Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c31.43

c31.43

**Worship of Images, Chaityas, and Stūpas.** Direct worship of images, chaityas, and stūpas set up in connection with the monasteries was a part of the religious training they provided. We read of the installation of the holy image of the Buddha, of which the ablution was celebrated daily with great pomp by all the monastics, who were summoned for the ceremony by the Managing Priest, Karmadāna, striking a *ghaṇṭā* or bell (p. 149). I-tsing also refers to images being installed even "in individual apartments of a monastery" (ib.). Besides the image of the Buddha, there were installed "in great monasteries in India" (p. 38) the images of Mahākāla, of the Nāga Mahāmuchilinda (seen by I-tsing in the Mahābodhi monastery at Gayā), and of Mother Hāritī in the dining-hall (p. 37). Besides worship of images, there was also the worship of Chaityas (the sacred buildings containing the relics of the Buddha or saints) and Stūpas (p. 152). Every afternoon the monks were to come out of the gate of their monastery and walk three times round a stūpa, offering incense and flower, and then kneeling down, while one of them chanted hymns. Then the assembly returned to the monastery to hear a Sūtra being read by a Sūtra-reciter. The Sūtra usually selected was the "service in three parts", compiled by Aśvaghosha. When this is ended, all the assembled priests exclaim "Subhāshita" or "Sādhu". Then the priests, in the order of their rank, salute the Siṁhāsanam as well as the seats of the saints (p. 154). The performance of these rites was observed by I-tsing at Tāmralipti. In the Nālanda monastery, where it was difficult to assemble its numerous monks in one place for congregational worship, the worship could only take place separately as most convenient to each member (ib.).