Chapter-4 Educational Thinking of Rajneesh and J.Krishnamurtishodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/37688/8/08_chapter 4.pdf · 92 Chapter-4 Educational Thinking of Rajneesh and

90

Chapter-4 Educational Thinking of Rajneesh and J.Krishnamurti

4.0 Introduction

4.1 Interrelationship of Education Philosophy with Life

4.2 Educational Philosophy of Rajneesh

4.2.1 Concept of Education

4.2.2 Basic Principles Concerning to Education

4.2.3 Curriculum

4.2.4 The Aims of Education

4.2.5 The Functions of Education

4.2.6 School- its concept and characteristics

4.2.7 Teacher-Student Relationship

4.2.8 Discipline

4.2.9 Evaluation

4.3 Educational Philosophy of J.Krishnamurti



4.3.3 Curriculum





pdfMachine A pdf writer that produces quality PDF files with ease!

Produce quality PDF files in seconds and preserve the integrity of your original documents. Compatible across nearly all Windows platforms, if you can print from a windows application you can use pdfMachine.

Get yours now!

http://www.pdfmachine.com?cl

91

4.3.8 Discipline

4.3.9 Evaluation

4.4 Educational Implication : Rajneesh�s Ideas Regarding Education

Thinking

4.5 Educational Implication : J. Krishnamurti�s Ideas Regarding

Education Thinking

4.6 Conclusion



Get yours now!


92

Chapter-4 Educational Thinking of Rajneesh and J.Krishnamurti

4.0 Introduction

Fitche in his six address to the German people stated, � the art of

education would never attain clearness in itself without philosophy.

There is an interaction between the two and either without the other

incomplete and unserviceable. Thus philosophy means �mature reflection�

about any problem in its complete perspective.�1 The great religious

teachers or preachers of mankind have their own philosophies about life.

�Lord Buddha preached the philosophy of love and charity; Mohammed

upheld the doctrine of brotherhood; Gandhiji believed in the philosophy

of non-violence ; while Hitler supported a militant philosophy. Omar

Khayyam extolled the Epicurean Philosophy.� 2 Thus all these

philosophies are based on different beliefs, resulted in different ways of

life.

4.1 Interrelationship of Education Philosophy with Life

The common subject for both philosophy and education is �MAN�.

Education is concerned with the manifestation of the hidden potential of

�Man� and it looks to philosophy for the ideal to which to lead him. Thus

education is the dynamic side of philosophy or its active aspect, while

philosophy is the practical means of realizing the ideals of life. Without

philosophy, education would be nothing but a blind effort, and without

education, philosophy would be no better than a cripple. Divorced from

philosophy, education would become an armless endeavour, a hopeless



Get yours now!


93

waste of time and energy; philosophy gives its point, its target, its goal.

The educational thinkers achieved the above point or target or goal. Many

great thinkers tried their richest, praiseworthy contribution to enrich the

field of education. J.Krishnamurti and Rajneesh were such educational

thinkers.

4.2 Educational Philosophy of Rajneesh

Rajneesh was one of the most versatile thinkers and had given

spontaneous lectures on a wide range of topics, most of which are being

converted into books, tapes and CDs. He offeres a challenge to our

customary ways of looking at education. Conventional ideas and

approaches regarding education may be meaningful but not significant;

they may be useful but not uplifting. He is for education that will not

serve the past and the dead but will benefit the future and the living.


Word � education� is widely used without understanding its real

meaning. It doesn�t mean literacy. It means much more than that.

Rajneesh�s perspective on education was a protest against the values and

meanings ascribed to traditional education. He explains every nook and

corner of the education system, its faults, remedies and even gives new

ideas and proposals to make this education � a real education. He stresses

on recognizing the original Latin meaning of education: to bring out that

which is hidden within � the potential. He expresses his ideas on

education in different ways. The following 16 idea units and key words

expressed his ideas on the concept of education. They are : (1) What



Get yours now!


94

liberates ultimately is education, (2) Meaning of education is �Tamaso

Maa Jyotirgamayma� � from darkness to light,(3) Education means to

draw out, (4) Education means drawing one�s inner being into expression

in one�s living, one�s day-to-day life, (5) Education means the flowering

of the individual, (6) Education is a trust in oneself and in existence, (7)

Education teaches fearlessness and courage to accept the challenge of the

unknown, (8) Education should teach people how to grow the ego and

how to be able to drop it, (9) True education is the education of love, (10)

Real education is the art of fulfilling the heart of the man, (11) True

education has to be subversive and rebellious, (12) Education is the

management of energy force, (13) Education is a bridge between the

potentiality and the actuality, (14) Education teaches and gives life is true

education, (15) Education means to me a man with a balanced growth --

of body, mind, heart and soul (16) Education is for life and death.

Table 4.2.1 Concept of Education

No. Idea Units Key Words

1. What liberates ultimately is education. What

leads a man nearer to his soul, nearer to

truth , is education. (RE p.100)

What liberates ultimately

is education

2. That is the exactly the meaning of the word

� education � �Tamaso Maa

Jyotirgamayma� � from darkness to light.

(TST Ch 2 Que4)

�Tamaso Maa

Jyotirgamayma� � from

darkness to light.

3. The very word education, in its roots, means

to draw out. It has the very secret in its root-

meaning. Whatever is within you as a seed

To draw out.



Get yours now!


95


has to be drawn out, given full opportunity,

so that it can blossom.

(GPFHTH Chr 28 Que 1 )

4. Education means drawing your inner being

into expression in your living, your day-to-

day life. Your honesty, your love, your

compassion, should come from your inner

being, not from teachings and scriptures�

( CDPZ Ch 5 )

Drawing one�s inner being

into expression in one�s

living, one�s day-to-day

life.

5. The individual has to flower -- that is the

original meaning of education.

( DT Vol 4 Ch 6 Que 3 )

Flowering of the

individual.

6. Education is a trust in yourself and in

existence, allowing whatsoever is hidden in

you unfoldment; bringing whatsoever is in,

out. ( DT Vol 4 Char 6 Que 3 )

Trust in oneself and in

existence.

7. Education is that which teaches fearlessness,

stabilizes one in non-greed, gives energy to

rebel, gives courage to accept the challenge

of the unknown. ( RE p. 34-35)

Fearlessness and courage

to accept the challenge of

the unknown.

8. My vision of a right education is to teach

people how to grow the ego and how to be

able to drop it; how to become great minds

and yet be ready any moment to put the

mind aside. ( BSAK Ch 3 Que 3 )

Education should teach

people how to grow the

ego and how to be able to

drop it.

9. True education in other words is education for love that will not make you superior rather it would teach you how to get rid of inferiority complex. (SMK p.18)

True education is the

education of love.



Get yours now!


96


10. The real education is the art of fulfilling the

heart of the man. (SMK p.143)

Art of fulfilling the heart

of the man

11. In my vision, the true education has to be

subversive, rebellious.

(PP Vol. 2 Ch 10 Que 2)

Subversive, rebellious.

12. Education is the management of energy

force. (SMK Ch25)

Management of energy

force.

13. Education is a bridge between the

potentiality and the actuality.

(TST Ch 2 Que 4)

A bridge between the

potentiality and the

actuality.

14. Education which teaches life, gives life �

not living, not earning � is right education.

(SMK p. 165)

Education which teaches

and gives life is true

education.

15. Education means to me a man with a

balanced growth -- of body, mind, heart and

soul. (LT Vol 5)

Balanced growth of a man.

16. Education divided in two parts means young

people study for life, and middle-aged

people study for death. (GF Ch 23)

Education is for life and

death.

The table No. 4.2.1 clarifies Rajneesh�s ideas about education with

the help of key words. Rajneesh�s philosophy of education is reflected in

the key-word �What liberates ultimately is education.� Liberation means

liberating the mind from the past, from theologies, from political

ideologies; liberating the mind in such a way that when a student comes

out of education, he is just a clean, pure seeker with no prejudice.

Liberation is a journey to the heights, going higher and higher,



Get yours now!


97

transcending oneself day after day. Rajneesh says, � when a person

transcends himself in every respect, nothing remains to be transcended,

then liberation happens.� 3 Each day one has to purify one�s inner gold in

fire so the impurities can burn and one can rise above one�s own self.

Rajneesh asserts that education which teaches this process helps the

student to get liberated.

Rajneesh quots the meaning of education as �Tamaso Maa

Jyotirgamayma� � �from darkness to light� from Upanishad. Rajneesh

agrees with the author of Upanishad who prays to the God saying, �Lord,

lead us from darkness to light.� Rajneesh says that this is the exactly the

meaning of education. When Rajneesh refers to darkness and light, he

means ignorance and knowledge, respectfully. This is so because

ignorance, like darkness, obscures true understanding. And in the same

way that the only remedy for darkness is light, the only remedy for

ignorance is knowledge. The knowledge spoken of here is again the

knowledge of one�s true nature. Man lives in darkness, in

unconsciousness � and man is capable of becoming full of light. Rajneesh

believes that �the flame is there; it has to be provoked. The consciousness

is there, but it has to be awakened.� 4

In the key-word �Education means to draw out� , Rajneesh

discusses the original meaning of education. The very word 'education'

means drawing something out, to draw something out. Rajneesh explains

it as �when you draw water out of the well it is education. Just like that,

when something is drawn outwards from your center it is education.� 5

The water is already there; the right kind of education draws it out, then



Get yours now!


98

one can quench the thirst. The key word � drawing one�s inner being into

expression in one�s living, one�s day-to-day life� explains that education

draws out one�s inner being, it draws out truth from a man- which is

there, just laying, it has to be awakened; drawing out love; drawing out

authenticity, compassion�which are all there. So here Rajneesh explains

that inner and hidden potential of the man has to be drawn out and this

procedure is called education.

In the idea of Rajneesh, education is �Education means the

flowering of the individual.� Rajneesh explains it as � Whatever is within

you as a seed has to be drawn out, given full opportunity, so that it can

blossom.� 6 Education is only an opportunity, a supportive background,

where whatever is one�s potential can be drawn out; whatever is in the

form of a seed starts growing and comes to blossom. Individuality of the

person is shaped in true sense. When it happens, the individual will

flower. So, the true education helps the individual to flower. True

education allows whatsoever is hidden in us unfoldment ; bringing

whatsoever is in, out, as it accepts the truth of everybody�s unique and

unparalleled individuality. It teaches how to develop what we have in

ourselves, gives confidence in our potentialities. And that trust helps one

to bloom to one�s full potentials. Thus, education develops trust in one�s

own potentials given by Existence.

Rajneesh opposes the present education system as it teaches fear,

greed, jealousy and competition. It initiatives the fever of ambition. In the

key word , �Education teaches fearlessness and courage to accept the

challenge of the unknown� , he explains that fear paralyses the very



Get yours now!


99

being of a person. Fear makes any change impossible. Rajneesh points

out , � fear binds one to the known, and the journey to the unknown is

completely stopped, although whatever is worth knowing and achieving

in life is all unknown.�7 But fearful mind always clings to the known. So,

he is in favour of education which teaches fearlessness. He also focuses

on the other side of the coin of fear; greed- greed for respect, power,

money, reputation, success.

Rajneesh believes that present education focuses on how to

develop ego. In the key word, �Education should teach people how to

grow the ego and how to be able to drop it�, he points out that education

should help the individual to become a great mind and yet it should

prepare him to put the mind aside any moment. He says, � you should be

able to just put your personality, your ego, your mind, on and off, because

these are good things if you can use them. But you should know the

mechanism, how to put them off.� 8

Rajneesh emphasises on the importance of love in the key word

�True education is the education of love� , the importance of love. For

him, true education can only be based on love, not on knowledge. True

education cannot be utilitarian, true education cannot be of the

marketplace. He points out that �the real education will not give you

knowledge; first, real education will prepare your heart, your love, and

then whatever knowledge is needed to pass through life will be given to

you, but that will be secondary.� 9 True education puts love not only

above knowledge but even above life, because life is meaningless without

love. In the key word, �Real education is the art of fulfilling the heart of



Get yours now!


100

the man�, he emphasises that true education is basically the education of

the heart. Science has discovered the greatest power for man, but

education has not been able to give him a loving heart. He strongly

believes that great power is dangerous in the hands of those who have no

love. He suggests that first the education should develop man�s heart and

then his intellect, if the heart leads and the intellect becomes its follower

� then education can shape up as the right kind of education. Such kind

of education can make the man more innocent, more childlike, more

excited and ecstatic about small things. Then each moment becomes

luminous.

When Rajneesh says �True education has to be subversive,

rebellious� , he means education should sow the seeds of revolution. It

should sow the seeds of mutation to give birth to the New man. The

present education system is the part of the establishment , it serves the

government and so, in a very subtle way, it prepares slaves. But he

believes that education has to serve revolution in order to bring change in

an individual and finally to change the society.

He believes that energy is truth, energy is dynamic. And energy is

neither good nor bad. Energy is always neutral. Rajneesh says , � this is

my own understanding that excess energy likes to dance, jump...� 10

Excess energy needs to be transformed in a right direction , otherwise it

will be wasted. A child is bubbling with full of energy and to transform

the energy for the upliftment of an individual, education should show the

right direction to it. So, in the key word, �Education is the management



Get yours now!


101

of energy force�, Rajneesh explains that education should manage and

direct the excess of energy, superfluous energy.

Rajneesh believes that man is born as a potentiality. He is not born

as an actuality. In the whole of existence only man is born as a

potentiality; every other animal is born actual. In the key word,

�Education is a bridge between the potentiality and the actuality�, he

points out that man is not born as a man, man is born only as a seed: he

may become, he may not become. Hence growth, evolution, is possible.

Education helps the man to become that which he is only in a seed form,

what he is �Actual�.

Rajneesh describes our present education as �rotten� because it

prepares only clerks, stationmasters, postmen, police commissioners. It

gives a livelihood, but it does not give life, and it does not give love. For

him, true education teaches �life� and through such education, we can

create a man and a society which will be healthy, youthful, loving,

soulful, overflowing with joy. So, Rajneesh is in favour of education

which teaches how to live.

In the key word, �education means to me a man with a balanced

growth -- of body, mind, heart and soul� , Rajneesh tries to point out the

definition of true education. A true education system takes care the

whole man, the body, the mind , the heart and the soul. Unless education

takes care of all these four in a balanced way, it cannot create an

authentic man, a whole man. Taking care of the body means the body

should be given adequate exercise to give a chance to achieve its natural

potential. What to eat should also be focussed. Education for the mind is



Get yours now!


102

equally important because the mind has its own great strength as far as

inquiry about objects is concerned. The heart is absolutely neglected just

as the body is. He believes that students should be taught music, dance,

painting, and these things should not be optional. For the development of

the soul, he suggests that every student has to meditate one hour each day

so that he will become a man of immense silence and peace and beauty

and love. This way, education can be made total.

