C. COMMON FORUM FOR PARENTS, POLICY MAKERS, EDUCATIONISTS, PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS:
[Supreme-Truth - Paramaarthik Sathya; Practical-Truth - Vyavharik Sathya]
PROLOGUE : It is well known and well accepted that : Each one gets the results of his / her thoughts, words and actions. Hence everyone should be alert to think, speak and do the right. Education must help human beings to develop that attitude which would put them on the path of right action (Dharma) so that the individual’s future is peaceful, happy and free from sufferings as far as possible, and society too benefits from his/her service.
As Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has summed up in Vidya Vahini : [last lines] “Man must either know the Supreme Truth of the One Being behind all Becoming or at least know the Practical Truth of Love and Brotherhood. These two points are the limits which education must ever keep in mind - the starting point and the goal.”
If each one safeguards his/her own progress, it contributes to the common progress and welfare of all. But, when some languish or are filled with languor, work suffers and some others have to strive extra hard to do their share of the work. When some out of greed start promoting their own personal interests and benefits at the cost of others, inflicting pain, injury or harm on others, and if human administration too fails to educate and check such lapses, what happens ?
The Divine Director and Witness steps in to rectify:
In the Kurukshetra war evil was destroyed. Lord Sri Krishna by His direct Presence and Guidance enforced the destruction of evil and establishment of Dharma on a firm footing. [This Mural, depicting the Sri Krishna-Arjuna dialogue, on the Kurukshetra battlefield, is from the back wall of the Prasanthi Nilayam, Mandir.]
All are one, but men forge their destiny differently by their different thoughts, words & actions. (Pl See HVSS Book 10, Unit 2)
The Governor could not find any ground to condemn Jesus and wanted to set Him free. But the Jewish priests insisted that He should be crucified. Afraid of a riot if he did not agree, Pilate washed his hands with water in front of the crowd, and said, “I am not responsible for the death of this man! This is your doing.” The crowd said they would take the sin of killing Jesus on themselves and their children. [ Actions can land one in untold misery. Kaam, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, maatsarya, desire-lust, anger, greed-avarice-covetousness, infatuation-attachment, pride-arrogance, envy-jealousy are the six inner enemies which incite one to wrong actions. Hence we are advised to root out these six inner enemies. Excitement, mob mentality, crowd incitement should be avoided ]. The ABC of life is Always Be Careful. DEFG – Don’t Ever Forget God. To gain Knowledge there are three steps: Shravanam, Mananam, Niddhidhyasan: Listen, Reflect and put into Practise.
General Insights : This Section is based on the Insights gained from :
- The Divine Discourses delivered by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, during the last 4-5 decades.
- The cumulative experience of the Educational Wing of the Sri Sathya Sai Organization, namely the Bal Vikas Wing, Education in Human Values Wing [EHV], and
- The Sri Sathya Sai Educational Institutions in the direct proximity of the Divine Founder.
I. The carefully gleaned insights aim to :
i. Enhance understanding of Policy Makers, School Management Committees, Principals, Teachers and others concerned with education, including Parents. (Click to Link to First Slip)
ii. Help them think about and explore the possible future benefits that may accrue by the direct induction of Sri Sathya Sai Philosophy and Methodology for inculcating Spiritual Knowledge and Human Values in the Educational system, and making it an integral part of the School Curriculum, as a subject for Evaluation and Examination.
iii. Enable the Policy Makers and Administrators to make wise choices regarding ways and means of adding Quality to Education across all levels and all regions, so that the world can look forward to a better, more peaceful and prosperous Global future.
Enhanced understanding of Spirituality & Divine Laws can strengthen faith & conviction.
Along with the academic, scientific and technological inputs, every human being must be made aware of the spiritual dimensions of the human personality and Spiritual Laws laid down by the Creator for the harmonious working of His Creation, so that, along with worldly knowledge and prosperity, each one also works for his / her own spiritual progress, peace and prosperity in tune with Divine Laws, thus minimising suffering and sorrows. This is the TRUE VIDYA, [True Education] recently re-taught and re-inforced by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
III. When one goes through His Teachings one may find repetitions and similarities with that which has already been conveyed by various Messengers, Saints and Prophets, through their Teachings and their Religions. While some others may wonder what Human Values or Life Skills has to do with Religions and Spirituality.
