Acharya Tulsi
Education is the value of life. Though it is not a part of the 16 values mentioned in the spiritual books, education plays a vital role in adding value to life. During older times, education was initiated in Gurukul, where a student learnt the art of life along with the knowledge of music, words and books. Education through immense patience and intense hard work holistically develops a personality. According to the Dashvaikalik Sutra, the objectives of education are:
- I will learn to gain knowledge.
- I will learn to concentrate better.
- I will learn to enlighten self.
- After enlightenment, I will learn to enlighten others.
It is possible to witness a novel revolution in the field of education if both, the teachers and students channelize education towards fulfilment of prefixed objectives. However, how many educational institutions operate with such pure and apt objectives? This is an issue to be researched. In present times, education is directly associated with earnings. This education does not attract attention and does not provide the secrets of life. Even if there not arises any opposition for education associating with earnings, this type of education does not provide for the holistic development of personalities. Hence, it is required that individuals pay attention towards the aim of education, its outlook and its faculties with utmost sincerity.
Education is the Lifeline of Life!
Education can be further bifurcated into practical education and knowledge based education. Knowledge based Education provides one's learning while Practical Education (also known as Experiential Education) defines one's character. Only if education can be valued through development of character it brings about, it can be associated with life. A student will always want to learn but until he overcomes his drawbacks, he is not worth education. Anger, illness, pride, apathy and lethargy are five huge hurdles. To overcome the above hurdles humility, tolerance, good health, zeal and vivacity is required.
The usability of education is in the awakening of the human wisdom. Even after earning numerous degrees if wisdom seems distant then such education is incapable of brightening the future. Education is comparable to a stringed needle.
Jahan sui Sasutta, Padiya vi na Vinassai,
Evam Jeeve Sasutta, Sansare Na Vinassai!!It is easy to find a stringed needle if it is lost, similarly a well-educated person can prevent himself from losing in the lustful material world.
Elderly people used to say that when a needle is stringed, it would never be lost. Education is a string, through which if life is bound it never loses its value. Hence, it is important to keep one’s life associated with education.
Positive Thinking - A Necessity
Man has a well-developed brain. He thinks and puts his thoughts into reality. He always has a list of pending works. He eats, drinks, plays, reads, does business, marries, makes children, builds home, and many more. He remembers everything on his list except humanitarianism, marking the root cause of all issues. He tries finding solutions but is never able to as his quest is shallow. He never fights the root causes of his issues, neglecting basics and his focus is always wavering. If he were to dwell deeper finding solutions, he would have been free from the clutches of pain.
Every human must remember his humanity before performing any task. If remnants of humanity exist within, every human would also think that he is not an animal, not cruel, not an addict. However, this negation thought process might bring pessimism into one’s life. Hence, he should imbibe thoughts like I am practical, Am caring, Am emotional, Am truthful, Am enlightened and Am unadulterated! Any human with such a developed thought process would never miss humanitarianism in any activity he does. This is the new facet of education that develops a man into a human before anything else.
Education & its Effects
When a student studying in school, college or any university, is asked why is he studying? What is the aim he is studying for? The probable answer you will receive is that "I want to become an engineer, doctor, advocate, businessman, teacher or a scientist". Seldom would a student want to become a "Human", because no institution provides for a dedicated program guiding students to experience humanitarianism. Today it is required that no matter what a man does be it studies, business or employment, he does not miss on humanity. Generally, it is witnessed, all that requires remembrance is lost down memory lanes & all that requires no notice remain on finger tips. Names of actors & actresses are replacing divine chants & legendary people. Without erasing this malpractice effective education cannot be administered. If a student's life is enriched through education, it will benefit the family, society and nation as the effects of education can be felt influencing all of the above. But who is supposed to pay attention to this? Politicians care for their chair, industrialists are busy calculating profits, teachers are tensed about meeting their needs, organizations are worried about their fame & status, and students are wasted in gathering degree certificates! In such a situation, what future do students behold? Ages ago the development of character and morals in students were taken care of by appointed teachers, but today even their parameters are changing. In such a situation if human life loses its focus and purpose, who is to be held responsible. All of us are selfish and all of us carry our own interests. Until this selfishness is disintegrated and valuable morals of life integrated into our system, education alone will not be able to sustain growth and betterment.
