प्राचीन भारत में शिक्षा (डॉ. ए.एस. अल्तेकर - गुरुकुल एवं बौद्ध विहार शिक्षण इतिहास)

228 : EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA [Ch.
particular attention to the vow of chastity, poverty
and abstinence from pleasures and help him in his
intellectual and spiritual progress by suitable discourses
and lessons in the morning and afternoon. He was
also to help him in getting food and robes, and even
to nurse him if he was sick. His own life was to be
exemplary and the novice was permitted to act as a
check on him if he was wavering in his faith or about
to commit a breach of monastic discipline. The needs
of the teacher were to be the minimum ; the famous
teachers at Nālandā used to receive an allowance
only three times larger than the amount given to an
ordinary student. This would give a very clear idea as
to how Buddhist teachers led a very simple life and
cost next to nothing to society. They were lifelong
students of their different subjects ; for marriage did
not intervene to put an end to or an obstacle in their
studies.
The Education of the Laity : As observed already,
in the beginning Buddhist education was purely
monastic and was intended only for those who
entered, or intended to enter, the Order. This was
but natural. Buddhism held that the worldly life
was full of sorrow and that the salvation could be
possible only by renouncing it. It could therefore
naturally evince no interest in the education of those
who intended to follow secular life and pursuits. In
the course of time however it was realised that it was
necessary to win public sympathy and support for the
spread of the gospel ; this could be more successfully
done if the Buddhist monk could help the cause of
education as was done by his theological opponent,
the Brāhmaṇa priest. It was also realised that the
best way to spread the gospel was to undertake the