IV. Let us try to understand: Like any Organisation for smooth functioning, along with Creation rules and regulations have also been formulated by the Divine Creator for the harmonious functioning of His Creation. Each atom, each cell, each organ, each species, each class of living being as well as non-living entity has been assigned duties and regulations by That Invisible Supremely Intelligent Cosmic Being, who has designed, planned and organized the entire Universe and its working, down to the minutest detail. From time immemorial, mankind has been trying to study and unravel these details [not yet succeeded]. The Fundamental Truth and laws are Eternal, or Sanathan, applicable to all human beings, every where at all times. Fundamental Divine Spiritual Knowledge, SAIENCE must be added, to academic knowledge and skills to endow on human beings Quality and Completeness. But instead S Sai, Supreme Knowledge or Spirituality is removed from worldly Skills, what happens ? SKILL – S = KILL : Meaningless Violence and terrorism.
This situation must be corrected, as shown by the Avatar [Incarnation] of the age, by purifying human mind through chanting the Lord’s Divine Names. “Naamsmaran, Naamsankeertan is a great Spiritual practice for the purification of men’s minds as well as the atmosphere. It gives wholesome nourishment not only to one’s self but also to the body, mind and soul of others.”- Bhagawan Baba. The first Bhajan that Sathyanarayana [Baba] taught on the day He announced, “I am leaving; My work is waiting I have to do the work I have come for,” is “Maanas Bhajare Guru Charanam, Dusthara Bhava Saagara Tharanam” Meaning: First realise you are in the Bhava Saagara (Ocean of worldly life); next resolve to cross it –Tharanam; then fix a Guru (or any form of God, which appeals to you. Guri - aim, the target); then dwell on His glory - Maanas Bhajare. Sing in praise of the Master’s Lotus Feet [Guru Charanam] with all your heart, it enables you to cross the difficult-to-cross [Dustara] ocean of the birth-and-death cycle.
All have come from and will go back to the One Source. Let us understand our Source and- While in this world let us all work for the common good of all.
V. Born as human beings on this our Home Planet Earth, Mankind has to live out its destiny. Science and Technology are putting in their best efforts to make our Home Planet as comfortable as possible. Education Systems round the Globe are ever alert to pass on the accumulated knowledge of mankind and its own cultural legacy to succeeding generations. Let us wake-up immediately, and make amends to pass on our most important Knowledge that safeguards, to our youngsters for our own and our Global Safety.
Life is a Relay Race, the baton is handed down from one generation to the next.
VI. The fast means of travel and communications have made people more free to benefit from, and get a share of, the existing and ever deepening and expanding ‘Pool of knowledge’. But at the same time taking recourse to this ever deepening and expanding ‘Pool of knowledge’ Viruses of the consciousness [impure thoughts that incite one to immoral and heinous acts] too have become easier to spread. Throw a stone [thought] in the Lake of the Mind [Maanasa-Sarovar] its ripples spread out. Both good and bad exist in the mind. Who will take care to spread good, and how ? Teachers in schools and colleges can conveniently do so, given the Course of Study, the Permission and the Time Slot.
(Click to Link Divine Directions - Thoughts)
VII. All Consciousness is One, we are all One. Everyone’s mind (consciousness) is a part of the self-same One Ocean of Consciousness. With the modern knowledge and experience of computers, internet, website etc. this concept of One Consciousness has become easy to understand. Individuals are the Computers with various Programmes, Software etc. Senses are the Input devices. Internet, websites are loaded with information. Similarly Cosmic Consciousness has all knowledge in it, one can gain access to the desired information / knowledge by connecting to the particular domain of the Consciousness, [connect through silence and meditation]. Viruses can get downloaded, spoil Systems and spread. Whatever we do to others is doing to ourselves only, as we all are One, not two or many. The problems, pain, damage in one part spread and affect other parts as well. Damages, viruses, bad thoughts are not just local phenomena but show global interconnections, interlinks. Damaging ‘viruses’have to be removed. The Divine Names, good thoughts, good words, good actions, Spiritual Knowledge of Oneness, ‘Love and Serve all’, ‘Help ever Hurt never’, are the Anti-Virus safeguards. And this is what Education must spread to all, through Universal Education.
As the dictum: ‘Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.’ Do your duty sincerely. As members of society each one receives something or some service from others, and each in return contributes some share, some service towards society. Thus we are inter-dependent. Thus are we free and thus are we bound. Together we weave the Web of Life.
To ensure turmoil, violence and corruption free, peaceful, just and stable democratic living and governance with the utmost committment to work providing, as far as possible, for the welfare of the nation, the citizens, and the world, it is imperative that Human Values and Spiritual Knowledge be woven into the fabric of the educational systems at all levels of education, so that all grow up in the true sense of Wisdom and Oneness, with honest and upright character, working for the welfare of our Home Planet, with unity, co-operation, fair means, and consideration for others. In the welfare of all, lies our own welfare.