Education and Discipline
It is a general belief that the area of effort of a religious saint is limited to the discussions of spirituality, soul & God; they are not expected to be thinking about the well-being of families, societies, education of the nation as a whole. There was a time when I believed in the same. I was encouraged by many at many occasions to strike against the societal evils, but I kept neglecting them. I remained silent due to the same thought - "What do I have to do with societal issues?" Slowly, yet gradually wavelengths of thought changed, painting the enormous structure of DHARM! The ultimate purpose of Dharma is to eradicate the evil & proliferate the good! Anuvrat is a specialized program for uprooting evil from scientific, societal, political fields etc., if not eradicating them permanently. Hoping for the same, we travelled on foot to numerous places, understanding varied issues victimizing different sets of people belonging to differentiated groups of class, caste and creed and presented a process for their solution.
The most humongous issue faced by education is indiscipline. Discipline is forked into two - Self discipline & Enforced discipline. Self-discipline is the best form of discipline. When self discipline is lacking, enforced discipline takes charge. Total control is lost when either of the discipline forms is rendered ineffective. If institutions provide for imbibitions of discipline into life through training programs and practical sessions, then the usability of education in behavioural development is witnessed.
Inspirational Legends
It is not required to teach to behave well with those who behave well with you and vice-versa, humans carry the legacy of mannerisms & character with generations. With a little advent of wisdom they recognize behavioural patterns on their own. It is important to teach a student that even if a person misbehaves with you, you should treat him with best of your humility and politeness with true heartfelt feelings of harmony. Curiosity might raise questions on possibility of such hormonal behaviour. Where there is a will there is a way! When someone is not willing to do anything, finding the word possible in his dictionary is a tough task. Lord Mahaveer inspires victory of peace over acrimony. Numerous efforts were made to excite Lord Mahaveer into aggression. Divine powers were used to peeve him; humans aggravated the pain, animals had their share of him but Lord Mahaveer remained unmoved. Lord Mahaveer was as human as any of us, yet his tolerance was at the peak. This is the new face of education, which I consider as the life-changing platform.
Not everyone can duplicate Mahaveer, yet if we could imbibe 1/100th or even l/1000th of the life principles of his, we could lead a successful life. With the advent of adverse circumstances, humans tend to lose their stability. We can learn the art of maintaining equilibrium within our lives from the lives of legends like Acharya Bhikshu, Mahatma Gandhi and Jesus Christ etc. They were subjected to tremendous pains and adverse conditions, yet they always remained calm, composed and serene. The Science of Life (Jeevan Vigyan) teaches all of the above to every student.
Possibility of a New Dimensional Life!
Jeevan Vigyan does not act like an interceptor to the growth of wisdom, instead it provides for wider horizons of knowledge & wisdom. Jeevan Vigyan does not render a student weak, phobic or stupid by developing them at emotional levels. The goal nourished by Jeevan Vigyan is to develop a student into a harmonious being. For effectively executing the process, Jeevan Vigyan employs two methodologies - Linguistic training & Experiential learning. Linguistic training schedules are contributing towards achieving the set goals but maximum & long lasting impact has been observed though experiential learning. These are the reasons why Jeevan Vigyan gives education a new dimension.
Everyone is independent on their opinion of Jeevan Vigyan whether it interests them or not. If we want to live like humans, transform the societies we live in and restore India's lost glory, then a program of the calibre of Jeevan Vigyan has to be employed. Education rendered today is good, but to fill the loopholes within, Jeevan Vigyan plays a vital role. All those students willing to pursue Jeevan Vigyan must be provided with that opportunity enabling the student in achieving the pinnacles of success.
