"The kind of seed sown
Will produce that kind of fruit.
Those who do good will reap good results.
Those who do evil will reap evil results.
If you carefully plant a good seed,
You will joyfully gather good fruit."
- Dhammapada
Sanskrit word
'Vidya' as it was used by the Rishis, Gurus or teachers of ancient India. 'Vid
- ya' means that which light up,
illumines. As such, it was identified with knowledge that illumines the mind
and soul, liberates from the fetters of ignorance – Sa Vidya Ya Vimuktaye. When
Vidya is imbibed, assimilated with the help of Guru, who always guides you with
the moral compass keeping you rooted to the North, the righteousness.
The most
important tool in a ship, which sails in the high seas is the compass, without
it, it will be lost in the vast ocean. No matter how so ever advanced or state
of the art that ship is, without compass it’s like a floating log. Similarly no
education would be helpful and would give the desired result for the benefit of
self or society if it does not have “Value-Compass”.
In today’s world when we see so
many state of the art ships sailing in the high seas, you admire their beauty,
you admire their technology, you get awestruck by their mere size, but then you
feel shocked and surprised, when you find these ships sinking, losing their
ways. Huge ships like Enron, Satyam, which were sailing all right suddenly hit
the iceberg and sink. When the reason for this mishap is searched, lack of
moral compass somewhere always comes as a common cause in all these instances.
Values are the
glue of society, values are responsible for holding together the person,
organization and society. Value based education is an educational framework. It
gives equal status to both character development and academic attainment. Values-based Education is a combination of
philosophy, methodology, teaching and learning materials, organizational
processes and know-how. Value based education forms the base and is fundamental
for larger good of the society, values of goodness in speech, value of kindness
towards all those one comes in contact with whether professionally or
otherwise, value of service with compassion, these are the integral component
of value based education. Gautam Buddha said “Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a
life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.”
In fact if it
not value based, it is anything but education. All books of knowledge and
wisdom have the elements of value as the core element. In Upanishad, the guru
and shishya both pray to God to help
them learn in the environment of camaraderie, where they learn and enlighten
themselves together. The spirit of doing things together is born out of the
value of cooperation, support, helping, associating and guiding.
Om Saha Navavatu,
Saha Nau Bhunaktu,
Saha Viiryam Karavavahai
Tejasvi Nauadhii-Tam-Astu
Maa Vidvishwavahai
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih
( Om, May God Protect us Both (the
Teacher and the Student), May God Nourish us Both, May we Work Together with
Energy and Vigor, May our Study be Enlightening, not giving rise to Hostility,
Om, Peace, Peace, Peace)
Somehow in the process of refining
the body we have removed the soul and now we are running around with the
lifeless skeleton of education system, which is devoid of everything which it
should have never lost. Value education
makes you compassionate, it is basically education of the heart, in contrast to
the education of the mind which dominates everything. Man is much beyond logic
and reason, it is compassion not reason which associates two individuals and
makes the society bonded and saves it from anarchy, so it is not simply the
heart of education, but also education of the heart which is paramount to the
education system. Education is a small component of Vidya, which probably
doesn’t have a synonymous word in English language.
Vidya has always been referred to
as education with values as now we are re-discovering as value based education
or VBE. Bharthari in his Neetishatak eulogizes Vidya as follows –
Vidya naam narasya roopmadhikam, prachchhanaguptam dhanam,
Vidya bhogkari yashah sukhkari Vidya gurunaam guruh
Vidya bandhujano videshgamane Vidya para devta
Vidya rajasu poojyate na hi dhanam vidyavihinam pashuh
(Vidya is such a cosmetic which
makes a man attractive, Vidya is hidden and secret treasure, which makes
available all worldly pleasure, fame and happiness, Vidya is the teacher of all
the teachers, in foreign land it helps and supports as your friend and
relative, it has the God like power of fulfilling all your desires, even kings
worship Vidya, a person without Vidya is no better than an animal)
Values define the conduct of an
individual, an individual’s conduct define the attitude of the society. There
are three elements Vidya, Buddhi and Vivek. Vidya means that which lights up,
removing the darkness of ignorance and Buddhi
is derived from budh- to be awake, to
understand, to know). Buddhi denotes an aspect of mind that is higher than the
rational mind and that is attracted to Brahman (i.e., to "Truth"
(sat) or "Reality" (dharma).
Buddhi is that which is able to discern truth (satya) from falsehood and
thereby to make wisdom possible. Buddhi play an important role in liberation
(i.e., enlightenment) within Hinduism, Buddhism and Yoga. In Kathopanishad defines the significance
of this entity called buddhi as
Atmanang rathinang viddhi sharirang rathmev tu
Buddhi tu sarthing viddhi manah pragrahmev ca
Consider Atma as the passenger on the chariot, body as chariot, buddhi is the driver of this chariot and
mana being the rein.
Vivek, is the ability to
discriminate, differentiate right from the wrong, is the ability to use Vidya
and Gyan (Knowledge) appropriately, as rishi Patanjali describes the attributes
of one who has Vivek (Vivekinah)
Parinama tapa samskara dukhaih gunavritti
Virodhat ca dukkham eva sarvam vivekinah
The discriminating person knows,
that all conditions are distressful, because of circumstantial changes,
strenuous endeavor, impulsive motivation, clashing aspects and the vibrational
modes of the mento-emotional energy.