This requires explicating universal moral, ethical and spiritual values and making them an integral and compulsory part of education at all levels. Education can be said to fulfil its real aim only when it succeeds in drawing out / educing (Educe Latin - to draw out) the divinity latent in human beings. The great Teachers of mankind have all worked for this True Education, ‘Seek ye the Kingdom of God and all else will be added unto thee.’ It’s time humanity understands their common, universal guidance and puts them into practise, ‘The Fatherhood of God and brotherhood of mankind’. All are parts of The One and Only One, hurting another is hurting one’s own self. Each should play his/her role with humility and dedication in tune with the Divine.
INSIGHTS FROM EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
Education undoubtedly plays a Pivotal Role in all round human progress and hence should receive urgent attention on Priority basis. In support of this statement, given below are 7 bulletted items, direct quotes from: Dickson, Janet R., Barry B. Hughes, and Mohammod T. Irfan. Advancing Global Education, Volume 2, Patterns of Potential Human Progress series: Boulder, Paradigm Publishers, 2010. [Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures, University of Denver, Josef Korbel School of International Studies, USA],
- “In our forecasts, education attainment also clearly (if not always dramatically) affects broader sociopolitical change such as democratization.” - Chap. 9 Pg.166
- “Education shapes an understanding of the world, affects values, and therefore alters human behaviour. Such impacts cannot help but dramatically affect the ways in which humans interact with each other and organize their social institutions ..... Thus, education fundamentally shapes culture, even as culture shapes education.” - Chap. 8 Pg. 155
- “The relationship is presumably bidirectional - more effective governments will provide more, and hopefully better, education and health care.” Chap. 8 Pg. 157
- “....the activism of the highly educated is, of course, not always supportive of democracy either, ...”. - Chap. 8 Pg. 156
- “ We have been able to give only minimal attention to quality in education, and we are unable to forecast it meaningfully. Parents not only want their children to have education, they want them to have better education.” - Chap. 9 Pg. 161
- “Pestilence, famine, and war could disrupt the steady path of education’s advance that the base case of IFs sketches, not just locally but even globally. Humanity has not fully confined to their barracks any of the horsemen of the apocalypse, and extreme consequences of environmental change or simple greed and mismanagement by human leaders and followers (although, as Mark Twain said, we repeat ourselves) could well unleash them.” - Chap. 9 Pg. 165
- “Our overall conclusion is therefore that societies should actively pursue accelerated education advance, via aggressive but historically reasonable and sustainable rates of enrollment rate growth.” Chap. 8 Pg. 160
Paradigm Publishers, 2845 Wilderness Place, Suite 200, Boulder, CO 80301, USA. [ Our grateful thanks to the publisher’s for their kind permission for use of the above 7 citations.] www.paradigmpublishers.com
Basing on the above, conclusions are that Social Scientists and Researchers, who have explored and analysed the transitions that are taking place in global education patterns and studied the various benefits that accrue from educational advancement including the influence of education on sociopolitical systems namely its impact on democratization, note:-
i ) Educational advances undoubtedly confer all round positive benefits to all the other elements of human development.
ii ) No doubt education helps in shaping the understanding of the world and its value system, thus altering human behaviour and the ways in which humans interact with each other and organize their social institutions.
iii) High level of education comes close to being a necessary condition for democracy, and
iv) Educational advancements reduce state failures, internal conflicts and turmoils that lead to intense sufferings and regression.
v) Education and Government effectiveness (with control of corruption) also have a bidirectional relationship; educated individuals provide more effective governance (corruption-free) and effective governance provides more, and better, education and health care.
Though, it is equally true that the activism of the highly educated may at times become detrimental to democracy and the general welfare of all, as when the highly educated mobilize public support for personal power and position and misuse their powers, or devise schemes for unjust personal gains and power [corruption].
The Researchers also admit that:
1. Parents not only want their children to have education, they want them to have better education. But quality in education is difficult to define and measure.
2. Education advances undoubtedly confer all round positive benefits to broader human development but the progress can also be disrupted, not only locally but also globally, by what one may call Apocalyptic events over which mankind has no control, like outbreak of wars, internal conflicts, pestilence, famine, disease, state failures, natural calamities etc which human beings cannot even pretend to foresee.
Overall, the Social Scientists and Researchers contend that accelerated educational advancement should be actively pursued through progressive but historically reasonable and sustainable means.
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