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Education in Jaina Canons
non-violence, truth, non-stealing, celebacy and nonpossession of any kind. Five Acāras-Jñānācāra, etc., control over five senses of knowledge eye, ear etc. control over pride, greed, anger etc. The Acarya must be well versed in the knowledge of Jain He should be fit physically mentally and intellectually for propogating education.
canons.
Similarly, Upadhyaya, the Jain monks, observing all the vows and code of conduct of the Jain monks must have command over the Jain literature and be capable enough to teach it to their pupils (the younger monks).
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The teacher according to Jain canons must be a man of high moral character. He should not only be an academician of high repute. There is more emphasis on the character of the teacher than that of the knowledge of the different subjects he ought to possess.
The Pupil :
The pupil is possessed with all potentialities. By acquiring knowledge he/she can uncover and unfold them and realizes the self.
Submissive and polite behaviour is an essential quality of the pupil. A pupil is fit for receiving education then and then only when he develops the polite behaviour and respect for the teacher. The first chapter of the Uttaradhyāyana Sūtra and eleventh chapter of it have been devoted for the discussion of the qualities of pupils.3 The learned scholar has been compared with the steeds of Kamboj, the mighty lion and the moon of the full moon night. Same way the learned pupils have been compared with the strong and powerful elephant, the best bull with strong shoulders, the Sun and Indra the master of gods etc.
Pupils desirous of receiving education must be of reserved nature; they must have restraint upon the senses of knowledge and action. They should avoid anger and greediness. They should not lack good character and conduct and lastly they must have love of truth. 4
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The dull pupils have been compared with the bitch driven from every house, the pig eating the dirt etc.
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