Buddhistic Education System and Brahminical Education System:

As a matter of fact, the entire educational system during the two periods was fundamentally identical. The differences
discernible between the two systems lay in the fact that;
1. The Brahmanic system was a domestic system of education. The forest home of the Guru was the school. The
pupils were residing in the home of the Guru after performing the ceremony of initiation and were treated by him
like his son. The pupils were looked upon as members of the Guru’s family and had all the consequent privileges
and responsibilities. They were taught in a homely atmosphere. The Buddhist system was a monastic system of
education. The monasteries and viharas where Bhikshus were residing developed into educational institutions.

2. In the Brahmanic system one educational institution worked quite independently of the other. There was no
common organisation for different educational institutions. Each Guru ran his institution in the way he liked,
though certain features were common to all institutions. But in the Buddhist system there was a common
organisation. It was a well federated system of education. Even though each institution was independent, yet it
had to obey the orders of the ‘Sangh’ or the common organisation.

3. In Brahmanic system, Guru was the final authority. His orders had to be carried out by all who studied under him.
Guru was like an autocrat. So in the sense it was an autocratic system of education. The seniority and pre-
eminence of Guru always remained an admitted fact.
On the other hand the Buddhist system was democratic in character. It was not one man who ruled. Right from the
time of admission up to the final stage when pupils left the Viharas everything was organised on democratic lines.
This system accomplished the right to vote by the pupil in the deliberations of the ‘Samgha’ after his admission to
it.

4. In the Brahmanic system the pupils had to stay with Guru for a period of 12 years from the date of admission.
After the completion of the study they had the option to go back to their homes and live a worldly life. So
household life formed an important aspect under the Vedic system.
Renunciation of family life on the other hand was the very basis of the Buddhist system. Once the pupils left their
homes and joined the Viharas for receiving education, except certain exceptional circumstances they were
generally not allowed to go back to their homes even after the completion of their studies. Having finished their
education, they were required to go about and preach Buddhism. Thus under Buddhist system of education, an
order of brotherhood was established by breaking tender and natural ties of family relations.

5. In the Brahmanic system the pupils were always under the close and constant supervision of their gurus.
Individual was the teaching unit. As there was no class teaching the relation between teacher and taught was very
cordial. With the expansion of education, the contact between the teacher and taught was not so close in the
Buddhist system.

6. In the early Vedic period instruction was confine only to the young Brahmins to prepare them for their future
vocation as priests. Later on education was thrown open to Kshatriyas and Vaishayas. Thus the rigid caste system
had its influence upon the progress of education. There was no distinction between man and man on the basis of
their castes in Buddhist system of education. “All castes were equally admissible to Buddhist community”, and
were treated on the footing of equality.

7. In the Brahmanic system much emphasis was given on Vedic study. The teachers were all Brahmins. It was
considered then that only the Brahmins had the privilege to teach. Adequate attention could not be paid to the
secular subjects as undue stress was laid on rituals, prayer, sacrifices etc. But Buddhist education was not based
upon Vedic study; even though Hindu religion formed an important part of the courses of studies. The teaching
staff was non-Brahmins.
 8. The Brahmanic system concentrates its attention on the study of Sanskrit. As a result it could not promote the
education of common people. In Buddhist system the medium of instruction was Pali, the language of the
common man. But the study of Sanskrit was not completely ignored.

9. During Brahmanic period military education, commercial training etc. formed a part of the courses of studies.
Instruction in military education and vocational training were completely neglected during Buddhist period.
Considerable attention was not paid to these subjects.

10. During Brahmanic period though there were centers of higher learning like Taxila which earned name and fame,
yet foreign scholars were not so much attracted to those centers. But Buddhism internationalised the education.
Reputed universities like Nalanda attracted foreign scholars and thus the Indian culture spread far and wide. It is
largely through the long standing traditional background of Buddhist education that the harmonious, cultural,
political and economic relations are being maintained with the Far-Eastern countries.

Main Features of Brahmanic Education:

1. Aims of Education: Brahmanic education promotes material and helped to attain salvation to pupils. Brahmanic
education aimed at the spiritual development and attainment of supreme knowledge. Education emphasized
preparation for life and all round development of Personality. Formation of moral character, purity of heart, self-
control. Self-confidence and self-reliance were the main objectives of Brahmanic education.

2. Curriculum: Brahmanic education the educated was to learn Vedic mantras, knowledge of religious rituals like
‘Karamkanda’ ‘Havan’ and ‘Yajna’. In Brahmanic education was essentially religious and spiritual in character.
Practically all the useful subjects were included in the curriculum. All this led towards salvation. Vendanga and
Puranas also included in the curriculum Prosody and Rhetoric’s started. In Brahmanic education, ‘Karma Sidhant’
and stratification of caste system had an effect on study. There was provision for selection of curriculum
according to choice of students in terms of caste, aptitude, ability and caste.

3. Methods of teaching: In Brahmanic education the art of writing had developed in the Brahman age and books
were written with hand on leaves of the Talapatra and Bhojpatra, Discussion, Answering of Questions, Debates,
conferences, Painting. The method of teaching consisted repetition by the pupils. Brahmanic education laid a
good deal of stress on self study.

4. Role of Teacher: Teacher was the highly source and head of all knowledge. The teacher is compared with Vishnu
and God Shiva. He was an embodiment of all good qualities. He was regarded as the guide, builder and teacher of
the society. The role of teacher in Brahmanic education was to assist the students in:
· Attainment of supreme knowledge.
· Physical and Mental development.
· Spiritual development.
· Self-control.
· Propagating the ideas of Love
· All round development of Personality.
· Preservation and development of Culture.