Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 4

Author(s): R P Poddar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 90

Jain System of Education in Ancient India
its own individuality in its own domain and yet having some common curricula. The Jain monks particularly were liberal in imparting education and didn't confine their teaching to their own didactics and dogmas. They undertook to teach even such arts the practice of which would be generally forbidden to monks. In this regard the contribution of the Jaina monks to public instruction is historical. This heritage is acknowledged, though unknowingly when tiny-tots, when they begin their alphabet are made to start with '&', which is a corrupt form of the Prakrit phrase
tant fazri','obeisance to the siddhas'. The Jain monk's role in preservation of knowledge is even more significant. They didn't only write a good hand but also brightened their manuscripts with pictorial depictions of popular themes. Their miniature paintings in the margins of the manuscripts are an important document of contemporary cultural life. As in imparting education so in its preservation they crossed the barriers of their sectarian loves and fostered with care and devotion books written on a variety of subjects.
81