In the key word, �education is for life and death� ,Rajneesh

proposes education to be divided in two parts. In his idea, when education

for death and education for livelihood are separated, when everybody

goes twice to the university- first to learn how to go around this trivia

and the second time to learn about eternity, education is complete. For

that, he suggests ,each university should have a double structure: one for

the young people who are going to enter into life, and the other for the old

people who are going to enter into the unknown world of death. He says

that unless education can teach both life and death it is not complete

education.

He believes that present education system focuses on earning-

livelihood , not on life. So, the first part of education which he proposed

will prepare children for life. He explains, �The first part of education

should be for attaining the highest possible standard of livelihood. It

should consist of the art of living and love. It should teach people how to

be total in their acts, how to use the opportunity of life without losing

anything, to squeeze every drop of juice that existence provides. The first

part will be for the young people -- training for life and training for love,



Get yours now!


103

training for intensity, training for totality.�11 The first part of education

will be of many dimensions -- all sciences, all arts, all kinds of crafts.The

second part of education should consist of meditation , of awareness, of

witnessing, of love, of compassion, of creativity. It prepares the people

for the death, so that they can make their death a festival.

From the above discussion, concept of education given by

Rajneesh can be summed up as under ;

Education ...

Liberates the man

Leads the man from darkness to light

Draws out the inner being

Makes the man fearless, courageous and rebellious

Gives life

Prepares the man with a balanced growth

Education is...

Flowering of the individual

A trust in oneself and in existence

A bridge between the potentiality and actuality

For life and death



Get yours now!


104

(Figure No. 4.2.1, Concept of Education)

Prepares for life and death

Prepares the man with a balanced growth

Gives life

Makes the man fearless, courageous,

rebellious

Draws out the inner

being

Leads the man from

darkness to light

Liberates the man

Education

For life and death

A bridge between the potentiality and acuality

A trust in oneself and

in existence

Flowering of the

individual

Educations is



Get yours now!


105


Rajneesh�s philosophy of education emerged out of his life,

educational experiences and insight. His philosophy has certain unique

features. He throws light on the poisonous seeds of competition,

comparison and ambition. For example, in the present education system,

students are led to believe that achieving higher scores is more important

than learning. Thus, education for its own sake is lost as a value in a

jungle of grades, prizes, and other extrinsic rewards. He draws the

attention of the teacher and students to the wrong values breeding in

education. He looks this age old problem with fresh eyes, throws light on

it and gives solutions to resolve it. Rajneesh expresses the essential

principles for the true education in such ways : (1) Education should be

future-oriented, not past-oriented, (2) Education should be the part of

meditation, (3) Meditative awareness is important, (4) Foundation of

education should be love, (5) Education should make the students non-

ambitious and non-competitive, (6) Education liberates which is free of

ambition, (7) Education should accept the uniqueness of the individual

,(8) Goal of education is day-to-day living, (9) Education gives freedom,

(10) Humility and egolessness are required (11) Religion should be the

centre of education. His ideas are expressed through the following table

4.2.2.



Get yours now!


106

Table 4.2.2 Basic Principles of Education


1. Education should be future-oriented, not past-

oriented .(RE p. 33)

Education should be

future-oriented.

2. To me, if education is right it will be just a

part of meditation; meditation will be the last

point in it. ( DT Vol 4 Ch 6 Que 3 )

The part of meditation.

3. Geography, mathematics, chemistry and

physics are not as important as the meditative

awareness. (RE Ch 15)

Meditative awareness is

important.

4. So in my view, the foundation of education

should be love, not intellect. (RE Ch 7)

Foundation of education

should be love.

5. For learning anything, a non ambitious, non-

competitive mind is required. (RE p.43)

Non- ambitious and non-

competitive mind.

6. Only that education will liberate which is free

of ambition and which does not create any

ambition. (RE Ch 3)

Free of ambition.

7. Education should not teach jealousy and

competition, but love; it should not encourage

the insane drive of ambition, but natural and

self-inspired growth. But this can happen only

if we accept the uniqueness of everyone's

individuality.(RE Ch 2)

Education should accept

the uniqueness of the

individual.

8. I would like a system of education in which

the goal is day-to-day living. There is nothing

like future; whatsoever I am living today, is

all and everything. (RE p.172)

Goal of education is day-

to-day living.



Get yours now!


107


9.

Education itself is the value -- to give the

person total freedom to inquire, to doubt; total

freedom to grow according to his nature, not

according to some pattern given by some

prophet, messiah, savior.

(FDTD Ch 28 Que 1)

Education gives

freedom.

10. I want to see religion become the center of all

education, because it is essential that the

center of life be the center of education too.

Life does not end just at what is visible; in

reality, the invisible is its basis. (RE p. 74)

Religion should be the

centre of education.

11. To learn anything humility is required. To

learn, egolessness is required. (RE p. 42)

Humility and

egolessness are required.

The table 4.2.2 clarifies the ideas of Rajneesh regarding basic

principles of education. He explains his ideas regarding future oriented

education in the key word , �Education should be future-oriented, not

past-oriented.� The past means that which is gone and is nowhere except

in the memory. It is very harmful to tie the man to the pegs of the past.

He says that the old generation always wants to impose its scriptures and

principles to the new generation. As a result, he says : � the soul of man

could not develop as much as it might have. It did not acquire the

maturity which it could have acquired.�12 The past should be the

beginning of his journey, should not be the end. Every generation should

defeat the past generation in all aspects. It is true that the experience of

the past gives the knowledge but it is harmful to bind the child with the



Get yours now!


108

past. He makes his point clear by saying that �respect for the past is one

thing but to be ruled by the past is another thing.� 13 Heartful respect for

the past is possible only when the past is not governing us. The desire to

keep the new generation tied to the old generation, and to restrict its

movement within the boundaries of the old is a sick desire. If the grip of

the past is loose, only then man can make progress. He says, �the past is a

ladder which has to be climbed and left behind.�14 Education should be

future-oriented, then only its development is possible. Being a creative

process , education cant be tied with the past as, he believes, any creative

process is always future-oriented.

Rajneesh explicates many meanings of meditation. One of them is

� Meditation is a simple scientific method of observing your own

subjectivity.� 15 And education is incomplete , if a child knows nothing

about himself. "Know thyself" must be the most precious education, and

then one can become acquainted with everything else. Rajneesh believes

that the real education doesn�t teach how to move into the world of power

and politics but it teaches how to go in, how to turn in. It teaches the

inner journey. Meditation is the education about interiority, about inner

being. So the first thing to be taught is meditation, the art of going in,

because only out of that arises a meaning of real education.

Rajneesh, in other key word, �Meditative awareness is important�

explains that through education, meditative awareness should be arisen in

a child. He proposes a new educational system where meditative

awareness would be emphasized. He says , �Now we need a new system

of education wherein a child is not just told not to tell any lies, but he



Get yours now!


109

should be told to just remain aware when he is telling a lie. There is no

necessity to be afraid or to run away, but only to know that you are telling

a lie. The fact that the child has become aware, due to your assistance, of

the act of lying, is enough.� 16 Awareness at the level of body, mind and

soul should be taught because doing everything with awareness slowly

fills one's life with consciousness. The endeavour to remain aware and be

a witness to every mental activity has the capacity to make one's mind

awake in an unprecedented way. At the same time, remaining aware each

moment of what one is becomes self-realization in the end.

Rajneesh criticizes the present education saying that � the first

basic mistake is that we have taken man to be only intellect.� 17 He very

clearly points out that man is not intellect alone and the education being

given is only of the intellect. The rest of the man remains untouched and

incomplete; the rest of the man remains undeveloped, only the intellect

develops. So, in a way, education has not made man healthy, it has

crippled him. He believes that intellect has no heart. The life, the world

created by intellect will also be heartless so too much weight of intellect

completely stops a few things from growing within a child. So, he

suggests that the whole capacity of childhood should be devoted to the

development of love, not to the development of intellect. He explains,

�For the development of the heart it is necessary that the child should be

brought up under the open sky, near the trees, under the shelter of the

moon and stars, at the river banks and sea shores, in contact with the soil,

the earth. The closer the child to the vast, the more love will grow in him,

and the sense and meaning of beauty will develop.� 18



Get yours now!


110

According to Rajneesh, the whole foundational structure of

education is basically wrong. It is full of competition, rivalry, and

ambition, which naturally creates a world full of ambitious fights, battles

and conflicts. The education based on ambition is, at its root, based on

violence. Ambition means that one has to be higher than the other.

Ambition means that one has to prove one�s superiority. He says ,

�Ambition is not a dignity to the personality; it is an inferiority of the

personality.� 19 He throws light on the psychological dimension of

ambition by relating it with inferiority. He says, �The reason is that the

more a person is suffering from inferiority, the more ambitious he

becomes. The more inferiority you experience, the more you feel that you

are nothing, the more you will become ambitious. Why? Through

ambition, you want to prove yourself in the eyes of the world and in your

own eyes, so that nobody makes the mistake of considering you inferior.�

20 The ambitious person cannot turn in; he always looks at the other. In

the key word, �Education liberates which is free of ambition�, he explains

that the real education cannot teach ambition. It teaches the beauty of

being non-ambitious and ,he believes, only a non-ambitious person can be

loving, compassionate, non-violent, non-greedy, non-jealous and only

such a person can be really humane.

Rajneesh considers every individual as a unique creation of God,

and he believes that we must accept him as such. Every individual should

be accepted as he is and his potential should be allowed to develop. It

would be proved destructive to say that one is weaker than a certain man,

or more intelligent or less handsome than a certain man. All such



Get yours now!


111

comparisons are dangerous and violent. Rajneesh clarifies it in detail, �If

education can make every person aware that one is enough as one is, and

can enable him to experience the bliss of it, if education can make

facilities available for the full growth of what one has -- facilities for

growth, not for ambition; facilities for love, not for competition; facilities

for self-awakening and consciousness, not for conflict with others -- then

such education will be able to bring about a fundamental revolution.� 21

He gives the example of rose and jasmine saying that a rose is a rose and

a jasmine is a jasmine. Neither anyone is higher nor anyone is lower. The

rose cannot be a jasmine and the jasmine cannot be a rose. This valuation

of big and small, higher and lower, is false and absurd. So, he firmly

believes that education should accept the truth of everybody's unique and

unparalleled individuality then there will be no comparison of one with

the other.

The key word, �Goal of education is day-to-day living� means one

should live in the present, not in the future or in the past. Most of the

people live either in past or in future. Rajneesh explains that �It is

because of your past that you cannot experience the present; your past

distorts everything. It is because of your past that you go on desiring the

future, because you don't want to repeat the mistakes of the past and you

would like to have all the pleasures that you enjoyed in the past again and

again in the future.� 22 So he says , to be in the future is to be false,

because the future has not come yet. And to be in the present is to be in

truth, because when one lives in the present, attention is total because

there is no distraction of past or future. Total attention always leads to



Get yours now!


112

total act which leaves no residue, which frees one; and that is the ultimate

goal of education, too. Education up to now has been goal-oriented: what

is being learnt is not important; what is important is the examination that

will come a year later. Such situation makes the future important, more

important than the present. So, the children sacrifice the present for the

future. And gradually that becomes the very style of life, one sacrifices

the moment for something which is not present. It creates a tremendous

emptiness in life. So he suggests such education system which teaches to

remain in present.

In the key word, �Education gives freedom�, Rajneesh explains that

education has to be devoted to freedom to individuality. It should be free

from politics or from religion. It should have an autonomous,

independent existence. He suggests to give freedom to children and create

respect for freedom in their minds. The children should have freedom to

inquire, to doubt; total freedom to grow according to their nature. Not

only that but he says, �Make them cautious and aware of all types of

slaveries of consciousness and mind.�23 So, education can be free from

all types of beliefs. He also gives suggestions to teacher regarding

freedom. He explains, �The basic thing to remember is their freedom.

Help them to grow but never curb their freedom. Discipline them but

always remember that all discipline is a means -- freedom is the end. So

freedom should not be sacrificed for anything whatsoever.� 24

Rajneesh�s concept of �religion� is not merely confined to any sect or

any religious group. He believes that ideologies, creeds and codes of

conduct have set man against man. Ism and organizations have brought



Get yours now!


113

chaos and misery to the world. Humanity has been divided, and man's

mind has become exceedingly narrow. Such an education is not religious

at all. Religion, for him, is a spiritual endeavour. It is an experience of an

individual. So, he says, the first condition for education in religion is

freedom of religion from all sects. He suggests that the school can

provide the atmosphere and opportunity for the seed of religion to sprout.

He focuses on the three vital elements for religious education. They are;

Courage :

Rajneesh considers �courage� the greatest religious virtue. Courage

is the basic requirement in the search for truth and for climbing to God.

Courage is the ability to be one�s own self and to be a man free from the

crowd. Courage is needed to climb the Himalayas and to reach the depths

of the Pacific, but in the search for God, greater and deeper courage is

necessary because there is no higher peak and no deeper ocean than God.

He explains, � What is the greatest courage? Non-acceptance of false

knowledge is the greatest courage.� 25 Having said that, he also

emphasizes to teach �awareness� with courage because courage is power

but awareness is the eye.

Fearlessness :

Rajneesh says, it is on the rock of fearlessness that the temple of

religion is built. Courage arises from fearlessness. He explains, �A fearful

mind does not seek the truth but seeks security. A fearful mind does not

seek the truth but seeks consolation. Then he catches hold of any belief

that gives him security and consolation� Except in truth there is no



Get yours now!


114

security, contentment and peace� 26 so, in order to realize truth, it is

necessary that one must be fearless.

Silence :

Silence means relaxation of the mind. Total silence and the totally

relaxed state of a thoughtless mind are required for knowing the truth.

Rajneesh says, �It is by knowing silence and living it that the mind

always remains fresh and youthful. In total silence the mind becomes a

mirror in which truth reflects.� 27

Rajneesh criticizes the present education and says that our present

system fires the ego by telling, �You have to come first and secure a gold

medal in university. You have to be a Bharat-Ratna -- the highest title

conferred on an individual by the president of India -- You have to be the

president" 28. So, the ego creates ambition, jealousy, a constant struggle,

violence, because the ego cannot be satisfied unless it reaches to the top.

So, he emphasizes that for learning , egolessness is required.

From the above discussion , the researcher regarding the basic

principles of education can be summarized as under;

Love

Meditation

No comparison

Free of ambition

Freedom

Day to day living- the goal

Religious education



Get yours now!


