Swami teaches.... What is true education?

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram

Light and Love

 

Swami teaches.... (17 March 2005)

 

What is True Education?

 

There is nothing more precious in the world than true education. It reveals

the divinity that sustains the universe and promotes the welfare of mankind

materially, mentally and socially. Those who realise the nature of the Divine

can know the relationship between Nature, society and human's infinite

potential. In the educational system today, the spiritual element has no place.

Education must proceed primarily from the Spirit to Nature. It must show that

mankind constitutes one Divine family. The divinity that is present, in society

can be experienced only through individuals. Born in society, one has the duty

to work for the welfare and progress of society. Education does not mean

imparting of verbal knowledge. Humility, reverence, compassion, forbearance,

sacrifice and self-control are the qualities which reveal the outcome of true

education. Humans today are concerned solely about their rights and have no

regard for their duties, obligations and responsibilities. Scholarship without

culture is valueless. Both have to go together.

The world to-day is in the grip of a supreme moral and spiritual crisis.

People everywhere arefeeling frustrated and helpless and anxiously wondering

what is in store for humanity. The hopesraised by the advances of science and

technology have proved dupes. While science hasovercome the barriers of time,

distance and nationality, it has done little to promote betterunderstanding

between man and man and nation and nation. Never has there been so

muchdistrust, hatred and violence as is witnessed to-day, in almost every

country. There are, however, heartening signs that earnest people in many

countries are turning to the way of the Spirit as the answer to the crisis that

faces humanity. There is a spiritual hunger that isgrowing in every country.

Human must realise that the sense organs, through which he explores the

external and discovers the powers latent in Nature and the physical universe,

function because of the Divinity which is immanent in them. Without the power

of the Divine, the eyes cannot see or the ears hear or the mind think. Our

ancients were not ignorant of science. But in pursuing scientific enquiries,

they did not rest content with knowing all about creation. They were keen to

understand the Creator who wasresponsible for the creation. They sought to know

the nature of the unchanging reality, that wasbehind the continually changing

phenomenal Universe. The Taithiriya Upanishad exhorts the student to look

upon one's father, mother, teacher andguest as God. Students today have little

respect for parents or God. They lack even confidence in themselves. We do not

need today a new faith or creed, nor a new system of education. Nor do we need

to create a new society. All we need are men and women who have pure and

loving-hearts. The transformation has to be effected in the minds of the

people. The mind should be brought under the control of the buddhi

(intelligence) and not allowed to go after its whims and fancies. The oneness

of all creation affirmed by the ancient seers and sages must be expressed in a

transcendental love which embraces all people regardless of creed, community or

language.

Vidhya (education) is that process which makes us aware of the bondage we

are in, the suffering we live through and the darkness within. The Upanishadh

exhorts us: Utthishtatha, Jaagratha, Praapya Varaan Nibodhatha (Arise, Awake,

Approach the wise and learn).

All degrees, scholarships and punditry have no value if one does not have

good qualities.Cultivate virtues. Today good qualities (gunamulu in Telugu) are

forgotten and only good dress(guddalu in Telugu) is being flaunted. The

Upanishad declares: "Narayana pervades everything inside and outside."

People talk about Neethi (morality). Morality simply means right conduct.

Without goodbehaviour there can be no morality. Your moral life in society must

express itself in service tothe suffering and the helpless. The devotion and

understanding that are implicit in selflessservice cannot be found in any other

thing. How can education shine in human if he does not attain these fruits?

Gandhi once said,"Knowledge without character is a powerful evil." Today, there

is knowledge but character isseldom seen with it. Practice promotes Vidhya.

Experience is the Guru. But he is not visible atall. Teaching ends with the

school, but learning ends only when life ends. Vidhya does not mean mere

attendance at school or college, mere study of some books, or mere mastery of a

few subjects. Living, not for the sake of food but for the sake of an ideal,

that is the goal of education. Thehuman personality must blossom into

enthusiasm for work, into eagerness to raise society to the highest level.

Without character, one becomes the plaything of every passing whim, a kitewhose

string has broken, or a counterfeit coin, without benefitting any one.

Steady interest is essential in order to master worthy knowledge. Education

must be oriented towards the attainment of character for leading clean simple

lives. Rivers are dammed and the waters are stored in reservoirs. Of what

earthly use are these if the waters are kept therein? Through canals, they have

to be taken to the fields to feed the crops in order to appease the hunger of

millions. So too, we store the knowledge available in libraries in our heads as

reservoirs, But, is that enough? Can this be the end of education? It has to be

utilised through canals of service in order to fertilise and feed the minds of

one's fellowmen and make them more intelligent, more skilled and more loving.

Vidhya or education is a penance, a thapas; but it is being reduced into a

dull routine, thamas.Teachers decide the prosperity or poverty of a country.

Theirs is the most responsible profession. Teachers have the task of

sculpturing the leaders of peoples. Teachers should not descend into politics;

their status is far too high. They have to do service to the sacred, the

innocent, the tender minds of the children of the land. The development of

material resources and the defence of the country ultimately depend on the kind

of education that is imparted. But a tripod is not only 'three legs'! How can

one sit on three legs? There should be a plank, resting on them - the plank of

Love of the Country. "Country" does not mean a specific area on the map, the

soil. It means the human community inhabiting the territory. 'Love' means the

sense of inter-relationship and involvement of the individual with that

community. This degree of love is absent now in many highly educated, highly

placed persons. Education is being confused with the acquisition of verbal

scholarship. This is wrong. Educationhas to open the doors of the mind. Many

describe science today as a powerful acquisition, but,science holds before

mankind a great opportunity, that is all. It cannot be as great a power as it

is imagined to be. If it is devoid of character, it brings disaster. It can

then cause evil andwickedness. Intelligence can be found to be very high among

clever thieves. So, too, scientificknowledge can be misused for destructive

purposes. To enter the heaven of science through true education, human has

to mould into a humble, unselfish seeker. However, mankind is caught in the

mire of egotism, self-seeking and envy and, as a consequence, it is wandering

in the realm of demonkind.

Though Sai is involved in events conditioned by time and space, Sai is ever

established in the principle that is beyond both time and space. Sai is not

conditioned by time, place or circumstance. Therefore, you must all recognise

the uniqueness of the Will of Sai, the Sai Sankalpa. Know that this sankalpa is

Vajrasankalpa - it is irresistible Will. You may ignore its expression as weak

and insignificant but, once the will is formed, whatever else undergoes change,

it cannot change. In order to promote truth, righteousness, and universal

love, the Sathya Sai Trust is establishing primary schools, high schools,

universities, junior colleges and colleges where emphasis is laid on spiritual

education so that good character becomes the core of the personality. The

sankalpa of Sathya Sai is to offer, for serving humanity, heroes of action and

heroes of self-sacrifice.

This is Sai's Message to you all. May you all develop this Divine Love and

stand out as theharbingers of a new age free from selfishness, greed, hatred

and violence. Let each of you belight unto himself or herself and thereby be a

light unto others. (Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 15. "Call

to Sai Samithi members," Chapter 17, "Character training," Chapter 18 and "The

unique University," Chapter 27; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol 17. "Spread the message

of Love," Chapter 11; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol.20. "Spiritualise Education,"

Chapter 28).

 

Namaste - Reet