Sumanapal
Bhikkhu
Pre-Buddhist Brahmanic education in ancient India was more a
product of the then religious establishment than socio-economic and political
condition of the Aryan culture. In India knowledge only was a means of
obtaining salvation or Moksha. Dr. R. K. Mookherjee says, learning in India
through the ages had been prized and pursued not for its own sake, if we may so
put it, but for the sake and as a part of religion. It was sought as the means
of salvation or self realization as the means of highest attainment of life,
viz., ‘Mukti’ or ‘Emancipation’.1
Education
is basically self-culture and self-improvement. It is the process that will go
on to the end of one’s life. In other words education is the process of
development of the latent qualities of an individual. The object of education
is development of faculties of human beings along desired and required
direction.
The
word education has a wide meaning and includes all forms of mental development.
The dictionary defines education as giving intellectual, moral and social
instruction especially as a formal and prolonged process. Education as one of
the function or activities of state is a concept of purely modern growth.2
The
history of Buddhist education really forms one aspect of the history of
Buddhist civilization itself. It reflects in its process the inner intellectual
life of the monasteries. The gradual and progressive enrichment of this life, it’s
unfolding as a system of training for a work, found its expression in the
education imparted in monasteries. Infact Buddhist education always caters to
the new intellectual needs and interests of every age. The monastery was not
just a place for doing meditation but a venue of culture and learning.3 This is
where Buddhist education, registered a step forward from ancient Aryan education
and Buddhist education had a broadening and liberalship effect over the course
of centuries.
Education
means in Buddhism bringing knowledge and skills to a person, enabling him to
translate such knowledge and skills to appropriate situations in life and finally,
developing discipline and insight and wisdom. The Buddha had given various
examples as a to how this education could be accomplished.4
Education
in Pali tradition derived from the term “sikkha” generally implies the
education process of learning training, instruction, acquisition, development,
and enlightenment.5 The term naturally
includes “the training of advancement in morality, spiritual concentration and
knowledge or wisdom,6 and is always combined
with the word “Pada is Sikkhpada i.e., educational code which in normally known
as “Sikhapatipada”, i.e. a learner’s course.”7
Sikkha, Sekkho, Sikkhita, viz., Vijja etc. are some
of the terms related to learning or learner’s process. Which aims at providing
knowledge, information or education to a person and makes him or her
knowledgeable and wiser in thought, refined in taste and responsible as well as
decent in behaviour with others in the society? In the Indian context Vidy (Pali-Vijja)
has been defined as a means which liberates obviously from the darkness of
ignorance, refines the character and ultimately liberates the being, “Sa Vidya
ya Vimuktaye”. As per Buddhism particularly vijja’ dispels the darkness of
ignorance generates the light of knowledge and enables a person to visualize
various things in their true perspective.8
Buddha’s methodology was one of graduated exercise. Gradual
progress first bringing from the lowest step was the basis of such a process.
When we take pupils, we first make them understand the unity; two the duality,
three, the trinity and thus we make them count up to hundred.9 This method is illustrated by the examples of
the ocean.10
Such a continual process of educational concern has for its
functional character gradual training or instruction, gradual practice or
performance and gradual progress (anupubbasikkha, Anupubbakiriya, Anupubbapatipada).11 “It gives a learner a correct noble lead in
the various spheres of life and an insight into affairs, teaches him how to act
rightly and how to live successfully and happily and leads him to all round
progress prosperity and welfare to the development of a good personality with
perfect knowledge and behavior, and finally to the end of suffering salvation.”12
Buddha’s doctrine or Buddhavacana is Tripitaka which is divided
into three pitakas or baskets Vinaya, Sutta and Abhidharma. The Sutta Pitaka or
the “Basket of Discourses” is the main source for the Doctrine of the Buddha
expounded in argument and dialogues. The Sutta Pitaka is divided into five
nikayas. (1) Digha
nikaya, (2) Majjhima nikaya, (3) Samyutta nikaya, (4) Anguttara nikaya, (5)
Khuddaka nikaya.
The Majjhima nikaya is the second book of the Sutta Pitaka. According
to T.W. Rhys Davids and William Steed the term Nikaya means collection,
assembly, class, group, and the collection of Buddhist Suttas. R.C. Childers
says that the term nikaya is a multitude, assembly, a collection, a class,
order, group, an association, fraternity, congregation, a house dwelling etc.
It is known as the middle collection or the collection of
discourses of medium length. It is divided into three books each consisting of
fifty suttas (Pannas).
But the text in the PTS edition contains 152 suttas, the third book containing
two suttas in excess of fifty.
Now,
we are to discuss the Buddhist education on the basis of Ganaka Moggallana the
second volume of the Majjhima Nikaya. We have an important discussion between
the Buddha and Brahmin mathematician Moggallana here.
At the very inception, Buddhist education was purely monastic and
was intended only for those who are become the formal member of the community
or Assembly. The Bhagava
points out in course of his discussion that all kinds of training needed a
graduated course or progress, which likens a staircase of a building. “A
gradual training”. a gradual doing, a gradual practice in study is mathematical
calculations.”16 Livelihood is calculation, asked him whether
there was any graduated course in the training of Buddha’s disciples.17
There are general standers which can be profitable followed by the
monastic inhabitants who are still ‘Sekhas’ and such a pattern of training
introduced by the Buddha implies a learners course which characterizes the
gradual course of education. “It is possible, Brahmin to lay down a gradual
training operation and practice in the Doctrine and Discipline”, the Buddha
declared to Ganaka Moggallana, of the gradual course of training for those
monks who are learners, who have not yet attained perfection, although they
long for the incomparable security from the bonds”. The gradual course of
training is a follows.18
When an able man becomes a monk, he is first asked to observe the
moral precepts, to abide by all the disciplinary rules codified in the Patimokkhas and to
be so careful not as to commit the slightest wrong, “evam eva kho Brahmana Tathagata
puriso dhammalabhitva Pathama eva vineti.” A student monk is exhorted to
develop his moral habit to live under the control of the obligation, endowed
with everything that pertains to right behavior and seeing peril in the slightest
faults in thought, word and deed.19 Moral precepts are the basis of spiritual
training and development.