115

Courage

Fearlessness

Silence

Uniqueness of individual

(Figure No. 4.2.2 Basic Principles of Education) 4.2.3 Curriculum

Rajneesh believes that present education system prepares people

for livelihood rather than life. The whole system of education has to be

changed from the very roots. Besides giving a wide-ranging and

insightful vision of education, Rajneesh also gives a very pragmatic five

dimensional framework for an effective and meaningful teaching learning

process, which turns life into an adventurous exploration till one�s last

breath. In this five dimensional system, he proposes various subjects

Uniqueness of individual

Religious education

Day to day living- the

goal Freedom

Free of ambition

No comparison

Meditatio

Love

Basic Principles of

Education

Silence

Fearlessness

Courage



Get yours now!


116

which should be taught in a school and these dimensions are considered

criteria for the curriculum by the researcher. Rajneesh discusses eight

key words which explain his ideas about curriculum. They are; (1) Two

languages should be the part of curriculum, (2) Scientific subjects should

be taught, (3) The art of living should be part of curriculum, (4) Sense of

humour should be the part of curriculum, (5) A reverence for life should

be taught, (6) Students should be taught martial arts like aikido, jujitsu,

judo to make them aware, (7) Art of dying should be a part of education,

(8) Students should be taught art and creativity

Table 4.2.3 Curriculum- General Characteristics


1. The first is informative, like history,

geography, and many other subjects which

can be dealt with by television and computer

together. (GF p.163)

Informative subjects

should be taught.

2. In the first dimension also come languages.

Every person in the world should know at

least two languages; one is his mother

tongue, and the other is English as an

international vehicle for communication.

(GF p.163)

Two languages should

be the part of

curriculum.

3. The second is the enquiry of scientific

subjects, which is tremendously important

because it is half of reality, the outside

reality. (GF p.164)

Scientific subjects

should be taught.



Get yours now!


117


4. And the third will be what is missing in

present day education, the art of living.

(GF p.164)

The art of living should

be part of curriculum.

5. An important part of the third dimension

should also be a sense of humour.

(GF p.164)

Sense of humour should

be the part of

curriculum.

6. A reverence for life should be the foundation

of the third dimension. (GF p.164)

A reverence for life

should be taught.

7. The fourth dimension should be of art and

creativity: painting, music, craftsmanship, pottery, masonry � anything that is creative.

All areas of creativity should be allowed; the students can choose. (GF p.165)

Students should be

taught art and creativity.

8. And the fifth dimension should be the art of

dying. In this fifth dimension will be all the

meditations, so that you can know there is no

death, so that you can become aware of an

eternal life inside you. (GF p.165)

Art of dying should be a

part of education.

9. In this fifth dimension, you should also be

made aware of the martial arts like aikido,

jujitsu, judo � the art of self-defence without

weapons � and not only self-defence, but

simultaneously a meditation too. (GF p.165)

Students should be

taught martial arts like

aikido, jujitsu, judo to

make them aware.

The table 4.2.3. makes clear the ideas of Rajneesh about

curriculum. In the key word, �Informative subjects should be taught�, he

talks about the first dimension of the education which covers the

informative subjects. It may include history, geography and such other

subjects which can be taught with the aid of television and computer. He



Get yours now!


118

says that the atmosphere of brotherhood can be created through

languages. Every one, according to Rajneesh, should learn at least two

languages. One is the mother tongue and other is English as an

international language. He emphasises the importance of mother tongue

in one�s life. Without it, something is missing in life as , in mother

tongue there is something poetic, loving, juicy which cannot be felt in any

other language. He explains, �there are feelings and nuances which you

can say only in the mother tongue.� 29 He considers English as an

international language and the reason for accepting it as an international

language is that though it is not the first language but it is known by more

people, so he suggests to learn it as an international vehicle for

communication. He says , �One international language is absolutely

necessary as a basis for one world, for one humanity.� 30

In the key word �Scientific subjects should be taught�, Rajneesh

suggests that the enquiry of scientific subjects should be the part of

curriculum. It is a training in exploring the facts of life- through a solid

scientific approach as well as applied technology. It is tremendously

important because it is half of reality, the outside reality. It is mind

endeavour which has created great power. It would include Mathematics

and Natural sciences.

Third dimension of education proposed by Rajneesh is �Art of

Living� which is missing in the present education. The educational

system should teach the art of living which is for attaining the highest

possible standard of livelihood. He believes that it can make life a search

for truth, and it creates happiness in life, that can fill one�s being with so



Get yours now!


119

much fragrance that one will have to share it. Only in that sharing is

there friendship, love, and compassion. He suggests that in this

dimension, a child should be taught how to transform his anger, hatred,

jealousy into love, because just a livelihood is not enough to be alive.

And he dreams to create a man and a society which will be healthy,

youthful, loving, soulful, overflowing with joy, always ready to share

with anyone through the education of art of living. An important part of

the third dimension should be a sense of humour as it was suggested in

the key word �Sense of humour should be the part of curriculum�.

Rajneesh explains the importance of it in our life as �Our so-called

education makes people sad and serious. And if one third of your life is

wasted in a university in being sad and serious, it becomes ingrained; you

forget the language of laughter � and the man who forgets the language of

laughter has forgotten much of life.� 31

A reverence for life should be the foundation of the third

dimension as mentioned in the key word �a reverence for life should be

taught�. It should be the part of curriculum because he believes, life is

Godliness and there is no God than life itself. Rajneesh explains, �People

are so irreverent to life. They still go on killing animals to eat. It is not a

question of killing the animals; it is a question of being irreverent to life,

because all that you need can be provided either by synthetic foods, or by

other scientific methods. All your needs can be fulfilled; no animal has to

be killed. And a person who kills animals, deep down can kill human

beings without any difficulty.� 32 So, a child should be taught reverence

for life.



Get yours now!


120

Rajneesh proposes in the key word �Students should be taught art

and creativity�, the fourth dimension of education. In this dimension, any

art; painting, music, pottery, craftsmanship, masonry, would be taught.

He says, all areas of creativity should be allowed, and students can

choose from them. He explains the importance of creativity in our life as ,

�unless a man learns how to create, he never becomes a part of existence,

which is constantly creative. By being creative one becomes divine;

creativity is the only prayer.� 33 So our whole education system should be

such that each person who comes out of school, college or university, also

comes with some skills and craft, something that he can do so that he

does not need employment. He can become a creator on his own. So our

education system should create creators.

In the key word , �art of dying should be a part of education� ,

Rajneesh proposes a new dimension of education. He believes that this

should be absolutely essential, because everybody has to die; nobody can

avoid it. To make an individual aware about his eternity, meditations

should be introduced, because life is not the end, it is just a discipline to

learn the art of dying. Through meditation one can get out of the past and

move dynamically into exploring the future. One can also learn how to

face death fearlessly and with full awareness. He says all kinds and all

possible meditations ; Zen, Tao, Yoga, Hassidism that have existed

should be introduced. Rajneesh also suggests to teach �the art of self

defence� as a part of the fifth dimension as mentioned in the key word,

�Students should be taught martial arts .� 34 He believes that students

should be made aware of the martial arts like aikido, jujitsu, judo � the art



Get yours now!


121

of self-defence without weapons � and not only self-defence, but

simultaneously a meditation too.

The ideas suggested by Rajneesh regarding curriculum can be

summed up as under ;

Two languages ; mother tongue and international language and

informative subjects

Scientific subjects

Art of living

Sense of humour

Reverence for life

Art and creativity

Art of dying

Self-defence technique

(Figure No. 4.2.3 Curriculum)

Art of dying

Art and creativity

Art of living

Scientific subjects

Two languages: mother-tongue

and international language

Curriculum

Self Defence Technique



Get yours now!


122


The importance of aims and objectives of education is recognised

by all the educational institutes. It is said that education without clear cut

aims is like a rudderless ship. Every pilot has a route-chart and set timing

of landing at predetermined destination. Similarly, there should be

properly defined and declared aims and objectives of education on the

basis of which policies and programmes of education have to be

formulated to achieve the set goals. The aims of education, according to

Rajneesh, were explained into six sub topics. (1) Goal of education is to

liberate, (2) Education should lead to the total fulfilment of the soul, (3)

The purpose of education is to unburden the soul of man, (4) The purpose

of education is to subvert outmoded attitudes, beliefs and assumptions,

(5) The aim of education it to teach the art of becoming one with God, (6)

The aim of education is to provide inner richness. In the following table

4.3.4 entitled �The aims of education� these six key words and its basic

idea units were given with the help of content analysis of selected

literature.



Get yours now!


123

Table 4.2.4 The Aims of Education


1. The name of that ultimate goal is liberation,

moksha. (RE p.97)

Goal of education is to

liberate.

2. The ultimate aim of education should be such

as to lead every man to the total fulfillment of

his soul and its experience.(RE p.59)

Education should lead to

the total fulfilment of the

soul.

3. The purpose of education is to unburden the

soul of man, because only weightless souls

can rise to the peaks of godliness. (RE p.32)

To unburden the soul of

man.

4. The real purpose of education should be to

subvert outmoded attitudes, beliefs and

assumptions which no more serve growth and

man and positively harmful and suicidal.

(PP Vol. 2 Cha 10 Que 2)

To subvert outmoded

attitudes, beliefs and

assumptions.

5. The aim of an authentic education must be to

teach this art, to teach the art of becoming

one with God. (LSA Ch 3)

To teach the art of

becoming one with God.

6. Education is to give you inner richness.

(TST Ch 2 Que 4)

To provide inner

richness.

The above table 4.2.4 expresses Rajneesh�s ideas about aims of

education. In the key word, �Goal of education is to liberate�, he focuses

on the ultimate goal of education , that is moksha . To learn livelihood is

certainly not the aim of education. He believes that true education is a

help towards enlightenment because it makes a man more meditative,

more silent, more aware, more inward looking, as education is certainly

the process of liberation. When a man knows his inner self, he gets



Get yours now!


124

liberated because then nothing is remained to be transcended. Having

said that, Rajneesh criticizes the present education saying that it teaches

how to go ahead of others, which can be appeared as the aim of education

but that leads nowhere because there is always someone ahead of a man.

No man has ever been successful in the journey of competition. That

journey has no end to it; it goes on in circles. Moreover, it opens the door

of misery, tension , pain and restlessness. But the journey which has no

relationship with anyone else is the journey of transcending one�s own

self which ultimately leads a man to enlightenment, and that is the

ultimate goal of education.

Rajneesh believes that present education is such that a man is not

able to experience happiness and peace in the world, because it earns

bread for him and bread can only fill his belly. To fulfil his soul, he needs

the joy, happiness, bliss and festivity in life. In the key word, �Education

should lead to the total fulfilment of the soul�, Rajneesh points out that

education is for fulfilment of the soul and not merely fulfilment of

worldly pleasures. Each man carries the seed of the supreme

development, of the ultimate perfection within him. And unless those

seeds are fertilized he will remain barren. Worldly pleasures, i.e. money,

power, status, success etc. can fulfil his physical needs but a man is not

only body, he is a body, mind and soul. Money, power, status all these

things cannot fulfil the soul; the soul remains empty, the inner remains a

void, these worldly things can never touch the inner emptiness. So, he

says that there should be education which fulfils the need of the soul

along with the need of body and mind. And the path of peace, meditation,



Get yours now!


125

love and joy, which is the path to reach and fulfil the soul, should be

focused. It increases the spiritual wealth. He explains, �Neither is there

any need to teach ideals, nor is there any need to teach people to follow

anyone. All efforts should be centred towards one aim: that people can

realize the fulfilment of their individuality.� 35

For experiencing the knowledge, joy and beauty of life, a young

mind is required and a burdened and old mind deprives a person from it.

Rajneesh criticizes the present education as it fills the mind with

thoughts, beliefs and ideologies. It doesn�t awaken the mind by thinking

or intelligence. In the key word, �The purpose of education is to unburden

the soul of man� , he points out that birth of a free and healthy man is not

possible in a condition where, in the name of education, all sorts of

slaveries are nourished. He explains, �The burden of dead conditionings

does not allow the seed of consciousness to sprout, and the seed gets

destroyed slowly, buried as it is in the ground. It is not possible for the

seed of one's individuality to sprout without being unburdened from the

past.� 36 The body is bound to become old, but not the mind; mind can

always remain young. The mind can remain young till the very last

moment of death, and only such a mind can know the mysteries of life

and death. In order to liberate the soul, mind and soul should be

unburdened from the conditioning of the present education.

Rajneesh says that during the last five thousand years there have

been many revolutions -- economic and political -- but so far there has

been no fundamental revolution in education. The whole education is to

be obedient and it teaches children to accept what is taught to them



Get yours now!


126

without using their intelligence or doubt. So, in a way, the present

education teaches beliefs and assumption of the old generation which

should be accepted by the new generation, and that is what goes on in the

name of education. That's why, he says, our whole education system is

always orthodox, conventional, conformist. It is never revolutionary

because it does not impart thinking but it inculcates beliefs. Since it does

not encourage doubts and revolts, the products of such a system of

education are usually incompetent to think independently. Rajneesh

opposes such system saying that thinking is to be taught, not belief and

assumption. And instead of teaching belief and assumptions, the

education should teach to challenge them, which at the end, using right

reasoning transforms into trust. He explains, �Education has to serve

revolution. But ordinarily it serves the government and the priest and the

church. In a very subtle way, it prepares slaves -- slaves for the state,

slaves for the church. The real purpose of education should be to subvert

outmoded attitudes, beliefs and assumptions which no more serve growth

and man, and are positively harmful and suicidal.� 37

In the key word , �The aim of education is to teach the art of

becoming one with God�, Rajneesh explains the ultimate aim of human

life. He believes that the goal of education must be life itself, not merely

providing instruction in how to earn a livelihood. And to teach life is to

teach knowledge of the self. A man may know everything else, but if he

is unaware of the existence of his self then all of his knowledge is

negated. The perfection of self-knowledge merges a man with God. He

explains the meaning of being enlightened ; disappearing as a character,

disappearing as a person, disappearing as an ego and becoming one with

the God. For him, God doesn�t mean idol worship but the whole

existence. He makes it clear, �God is just a creative force; he is creativity.



Get yours now!


127

Drop the idea that he is a creator. Think of him, contemplate on him, as

creativity itself. He is spread all over.� 38

The key word, �The aim of education is to provide inner richness�,

reflects the idea of Rajneesh about life and education. He believes that the

present education makes the man more informed which is very primitive

idea of education. Here he clarifies that the real meaning of information,

he said �'Information' means: formation inside you. Something should

grow in you -- then it is information.� 39 but unaware of the real meaning

of it, education simply pours the facts, beliefs, history in the name of

information, and end result is that, it prepares a man for outer world , not

for inner world. For the inner world, inner richness , he proposes the

education of life . He explains, �My vision of education is that life should

not be taken as a struggle for survival; life should be taken as a

celebration. Life should not be only competition, life should be joy too.

