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Lord Mahavira and His Times
for fee. In order to bring education within the reach of the poorest, it not only permitted students to beg but elevated begging itself into the highest duty of student-life.
Education was a serious proposition. At the time of study, students had to lead a celibate life. Long, continued and laborious preparation was necessary to acquire real grounding and efficiency in a subject.
Both the rich and the poor had to submit to stern discipline in order to become learned. The fifth year and the eighth year were considered to be the proper time for the beginning of primary and secondary education respectively.
The Gurukula system was one of the most important features of the pattern of education during this period. The student began to live under the supervision of his teacher after his Upanayana. Direct, personal and continuous contact with a teacher produced a powerful effect on students. The general belief that Gurukulas (hermitages) were founded in forests, away from the din of city life, is only partly correct. In majority of cases, Gurukulas were located in villages or towns. The famous Gurukulas during this period, as known to us from Buddhist literature, were situated at Rājagriha, Champā, Vaiśālī, Nalanda, Śrāvasti, etc. TEACHER AND STUDENT
The teacher was held in high reverence in society. He was to lead the pupil from darkness of ignorance to the light of learning. He was considered to be a spiritual and intellectual father because he used to offer a new life, and no education was possible without his help and guidance. During this period, sacred learning was transmitted orally from one generation to another. Great importance was attached to proper accent and pronunciation in its recitation and it could be correctly learnt only from the speech of a properly qualified teacher. Spiritual salvation also depended upon the proper guidance by the teacher. Books being rare and costly, the student had generally to rely upon his teacher alone. In the case of professions, a good deal had to be learnt from the teacher.
1. Āp. Dh. S, i, 10, 11... 2. Ibid, 1.1, 1. 12-17.
