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

38 EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA [Ch.
previous births. The Karman determines the qualities
and characteristics, and God assigns birth in that particu-
lar caste in which they would be most needed. As a
natural consequence of these theories, educationalists
began to aver that nature is more important than nurture;
a bamboo tree cannot blossom into a sandal one simply
because it is assiduously watered and manured and planted
upon the Malaya mountain.¹ If you have no natural
capacity, education cannot create it; a mirror can show
reflection only to one who has the eyesight.² A conscientious
teacher imparts education as assiduously to a brilliant as
to a dull student; there is however a world of difference
as to the results. One shines forth in the world of scholars,
while the other hardly succeeds in making any appreciable
progress. Glass alone can reflect solar rays, not a piece
of earth, howsoever polished.³ This view is similar to
that of Plato who has pointed out that education is not
like putting sight into blind eyes; it is only turning the
eyes to light.
The Function of Nurture: Though natural en-
dowments thus play a great part, it was realised that they
exist only in a potential condition in our childhood and
would not flower into perfection unless they are properly
¹ अंतःसारविहीनस्य सहायः किं करिष्यति ।
मलयेपि स्थितो वेणुर्वेणुरेव न चंदनः । S R.B, p. 41.7.
² यस्य नास्ति स्वयं प्रज्ञा शास्त्रोक्तं किं करिष्यति ।
लोचनाभ्यां विहीनस्य दर्पणः किं करिष्यति । Ibid, p. 40.1.
³ वितरति गुरुः प्राज्ञे विद्यां यथैव तथा जडे
न च खलु तयोर्ज्ञाने शक्तिं करोत्यपहन्ति वा ।
⸰ भवति च पुनर्भूयान्भेदः फलं प्रति तद्यथा
प्रभवति मणिर्बिम्बोद्ग्राहे न चैव मृदां चयः ॥ II.
Uttararāmacharit, II. 4.