Singing and dancing and poetry and music and painting, and all that is

available in the world -- education should prepare you to fall in tune with

it -- with the trees, with the birds, with the sky, with the sun and the

moon.� 40

From the above discussion, the aims of education suggested by

Rajneesh can be summarised as under;

The aims of education are...

To liberate

To lead to the total fulfilment of the soul

To subvert outmoded attitudes, beliefs and assumptions

To unburden the soul of man

To teach the art of becoming one with God

To provide inner richness



Get yours now!


128

(Figure No. 4.2.4 The Aims of Education)


The function of education decides what is the role of education,

what does education do. From the ancient time , the education has many

functions to fulfil, perform and make into existence. Every society

decides the function of education according their concept of education,

which in the end brings desired change in the society. Rajneesh explains

twelve key-words and idea-units to express his philosophy about the

functions of education. They are; (1) Education should awaken the

thought, (2) Doubt instead of belief is to be taught, (3) Education should

teach the art of diving deep, (4) Education should make one aware that

one is enough as one is, (5) Education should teach love, (6) Education



Get yours now!


129

should encourage self-inspired growth, (7) Education should teach the art

of transcending one�s own self, (8) Education should teach to cooperate,

(9) Education should teach how to unfold one�s inner being, (10)

Education should teach the morality; aesthetics , (11) Education teaches

how to be deeply in love with existence, (12) Real education gives

courage, adventure, space to live accepting all risks. The following table

4.2.5 named �The functions of education� covered the above key-words

and explained idea units.

Table 4.2.5 The Functions of Education


1. Thoughts are not to be given to you but to

be awakened in you. (RE p. 22)

Education should awaken

the thought.

2. Doubt instead of belief is to be taught if

thinking and intelligence are to grow.

(RE p.24)

Doubt instead of belief is

to be taught.

3. Learning is the art of diving deep. What

teaches you only how to run, I call that

wrong learning. ( RE p.36)


the art of diving deep.

4. The education is right which can say that

you are enough as you are; that you do not

have to be anything else, you are enough

as you are. Explore all your possibilities

and experience the joy of it. (RE p.50)

Education should make

one aware that one is

enough as one is.

5. Education should not teach jealousy and

competition, but love. ( RE p.35)


love.



Get yours now!


130


6. It should not encourage the insane drive of

ambition, but natural and self-inspired

growth. ( RE p.35)

Education should

encourage self-inspired

growth.

7. It teaches you the art of transcending your

own self. The education which teaches you

the art of competition with others can

never liberate. (RE p. 97)


the art of transcending

one�s own self.

8. A real education will not teach you to

compete; it will teach you to cooperate.

(DWB Vol 8 Ch 5 )


to cooperate.

9. It will teach you how to unfold.

( DT Vol 4 Ch 6 Que 3)


how to unfold one�s inner being.

10. The new education, the true education has

not only to teach you mathematics,

history, geography, science; it also has to

teach you the real morality , aesthetics.

(PP Vol. 2 Ch 10 Que 2)

education should teach

the morality, aesthetics.

11. It will not teach you any superstition but

how to live more joyously. It will teach

you life-affirmation. It will teach you how

to be deeply in love with existence. (PP

Vol. 2 Ch 10 Que 2)

Education teaches how to

be deeply in love with

existence.

12. The real education will help you to be

ready to drop your knowledge, and move

with your love, it will give you courage, it

will give you adventure. It will give you

space to live, accepting all risks,

insecurities. (DWB Vol Ch 6 Que 2)

Real education gives

courage, adventure,

space to live accepting

all risks.



Get yours now!


131

The table 4.2.5 discusses the ideas of Rajneesh regarding function

of education. In the key word, �Education should awaken the thought�,

Rajneesh points out one of the main functions of education that is

�awakening of thinking�. In the absence of thinking, a powerful,

thoughtful man cannot be created. He criticises the present education for

feeding dead and borrowed thoughts in the name of education. By

accumulation of thoughts, intelligence cannot be born. For that children

should be taught how to think. He believes that accumulation of others�

thoughts brings idiocy. And so, education should create opportunities for

thinking and use of intelligence. He explains the reason for that, � Where

thinking is awakened, the mind is always young. Where the mind is

young, life is a constant challenge. There the doors of consciousness are

and the fresh morning breeze comes in, the light of the rising sun comes

in. When a person becomes imprisoned by the thoughts and words of

others, his own ability to fly in the sky of truth is destroyed.�41 He also

suggests the technique to grow intelligence , that is, Doubt; in the key

word, �Doubt instead of belief is to be taught�. He says education should

teach �doubt� instead of �belief� , for belief binds the man where as doubt

helps the man to liberate. If the education awakens the thought; thinking

in a man, it will lead a man towards rebel because thinking has its own

eyes, it is basically rebellious.

Rajneesh believes that education based on competition never

allows a man to go in, diving inside. Rajneesh calls the madness of

competition �running outside�. And he makes the difference clear , �There

is an opposition between running and diving deep. Running is full of



Get yours now!


132

tension, sinking deep is relaxation. Running is feverish; it takes you out

of yourself. To dive deep is healthy, because by diving deep within, one

settles in the ultimate depths of his own self.� 42 so, for self-realization ,

which is the aim of education, one should not run outside but needs to

dive in.

Rajneesh explains in the key word , �Education should make one

aware that one is enough as one is.� He strongly believes that there is no

need to imitate others or be in competition with others. He suggests that

one should not be in race of others because God creates every one with

perfection and he never repeats his creation. So he is in favour of

education which teaches a person �yourself�.

The present education system is based on grade and examinations

which creates competition. He believes that competition is a form of

envy, a sort of burning sensation, jealousy. It is a hurdle to love others.

The system claims to teach �love� but Rajneesh says it is failed. Rajneesh

explains the point by giving example, � When one child comes first in a

class, the other child is told that he is lagging behind and this fellow has

come first. You are teaching him to flatter, to compete and get ahead.

You are teaching ego, telling them that one who has come first is higher,

and one who is behind is lower. In books you tell them to be humble and

loving, whereas your whole arrangement teaches them to hate, to envy

and come first. One who comes first is being awarded gold medals and

merit certificates; he is being garlanded and photographed, and others,

who are behind, are insulted by the system.� 43 So when the children are

thus trained in ego, jealousy and competition, they can�t love others. Love



Get yours now!


133

is that which allows the loved ones to go ahead. So to build up a healthy

society, where people love one another, education should change the

structure and teach �love�. For that he suggests the solution in the key

word, �Education should encourage self-inspired growth� which means

education should inspire the students to bring out his/her potentials.

Through the key word, �Education should teach the art of

transcending one�s own self�, Rajneesh tries to explain that just getting

ahead of others has no value, because if one wants to have real progress

than one should compete with oneself. Rajneesh explains, �I should go

further ahead than I was yesterday. This is my competition with my own

self, not with others. I should not remain where the last sunset left me;

when there is a new sunrise I should surpass myself, transcend my own

self.� 44 and this is process how one should learn the art of transcending

one�s own self.

In the key word, �Education should teach to cooperate� , Rajneesh

tries to explain the mystery of life. He explains, �Life is a cooperation

and in it everyone has a place and everyone is necessary and

unavoidable� 45 so to understand and to live life , one must learn to

cooperate.

Rajneesh believes that education should draw the hidden

potentialities of a man. This idea is reflected in the key word , �Education

should teach how to unfold one�s inner being.� He explains , �It will not

go on simply throwing information into your head. It will help you to

come out of your being, to flower, to grow, to spread, to expand.�46



Get yours now!


134

Rajneesh clarifies the function of education in the key word,

�education should teach the morality, aesthetics�. The function of

education is not only to teach subjects like mathematics, history,

geography, science but also to teach morality. He explains, �I call

aesthetics the real morality: sensitivity to feel the beautiful, because God

comes as beauty. In a rose flower or in a lotus, in the sunrise or in the

sunset, in the stars, the birds singing in the early morning, or the

dewdrops, a bird on the wing....� 47 In the key word, �Education teaches

how to be deeply in love with existence�, he explains that true education

has to bring the students closer and closer to existence so that he/she can

know to be in love with existence. He makes the point clear, �God is not

separate from this world: God has become the world. You have heard it

said again and again that God created the world. I say to you: God

became the world. Now there is no other God except the world. The

creator is in his creativity. God is just a creative force; he is creativity.

Drop the idea that he is a creator. Think of him, contemplate on him, as

creativity itself.� 48

Rajneesh believes that education should not make the man fearful.

Instead of that, education should give the man courage to live life with

adventure, with no security which requires young mind. Old mind likes to

walk on the old paths because it is always safe there, it is not risky but

there is no life in it. That�s the reason, the old mind doesn�t invent

anything new. So, real education should give courage , adventure, space

to live accepting all risks in order to create a new man.



Get yours now!


135

Functions of education suggested by Rajneesh can be summed up

as under;

Education should...

Awaken the thought

Teach doubt instead of belief

Teach the art of diving deep

Make the one aware that one is enough as one is

Teach love

Encourage self-inspired growth

Teach to cooperate

Teach how to unfold one�s inner being

How to be deeply in love with existence

Give courage, adventure, space to live accepting all risks



Get yours now!


136

(Figure No. 4.2.5 Functions of Educations)


Rajneesh was a rebel in his childhood and he abhorred the idea of

being confined to the closed walls of a school. He has given his ideas

regarding �the concept of school� in his different books. He himself had

F u n c t i o n s of E d u c a t i o n

To awaken thoughts

To make one aware that one

is enough as one is

To encourage self-inspired

growth

To give courage, adventure to live accepting all risks

To teach�� Co-operation

Love

doubt

How to unfold one's inner being

How to be in love with existence

Art of diving

deep



Get yours now!


137

established a school in England. For him, it is a place of �searching� one�s

identity. He expresses his ideas regarding �School� in six key words.

They are: (1) The place of searching for the self identity, (2) There should

be psychologists in each school to find out the future potentialities of a

child, (3) School should be the play centre, (4) School is the place for

quest, (5) Child should be the center in the school, (6) School should

provide opportunity for the seed of religion to sprout.

Table 4.2.6 School- its concept and characteristics


1. The educational institutes should not be

factories but that should be the place of

searching for the self identity. (SMK p.418)

The place of searching

for the self identity.

2. All psychologists should be engaged in

primary schools to find out what the child

can be in future. (SMK p.419)

Psychologists should be

engaged in each school.

3. Let it always be a play centre.

(NILBYH Ch 14 )

School should be the

play centre.

4. School can be an invitation for quest. More

and more opportunities for �search of your

own� should be there and nothing should be

imposed on them forcibly. An invitation to

develop quest, to teach them doubt

etc..(SMK Ch 19)

School is the place for

quest.

5. In new education, new school � the child

will be at the center, not the teacher.

(SMK Ch 29)

Child should be the

center in the school.



Get yours now!


138


6. The schools can provide the atmosphere and

opportunity for the seed of religion to sprout.

The schools can help remove the obstacles

to its growth. (RE p. 81)

School should provide

opportunity for the seed

of religion to sprout.

The above table 4.2.6 expresses Rajneesh�s views about the

concept of school. In the key word, �The educational institutes should be

the place of searching for the self identity�, Rajneesh tries to explain the

function of the school. He believes that the function of the educational

institutes is not to prepare students for livelihood but it should be the

place for the self identity. It should provide all facilities to bring out the

potentialities , inner being of a student. So, when a student finishes the

school education, he would know �himself� which ultimately leads him

to the true direction.

Rajneesh firmly believes in the uniqueness of a child. In the key

word, �There should be psychologists in each school to find out the future

potentialities of a child, he asserts that the function of a school is to

recognize the talent and hidden being of a child. For that, a school should

have a psychologist who studies a child and helps him to know his

potentialities which , at the end, leads a child to fulfil his potentialities.

The idea of Rajneesh regarding a school is reflected in the key

word �School should be the play centre�. He believes that learning of

different subjects in schools is always secondary. It should not be given

prime importance. Because play is life and a school is there to help a

student for life, so it should be the play centre. He explains, �Let it



Get yours now!


139

always be a play centre. Learning is secondary. Just teach in between...

let there be some learning gaps -- otherwise it is a play centre. And it has

to be that way. Play is life, and everything else is to help life. So let them

enjoy -- be playful... don't let them be serious.� 49

In the key word, �School is the place for quest�, Rajneesh throws

light on a new dimension of a school. He believes that the system of a

school should be such that can produce enquiring. School should not

provide them the direct solution but create the atmosphere where a child

can enquire, for which, a school should not impose its belief or ideology

on a child. Because the function of a school is to develop quest and to

teach doubt. Rajneesh explained, ��So we can make arrangement for

such an education system where queries are welcome. There could be

thousands of queries without solutions and it would be good, children will

search the solutions of there own. Fake answers prevent their quest for

truth.� 50

Rajneesh proposes the education system where the child is at the

centre. Old schooling system had teachers in the focus, not the child. He

believes that the function of a school is to help a child to grow; to

develop. So, when the whole system is for a child, he should be at the

centre. He also satirizes the present education system saying that instead

of respecting a child, it demands respect for him. And this kind of attitude

, he firmly believes, should be eliminated from the school system. So, he

suggests that students should be at the centre and teachers should be on

the periphery.



Get yours now!


140

Rajneesh believes that the seed of religion is there in everybody

because life is there in everybody. Having said that he suggests the school

to create opportunities for the growth of that seed and remove the

obstacles on the path of that growth. He explains, � If this can be done,

the seed sprouts on its own, out of its own strength, out of its own longing

for life, it does not have to manufacture sprouts. The sprout becomes a

full-fledged plant, the plant becomes full of leaves, flowers and fruits. We

only provide an opportunity and all else follows by itself.� 51 For the

growth of a seed, he suggests, a school should teach a child three vital

things � courage, fearlessness and silence.

From the above discussion, the ideas of Rajneesh regarding school

can be summed up as under...

School ...

Is a place of searching for the self identity.

Should have psychologists to find out the future potentialities of a

child.

Should be the play centre.

Is the place for quest.

Should be the child- centred.

Should provide opportunity for the seed of religion to sprout



Get yours now!


141

(Figure No. 4.2.6 School-its concept and characteristics)


In education system, the teacher-student relationship plays a

significant role in teaching �learning process. Rajneesh also points out

this fact in many of his books. He believs that there must be sharing

between teacher- students at all aspects. His ideas are reflected in four

idea units. They are : (1) There should be sharing between teacher and

students (2) Students help the teachers to adjust to God, (3) Teacher

Play

Centre

Place for

quest

Should have

Psychologists

Child

Centred

Provide

opportunity for

seed of religion

to sprout

Place for

searching for

self identity

School



Get yours now!


