Divine Discourse for Seminar on Values Parenting, July 26, 1999

[Guest guest]

Namaste Brothers and Sisters,

 

Business ethics start here I think, hope you like this.

 

Love Tony.

> HUMAN VALUES AND EDUCATION

>

> Valedictory Discourse for the First Sri Sathya Sai

> Seminar

> on Values Parenting

>

> By Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on 26-07-1999

>

>

> Sadayam Hridayam Yasya Bhasitham Sathya Bhushitham

> Kayah Parahithe Yasya Kalisthasya Karothikim

> (Sanskrit Verse)

>

> What can the evil effects of Kali Age do to a man

> whose heart is filled

> with compassion, whose every utterance is truth and

> whose body is

> dedicated for the service of others?

>

> The Human Values

>

> Man should fill his heart with compassion, always

> speak the truth and

> dedicate his body for the welfare of society. The

> thought, word and

> deed of man should always be sacred. The heart not

> polluted by desire

> and anger, the tongue not tainted by untruth and the

> body unblemished

> by the acts of violence - these are the true human

> values. It is

> because of the lack of these human values that the

> country is facing

> hardships today. The parents and the teachers

> should take note of the

> fact that only the students can restore the pristine

> glory of Bharat,

> which once was the treasure house of spirituality,

> but has now become

> the abode of worldly and ephemeral pleasures. Just

> as the parents are

> saddened seeing their children lagging behind in

> studies, so also

> Mother India feels sad seeing her children lacking

> moral and ethical

> values. You have to remember that all those whom

> you revere as ideal

> citizens and noble souls were once students

> themselves. Never forget

> that students of the future citizens and leaders of

> this country.

>

> Culture and Values

>

> The value of an individual depends on his or her

> culture. The real

> meaning of the word culture lies in giving up bad

> thoughts and bad

> actions and cultivating sacred thoughts and noble

> deeds. The country

> is not a mere piece of land; it is an assemblage of

> citizens. For the

> country to progress, the citizens have to cultivate

> the moral, ethical

> and spiritual values. It is not possible for the

> citizens and the

> leaders to cultivate these values unless they

> practice them right from

> childhood. Life becomes meaningless if one does not

> take to righteous

> actions from an early age. Modern students are not

> able to refine

> their lives. So, the parents and the teachers

> should play an active

> role in shaping the lives of the students. First

> and foremost they

> have to enquire as to how the students can get rid

> of their evil

> tendencies. Just as a boulder becomes worthy of

> adoration and respect

> when it is carved into a beautiful idol, so also the

> students will

> become ideal citizens if they are brought up in the

> right environment.

> The teachers and parents are responsible for the

> good and bad in

> students. Unfortunately, they have not understood

> their role shaping

> the lives of the students.

>

> What is Education

>

> What is 'Vidya'? It is derived from the root word

> 'Vid,' meaning,

> 'to know'. Vidya is termed as education in English.

> The term education

> has its origin in the Latin word 'Educare,' which

> means 'to elicit'.

> Educare has two aspects, the worldly and the

> spiritual. Worldly

> education brings out the latent knowledge pertaining

> to the physical

> world. Spiritual education brings out the inherent

> divinity in man.

> So, both worldly and spiritual education are

> essential, without which

> human life has no value. But, spirituality finds no

> place in the

> modern education system. Only worldly education is

> given prominence.

> Just as two wings are essential for a bird to soar

> high in the sky, two

> wheels for a cart to move; so also the two types of

> education are needed

> for man to attain the goal of life. Spiritual

> education is for life,

> whereas worldly education is for a living. Only

> when man is equipped

> with these two aspects of education, can he be

> deserving of respect and

> adoration in society. Possession of these two

> aspects of education will

> bring not only respect and adulation, but also

> self-satisfaction.

> The worldly education, which relates to the head, is

> ephemeral.

> Reading, writing, eking out a livelihood, and

> attaining name and

> fame - all these result from worldly education. The

> worldly education

> makes man great, whereas the spiritual education

> makes him good.

> The spiritual education relates to the heart, the

> origin of sacred

> qualities like compassion, truth, forbearance and

> love. Today the

> parents expect their children to go in for higher

> studies, amass wealth

> and become great, but very few want their children

> to be good.

> Goodness is long-lasting, where, greatness is

> temporary. Goodness for

> the basis for spiritual life. There are crores and

> crores of people who

> have become great by amassing wealth, but what is

> their contribution to

> the welfare of society? Absolutely nil. Therefore,

> strive to be good,

> not great.

>

> The modern students are travelling across the globe

> for material

> education without realising the fact that the heart,

> the source of true

> education is within. True education is that which

> makes man ideal.

> Parents are the first teachers. They should show

> them the way to

> goodness. Man cannot become good by merely being

> highly educated.

> Worldly education confers only Artha (wealth) and

> Swartha

> (selfishness). Such education is responsible for

> the downfall of man.

> The worldly education (Bhouthika Parijnana) is

> information oriented,

> while the spiritual education is transformation

> oriented. The

> information-oriented education makes man a computer,

> whereas the

> transformation oriented education makes man a

> composer. Man should

> become a composer, not a computer.

>

> Decline of Values

>

> Today the moral, ethical and spiritual values are on

> the decline. The

> modern students have no trace of these values in

> them. They have no

> respect for their parents and society. In that case

> how can they

> expect to be respected by their children? Our

> ancient culture exhorts:

> Mathru Devo Bhava, Pithru Devo Bhava and Acharya

> Devo Bhava (revere

> your Mother, father and teacher as God). Respect

> and be respected.

> Practice before you preach. A composer is one who

> practices what he

> preaches.

>

> Ashram (hermitage) Education v/s Urban Education

>

> In the Mahabharata, there was a king by name

> Dushyantha. Having been

> born and brought up in a palace, he was after

> worldly and material

> pursuits. On the other hand, his son Bharata who

> was born and brought

>

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Keep on truckin-Chant the Gayatri!

 

"God is formless. In order to merge in the formless God,

you have to give up identification with the body."

"There is only one Soul and that is God." Sai Baba.

___________

 

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