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

III] THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENT 67
culture and religion of the race. In order to infuse
piety, it was therefore laid down that they should
regu- larly offer the prescribed prayers and sacrifices
both morning and evening. In order to inculcate
good etiquette and manners, it was insisted that they
should show proper courtesy and respect to their elders
and teachers. The duties towards the latter have been
described already. In order to develop character, em-
phasis was given on moral earnestness; lying, slandering
and backbiting were never to be indulged in. They were
to observe strict celibacy even in thought and speech.
Strength of mind and character is developed if we
learn to deny to ourselves our natural desires and incli-
nations¹; rules of discipline therefore laid down that
articles like meat, sweetmeats, spices, ornaments and
garlands, which have a natural attraction for the youth
and tend to accentuate the sex impulse, should be tabooed
to students. Even royal students, staying in a Gurukula
were not allowed to have any private purse, lest they
should secretly purchase prohibited articles.² Plain living
and high thinking was to be the student's ideal: they
were to shave their heads clean or keep matted hair:
no time was to be wasted in oiling, combing and dressing
the hair. Students must take the bath once in the day,
but pleasure baths were forbidden. Shoes, umbrellas
and cots were not to be used as a general rule. Food
and dress were to be simple but sufficient. The aim in
prescribing these rules was to enable students to form a
number of useful habits during the formative period of

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1 This was the view of Locke also; Graves, Great Educationalists, p. 61.
2 The prince in Junha Jātaka could only promise that he could
compensate the poor Brahmana for the breakage of this bowl only
when he later returned to Benares and became a king. Obviously
he had no privy purse (V. p. 456).