142

should learn from students, (4) Difference between teacher and taught

has to be dissolved.

Table 4.2.7 Teacher-Student Relationship


1. And also remember that not only you are the

teacher -- they are also teachers. So teach

them and also learn from them... Let it be a

sharing. (NILBYH Ch-14)

There should be sharing

between teacher and

students.

2. You can help them adjust to society. They

can help you to adjust to God... they are

closer to God. By and by they will drift

away.... (NILBYH Ch 14)

Students help the

teachers to adjust to

God.

3. When the teacher also learns and is open to

learning, there is great relationship, great

flow of energy, and there is respect. (SBSBS

Ch 2)

Teacher should learn

from students.

4. Each teacher once in a while should be a

student, and each student once in a while

should be a teacher too. This difference

between the teacher and the taught has to be

dissolved. ( BW Ch 24 Que 1 )

Difference between

teacher and taught has to

be dissolved.

The above table 4.2.7 shows the ideas of Rajneesh about teacher-

students relationship. In the key word, �There should be sharing between

teacher and students�, he explains that relationship between them can�t

exit without sharing. He talks about the balanced relationship between

teacher and students. If the teacher has just to teach and the students have

just to learn, then the relationship is not balanced. He criticizes the



Get yours now!


143

present education where only a teacher teaches and students learn because

it brings imbalance in the relationship.�There is a danger that the teacher

can become a dictator, and it is very easy to dictate to small children

because they are so helpless, so fragile. You can force them, and it can

become an ego trip.� 52 So, teacher should encourage the sharing between

him/her and students.

Rajneesh believes that not only the teacher helps the students, but

students also help the teacher. The key word, �Students help the teachers

to adjust to God�, showed �how�. The teacher can give the students

knowledge, but students give the teacher a more valuable thing , that is

learning. He explains: �you can help them adjust to society. They can

help you to adjust to God... they are closer to God.� 53

He believes that a teacher should be humble enough to learn from

students. Humbleness makes a teacher egoless which eventually helps

him/her to learn from anybody. �When the teacher also learns and is open

to learning, there is great relationship, great flow of energy, and there is

respect.� 54

In the key word, �Difference between teacher and taught has to be

dissolved�, he explains that there should not be any difference between

the two as they are the part of one process. He suggests the way to put

this in practice. �The students who are reading and studying for their

master's degree should be allowed to go to lower classes to teach; those

who are working for their bachelor's degree, they should be allowed to

teach the lower classes. Every student should be a teacher also, and vice

versa. Every teacher once in a while should sit with the students and start



Get yours now!


144

learning again. Each teacher once in a while should be a student, and each

student once in a while should be a teacher too.� 55

From the above discussion, the thoughts of Rajneesh on teacher-students

relationship can be summarised as follows:

There should be sharing between teacher and students

Students help the teachers to bring closer to God

Teacher should learn from students

Difference between teacher and taught has to be dissolved

(Figure No. 4.2.7 Teacher-Student Relationship)

4.2.8 Discipline

Rajneesh gives a fresh and new meaning of discipline and

condemns the imposed discipline in education. He believes that discipline

Teacher

Student

Relation Ship

Sharing between teacher-Students

Students help teachers to bring closer to God

Teachers should learn from students

Difference between teacher and students has to be dissolved



Get yours now!


145

imposed by others is slavery. This type of discipline hides the suppressed

chaos within it. And he says ,whatsoever is suppressed forcefully is

bound to explode one day. So, discipline imposed from outside is never in

the interest of any man. He suggests that discipline should be born out of

love and intelligence. When life is progressing through the light of one's

own intelligence, there is no possibility of chaos and licentiousness. He

suggests his ideas through six different key words. They are ; (1)

Discipline means the capacity to learn, (2) Discipline means that a man

becomes dead through it, (3) Love a child brings discipline in a child

from his mind heart and soul, (4) Students should not be forced to obey,

(5) Out of meditation arises discipline, (6) Intelligence becomes self-

discipline. The idea based on �discipline� was shown in the following

table 4.2.8

Table 4.2.8 Discipline


1. The word 'discipline' is beautiful; it means the

capacity to learn. ( DWB Vol 9 Ch 3 )

Discipline means the

capacity to learn.

2. Discipline means that a man becomes dead

through it. The more disciplined a man is, the

more dead he is. (RE p.16)

Discipline means that a

man becomes dead

through it.

3. Because of this love and desire for their good,

the discipline which is not imposed will begin

to emerge, the discipline which is born of the

very intelligence of the children. (RE p.16)

Love a child brings

discipline in a child from

his mind, heart and soul.



Get yours now!


146


4. They should not be forced to obey and they

should not be forced into order. They should

be allowed all chaos, and in chaos there is

creativity, growth. ( DJDS Ch 16 )

Students should not be

forced to obey .

5. The basic education is missing. The first thing

to be taught is meditation, the art of going in,

because only out of that arises a discipline.

( DWB Vol 9 Ch 3 )

Out of meditation arises

discipline.

6. Education should be free of the outside

imposition of discipline; it should awaken the

dormant intelligence of individuals. Such

intelligence becomes self-discipline.

(RE p.29)

Intelligence becomes

self-discipline.

The above table 4.2.8 discusses the ideas of Rajneesh regarding

�discipline�. In the key word, �Discipline means the capacity to learn� , he

throws light on the true meaning of the word �discipline�. He says that the

word �discipline� comes from the same root as the word �disciple�; the

root meaning of the word is �a process of learning.� One who is ready to

learn is a disciple and the process of being ready to learn is discipline. He

explains, �A disciplined man is always ready to learn more. He is never

closed, he never claims that he knows everything. He knows what he

knows, and he also knows what he does not know -- and what he knows

is very small, and what he does not know is immense�.That is true

knowledge, true education, true culture.� 56



Get yours now!


147

Rajneesh hammers on the present education system through the

key word , �Discipline means that a man becomes dead through it�. He

says that the education system has taken the word �discipline� in wrong

sense. For it, discipline means mere obedience. He explains, �It means

that whatever the teacher says should be taken as right. It means if the

teacher sits on a platform, the student should sit on the ground; and when

you meet the teacher, greet him with folded hands in salutation, or it is

even better if you touch his feet. Do not even doubt what the teacher says.

Go in the direction he asks. If he asks you to sit, sit; if he asks you to

stand up, stand up. This is the type of discipline so far.� 57 such

discipline kills the intelligent and wisdom and at the end, it makes the

man dead.

In the key word, �Love for a child brings discipline in a child from

his mind, heart and soul�, Rajneesh shows the way to bring discipline in a

child. There should not be imposed discipline but it should be born out of

love. He explains, �I am telling you to love the children. Think about and

wish for their welfare and well-being. Because of this love and desire for

their good, the discipline which is not imposed will begin to emerge, the

discipline which is born of the very intelligence of the children. Love a

child and see if it brings discipline in him. This discipline is not the one

that comes by turning left and right, but from the very mind, heart and

soul of the child.� 58 He suggests to live a love-full life and asks to think

always good of the child and to think what one can do and how one can

do for the good of the child. That desire for his wellbeing and love for the

child bring discipline in him.



Get yours now!


148

The present education system believes in order and discipline.

Rajneesh says, order and discipline are needed when some ideals, rules

are needed to be imposed upon. But he believes in the system which

allows to create disorder. He is in favour of not imposing order on the

students. He justifies it saying that, �Disorder is perfectly beautiful. So

let there be disorder -- nothing wrong. Order is one of the most dangerous

calamities that has happened and obedience is one of the greatest blocks

man has suffered from. They should not be forced to obey and they

should not be forced into order. They should be allowed all chaos, and in

chaos there is creativity, growth.� 59

Rajneesh proposes a solution in the key word, �Out of meditation

arises discipline�. He says that control is not the meaning of discipline,

repression is not the meaning of discipline. That is a very unhealthy

attitude. He says that inner discipline is born out of meditation so

meditation should be part of education. Here he explains the meaning of

meditation , �Understanding, meditation is the meaning of discipline.� 60

Rajneesh , in the key word - �Intelligence becomes self-discipline�,

expresses that education is not meant for teaching discipline, but for

developing one�s own intelligence. It is not necessary to learn or to teach

discipline. If there is intelligence, discipline is born by itself in the life a

man. And he explains , � Whatever discipline results from intelligence,

that alone can bring goodness and benediction, because such discipline

cannot be exploited. It cannot be made an instrument for violence and

war in the hands of priests and politicians. On the strength of such a

discipline Hindus cannot be made to fight with Mohammedans, nor can



Get yours now!


149

the havoc of death be launched in the name of imaginary and false

boundaries of nations.� 61

From the above discussion, the ideas of Rajneesh regarding

�discipline� can be summarised as under:

It is a capacity to learn

Love brings discipline in a child

Discipline cant be forced

Out of meditation arises discipline

Intelligence becomes self-discipline

(Figure No. 4.2.8 Discipline)

Love brings

discipline in

a child

Out of

meditation

arises

discipline

Intelligence

becomes self-

discipline

A Man

becomes

dead through

it

Means the

capacity to

learn

Discipline



Get yours now!


150

4.2.9 Evaluation

Rajneesh is a bitter critic of the present examination system. He

opposes the practice of judging a student only by a three-hour

examination where the student becomes just tense and nervous. He

strongly believes that it gives birth to comparison and ambition in a

student�s mind. He advocates a new way of observing students

throughout the year. He suggests his ideas through four different key

words. They are ; (1) There should be no examination, (2) Student should

be evaluated by observation, (3) Teacher should give marks to each

students every day, (4) There should be open book examination.

Table 4.2.9 Evaluation


1. There should not be any kind of examination

as part of education.. (GF p.162)

There should be no

examination.

2. ... but every day, every hour observation by

the teachers; their remarks throughout the

year will decide whether you move further or

you remain a little longer in the same class.

(GF p.162)

Student should be

evaluated by observation.

3. Finally, there is no need of any examinations

if every teacher goes on giving marks in his

diary every day to the students. And every

year, all the notes from all the teachers are

collected. And based on those counts the

students are moved, either upward or

downward. (TI p.266)

Teacher should give

marks to each students

everyday.



Get yours now!


151


4. If it were up to me, I would allow the

students to have all the books available. Only

a very intelligent student can find out the

answers from the books in three hours. And

you will be able to judge their intelligence in

a better way . (TI p.266)

There should be open

book examination.

The table no 4.2.9 describes the concept of �evaluation� .While

describing his vision of evaluation; he hammers the practice of judging a

student only by a three-hour examination where the student becomes just

tense and nervous. This system also brings, says Rajneesh, competition

and ambition in the field of education. And the fear of exams at the end of

the year kills the joy of learning. He suggests to remove the whole

examination system from the education. He exclaims, �Nobody fails,

nobody passes -- it is just that a few people are speedy and a few people

are a little bit lazy -- because the idea of failure creates a deep wound of

inferiority, and the idea of being successful also creates a different kind

of disease, that of superiority. Nobody is inferior, and nobody is superior.

One is just oneself, incomparable.� 62 He also gives another reason for

discarding the examination that it makes the education goal oriented. He

explains, �That will change the whole perspective from the future to the

present. What you are doing right this moment will be decisive, not five

questions at the end of two years. Of thousands of things you will pass

through during these two years, each will be decisive; so the education

will not be goal-oriented.�63



Get yours now!


152

In the key word, �Student should be evaluated by observation�, he

gives the alternative of the exam, that is observation. He suggests a fresh

and new ways of observing students through out the year so that the

formative years of their life will not create scars in their minds. He

explains, �every day, every hour observation by the teachers; their

remarks throughout the year will decide whether you move further or you

remain a little longer in the same class.�64

In the key word, �Teacher should give marks to each students

everyday�, he declares teachers as the decisive factor in examination

system. He proposes that teacher should decide whether the student is

able to move forward or not. He explains, �if a teacher finds that an

intelligent student has unnecessarily to wait six months more for

examination, he should recommend that the student be moved right now

to a higher class, because he has enough intelligence. There is no need for

him to wait six months more.� 65 and for this, a teacher should give marks

to each students everyday. He says,� Finally, there is no need of any

examinations if every teacher goes on giving marks in his diary every day

to the students. And every year, all the notes from all the teachers are

collected. And based on those counts the students are moved, either

upward or downward.�66

Rajneesh satirizes the present examination system, �somebody has

just crammed five answers, and he knows nothing else, and he comes first

in the class. And somebody else knows everything, just has missed those

five questions, and he is a failure.� 67 He suggests the alternative of this

which is called �open book exam�. He says that only intelligent student



Get yours now!


153

can find out the answers from the books in three hours. He explains,

�This is not a good examination; they should be allowed to have the

whole library available to them. They can go to the library, they can find

the answer, they can write it. In three hours, they have to find as beautiful

answers as possible. And only intelligent students will be able to find

them.� 68

Having said that there should not be any exam in education, here

he suggests �There should be open book examination.� It seemed that he

is not much clear whether there should be exam or not in education.

The ideas of Rajneesh on evaluation can be summarised as follows:

No examination in education.

If there is exam, it should be open book examination.

Student should be evaluated by observation.

Teacher should give marks to each student everyday.

(Figure No. 4.2.9 Evaluation)

Open book examination

Each Student

should be given marks

Evaluation through

observation

No examination in education

Evaluation



Get yours now!


154

4.3 Educational Philosophy of J.Krishnamurti

J.Krishnamurti is one of the greatest and the most remarkable

thinkers of our age. His contribution to the worldly thought especially

with reference to educational philosophy is indeed a unique one; as he has

indicated a completely new approach to life as well as to education. Mr.

Umashanker Joshi, a well known personality of Gujarati literature, paid

the greatest tribute to J.Krishnamutri that the human being of tomorrow,

now onwards will consider him as benefactory, useful to whole mankind

for the ages to come, as he has opened inaugurated such types of

direction, horizons of knowledge that coming generations will be awful to

him. J.Krishnamurti does not believe in any set ideology or any type of

specific �ism� or any special, particular tradition, religion, method,

manner or ideas and ideals.


J.Krishnamurti has explained �right kind of education� instead of

�education�. J. Krishnamurti has given some definitions, concept and

characteristics of the word �education� with the help of key words. (1)

The right kind of education cultivates the whole being, (2) The right kind

of education should accomplish the important things in life, (3) Right

education helps to find out the problem, (4) Right education cannot be

drawn into the stream of society in any circumstances, (5) Right

education helps to find out what one really wants to do, (6) Right kind

of education brings the total development of man, (7) The right kind of

education is helpful for creativeness, (8) The right kind of education helps



Get yours now!