When the monks becomes veteran after observance of moral precepts,
Buddha further advised to exercise to guard and control over his sense organs,20 to prevent the rise
of mental impurities such as greed, despair or consciousness and dejection etc.21
Buddha asks them to be moderate in eating, to take food with
careful reflection, not for fun indulgence or personal charm and beauty, but
just for maintaining his body and keeping it fit for leading a pure and holy
life that is, he should live a simple life.
Then Buddha advised and to cleanse his mind obstructive mental
states (Avaraniya),
and Satisampajjhanena samannagata) one is thought to be fully awake at what
happens in the body and in feeling movements of his life at all times and in
all places (i.e. to practice Satipatthana)
Buddha finally instructed meditation to get rid of mental
restlessness; the monk should develop peace of mind through getting rid of the
fifth hindrance which is doubt (Vicikiccha). This hindrance may be overcome by
confidence in the good (akathakathas kusalesu dhammesu, vicikicchaya cittam
parisodhati) 24.
When the monks mind is free from hindrance and he becomes clean (sacca), serene
(vipassana) and taintless (anavil), when a monk sees himself free of the five
mental hindrances he becomes morally sound and strong then he can proceed for
spiritual training and development. Then monks start practicing the four
gradual stages of concentration (Jhana).
In the fourth stage the meditators mind remain undisturbed by any
kind of feeling happy or unhappy, and he has got rid of all mental impurities,
the mind attains perfect equanimity (Sa’eva samvatta hoti sampajjhanaya) clear
consciousness, and perfect profound knowledge.
After
perfecting himself in the meditation, he should try to comprehend the four
truths viz., suffering and its origin, its removal and the path leading to its
removal. Like wise he should apply his mind towards the impurities (asavas),
their origin, removal and the path leading to their removal and he should exert
to become an arhat, the perfect.25 This is
the gradual course of education for developing morality and spirituality as
prescribed by Buddha to his disciples.
Notes & References
1. Mookerjee, Radha Koomud,
Ancient India Education, p. xxi (prologue)
2. Bapat, P.V., 2500 Years
of Buddhism, Publication Division Govt. of India,
New Delhi, 2009, p. 148.
3. Ibid, p. 149.
4. Ratnapal Nandasena,
Buddhist Sociology, Sri Satguru Publication, New
Delhi, 1993, p.117.
5. Vinaya Pitaka (ed) H.
Oldenberg, London P.T.S. Vol-III, 1964,
p. 23.
6. Anguttara Nikaya, (ed) R.
Morris, London P.T.S. vol-I,
1964, p. 23.
7. R. Morris, Ibid, p. 231.
8. “Panna, maharaja, uppajjamana, avijjandha karam
vidhaneti, Vijjobhasam janeti, nana lokaman, vidaseti, ariyasaccam pakatatani karito,
hato yogaravaro aniccanti, va dusshanti va anattari, va sammapannaya passettiti. Milinda
panha pali, VRI, Igatpuri, 1988, p. 37.
9. Ratnapal, Nandasena, op. cit., Ibid.
10. “Just as the great ocean become
deeper, gradually sleepers, gradually becomes followed out, and there is no
abrupt fall. The same was in this doctrine as disciple the training is
gradually working through the path, and there is no sudden advance in to full
knowledge Vedana
(Vars 3) vin-II, p. 237-66.
11. Digha Nikaya, PTS, Vol-I, (ed.) T.W.
Rhys Davids, J. Esllin Carpenter, London, 1949.
12. R. Morris, Ibid, p. 231.
13. Pali-English Dictionary, p. 352.
14. Dictionary of Pali Language, p. 282.
15. Anupubbasikkha, anupubbakiriya,
anupubbapatipad yad-idriyasseva pacchima sopahakalebara (Majjhima nikaya, (ed.)
R. Chaklmers, London, P.T.S. Vol-III, 1960, p-1.
16. Gananam ganaka Jivanbam dissati
anupubbasikkha anupubbakiriya,
anupubbapatipada, yadhaisam samkhane, Ibid.
17. The Middle Length Saying, P.T.S.,
Vol-III, p. 52.
18. Majjhima Nikaya (ed.) V. Trenchner,
London, P.T.S. Vol-I, p. 354.
19. Ehi tvam, bhikkhu, silava hohi, patimokkha
samvara samvuto vehahi acaragocara sampanno, annumattesu vajjesu bhayadassavi.
Majjhimankaya, P.T.S. Vol-EQ, p.2.
20. ‘Indriyesu guttadvaro’ Majjhima
nikaya, P.T.S. Vol-III, p.2.
21. Slave, R.N., Buddhism and Education,
Shruti Publications, Jaipur, 2009. p. 77.
22. Patisamkha yoniso, aharam a ahrajjasi n’ev
na davaya na mandanaya na Vibhusanaya yava-di-eva imassa kayassa thitiya yapanaya
vihimsu upanatija bramacariya anuggahaya.
23. Majjhima nikaya, P.T.S. Vol.-III. p.
3.
24. Ibid.
25. N. Dutta and Bajpai, Development of
Buddhism in the Uttar Pradesh, pp. 169-70
