Turning away from God, we only wander from distraction to distraction. Therefore, this must be the first step in any value-based system of education: Turn back to God! Love God and love your fellow-men.
Let us bring God back into our schools and colleges. The state in our country, has, in several ways, repressed dharma in our system of education. How true are the words of an American philosopher: “If you throw God out of your schools and colleges, the vacuum thus created, will immediately be filled in by the Devil.” We need to educate our children, first and foremost, to know God and to love Him. If we make God a reality to our youth, we will surely find that they grow in those true qualities of character without which life has no meaning or significance.
God is Light
This is the great truth that must be emphasised in education – God is Light! Without this awareness, the logical intellect, and the selfish, self-seeking mind will only lead us on the path of materialism, which ends in darkness. But awareness of God, awareness of Light will lead us towards spiritual unfoldment – the highest goal of all education.
Maxim Gorky, the great Russian thinker and writer, was one day addressing a huge rally of peasants in Russia. He spoke to them about the benefits of science. Raising his voice to make his point, he proclaimed loudly, “Consider what benefits science had brought to you! Science has taught you how to fly in the air like a bird, and science has taught you how to dive into the depths of the ocean like a fish. Is this not marvellous?”
A poor, illiterate peasant got up and said to Gorky, “True it is, that science has taught us how to fly in the air like a bird, and swim in the depths of the ocean like a fish. But, alas, science has not taught us how to live on earth in love and peace and amity, like good human beings!”
Panchasheel
What is the kind of value-based education I would like our students to receive? Making them pass examinations is not, should not be our ultimate aim. I place my emphasis on what I call the Panchasheel of education: The first is character building; the second is altruistic living; the third is reverence for all life and respect for the great ones of all faiths; the fourth is spiritual unfolding; and the fifth is cultivation of the soul.
Character, compassion, culture and reverence for all life: these values capture the ideal of right education.
New Education
Therefore, today, more than ever before, we need a new type of education which will emphasise the spiritual and moral values of life. We need a new education which may offer the students an integral training of the head, the hand and heart; and a proper discipline of willpower and the emotions.
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