Assimilation of value attributes brings
out all these qualities in the students and if education is devoid of values,
it generates situations where a person has the power but doesn’t have the sense
or diligence to use it appropriately. Many anomalies of our society and present
day’s world may be traced back to persons and organizations using their resources
(which include power) in senseless manner.
Attributes of Value based
education:
1.
Refinement and development of
mind (buddhi): Rishis invoke Guru Brihashpati and Sun God to
grant the wisdom to develop buddhi and have all round development of the
individual
baRhspto
saivatva-Qa-yaOnaM jyaaotyaOnaM saaOBagaaya
saMiSatM
icat\ saMtrM saM iSaSaaiQa ivaSvaM enamanau madnt dovaa:
Brihaspatey
savitarvardhayainam jyotyainam saubhagaay
Sanshitang chit sangtarang
sang shishadhi vishvang einmanu madant devaah
(Atharved 7:16:1)
The objective of education is to develop and refine the student’s
buddhi, to sharpen it and to help him progress on the path of development of
self, doing an all-round development of the individual.
2.
Character development and
behavioral (Aachaar) education: The objective of Vidya is to make the person
humble, one of the most significant value attribute in an individual.
विद्या ददाति विनयं विनयाद्याति पात्रताम् ।
पात्रत्वाद्धनमाप्नोति धनाद्धर्मं ततः सुखम् ॥
(true/complete) knowledge gives discipline,
from discipline comes worthiness, from worthiness one gets wealth, from wealth
(one does) good deeds, from that (comes) joy.
Education may be imparted but
Vidya must be imbibed, the person should be ready to accept it. The beauty of
Vidya is in its voluntary acceptance, a seeker of Vidya is always hungry for
more, and is asking for more, looking out for more, and this brings in humility
which makes the person respect his teacher. There is a story in Ramayan, Raavan
was a great scholar, capable ruler and was a very learned king, was respected
all around for his wisdom, at the end of the war, when he was lying wounded,
Ram was victorious, he sent Lakshman to seek Ravana’s blessings and learn
Raajneeti Shashtra from him, Lakshman went as stood there near his head, but
Raavan didn’t speak a word, disappointed Lakshman, returned and told Ram, that
Raavan didn’t utter a word, despite his request. Ram asked Lakshman, where were
you standing, and when Lakshman said I was standing towards his head, Ram
scolded and said you should go to him and stand near his feet, because if you
wish to learn something from someone you need to be humble, and respectful
towards your teacher, irrespective of who he is. The value called humility the
pre-requisite for Vidya.
The value based education
inculcates an attitude of gratitude. Being grateful brings in humility and vice
versa.
Humility is further highlighted in
following shloka
sauKsya maUlaM Qama-: Qama-sya
maUlaM Aqa-:
Aqa-sya maUlaM rajyaM rajyasya
maUlaM [ind`yajaya:
[ind`yajayasya maUlaM ivanaya
Sukhasya moolang dharmah dharmasya moolang arthah
Arthasya moolang rajyang rajyasya moolang indriyajayah
Indriyajayasya moolang vinay.
Gratefulness which comes out of
humility is eulogized as
Kritartho hyacharyo naam bhavati
(Taittariya Upnishad – Shankarbhashya)
One who is grateful becomes the
learned.
Tulsidas in ramcharit manas says
itima sauK sampit ibanaihM
baulaae Qama-saIla pih jaaih sauBaa[-
Timi sukh sampati binahi bulaaye, dharamseel pahin jaahi subhaay
(Ram
Charit Manas, Baalkaand )
To a virtuous man the world
abounds in happiness and
ijaima sairta saagar mahuÐ
jaahIM jaVip taih kamanaa naahIM
Jimi sarita sagar mahun jaaheen, jadyapi taahi kaamna naahi
Such a virtuous man gets all the
good things in life without even asking, as all the rivers flow into the ocean
without ocean even expressing its desires for it.
3.
Objective to focus on the goal
with dedication: Working with sincerity
and dedication to achieve one’s goal is paramount in achieving success.
Importance of dedication is mentioned in Yajurved
va`tona
dIxaamaaPnaaoit dIxayaaPnaaoit daixaNaama
dixaNaa
EawamaaPnaaoit Eawyaa sa%yamaaPyato
Vraten Deekshamaapnoti deekshyaapnoti dakshinaam
Dakshina shraddhamaapnoti shraddhyaa satyamaapyate (Yajurved 19:30)
Sincere effort makes a person gain
knowledge, with knowledge comes expertise, with expertise comes
respectfulness and with this attributes
one attains the truth.
The emphasis on the truth and on
righteousness in the Ved and Upnishads and their connection are
similar to what we find in the famous doctrine of Socretes, “Virtue is
Knowledge”.
4.
Amalgamation of
Vidya & Buddhi: Knowledge and Wisdom go
hand in hand; in fact Atharv Ved says that knowledge (Vidya) without practical
wisdom (Dhi) is not of much use. Knowledge which is devoid of practical and
social wisdom is not knowledge in true sense.
SaM naao dovaa ivaSvadovaa Bavantu SaM sarsvatI sah
QaIiBarstu Aqavao-d (19.11.2)
5.
Coordination of
Spiritualism and Materialism: The values propagated
in ancient scriptures and ved stress the importance of coordination and balance
between spiritualism and materialism, because only materialism or naturalism is
of no good and pure spiritualism is even worse, therefore a balanced
coordination of the two is desirable. Materialism solves the problems of
physical world and spiritualism gives solace and inner comfort.
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