Buddhism was born in India and was started by Gautam Buddha who was an

Indian prince of Sakya Dynasty of Kshatriyas.

In fact, he gave a new form to the religion.
The monasteries were the centres of education during the Buddhist period.
Besides monasteries, there were no other organizations for imparting education.
Only the Buddhist could receive religious and other types of education. Other
persons were deprived of this facility.
There was no place for Yajna in the Buddhist system.
Buddhist period in Indian education roughly starts from 600 B.C and last for
about 1200 years till 600A.D.

During Vedic period education was mostly individualistic effort whereas during
Buddhist period institutional organization is one of the chief characteristics of
education.
Buddhist education

• Buddhist education was based on the teaching of Gautam Buddha.

These teachings were so important that they remained a source of
inspiration for individual as well as social development in India
 :

Aims of Education

❑ All round Development

❑ Formation of character
❑ Religious education (eight fold path )
❑ Preparation for life
❑ Physical development (good health helps a man to escape from
bodily suffering)
❑ Knowledge development (nirvava)
❑ Education for social behaviour (human welfare)
❑ Preservation & development of human culture
❑ Character formation (self control compassion and kindness)
❑ Vocational development
Some salient features
 Abilities of the Student
• Every class in society except the chandalas had
the right to receive education.
• It was denied to ill, handicapped, the
dishonoured and those punished for crimes.
• Education began at the age of 8.
• Till age of 12 yrs, student remained in the state
of sharamana.
• After attaining the age of 20, he was qualified to
become a monk.
• Education was imparted through medium of Pali.
 Pababja Ritual
• Before entering a monastry for receiving
educaiton, student had to perform pababja ritual.
• The student’s head was shaved, dressed him in
yellow clothes, placed the forehead at the feet of
the monks living in the monstary and then sat
cross legged on the floor to repeat the following
words thrice-
• I take Refuse to Budha.
• I take Refuse to Dharma.
• I take Refuse to Sangha.
He had to then obey 10 rules which included

• abstaining from theft

• Killing of any living being
• Impure conduct
• Partaking of food at prohibited tomes
• Use of intoxicating things
• Use of cosmetics
• Taking things without being offered
• Accepting objects of gold & silver in alms
• Watching dances or listening music etc.

After the performing of this ritual, the student was

called a ‘shramana’ or ‘samner’.
 Upsampada Ritual
• After attaining the age of 20 years the student
had to adopt ‘Upsampada’.
• On this occasion, the presence of 10 monks was
essential
• After this ritual the male monks were called
‘Bhikshu’ & the female monks were called
‘Bhikshuni’.
• Even now the Monks were required to observe
rules such as living under a tree, eating food
obtained in their begging bowls, wearing clothes
begged from others, and drinking the urine of a
cow as medicine.
Duration of Education
• Total period of ecucation was 22 years.
• 12 years as Pabaja
• 10 years as Upsampada
 Student-Teacher Relationship
• Students were required to serve their teachers, beg for
alms, eat food thrice a day, wear 3 items of clothing,
bathe themselves with pure water & live in discipline.
• Teachers relation with his new students was like
father-son or paternal relationship.
• They were linked to each other in mutual respect, faith &
love.
• Equality was the foundation of this relationship in which
both students & teachers fulfilled their respective
obligations & duties.
Boarding & Lodging of student
• Education imparted through monasteries & viharas
• Buddhist viharas were fine well furnished separate rooms for dining,
bathing, sleeping, reading, studying & discussions
Astang marg
 Sama Samadhi Sama ditthi

Sama Sankalpa

Sama Sati

Sama vaca

Sama Vyama
Sama Kammanta

Sama Ajiva
Four Noble truths
Methods of teaching

VERBAL DISCUSSION EVIDENCES PROMINANCE TOURS CONFERENCES

EDUCATION OF LOGIC

MEDITATION
Discipline
• Both teacher and students must follow the rules of Buddhist Sanghs
Strictly.
• Generally twice a month teacher and students met at a specific place
for introspection and to confess.
• Corporal punishment was strictly prohibited
 Women Education
• Women occupied position inferior to men
• Women were considered the source of all ecils
• Initially prohibited from joining sangha, later on
granted admission.
• First two years were probation period
• Separate monastries were established for women.
7) Vocational Education

• Syllabus was comprehensive

• Included education in writing, agriculture,
commerce, cottage industries, animal
husbandry, elephant lore, archery, magic,
knowledge of reviving the dead, knowledge of
animal cries & sounds, control over sensuous
activities, bodily gestures, medicine etc.
 curriculum
Educational Syllabus was divided into Religious &
material or worldly.
• Religious Education:
• teaching of vedas &
Buddhist Literature.
• Both kinds of literature
were studied liberally
• Collection of religious
literature of Budhist was
known as Tripitikas:
• Vinay Pitaka
• Sutta Pitaka
• Abhidamma pitaka
• Philophical principles of
Buddhism:
• Pratitya Samutpada
• Ksanikavada
• Arthkriyakaritva
• Anatmavada
Five Skandas or Tatvas:
o Roop skanda
o Vedanta skanda
o Sanghya skanda
o Samskara skanda
o Vigyan skanda
 8) Syllabus
Educational Syllabus was divided into Religious &
material or worldly.

• Material Education:
• Paid attention to material or physical needs of society.
• Included training in subjects such as:
writing, arithmatic, argumentaiton, spinning & weaving,
printing, dyeing, knitting, stitching, sculpture, art, music,
agriculture, animal husbandry etc.