प्राचीन भारत में शिक्षा (डॉ. ए.एस. अल्तेकर - गुरुकुल एवं बौद्ध विहार शिक्षण इतिहास)

VI] HIGHER LITERARY EDUCATION 163 Sanskrit; when however Prakrits and vernaculars developed, their help was also occasionally taken¹. Testimony of Chinese Pilgrims: Indian teachers were past masters in the art of explanation and exposition; students from distant countries like Korea and China 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. What Yuan Chwang valued in his Indian teachers was not their capacity to recite the sacred texts, but their remarkable ability in explaining obscure passages and offering illuminative suggestions on doubtful points.² About his Indian gurus, I-tsing says, 'I have been always very glad that I had an opportunity of aquiring knowledge from them personally, which I *should otherwise have never possessed.'*³ The Place of Debates: Since early times, debates and discussions have always played an important part in the literary training of students. The Vedic literature refers to such literary combats and describes how the victors were suitably honoured (R. V., X. 71). This Vedic tradition continued throughout the later history. Śāstrārthas or learned debates were constantly held in colleges where students of literature, poetics, philosophy and logic were called upon to defend their own propositions and attack those of their opponents. The training in debates made students ready-witted and developed their powers of speech.

1. संस्कृतैः प्राकृतैर्वाक्यैर्यः शिष्यमनुरूपतः । देशभाषायुपायैश्च बोधयेत्स गुरुः स्मृतः ॥ Vishnudharma quoted by V.M.S., p. 72 (Jivanand's editio
2. Beal, Life, pp. 76, 154, 160
3. P. 185