taxila the oldest university

1. Taxila university

2. About Taxila university
• Ancient University of Takshashila Takshashila was the
most famous and recognisable university in the world. It
was the first international university. The students came
from many countries - Egypt, Iraq, Greece, Syria, Turkey,
China and more. The University is located presently
at Rawalpindi in part of Greater India (Akhand Bharat).
• The university of ancient taxila is considered to be
one of the earliest universities in the world
• The role of taxila university as a center of
knowledge continued under the maurya empire and
greek rule (indo-greeks) in the 3rd and 2nd
centuries BCE
• The university not only taught vedic texts and the
ritual but also the different theoretical disciplines
associated with the limbs or the sciences of the
vedas, which included disciplines such as
linguistics, law, astronomy and reasoning.
• Professors:- panini,chanakya,kumaralata
• Students:aṅgulimāla, charaka, chandragupta
maurya,

3. “Taxila-an ancient Indian university”
• The ancient system of education from the Vedic times had as its main goal the development of personality in all its
aspects, secular as well as spiritual. It was considered to be Samskara & a process of refinement. According to the
ancient conception, the inherited and acquired characteristics of an individual had to be properly disciplined and
canalised so as to serve the four ends of Man, or Purushartha-ethics and morality or Dharma, the economic and
political obligation-Artha, the sublimation of desire and the sex instinct-Kama, and finally salvation-Moksha.
• Education therefore meant a proper conditioning of the body and the mind of the individual. To "educe" or bring
out the inherent potentiality and help the individual to adjust himself to the changing condition, the educational
system aimed at the transformation of the individual even from the mother's womb by proper Samskara or
ceremonies. The elementary education was imparted up to the eighth year and after the initiation ceremony, the
higher education was imparted according to the capacity and needs of the individual. The student was expected to
lead a life of strict celibacy or Brahmacharya until his course of study was completed. Then he had to travel and
acquire a knowledge of the world and become a Snataka or a graduate.
•
• Teacher - Pupil Relationship
• The relations between the teacher and the pupil were never impersonal or based on monetary considerations in the
Vedic times. The Dharma Sastras expressly condemn the teacher who imparts education for a stipulated fee and say
such education benefits neither the pupil nor the teacher. After the teacher has given permission to the pupil to go
back to his home and set up a family, the student may show his gratitude by making an offering to the teacher
according to his capacity.