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Education, Literature and Sciences
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There were different classes of teachers such as Ācharya, Pravaktā, Šrotriya, Upadhyāya and Adhyāpaka. There was no course of teacher's training prescribed for these different categories of teachers. During the course of study, brilliant students acquired sufficient experience of teaching. They participated in debates, and discussions, and they were also provided opportunities for teaching.
The teacher was an ideal person of high character and was to treat his students impartially. He was well grounded in his own branch of knowledge and was to continue its study throughout his life. In the Sūtrakṣitānga', the ideal teacher has been described as follows: "He is not to conceal or contradict the truth, not to show any pride and not to denounce teachers of other religions. He is to be a genuine scholar having complete knowledge of all other religions. His life is to be full of penances and his speech should be chaste.” Baudhāyana insists that the teacher should teach his student the sacred science with whole-hearted attention without withholding from him any part of the whole Law. The generosity and large-heartedness of teachers can be judged from the conduct and exclamation of Alāra Kalāma, when the future Buddha had finished his education under him :
"Happy friends are we in that we look upon such a venerable one, such a fellow ascetic as you. The doctrine which I know, you too know, and the doctrine which you know, I too know. As I am, so you are, as you are, so am I. Pray, Sir, let us be joint wardens of this company”.3
The teacher was to adopt and love the pupil as his own son. Though it was the duty of the pupil to render services to the teacher to please him, the teacher must be carclul to see that the pupil is not exploited for his own purposes to an extent detrimental to his studies. Such services were meant for the pupil's own moral improvement and not solely for the practical benefits of the teacher. In times of distress,
1. Sülra, 1, 14; 19-27. 2. Bar. Dh. S, i. 2. 48. 3. Further Dialogues of the Buddha, Irisalariesana Sutta, p. 116 4. Bau. Dh, S, i. 2. 48.
