The Sigalovada sutta is important as it shows the development of Buddhist

education Examine.
The Sigalovada (Sigala+ ovada the advice to Sigala) sutta is important because in this sutta, the
Buddha introduces a new approach to education. This can be understood when we compare the
Brahmanical of education that we come across in Brahmanical text like the Laws of Manu.
According to that system education is not open to all. It is based on the Varna system and
Asramana (four stages of life) system and also Svadharma system. Moreover, according to
Brahmanical theory there was no religious education for the Sudra.
By rejecting the Brahmanical system of education, the Buddha introduced his system of education
on a new line, which opened to all, based on his experience of enlightenment and adopted quite a
different method of teaching. Without totally discarding the traditional beliefs and the Buddha
made use of them introduce more practical, individually and socially more beneficial, universally
more applicable practices.
Therein, in the Sigalovada sutta, the Buddha is introducing a new belief, a new practice to a
traditional Brahmin youth who when he was worshiping the six directions. Instead of merely
worshiping the six directions, the Buddha says that Sigala should consider the different segments or
six unites of the society, and then the Buddha preached the Sigalovada sutta to him.
According to this sutta there are six unites in the society. All these six unites have their duties and
obligations towards each others. With regarded to education, out of the six directions there are three
directions, which are relevant. One direction is the East. The East represents the relation between
parents and children. At the same time, the other direction called the South represents the relation
between the teacher and pupil. And the next comes the direction called the Upper direction. It
represents the relation between the religious teachers and their followers. Thus without considering
any of the Brahmanical distinction Varna, Asrama and Svadharma. Sigalovada sutta has opened the
education for lay society.
The Buddha did not consider the worship of six directions as a profitable or even a sensible practice
nor he did condemn it. Using his ability to communicate with the listeners in accordance with their
mental level and inclination the Buddha very fatefully explain to the young Brahmin called Sigala
that he could use his old, traditional practice in a more profitable way.
In doing this the Buddha bring education closer to day to day life. The usual Brahmanic teaching
was more inclined forwards metaphysics or towards grossly worldly areas. But in the Sigalovada
the Buddha shows how education should be geared to attain more practical objectives.
The teaching is presented in such a practical manner that is because applicable to all members of
the society irrespective of caste, creed and other narrow divisive factors. Through this kind of
teaching the Buddha widens the scope of education and even introduces new areas of training into
the prevailing curricula.
And the Sigalavada sutta is a model for any teacher to follow when teaching practical social ethics.
The way how such ideas should be communicated, the language style that should be adopted, how
the presentation of the lecture should be structured etc is well seen in this sutta. Thus in the
Sigalavada sutta one can see new dimension in Buddhist lay-dedication.
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