155

to find out true vocation, (9) The right kind of education starts with

students and their questions for creative pleasure, (10) The right kind of

education does not concern with any system or ideology, (11) The right

kind of education encourages thoughtfulness and consideration, (12) The

right kind of education helps to be mature, (13) The right kind of

education helps to be watchful to the influences, (14) The right kind of

education helps to understand the total process of oneself, (15) Education

is the understanding of oneself , (16) The right kind of education is

concerned with individual freedom and brings true co-operation with the

whole (17) The right kind of education refuses any bondage, rule and

regulations of the government, (18) The right kind of education requires a

great deal of intelligence, insight, (19) Education should help to prevent

inner and outer conflict, within or without, (20) The right kind of

education avoids to become mechanical beings and pre-determined ends,

(21) To understand all our relationship is called right kind of education,

(22) True education means to awaken intelligence and significance of life

as a whole.



Get yours now!


156

Table 4.3.1 Concept of education


1. The right kind of education cultivates the

students whole being, the totality of mind. It

gives the mind and heart a depth, an

understanding of beauty. (O.E. p. 46)

Cultivates the whole

being

2. The right kind of education, while

encouraging the learning of a technique,

should accomplish something which is of far

greater importance: it should help man to

experience the integrated process of life.

(E.S.L. p.21)

Accomplish the

important things in life.

3. Right education is not merely gathering

information from a teacher or learning

mathematics from a book or learning

historical dates of Kings and customs but to

understand the problems as they arise.

(O.E. p.60)

Help to find out the

problem.

4. Real education means that a human mind,

your mind, not only is capable of being

excellent in mathematics, geography and

history, but also can never, under any

circumstances, be drawn into the stream of

society. (O.E. p.10)

It cannot be drawn into

the stream of society in

any circumstances.

5. Right education is to help you to find out for

yourself what you really, with all your heart,

love to do. (O. E. p. 61)

Help to find out what one

really wants to do.



Get yours now!


157


6. I think the right kind of education does bring

about the good mind, the total development of

man, and it seems to me that is the major

issue not only in this valley but also in the

rest of the world. (O. E. p. 127)

Bring a new mind.

7. The right kind of education should help the

individual to face the problems and not

glorify the ways to escape. It helps him to

understand and eliminate conflict in that state

of creativeness. (E.S.L. p.123)

Helpful for creativeness.

8. The right kind of education should help the

student to discover what he is most interested

in. (E.S.L. p.96)

Help to find out true

vocation.

9. The right kind of education must start with

the student and his questions. The learner

must determine the subject matter. Education

is dynamic and true process of learning with

creative pleasure. ( O.E. p. 105)

It starts with students and

their questions for

creative pleasure.

10. The right kind of education is not concerned

with any ideology, it is not based on any

system, however, carefully it thought out, it is

a means of conditioning the individual in

some special manner. (E.S.L p.23)

It does not concern with

any system or ideology.

11. The right kind of education will encourage

thoughtfulness and consideration for others.

(E.S.L. p.36)

Encourage

thoughtfulness and

consideration for others.



Get yours now!


158


12. Education in the true sense is helping the

individual to be mature and free, to flower

greatly in love and goodness.. (E.S.L. p.23)

Helpful to be mature

and free.

13. The right kind of education should help them

to be watchful to the influences. They do not

repeat slogans like parrot or fall into any

cunning trap of greed. (E.S.L. p.43)

Help to be watchful to

the influences.

14. To educate the student rightly is to help him

to understand the total process of himself.

When there is integration of the mind and

Heart in everyday action and inward

transformation. (E.S.L. p.46)

Help to understand the

total process of oneself.

15. Education, in the true sense, is the

understanding of oneself, for it is within each

one of us that the whole of existence is

gathered.(E.S.L p. 17)

It is the understanding of

oneself.

16. The right kind of education is concerned with

individual freedom, which alone can bring

true co-operation with the whole, with the

many. (E.S.L. p.85)

It is concerned with

individual freedom and

brings true co-operation

with the whole.

17. The right kind of education does not depend

on the rules-regulations of any government or

authority or the methods manners of any

particular system. It begins with educators,

ends to the education. (O.E. p.115)

Refuse any bondage, rule

and regulations of the

government.

18. The right kind of education requires a great deal of intelligence, insight. The educator himself should understand the whole process of life. It should not be based on any new or old formula. (M.C. p.33)

It requires a great deal of

intelligence.



Get yours now!


159


19. Education should help, as grow up to perceive

the importance of bringing about a world in

which there is no conflict either within or

without. A world in which ambition, desire,

power and position are of no importance.

(M.C. p.39)

It should help to prevent

inner and outer conflict.

20. The children should be rightly educated, not

be smothered by tradition, cultural or family

groups, educated not to become mechanical

beings, moving towards a pre-determined

end. (M.C. p.84)

It avoids to become

mechanical beings and

pre-determined ends.

21. The right kind of education has the

responsibility that teaching is the noblest

profession. Teaching is an art with intellectual

attainment but infinite patience, love. It is the

right relationships in true, proper and careful

sense. (L.A. p. 21)

To understand all our

relationship is called

right kind of education.

22. Education is a way of discovering our true

relationship to things, to other human beings,

and to nature.( L.A. p. 34)

It is a way of discovering

our true relationship to

everything.

The table 4.3.1 clarifies J. Krishnamurti�s ideas about education

with the help of key words, �the right kind of education�. J. Krishnamurti

wishes to communicate central idea of educational functioning. �The right

kind of education� � the word covers the vast scope of human life. He

criticises the present education which is meant for fitting into this

structure of society. The key word �the right kind of education cultivates

the whole being� expresses the ideas that the students should be helped to



Get yours now!


160

cultivate his whole being, the totality of mind, the depth of mind ,heart

and understanding of beauty.

In the key word, �The right kind of education should accomplish

the important things in life�, J. Krishnamurti explains that the right kind

of education does not provide only bread and butter but it, along with

techniques, creates experiences which are useful and important in life. It

helps a man � to experience the integrated process of life� 69 The present

education gives so much importance to the getting of a degree, the getting

of a job, to financial security, that is the entire design of the thinking

about �education�. The important things for the life have no place in

education system. He states : � And meditation, the real enquiry into

whether there is God, the observing, experiencing of that immeasurable

state, is not part of our education at all.�70

J. Krishnamurti�s ideas are shown through the key word that �Right

education helps to find out the problem�. He explains that the right

education is not to help the students to gather information from teacher

and finally, to find careers but it helps them to understand the problems

and gives them a sharp mind which has no belief. Because for him,

education is not only learning from books, memorising some facts, but

also learning how to look, how to listen to what the books are saying,

whether they are saying something true or false which finally arises

intelligence in students.

In the key word, �Right education cannot be drawn into the stream

of society in any circumstances�, J.Krishnamurti explains that right

education doesn�t teach to fit into society or to fit into the stream of social



Get yours now!


161

and economical activity. He gives the reason for it : �Because that stream

which we call living, is very corrupt, is immoral, is violent, is greedy.

That stream is our culture.� 71 He strongly believes that the world does not

want the students to think, it doesn�t want them to be free to find out

because then students would be dangerous citizens, they would not fit

into the established pattern because �A free human being can never feel

that he belongs to any particular country, class, or type of thinking.�72

J. Krishnamurti, in the key word �Right education helps to find out

what one really wants to do�, says that right education helps students to

find out what they are interested in, what they love to do and what makes

them able to put their heart and mind. He says that : �when you love to do

a thing, time does not exist. When you love to plant trees, you water

them, look after them, protect them; when you know what you really love

to do, you will see the days are too short�73

The key word , �right kind of education brings a new mind�

explains the idea of right education of J. Krishnamurti. He believes that a

school is a miniature of what is taking place in the world. It is the

destructive chaos, misery and suffering. He provides the solution for all

these, that is the creation of a new mind which will look at all problems

and find a solution and not create new problems. So, he recommends the

education system which brings a new mind.

In the key word , �the right kind of education is helpful for

creativeness�, J. Krishnamurti suggests that the right education should

help the individual to face the problems of life and encourage the

individual for creativeness. J. Krishnamurti believes that the state of



Get yours now!


162

creativeness cannot exist where there is a problem as a problem creates

conflict in the mind of the individual. So right education, for making the

individual more creative, helps the individual to understand and

eliminates the problems not helps them to glorify the ways of escape.

In the key word, �The right kind of education helps to find out true

vocation�, J. Krishnamurti suggests that the right kind of education helps

the students to discover what he is most interested in and to choose the

career � vocation of his choice. He explains the reason also : �If he does

not find his true vocation, all his life will seem wasted; he will feel

frustrated doing something which he does not want to do. If he wants to

be an artist and instead becomes a clerk in some office, he will spend his

life grumbling and pining away.� 74 And to escape from oneself is wrong

occupation; it is corrupting, it breeds enmity, division, and so on. � Right

occupation comes through the right kind of education, and with the

understanding of oneself.� 75

According to J. Krishnamurti, the right kind of education must start

with the student and his questions. It shows that education should be child

oriented. Students should be welcomed to ask questions. He asks students

to consider it as a responsibility. He says : �It is the responsibility of the

students to demand, to ask, not just to say "I will sit down, teach me". It

means that you must be tremendously intelligent, sensitive, alive,

unprejudiced.� 76

J.Krishnamurti strongly believes that �The right kind of education

does not concern with any system or ideology�. It means that he is not

interested in shaping the child according to some idealistic pattern. He



Get yours now!


163

explains the reason : �When we train our children according to a system

of thought or a particular discipline, when we teach them to think within

departmental divisions, we prevent them from growing into integrated

men and women, and therefore they are incapable of thinking

intelligently, which is to meet life as a whole.� 77

In the key word, �The right kind of education encourages

thoughtfulness and consideration for others�, J. Krishnamurti points out

the important characteristic of the right education. He says that it should

encourage thoughtfulness and consideration for others which should free

from the fear of punishment and the hope of reward. It should also be free

from every form of compulsion. Because �There is no respect for another

when there is a reward for it, for the bribe or the punishment becomes far

more significant than the feeling of respect.�78

In the key word, �The right kind of education helps to be mature

and free�, J .Krishnamurti says that right kind of education doesn�t bind

the students with conditioning or bias but helps them to be mature and

free. It makes them free from any type of fear. He explains : � freedom is

possible where there is no fear. Fear prevents one from looking. It is like

a mind that lives in darkness and is searching for light. Freedom is that

movement of the mind and heart when there is no fear of any kind.� 79 So,

education should help an individual to be free to inquire, to go deeply,

profoundly into yourself. �That is, to uncondition yourself completely.� 80

J. Krishnamurti points out very important characteristic of

education through the key word, �The right kind of education helps to be

watchful to the influences�. He explains the reason that : �The young are



Get yours now!


164

so easily persuaded by the priest or the politician, by the rich or the poor,

to think in a particular way�. 81 and finally, fall into any cunning trap of

greed, whether their own or that of another. J.Krishnamurti believes that

education should help to be watchful of these influences so that they do

not repeat slogans like parrots.

J. Krishnamurti believes that the right kind of education helps to

understand the total process of oneself. It should be helpful to the

individual to understand the total process, the integration of mind and

heart and inward transformation. He states the importance of it as

�Education is at present concerned with outward efficiency, and it utterly

disregards, or deliberately perverts, the inward nature of man; it develops

only one part of him and leaves the rest to drag along as best it can. Our

inner confusion, antagonism and fear ever overcome the outer structure of

society, however nobly conceived and cunningly built.� 82 Without

understanding the inner, however much one may change the outer with

new laws, new structures of society, new economic, social conditions,

one doesn�t solve the problem of the human being.

In the key word, �Education is the understanding of oneself�,

J.Krishnamurti focuses light on the very important aspect of education.

He says what we call now education is a matter of accumulating

information and knowledge from books, which anyone can do who can

read. Such education offers a subtle form of escape from ourselves. He

explains : �The ignorant man is not the unlearned, but he who does not

know himself, and the learned man is stupid when he relies on books, on

knowledge and on authority to give him understanding. Understanding



Get yours now!


165

comes only through self knowledge, which is awareness of one's total

psychological process�83

In the key word, �The right kind of education is concerned with

individual freedom and brings true co-operation with the whole�,

J.Krishnamurti says that the freedom is of much more importance. �If

you are not really free, you can never blossom, you can never be good,

there can be no beauty. If the bird is not free, it cannot fly. If the seed is

not free to blossom, to push out of the earth, it cannot live. Everything

must have freedom.�84 He explains : �Freedom of mind comes into being

when there is no fear, when the mind has no desire to show off and is not

intriguing for position or prestige. Then it has no sense of imitation. And

it is important to have such a mind - a mind really free of tradition, which

is the habit-forming mechanism of the mind.�85 Real freedom leads to co-

operation with many and with whole. And �It is only in individual

freedom that love and goodness can flower; and the right kind of

education alone can offer this freedom.�86

The key word, �The right kind of education refuses any bondage,

rule and regulations of the government�, expresses J. Krishnamurti�s

firmed opinion about role of government or any authority in education.

According to J. Krishnamurti, rules and regulations of any government or

any authority is not allowed in the right kind of education as it breeds fear

and in fear one cannot get real education.

According to J. Krishnamurti, education should help to understand

the whole of life and not just prepare students to get a job and carry on in

the usual way with their social life. But education is there to solve inner



Get yours now!


166

and outer conflicts which requires a great deal of intelligence and insight

so it should not be based on any formula � new or old that based on

convention or pre-conceived ideas as intelligence is not something that

�you can acquire, like learning; it arises with great revolt, that is, when

there is no fear- which means really, when there is a sense of love. For

when there is no fear, there is love.� 87

The key word , �Education should help to prevent inner and outer

conflict, within or without�, expresses J.Krishnamurti�s idea about a

world which is free from the drive of ambition, desire , power and

position. He criticises the modern education : �The modern educational

system is a failure, as it has produced two devastating wars and appalling

misery. Learning to read and write and acquiring various techniques,

which is the cultivation of memory, is obviously not enough, for it has

produced unspeakable sorrow.� 88 He shows the destructiveness of these

things : �Most of us want power in one form or another. We see that

through wealth and power we shall be able to travel, associate with

important people and become famous; or we dream of bringing about a

perfect society. We think we shall achieve that which is good through

power; but the very pursuit of power - power for ourselves, power for our

country, power for an ideology - is evil, destructive, because it inevitably

creates opposing powers, and so there is always conflict.�89 Conflict is

the contradiction within oneself : the fragmentation of the whole structure

of our being, of our mind and heart, broken up, divided. �And where

there is division in any form there must be violence.� 90



Get yours now!


