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

254 EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA [Ch.
It is, however, but fair to observe that in Europe too,
reason had to beat a hasty and precipitate retreat
when in conflict with the dicta of scriptures down to
the beginning of the modern age. Galileo had to
suffer for his astronomical discoveries. Throughout
the Middle Ages, educationalists were more anxious
to impart traditional theories and formulæ than to
train minds, capable of forming their own conclusions.
Medieval philosophers and commentators were utilising
reason only to prove that the scriptural hypotheses were
correct. It was Lüther who first vindicated the cause
of reason by declaring that what is contrary to reason
must be certainly much more contrary to God. But
Lüther too became a renegade towards the end of his
life and declared, 'The more subtle and accurate is
the reason, the more poisonous is the beast, with many
Dragon's heads is it against God and all his work.'
The truth was that the Reformers were unwilling to
concede to others the right to interpret scriptures, which
they claimed for themselves. If therefore reason was
at a discount in India from the beginning of Middle
Ages, (c. 500 A.D.) we must also note that the same
was the case in Europe down to the beginning of the
modern age. We should not further forget that reason
was given full scope by the Hindu scholars and thinkers
for more than about 1500 years, when it was superseded
by the exigencies of the religious situation. The his-
torian, however, cannot help regretting that supersession
of reason should have taken place among a people, who
had given full scope to it for several centuries.
Intellect Creative in the earlier Period : Enrich-
ment of the culture of the past along with its preservation
continued to be the goal of the Indian educational system
for several centuries. Intellect and reason were for a
long time given full scope, originality was encouraged,