Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c6.s2.8

c6.s2.8

Its method, therefore, is the method of *Yoga*, the science of sciences and the art of arts in the Hindu system, the science and art of the reconstruction of self by discipline and meditation. *Yoga* is defined as *Chitta-Vritti-Nirodha*. It is to stop the functioning of Mind as the avenue or vehicle of objective knowledge, the inhibition of individuation. The theory is that the Mind, seeking external knowledge, contacts, and is contaminated and transformed by Matter, and communicates this contamination to the Soul, Self, or Purusha, who thus enters into bondage. The question is, How to break this bondage and escape from the clutches of Matter. By simply cutting off the inflow of Matter upon Mind, checking the materialization of the Mind and Soul, for the Soul, too, in Milton's words of insight, "embodies and imbrutes." Thus Education is a process of control of Mind, to drive it down to its deeper layers, its subterranean depths, not ruffled by the ripples of the surface, the infinite distractions of the material world by which the Mind wears itself out in fatigue. When the Mind is thus led to rest in itself, and fall back upon its innate strength and resources, and does not lose itself in the pursuit of the knowledge of individual objects, there dawns and bursts forth on the Mind the totality of knowledge, Omni-science, as already stated.