Ancient Indian Education System

NAGARJUNA-Wizard Of
Chemical Science

ACHARYA KANAD-
Wizard of Atomic Theory

ACHARYA KANAD- Wizard

of Cosmology

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Education and Ancient Hindu
Civilization

• Direct product of religion

• Education was part of religion
• Means of salvation and self-
realisation
• To open new avenues of
knowledge
• To educate the mind
• It was individual in nature

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Different Classes of Students

Brahmins
Upanayana
(‘New Birth’)
–thereby a
Kshatriyas
new model of
life

Vaishyas

Shudras

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Principle Duties of a Brahmachari

Vedic Study
Services to the teacher
Purity of body and mind
The system gave emphasis on
üTruthfulness
üObservance of duty

üDevotion to

teacher
üDevotion to

parents
üHospitality

üFaith

ügenerosity
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 Gautam Buddha

Click to edit Master text styles● Siddhartha Gautama

Second level
● Third level
Buddha – Indian Prince of
● Fourth level Sakya Dynasty
● Fifth level
( Kapilavastu – Birth Place)
● “Was the greatest ,wisest
and the best of Hindus”-
R.Davis
● “He did not devise a plot
to overthrow the Brahman
priesthood.”-
Dr.Radhakrishnan

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Buddhist System of Education

Was based on the Buddhist “philosophy of sorrow”

Not intended for the promotion of learning or development of intellect.
Education was an agency for achieving Nirvana
Conditions for admission into a Buddhist Sangha

ü Admission for all castes

Candidate lived as a novice under the guidance of a

ü

preceptor for at least 12 years

ü After 12 year he could apply for full monkhood

ü Pupil has to consider his preceptor as his father

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 Merits of Buddhist System of
Education

● Contributed a lot to the

cause of education in
Click to edit Master text styles ancient India.
Second level ● Democratised education
● Third level
Fourth level
● ● Through Buddhist
Fifth level
●
Universities India was
able to establish
relations with distant
countries like KOREA,
CHINA ,TIBET and
JAVA.

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 Merits of Buddhist System of
Education

Opened doors of schools and

colleges to all, irrespective of
castes , creed or community.
Helped the development of Hindu
logic and philosophy by
encouraging comparative study of
these subjects.

10,000 students 2,000 staff

The ruins of NALANDA, the 2,000-year-old Buddhist University

near RAJGIR in the northern part of India

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Demerits of Buddhist System of
Education

Was dominated by religion to

a great degree.
Engaged pupils mainly in
metaphysical speculations
Ignored the art of war,
thereby killing the martial
spirit in a large section of
men.
The baneful effects of this
type of education was left
when the country was
invaded by foreigners.

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Aims of Ancient Indian Education
System
Ancient Indian Education System refers to the
ARYAN or BRAHMANICAL System of Education
developed from RIGVEDIC(2500 - 600 BC) to
the SUTRA(200 AD) period
Infusion of piety and religiousness
Formation of character
Development of personality
Inculcation of the civic and social duties
Promotion of social efficiency and happiness
Preservation and spread of national heritage
and culture

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