Jaina System of Education

Author(s): Debendra Chandra Das Gupta
Publisher: Bharti Mahavidyalaya

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JAINA SISTEM OF EDUCATION
01 cr to a Panclıta namcd Vararucı sor thic purpose of study » Origi nally incant lo siguis asccticism thic titic Pandita camc gradually to dcnotc scholarshup Thic process of transition will be clear from the words of Lord Buddha He who after examining both kinds of scnscs, internally and externally, is cndon cd with a clear understanding and lias conquerred cul and good (kanliasukka) such a one is called a Pandita (wise) by being so Buddhaghosa seems to support this view of Lord Buddha His expression pancliccam is equivalent to crudition Wc quotc bclou froin Buddhaghose? Where the substantı tal form pandiccam is renderd crudition and paraphrascd (AsI 1471 as pandılassa bhavo the statc of a wise person one who was discern inent discreuon one who has chosen that good part as contrasted with the avcrage scrisual person or foolish youth * According to Jaina authoritics 75 c have noted it referred to asccticism Gradually at a much later period the diploma of Pandita came to signify academic honour and it used to be conferred cien upon females on account of their scholarship and proficiency in all the sciences 07
The Master s degrec – Thc Jain literature proper does not give us any explicit rcfcrence to thc Master & degree although we have a good deal of information about it from the Buddhistic sources The following quotation proves the existence of Master a degree in Buddhist India during the life-time of Lord Buddha He is a master of logical analysis a master in analyzing causal relations a master of gramma tical analysis master in analyzing thungs knowablc 28 It is probable though it is not certain that the Jainas followed the Buddhist practice of confetting Masters degree on competent candidates We have it on record that the Buddhist Universities conferred the honour on the deserving candidates during the life time of the Buddha himself. In the seventh century the famous University of Nalanda used to confer this honour upon competent students Above the Master 8 degree
94. Merutunga Acórya Prabandhacintamani, tr by C H Tawncy MA, p3
36 The Sutta Nipata tr by V Fausboli p go 36a. Buddhaghosa, The Expositor yol i tr by Maung Tin, MA P 380 86b The Attanagalu Varsa tr by James D Alwis, M.RAS PP 1924. 37 Hemacandricarya The Yogasastra, vol. I P 397 verse 95 38 Anguttara Nik&ya vol. II tr by F L. Woodward M.A p 89