Ancient system education is for life.
Modern system education is for living.
Ancient Indian education
- Self-realization and salvation
Ancient Indian Education was for a long time imparted through the oral lesson, without the medium of a book. This method persisted in the Vedic schools down to recent times. The teacher used to pronounce only two words of the stanza at a time, which the student was asked to recite with exact intonation and accent.
If the student had any difficulty in the matter, it was explained to him. Necessarily every student used to receive individual attention under this system. The method of teaching was direct and personal and not even a text-book intervene the teacher and the student.
Learning in ancient times had to be at the tip of the tongue; a scholar asking for time to consult his notes or books could carry no prestige. Recitation and recapitulation therefore formed an important part in the daily routine of the student life. The homework, which the student did in his spare time, did not consist of written exercises; it merely amounted to the recitation and recapitulation of lessons learnt already. Every day student was required to spend a part of their time in the school in jointly reciting a portion of the work they had committed to memory.
As a result of this training, the memory of the average student in ancient India was very highly developed; he could perform feats of memorizing which now we may regard as impossible. Ancient Indian educationalists had realized that rhyme makes an appeal to aesthetic sensibility and facilities the task of memorizing. They therefore decided to utilize its help in the teaching work by composing text books in verse. Even dictionaries and elementary books on grammar were composed in verse.
The development of the Sutra style, where conclusions are started in short and pithy sentences; is also due to the exigencies of the schools and colleges, the students of which had to rely more on their memory than on books and notes for recalling the contents of the works once studied by them. Indian teachers were past maters in the art of explanation and exposition; students from distant countries used to brave the dangers of the perilous journey to India, not because they wanted to learn by rote the scriptures of their religion, but because they were anxious to hear the exposition of obscure metaphysical passages which could be heard nowhere else.
Debates and discussion since early times, debates and discussion have always played an important part in the literary training of students. There was a daily examination of every student and no few lessons were given until the old one was thoroughly mastered. The method of teaching followed in Ancient Indian Education System was on the whole the best suited for an age, which did not enjoy the advantages of paper and printing. It developed the powers of memory, a faculty which is being sadly neglected in modern times. Debates were a normal feature of higher education.
Guru‘s role
Guru’s role is directive but at the same time it is interactive rooted in negotiation. In other words a teacher helps a student to construct knowledge rather than to reproduce. Teachers provide tools so that students go for a problem solving and Inquiry -based learning activities. It becomes possible when a student is not a passive but active participant in the learning process.
The spirit of enquiry, questioning and requestioning was a dominant part of the ancient system:
- Prasnena – enquiry
- Pariprasnena – questioning
- Pratiprasnena – requestioning
i.e. straight questioning ( prasnena), when the student is not satisfied he asks again (pariprasnena) and then a situation may arrive when the student may say, I accept your answer but can there be another answer to the query(pratiprasnena).
But any kind of questioning or requestioning should not display the student‘s false ego or insolence. Hence it is said; learn by humble reverence, by enquiry and by service. Acquisition of knowledge through experiences and reflection which conducts a student to go beyond. When Lord Buddha said ―atmodipo bhava ―be a lamp to yourself. It does not mean that the teacher will provide you the lamp. The teacher will just teach you the process of how to make a lamp—he will not hand you over the lamp. The lamp will have to be made by the student.
The cottage of each guru became a residential school- the gurukul. The teacher‘s admission of the pupil was a solemn and sacred ceremony known as upanayana or initiation ceremony. The ceremony took three days, during which the teacher held the pupil within him to impart to him a new birth, whence the pupil emerged as a dvija or twice-born. His first birth he owes to his parents and second birth is spiritual: it unfolds his mind and soul. A teacher acts as a cognitive guide and creates environment in which the learner interacts meaningfully with academic material and adopts a method to impart and imbibe education that can balance Mind and heart Body and spirit.
The methods of learning
Sravana- knowledge heard: listening to words or texts as they are uttered by the teacher.
Manana-assimilation: deliberation-reflection on the topic taught: intellectual apprehension of its meaning.
Nidhidhyasana- meditating on what was taught: complete comprehension of the truth: the realization of the intrinsic unity underlying all diversity: realization of the Self. In other words it is exploring the inner self by the power of meditation and that is education.
Since knowledge has to be delivered by the mouth, received by the ear and preserved in memory, the art of recitation with proper accent, sound and pronunciation was perfected. Yet it was not simply learning by rote in the ordinary sense of the term. Learning by heart without conceptual understanding was considered worthless. The truth had to be realized. This required concentrated thinking and meditation leading to revelation.
Ancient system
Versus
Modern system
- Ancient system followed the immersion technique (away from family one is totally immersed in education in a gurukul. In modern system many techniques are employed ─ mostly dictated by economic status of family.
- Usually one guru takes charge of both secular and non-secular education (para and apara) in ancient system. In modern system there are many guru simplying flexibility and utilization of expertise.
- In the ancient system Guru decides the course and duration- depending upon his assessment of students ‘needs and abilities. In the modern system family/student decides the course and duration (dictated mostly by economic benefit of education rather than natural talent/inclination).
- Moral education, good manners, self-sufficiency, participation in the work load of the gurukul are inherent to the ancient system employed. In modern system all items indicated above are usually the responsibility of the parents/family.
- In ancient system focus is on paravidya or true knowledge. Spiritual life begins in early teen. System focus in modern is on profession/career/vocational education. (Little or no emphasis on spiritual/moral education).
Ancient system Modern system
Focus on selflessness Focus on individual achievements
Focus on thee and thine Focus on me and mine
Focus on spirit based education Focus on mind based education
Encourages ―self-sacrifice Encourages ―self-satisfaction
Value based education Cost/Benefit based education
Core teaching in the ancient system
- About creation/life ―causeless
- creative life is a ―continuum
- death does not mark an absolute end- only the end of a cycle
- Duty, discipline, devotion
Core teaching in the modern system
- life is ―cause and effect
- life has a ―beginning and an end
- Death is the end ( not interested in what lies beyond death)
- Duty, discipline
Conclusion
We feel that everyone has the right to be educated. Although education may not solve all our problems, we must intensify our efforts to educate all children. We should carry on the tradition of providing children the education that they will need in order to meet the challenge of a constantly changing world. Education helps us to develop lifelong skills such as treat others as you want to be treated and care others as you care yourself. By instilling just these two simple concepts, just think how wonderful our changing world would be.
https://www.slideshare.net/kinjalagarwal/education-in-ancient-india
International Conference on Humanities, Social Sciences and Education (ICHSSE-17)
http://www.edubilla.com
