Buddhism:

The term “Buddhist philosophy” describes the philosophical inquiries and frameworks that emerged among different Buddhist schools in India after Buddha’s parinirvana (or death) and eventually expanded across Asia. The Buddhist way incorporates meditation and philosophical analysis.

The philosophy of classical Indian Buddhism spans a wide spectrum of authors, movements, and topics. One significant lineage is Abhidharma (higher doctrine), a scholastic philosophy that analyzed fundamental aspects of Buddhist teaching and created intricate and extremely thorough explanations of the psycho-physical components of life.

Although more are recorded in Indic texts, early Buddhism is typically categorized into eighteen philosophical divisions, along with such prominent traditions as “Sarvstivda, Vaibhika, Sautrntika, Sthaviravda, Mahsghika” and so on. These all created their own unique philosophical systems and debated adversaries who were both “Buddhist and non-Buddhist.” Philosophical schools, such as the Middle Way system (Madhyamika), the Yogic Practice school (Yogcra), and the Epistemological school (Prama), emerged with the emergence of the Mahayana. 

The intellectual underpinnings of tantric scriptures were further explored by a new school of thought known as tantric Buddhism.

Aim of Philosophy of Education:

The whole growth of a child’s personality is the main goal of Buddhist education. This covers his ethical, cognitive, and physical growth. Buddhist schooling also aspires to create men who are independent, knowledgeable, educated, compassionate, non-violent, and secular.

Buddhist education strives for moral, cognitive, and metaphysical excellence in order to develop students into the ultimate form of mankind. These three qualities of the perfect human existence bring a person from ordinary happiness to extraordinary bliss, which is the ultimate accomplishment we are all similarly seeking. As a result, the fundamental psychological needs of all living organisms form the basis of Buddhist education.

The aim of Buddhist education:

In the period of the Buddha, education was transmitted through religion, which was accorded great emphasis. Education was primarily used as a tool to obtain freedom or enlightenment, as well as to spread religion and instill religious values. In order to help pupils prepare for existence, there was a framework for teaching both theoretical and practical knowledge with religious instruction, so that when they joined everyday life, they could be able to support themselves.

  • Three key ideas—discipline, meditation, and wisdom—make up the Buddha’s teachings’ core. Wisdom is the end objective, and the key step in achieving wisdom is deep meditation or concentration. 
  • One can acquire profound meditation by discipline and precept observance; once wisdom is achieved, it will come easily. 

The sutras’ explanation of Buddha’s overall teaching never truly veers away from these three ideas.