. i, 259]. Instead of the three Vedas, we sometimes find mention of "sacred texts" [iii, 235], "holy books" [iv, 293], or "the law" [iv, 392]. Some of these terms may indicate the sacred literature