167

The key word, �The right kind of education avoids to become

mechanical beings and pre-determined ends�, expresses that right

education is not pre-determined or not bind with any race or culture. In

the key word, �To understand all our relationship is called right kind of

education�, J. Krishnamurti talks about teaching as a noble profession. He

explains : �The right kind of education has the responsibility that teaching

is the noblest profession. Teaching is an art with intellectual attainment

but infinite patience, love. It is the right relationships in true, proper and

careful sense.�91

J.Krishnamurti, in the key word -Education is a way of discovering

our true relationship to everything� , expresses that right education helps

the individual to discover his true relationship with everything. For that a

mind which is �free to think , free to be creative , free to love� 92 is

required.

From the above discussion, concept of education given by J.

Krishnamurti can be summed up as under ;

Right kind of education...

cultivates the whole being

accomplishes the important things in life

helps to find out the problem

cannot be drawn into the stream of society in any circumstances

helps to find out what one really wants to do

brings the total development of man

is helpful for creativeness



Get yours now!


168

starts with students and their questions for creative pleasure

does not concern with any system or ideology

encourages thoughtfulness and consideration,

helps to be mature

helps to be watchful to the influences

helps to understand the total process of oneself

is the understanding of oneself

is concerned with individual freedom and brings true co-operation

with the whole

refuses any bondage, rule and regulations of the government

requires a great deal of intelligence, insight

helps to prevent inner and outer conflict, within or without

means to awaken intelligence and significance of life as a whole.

helps to understand all our relationship

E

D

U

C

A

T

I

O

Cultivates the whole being

Accomplishes the important things in life.

Brings the total development of man.

Starts with students and their questions

Requires a great deal of intelligence

Refuses any bondage rules or regulations of government.

Cannot be drawn into the stream of Society.



Get yours now!


169

(Figure No. 4.3.1 Concept of Education)


Present education has become a funneling of many subjects into

our brain, conditioning us to conform. Millions and millions throughout

the world are being educated and are finding no jobs. Such education

offers a subtle form of escape from ourselves and it inevitably creates

increasing misery, conflict and confusion result from our own wrong

relationship with people, things and ideas.

According to J. Krishnamurti, there are five basic principles

concerning to education. Directly J. Krishnamurti has not mentioned

them as principles but it was the researcher�s humble try to arrange his

educational ideas on elaborated , vast level. Through the study, it can be

concluded as (1) Learning to unlearn, (2) Competition and co-operation,

To understand

all our relationship

To prevent inner and

outer conthic

To be watchful to

the inluences

To be mature

To find out the

problem

To be Creative

To understand

oneself

Education helps



Get yours now!


170

(3) Fearlessness, (4) Get disturbed and disturb others, (5) Inward

flowering.

J. Krishnamurti has suggested 14 key words to explain his ideas on

education along with basic principles, they were as such : (1) Education is

of prime significance in the creation of a new culture, (2) The prevailing

condition of education offers a subtle form of escape from the self from

the life (3) The first principle of learning � learning to Unlearn, (4)

Competitive spirit is accepted as a means for progress in the realm of

education, (5) Competition is absurd, (6) Right kind of education avoids

comparison and competition, (7) Right kind of education teaches

fearlessness, (8) Without fear one learns more, (9) Discontentment is to

be understood in a very different sense. Get disturbed and disturb others,

(10) Discontentment � burning desire for freedom, new understanding of

the way of life, (11) One should ask oneself for Inward flowering, (12)

Flowering means growing deeply, inwardly, (13) The beauty ,

watchfulness and constant inquiring mind makes one happy, (14) Right

education makes one blossomed in all aspects.



Get yours now!


171

Table 4.3.2 Basic Principles Concerning to Education


1. Education is of prime significance in the

communication of that which is central to the

transformation of the human mind and the

creation of a new culture. (O.E. p.112)

Education is of prime

significance in the

creation of a new culture.

2. The prevailing condition is a matter of

accumulating information and condition from

books- learning method or languages just like

parrot repetition which offers a subtle form of

escape from the self from the life.

(M.C. p. 210)

The prevailing condition

of education offers a

subtle form of escape

from the self from the

life.

3. You can only learn when you do not know.

(O.E. p.29)

The principle of learning

� learning to Unlearn

4. In the realm of education the competitive

spirit prevails and accepted as a means for

progress. (L.S. Vol. 1 p.78)

Competitive spirit is accepted as a means for progress in the realm of education.

5. We compete, worship, success because if we

do not compete, we would stagnate. There is

merely a speculative response. Not actual

fact- absurdity. (O.E p.104)

There should be no

competition in education.

6. Present education is only a process of adding

information. Right kind of education never

cultivate among students the competition. It

frees the individual from the dependency to

compare and compete. (L.A. p.74)

Right kind of education

avoids comparison and

competition.



Get yours now!


172


7. To be without fear is the beginning of

wisdom and only the kind of education can

bring about the freedom from fear in which

alone there is deep and creative intelligence.

(O.E. p. 54)

Right kind of education

teaches fearlessness.

8. You learn most when you have no fear, when

you are not threatened by authority, when you

are not competing with any one, your mind

becomes extra-ordinarily alive. (O.E. p. 55)

Without fear one learns

more

9. Discontent is to be understood in a very

different sense. The very understanding had

deep significance in life and therefore in

education. Most of us are afraid of discontent,

as it brings about what appears to be disorder.

(E.S.L. p.63)

Discontentment is to be

understood in a very

different sense. Get

disturbed and disturb

others.

10. Discontent is the means to freedom which is

the true beginning of learning. It is the

burning desire to inquire and not the easy

imitation of the multitude that will bring

about a new understanding of the way of life.

(E.S.L. p.64)

Discontentment �

burning desire for

freedom, new

understanding of the way

of life.

11. Everything in the vast Universe, is ever

changing, ever growing and flowering. So it

would be interesting- flowering and doing

inwardly. (L.A. p.19)

One should ask oneself

for Inward flowering.



Get yours now!


173


12. The word �Flowering� means nothing hinders

us, nothing blocks or prevents us from

actually growing deeply, inwardly. Most of

us hardly even flower, grow , blossom.

(L.S. Vol. 2 p. 69)

Flowering means

growing deeply,

inwardly.

13. That is an education which nobody can give

you but yourself. The beauty, its watchfulness

and constant inquiring mind, makes happy.

(M.C. p.68)

The beauty ,

watchfulness and

constant inquiring mind

makes one�s happy.

14. Once you get the feeling that everything in

you must blossom. Everything must flower in

you. Everything is blossoming in you.

Nothing is denied, nothing is suppressed,

nothing is controlled, it is tremendous

education. (O.E. p. 155)

Right education makes

one blossomed in all

aspects.

In the table 4.3.2 �Educational Thinking along with Basic

Principles�, J. Krishnamurti explains educational thinking and its

principles. The key word, �Education is of prime significance in the

creation of a new culture�, J. Krishnamurti shows the importance of

education. He believes that to change this world, Education is the only

hope as it is the communication of the central transformation of the

human mind and the creation of a new world. Education has the creative

force which shows the right path to the society and brings new culture.

The prevailing condition of education is reflected in the key-word,

�The prevailing condition of education offers a subtle form of escape



Get yours now!


174

from the self from the life�. The prevailing condition of education is not

only a matter of accumulating information and knowledge from books. It

is only an escapism from ourselves which takes the individual far away

from his trueself.

The key word, �learning to unlearn� � the idea itself seemed

controversial and paradoxical. He believes that to enter something new,

the old ,preconceived, authoritarian or conceptual should be unlearned

and then learning is possible. What is true should be entered and old,

outdated should be unlearned- wiped off.

The key word �Competitive spirit is accepted as a means for

progress in the realm of education�, J. Krishnamurti criticizes the present

education system whose entire aim is to make the students competitive.

He explains the whole thing : � The whole of civilization, not only in

India but in the rest of the world, is geared to competition, to success, to

achievement. The ambitious man seems to be the respected entity - the

ambitious man, the aggressive man who wants to succeed, to intrigue, to

pull strings and so get to the top of the heap. There is everlasting

competition not only in the class room of a school but also in daily life, in

the attitude of the clerk who feels he must become the manager and the

manager the director and the director the board president and so on.�93 J.

Krishnamurti believes that where there is competition and not co-

operation, true learning and right kind of education is not possible.

In the key word, �There should be no competition in education�, J.

Krishnamurti expresses his views about competitions in education. He is

against competition. He states the reason why there is competition in



Get yours now!


175

present education : �As long as success is our goal we cannot be rid of

fear, for the desire to succeed inevitably breeds the fear of failure. That is

why the young should not be taught to worship success. Most people seek

success in one form or another, whether on the tennis court, in the

business world, or in politics. We all want to be on top, and this desire

creates constant conflict within ourselves and with our neighbours; it

leads to competition, envy, animosity and finally to war.� 94 He says that

�In this process of competition, you conform, and gradually you destroy

the subtlety, the freshness, the youth of the brain�.95

In the key word, �Right kind of education avoids comparison and

competition�, J. Krishnamurti throws light on the another destructive

element of the present education; comparison. He believes that right

education should be free from comparison and competition as �Any spirit

of comparison prevents this full flowering of the individual, whether he is

to be a scientist or a gardener. The fullest capacity of the gardener is the

same as the fullest capacity of the scientist when there is no comparison;

but when comparison comes in, then there is the disparagement and the

envious reactions which create conflict between man and man.� 96 He is

in the opinion that right education frees the individual from the

dependency to compare and compete.

J. Krishnamurti explains one of the important elements of right

education through the key word, �Right kind of education teaches

fearlessness�. He explains the root cause of fear : �Fear is essentially

involved in competition. Whether it is competition in a class or

competition in life. To be afraid of being nobody, of not arriving, of not



Get yours now!


176

succeeding, is at the root of competition. But when there is fear, you

cease to learn. And so it seems to me that it is the function of education to

eliminate fear, to see that you do not become mechanical and at the same

time to give you knowledge. To learn without becoming mechanical,

which means to learn without fear, is a complex issue. It involves the

elimination of all competition.�97 Fearlessness brings independence

without ruthlessness, without contempt for another, and this is the most

essential factor in life.

In the key word, �Without fear one learns more�, J. Krishnamurti

explains that learning only comes into being when there is no fear and

when there is no authority. He throws light on the reason for that : �A

mind that carries fear within itself, day after day, month after month, is a

mechanical mind. And you see machines cannot solve human problems.

You cannot have an innocent fresh young mind if you are ridden with

fear, if from childhood until you die, you are trained in fear. That is why a

good education, a true education eliminates fear�. 98

Through the key word, �Discontentment is to be understood in a

very different sense� , J. Krishnamurti reflects the idea of discontentment.

�Discontent is to be understood in a very different sense. The very

understanding had deep significance in life and therefore in education.

Most of us are afraid of discontent, as it brings about what appears to be

disorder.� 99 He explains : �Discontent may bring what appears to be

disorder; but if it leads, as it should, to selfknowledge and self-

abnegation, then it will create a new social order and enduring peace.

With self-abnegation comes immeasurable joy.�100 The key word,



Get yours now!


177

�Discontentment � burning desire for freedom, new understanding of the

way of life� explains J. Krishnamurti�s ideas concerning

�discontentment�. Discontent is the means to freedom. �True beginning of

learning is based on that discontent. It is the burning desire to inquire and

not easy imitation of the multitude, which brings new understanding of

the way of life.�101 He believes that �we have to encourage the spirit of

inquiry and discontent which is already in him, thereby helping him to

discover for himself what is true and what is false.� 102

In the key word, �Inward flowering�, J. Krishnamurti gives quite a

new idea. As in the vast universe everything is ever changing, ever

growing and flowering. So it would be interesting to ask ourselves the

question of whether, here in the community each one of us are flowering

and doing inwardly. �The flowering is really very important, otherwise

the education becomes merely a mechanical process orientated to a

career, to some kind of profession. Career and profession, as society now

exists, is inevitable, but if we lay all our emphasis on that then the

freedom to flower will gradually wither. On the contrary, with the

flowering of the teacher as well as the student, career and profession will

take their right place.� 103 The key word �Flowering means growing

deeply, inwardly�, expresses J. Krishnamurti�s ideas regarding

�Flowering�. �The word �Flowering� means nothing hinders us, nothing

blocks or prevents us from actually growing deeply, inwardly.� 104 The

flowering in education, he explains, is � the total unfoldment and

cultivation of our minds, our hearts and our physical well-being. That is,

to live in complete harmony in which there is no opposition or



Get yours now!


178

contradiction between them. The flowering of the mind can take place

only when there is clear perception, objective, non-personal, unburdened

by any kind of imposition upon it.� 105 so that action is not self-centred; it

is learning throughout life to break down the walls which the mind builds

in order to be secure, and from which arises fear with all its complexities.

In the opinion of J. Krishnamurti �the education of life teaches

beauty, allots happiness�. The key word suggests overall view of

education. He thinks about such education �which nobody can give us,

but we ourselves can grasp. The beauty, its watchfulness and constant

inquiring mind, makes us happy.�106

In the key word , �Right education makes one blossomed in all

aspects�, he talks about the real education. He explains it : � Once you

get the feeling that everything in you must blossom, which is a very

dangerous state, if you understand this thing, that everything must flower

in you, which is a marvellous thing, in that there is real freedom. And, as

each thing flowers, there is neither observer nor the observed; therefore

there is no contradiction. So all the things blossom in you and die.�107

Present education makes an individual an intelligent man but it doesn�t

focus on the other aspects of his personality. Here, J.Krishnamurti differs

and he expects that education should not prepare an individual to live

merely as an intellectual being but as a complete human being, having a

good body and a good mind, enjoying nature, seeing the totality, misery,

love, sorrow, beauty of the world.

Through the study, the basic principles of education according to J.

Krishnamurti can be concluded as...



Get yours now!


179

Learning to unlearn,

Competition and co-operation,

Fearlessness,

Get disturbed and disturb others,

Inward flowering.

(Figure No. 4.3.2 Basic Principles of Education)

4.3.3 Curriculum

J. Krishnamurti has not prescribed any specific subjects or any

selected course in a set, fixed pattern as a means of education. As he

himself expresses that he does not want to be bound by any �isms� or any

specific belief about set pattern for the study or fixed course or syllabus

for education. So, the researcher could not find out any direct idea units

based on J. Krishnamurti�s educational ideas concerning to curriculum.

Basic Principles of Education

Get disturbed

and disturb others

Inward Flowering

Fearlessness No

competition and co-

operation

Learning to unlearn



Get yours now!


180

Three idea units which seemed to be relevant were : (1) Teaching of

different subjects is not enough but student�s initiative should be

awakened, (2) Students should be educated to live life, (3) With learning

academic subjects, one should educate oneself.

