Education
is the latent treasure of mankind. Students must strive to free
the countrymen from their lack of spiritual education.
Today
students aspire to earn degrees. But the current system of
education lacks culture.
Education
and culture are like the negative and the positive poles. While
education caters to providing information, culture leads to the
transformation. What passes off under the banner of education
today is mere bookish knowledge. Aspiring to acquire an inner
vision through Educare will therefore help experience the outer
world.
The Vedas
have emphatically declared that unless man is prepared to
sacrifice, he cannot attain immortality. Such a sacrifice enables
man to see unity in diversity. God is love. Live in love. Develop
love instead.
Gandhi once
reflected, Hardness is the heart of Education today.
Students
must also realize that Education is for life and not for a living.
Education bears no relation to jobs. If you sincerely and with
love attend to any work, it is enough. Students should realize
that a secular education without spirituality is like a kite
without string. Students must understand the dangers of
commercialisation of education today.You are not acquiring
knowledge in this case (‘Chaduvukuntunnadu’) but only buying
education (‘chaduvukontunnadu’). Aspire for educare, which is
related to the Heart. Education is related to the Head. Aspire to
seek the Education of the heart instead. Abhor laziness. Today,
students return from the college (‘kaleji’ in Telugu). If you
remove ‘ka’ syllable, we have what students today are-‘leji’
(lazy). The process of instruction in these classes is Education.
Education
is the latent treasure of mankind. It is our only friend and
teacher of teachers; such education is alone worthy of worship.
Students must strive to free the countrymen from their lack of
spiritual education.
Today
students aspire to earn degrees. But the current system of
education lacks culture. Education and culture are like the
negative and the positive poles. While education caters to
providing information, culture leads to the transformation.
However, education without culture is like a field without water,
a house without a lamp, a school without its teacher, a temple
without the presiding deity and a wire without current flowing
through it.
What passes
off under the banner of education today is mere bookish knowledge.
One must aspire to seek Educare; it is the latter that brings out
the hidden strength of man from his heart. Aspiring to acquire an
inner vision through Educare will therefore help experience the
outer world.
No doubt
secular education is essential. However, unless the fundamental
basis of creation is investigated and experienced, it remains as
an useless entity. For example, hydrogen and oxygen combine to
give water. This law is contributed by Science. But is it possible
to do it anytime anywhere? Similarly there is silver in this
glass, plate and spoon. Though their form can be altered can you
transmute the silver that constitute them? Hence, efforts should
be made to seek, learn and experience that fundamental power of
creation. Such an Education is called as Atma Vidya or
Gnanasakthi. It permeates the entire creation.
Education
has today become a roaring business, bereft of any morals or
principles. You acquire your Education from the society today and
are selling it back to the society at an exorbitant price. Where
is the principle of sacrifice here? The Vedas have emphatically
declared that unless man is prepared to sacrifice, he cannot
attain immortality. Such a sacrifice enables man to see unity in
diversity. It helps mankind to live and learn together, share the
experiences and derive the bliss obtained from the realisation of
life.
Students
must not see the job market when studying. Unfortunately today we
find that selfishness has multiplied, righteousness is on the
decline and ego has become a mark of beauty to man and the
selfishness, a fashion statement. We have become so much involved
in pursuing these vices that we only sink further into the sorrow
and despair. Realise that it is your mind that is responsible for
the bondage you find in yourself. Awaken to the truth of the unity
of life forms and you shall attain the bliss. When such a
realisation dawns, whom will you hate or love? Anything you do
amounts to doing it to yourself. God is love. Live in love. Help
ever, hurt never. Students should especially guard against the
onset of the vices like anger, hatred, jealousy, etc. Develop love
instead. Start the day with love Fill the day with love End the
day with love This is the way to God.
Educated
ones must note be stonehearted. Gandhi reflected this sentiment
when he told an Englishman, Hardness is the heart of Education
today. If the suffering of your fellowmen fails to melt your
heart with compassion, then you have attained nothing in life. A
compassionate heart is what you should aim for and not merely
adding degrees.
Students
must also realize that Education is for life and not for a living.
Education bears no relation to jobs. If you sincerely and with
love attend to any work, it is enough. As the saying goes, work
will be transformed into worship. But today, students fail to
realize this. They make a beeline to the nearest passport office
the instant they finish their college education. What are you
going to find abroad that is not already there in India? Be proud
of the fact that your motherland is the leader of nations in all
terms of ethical, moral, spiritual aspects. If you are unable to
attach yourself to your own motherland, how long will you sustain
the attachment to another land? Students should realize that a
secular education without spirituality is like a kite without
string. Nobody knows where it would land. You must specially take
care not to make haste. Haste makes waste Waste makes worry So, do
not be in a hurry.
An action
done without patient discrimination will only lead to ruining the
immense potential that you have at this age. Discrimination is of
two types, (i) Fundamental and (ii) Individual. You must always
select a course of action that is beneficial to all and harmful to
none. You must develop the foundation of self-confidence on which
the walls of self-satisfaction can be built. The roof of
self-sacrifice can be laid on these walls. Self-realisation is
the life of such a mansion. What do you mean by ‘self’, or ‘I’?
The Vedas have advised that it is important to know this ‘I’
first. The secrets of the creation would then open up themselves
to you.
Students
must understand the dangers of commercialisation of education
today. People pay heavy amounts to acquire a seat for such
studies. After obtaining their degrees, they pass on the burden to
citizens by way of hefty fees, in order to recover their costs.
You are not acquiring knowledge in this case (‘Chaduvukuntunnadu’)
but only buying education (‘chaduvukontunnadu’). God has given you
two hands but only one stomach. If you work hard enough with both
hands, you can easily fill the stomach. Resorting to such inhuman
means is not called for.
Aspire for
educare, which is related to the Heart. Education is related to
the Head. What goes through the Head are mere passing clouds. They
do not remain permanent. However, the Heart is the store-house of
all human values like compassion, right behaviour, right conduct,
discipline, dedication, devotion etc. The Head generates only
knack. This is definitely harmful for you. Aspire to seek the
Education of the heart instead. It is well known that our
Educational Institutions, no fees of any sort is charged anywhere
from KG to PG and beyond. We only desire that our students develop
into ideal citizens and share with the society whole-heartedly the
ideals that they have acquired, practices and experienced. This
must be done on a full-time basis and not part-time. It is only
then you would have imbibed the essence of Education.
Abhor
laziness. Today, students return from the college (‘kaleji’ in
Telugu). If you remove ‘ka’ syllable, we have what students today
are-‘leji’ (lazy). Laziness is rust and dust. You must keep
working all the time.
From today
you will hear several good things and experiences of eminent
scholars. Ruminate over them. The process of instruction in these
classes is Education. When you investigate and understand about
these talks, you gain the knowledge to experience them. This is
Educare.
[SUMMARY
OF DIVINE DISCOURSE ON 15-05-2000 (Morning)]