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

80 EDUCATION IN ANCIENT INDIA [Ch.
must have found this procedure impracticable and paid
the fee by easy instalments, though we have so far got
no evidence of this practice prevailing. None who could
afford, was permitted to evade payment by the public
opinion. It was regarded as a very great disgrace that
one should not pay one's teacher though properly instructed,
when one had the ability to pay. When Nāgasena, being
a monk, naturally expressed his unwillingness to accept
the rich and luxurious gifts of his royal pupil, Menander,
the latter begged him to change his mind in order to save
him from the scandal getting abroad that though properly
instructed, he would give nothing in acknowledgment to
his teacher (Mil. pan. 1, pp. 134-5). Students whose
guardians were really too poor to pay any honorarium
were expected to help the teacher in his household work
and pay him some honorarium at the end of the course
by collecting subscriptions for the purpose.¹ We often
come across such students in Jātakas. To refuse their
request for subscription was regarded as highly dis-
graceful.²
Payment of fees: A Resume: There was no fixed
scale of monthly or sessional fees prescribed in ancient
(Continued from the last page)
in advance before he had started the edcuation of the Kaurava
princes; Mbh. 1. 142. 1. The same was done by the father of
Nāgasena, the preceptor of Menander; Milindapañha. Vol. 1. 17
1 E, G. पच्चा धम्मेण भिक्खं चरित्वा आचारियधनं आहरिस्सामि । No. 478.
2 Cf. King Raghu's observation to Kautsa, who had come to him
hoping to get the amount of his teacher's fee:—
गुर्वर्थमर्थी श्रुतपारदृश्वा रघोः सकाशादनवाप्य कामम् ।
गतो वदान्यान्तरमित्ययं मे माभूत्परीवादनवावतारः ॥ V. 24
King Uttaṅka gave his wife's earrings to a graduate, who was
asked by his teacher to procure them as his fee. The latter's
wife was desirous to wear them.