Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c31.13

c31.13

**The Five Vidyās.** Here ends the course of elementary and general education. Properly speaking, it comprised the study of the five subjects or Vidyās, viz. (1) Śabdavidyā (grammar and lexicography), (2) Śilpasthānavidyā, "arts"; (3) Chikitsāvidyā, "medicine"; (4) Hetuvidyā, "logic"; and (5) Adhyātmavidyā, "science of the universal soul," philosophy. I-tsing gives us the details of study as regards (1), (4), and (5) in the foregoing extracts. Elsewhere he gives details regarding (3) or medical science (p. 127).