Table 4.3.3 Curriculum

No. Idea Units Key words

1. If the teachers teach you merely mathematics

and geography, history and science, that is

obviously not enough. The important thing

for you is to be alert, to question, to find out,

so that your own initiative may be

awakened.(L A p. 31)

Teaching of different

subjects is not enough

but student�s initiative

should be awakened.

2. Yes, to prepare for a right means of

livelihood is essential; but that�s not all of

life. There is also sex, ambition, envy,

patriotism, violence, war, love, death, God,

man�s relationship to man, which is society-

and so many other things. Are you being

educated to meet this vast affair called life?

(Cl III, chp 21)

Students should be

educated to live life

3. Education is not only learning about

academic subjects but to educate oneself.

(L S Vol 2 , p. 4)

With learning academic

subjects, one should

educate oneself



Get yours now!


181

The above table 4.3.3 discusses the ideas of J. Krishnamurti�s

about the curriculum. He is the bitter critic of present day educational

system, method, curriculum and testing level (evaluation) so he expresses

ideas through right kind of education. He is the man who speaks complete

truth in real critical words. So, he has not mentioned or forced for any

specific, special subjects for the curriculum. In the key word, �Teaching

of different subjects is not enough but student�s initiative should be

awakened�, he suggests that the different subjects are necessary but they

are not enough.

In the key word, �Students should be educated to live life�, J.

Krishnamurti�s philosophy regarding education is revealed as he wishes

that along with the teaching of other subjects, students should be taught

how to live, though he doesn�t mention it directly. He is of the opinion

that education should be concerned with totality of life. He believes that

education is the means to create new values �peace, happiness and non-

violence. He doesn�t lay stress on head (intelligent) only but he feels that

heart(emotional level) in the life should also be emphasised.

J. Krishnamurti is of the opinion that a child should be the lover of

the nature and its elements. It should be acquainted with the nature. In the

key word, �With learning academic subjects, one should educate oneself�,

he explains that learning of academic subjects is important but the more

important thing, for him, is to educate oneself. He is not against

technological or technical education, but they should not over-power

human beings.



Get yours now!


182

From the above discussion, the ideas of J. Krishnamurti regarding

curriculum can be summarised as under:

Curriculum ...

should not be fixed but flexible

should include the matter which teaches how to live life

(Figure No. 4.3.3 Curriculum)


Education forms a central core of Krishnamurti�s world view. In

fact, Krishnamurti spent his entire life talking about education as being

the agent not only of inner renewal but also of social change. Education is

therefore the foundation on which the good society will build itself. The

inner world is the source and continuation of the disorder , and for J.

Krishnamurti, education should be concerned with changing the source

which is the individual, since it is human beings who create society, not

some gods in heaven. So, he has given the aims- purposes of right kind of

education .

Curriculum

Art of living as a subject

Flexible Not fixed



Get yours now!


183

J. Krishnamurti suggests six purposes as aims of education. The six

key words are as such : (1) The purpose of education is to create

integrated men and women for peace, (2) The purpose of education is to

cultivate right relationship, (3) The purpose of education is to grow up the

whole mind, heart and body, (4) The purpose of education is to create

complete human being (5) The purpose of education is to know how

one�s mind works, (6) The purpose of education is to create new mind,

new society.

Table 4.3.4 The Aims of Education


1. The purpose of education is not to produce

mere scholars, technicians and job hunters but

integrated men and women, who are free of

fear, for only between such human beings can

there be enduring peace. (E.S.L. p.15)

To create integrated

men and women for

peace.

2. The purpose of education is to cultivate right

relationship not only between individuals but

also between the individual and society.

(E.S.L. p.34)

To cultivate right

relationship.

3. The true purpose of education is to help you to

find out so that as you grow up, you can begin

to give your whole mind, heart and body to that

which you really love to do. (M.C. p.4)

To find out what they

love to do.

4. The purpose of education is to create this new

mind, which is explosive and does not conform

to a pattern which society has set. (O.E. p.26)

To create new mind,

new society.



Get yours now!


184


5. To know how one�s mind works is a basic

purpose of education. If you don�t know how

your mind reacts; if your mind is not aware of

its own activities, you will never find out what

society is. (M.C. p. 65)

To know how one�s

mind works.

6. And the purpose of education, surely, is not

just to give you a few letters of the alphabet

after your name, but to awaken in you this

spirit of thoughtfulness so that you are

sensitive, alert, watchful, kind. (M.C p. 194)

To awaken the

thoughtfulness.

The table No. 4.3.4 clarifies J. Krishnamurti�s ideas about the aims

of education. In the key word, �The purpose of education is to create

integrated men and women for peace�, J. Krishnamurti expresses his

views about the aim of education. He criticizes the present education

system : �Unfortunately, the present system of education is making us

subservient, mechanical and deeply thoughtless; though it awakens us

intellectually, inwardly it leaves us incomplete, stultified and

uncreative.�108 He says : �The purpose of education is not to produce

mere scholars, technicians and job hunters but integrated men and

women, who are free of fear, for only between such human beings can

there be enduring peace� 109 For that education has to develop an

integrated understanding of life without which �the individual and

collective problems will only deepen and extend.�110 He believes that it

should be clear as to whether the individual exists for society or whether

society exists for the individual. � If society needs and uses the individual



Get yours now!


185

for its own purposes, then it is not concerned with the cultivation of an

integrated human being; what it wants is an efficient machine, a

conforming and respectable citizen, and this requires only a very

superficial integration. As long as the individual obeys and is willing to

be thoroughly conditioned, society will find him useful and will spend

time and money on him. But if society exists for the individual, then it

must help in freeing him from its own conditioning influence. It must

educate him to be an integrated human being.� 111

J. Krishnamurti believes that to live is to be related. J.

Krishnamurti focuses on the very important issue of today�s world �The

real issue is to find out how to live in a world that is so compulsively

authoritarian, so brutal and tyrannical, not only in the immediate

relationships but in social relationships, how to live in such a world with

the extraordinary capacity to meet its demands and also to be free.�112 In

the key word , �The purpose of education is to cultivate right

relationship�, he suggests the solution for this. He explains this in detail :

� Religious education in the true sense is to encourage the child to

understand his own relationship to people, to things and to nature. There

is no existence without relationship; and without self-knowledge, all

relationship, with the one and with the many, brings conflict and

sorrow.�113

In the key word , �The purpose of education is to find out what they

love to do�, J. Krishnamurti throws light on the role of education in one�s

life. He believes that education should help the individual to find out

what he really loves to do so that from the beginning to the end of his life,



Get yours now!


186

he is working at something which he feels is worthwhile. But he also

explains that it�s not easy : �To find out what you love to do demands a

great deal of intelligence; because, if you are afraid of not being able to

earn a livelihood, or of not fitting into this rotten society, then you will

never find. But, if you are not frightened, if you refuse to be pushed into

the groove of tradition by your parents, by your teachers, by the

superficial demands of society, then there is a possibility of discovering

what it is you really love to do. So, to discover, there must be no fear of

not surviving.� 114

The key word , �The purpose of education is to create new mind,

new society� suggested that education should create new mind which is

uncontaminated by the past. According to J.Krishnamurti, a new mind is

only possible when the religious spirit and the scientific attitude form part

of the same movement of consciousness - a state where the scientific

attitude and the religious spirit are not two parallel processes or capacities

of the mind. They do not exist in watertight compartments as two

separate movements that have to be fused but are a new movement

inherent in intelligence and in the creative mind.

In the key word, �The purpose of education is to know how one�s

mind works�, J. Krishnamurti focuses on the very basic aim of education ;

help the individual to know his own mind. He gives the reason : �To

know how one's mind works is a basic purpose of education. If you don't

know how your mind reacts, if your mind is not aware of its own

activities, you will never find out what society is. You may read books on

sociology, study social sciences, but if you don't know how your own



Get yours now!


187

mind works you cannot actually understand what society is, because your

mind is part of society; it is society. Your reactions, your beliefs, your

going to the temple, the clothes you wear, the things you do and don't do

and what you think - society is made up of all this, it is the replica of what

is going on in your own mind.� 115

J. Krishnamurti believes that the purpose of education is to awaken

the thoughtfulness. He states that purpose of education is not to educate

the individual the words but to awaken the thoughtfulness in him so that

he becomes sensitive, watchful and alert.

Thus, the purposes of education were shown with special treatment

by J. Krishnamurti. From the above discussion, it can be summed up as

below.

The purpose of education is ..

to create integrated men and women for peace

to cultivate right relationship

to grow up the whole mind, heart and body

to create complete human being

to know how one�s mind works

to create new mind, new society



Get yours now!


188

(Figure No. 4.3.4 Aims of Education)


J. Krishnamurti was not an educator in the narrow or formal sense

of the term, as he had no formal qualifications to either propagate or

promote educational goals or establish educational institutions. His

concern for what he considered �right education� is clearly not an attempt

to provide temporary solutions to society�s problems or seek to correct

them through merely educating people to read or write. For him, the role

of �right education�, then, is to make the individual highly sensitive to

to grow up the whole

mind, heart and body

to create complete

human being

to know how one�s mind

works

to create new mind,

new society

to cultivate right

relationship

to create integrated men and women for

peace

Aims of

Education



Get yours now!


189

everything�not just to teach mathematics and geography because the

highest form of sensitivity is the highest form of intelligence. He has

suggested some functions of education in his books concerning to

education.

J.Krishnamurti has suggested 16 idea units and key words to

express his idea regarding the functions of education. They were (1) The

function of education is to help the individual to discover the

psychological hindrances (2) The function of education is to cultivate

new values, (3) The function of education is to bring a mind which goes

beyond , (4) The highest function of education is to prepare integrated

individual, new values, (5) The real function of education is to understand

the whole process of living in the new world, (6) The real function of

education is to understand the rotten society and to create new society,

new world, (7) Basic function of education is to help the one to find out

what really love to do, (8) The function of education is to understand

completely, fully and deeply to break the social pattern, (9) The main

function of education is to create specialised and trained mind but the

mind which can meet challenges, (10) The function of real education is to

awaken, employ the energy into discovery of reality, (11) The function of

education is not only to pass examination but to prepare for livelihood,

deep thinking, initiative and laughter, (12) The function of education is to

make creative human being who can think for himself , not a slavish

machine, (13) The function of education is to make students able to

investigate, to find out, to discover knowledge and techniques, (14) The

function of education is to create awareness for not imitating others, (15)



Get yours now!


190

The true function of education is to cultivate the intelligence and to solve

the problems of life, (16) The function of education is to help each one of

us to live freely and without fear.

Table 4.3.5 The Functions of Education


1 It is the function of education to help each

individual to discover all these

psychological hindrances, and not merely

impose upon him new patterns of conduct,

new modes of thought. (E.S.L p. 85)

To help the individual to

discover the

psychological

hindrances.

2 Another function of education is to create

new values. (E.S.L. p. 25)

To cultivate new values.

3 I think the function of education is to

bring about a mind that will not only act

in the immediate but go beyond.

( O.E. p. 83)

To bring a mind which

goes beyond.

4 The highest function of education is to

bring about an integrated individual who

is capable of dealing with life as a whole.

(E.S.L. p. 25)

To prepare integrated

individual.

5 The real function of education is not only

help you unconditional yourself, but also

to understand this whole process of living

from day-to-day so that you can grow in

freedom and create a new world.

(M.C.p.17)

To understand the whole

process of living in the

new world.



Get yours now!


191


6 The real function of education is not to

turn you out to be a clerk or a judge or a

prime minister, but to help you understand

the whole structure of the rotten society

and allow you to grow in freedom so that

you will break away and create new

society, new world. (M.C. p.11)

To understand the rotten

society and to create

new society, new world.

7 Basic function of education is to help you,

to find out what you really love to do, so

that you can give your whole mind and

heart to it as it creates human dignity that

sweeps away mediocrity. (M.C. p.41)

To help an individual to

find out what he/she

really loves to do.

8 The function of education is not to make

you fit into the social pattern on the

contrary, it is to help you to understand

completely, deeply, fully and thereby

break away from the social pattern.

(M.C. p.73)

To understand

completely, fully and

deeply to break the

social pattern.

9 A mind that is not specialised, not trained

only in technology that is not merely

seeking prosperity, but that can meet

challenges adequately, completely is the

function of education. (O.E. p. 100)

Function of education is

not to create specialised

and trained mind but the

mind which can meet

challenges.

10 The function of real education is to

awaken our energy and make it explode;

make it continuous, strong, passionate, yet

have spontaneous restraint and employ

itself in the discovery of reality.

(M.C. p.73)

To awaken, employ the

energy into discovery of

reality.



Get yours now!


192


11 The function of education is not merely to

prepare you to pass a few examinations,

but to help you to understand the whole

problem of living in which it includes

livelihood, laughter, initiative and think

deeply. (M.C. p.176)

To prepare for

livelihood, deep

thinking, initiative and

laughter.

12 It is the function of right education is to

help you to think for yourself, so that out

of your own thinking you feel immense

confidence. Then you are a creative

human being, not a slavish machine.

(M.C.p.127)

To make creative human

being who can think for

himself.

13 The function of education is to give the

student abundant knowledge in the

various fields of human endeavour and

free his mind from all traditions so that he

is able to investigate, to find out, to

discover knowledge and technique.

(M.C. p.123-24)

To make students able to

investigate knowledge

and techniques.

14 The function of education, then is to help

you from the childhood, not to imitate

anybody but to be yourself all the time

and this is almost difficult thing to do.

(M.C. p. 8)

To create awareness for

not imitating others.

15 The true function of education is to

cultivate in you the intelligence which

will try to find the answer to all these

problems. It is the capacity surely to think

To cultivate the

intelligence and to solve

the problems of life.



Get yours now!


193


freely so that you begin to discover for

yourself the real, true and not to be

intelligent. (M.C. p.2)

16 the function of education is to help each

one of us to live freely and without fear.

(M.C p.6)

To help each one of us

to live freely and

without fear.

The table No. 4.3.5 clarifies J. Krishnamurti�s ideas about the

functions of education. The key word, �The function of education is to

help the individual to discover the psychological hindrances� expresses

his ideas about the function of education. He believes that psychological

hindrances divide the individual , break up the individual internally as for

him , �the meaning of the word �individual� is �indivisible�: not to be

divided, incapable of division, separation.� 116 For him, right education is

concerned with the individual�s freedom. He says that �Freedom comes

with self-knowledge, when the mind goes above and beyond the

hindrances it has created for itself through craving its own security.� 117

In the key word, �The function of education is to cultivate new

values�, J.Krishnamurti throws light on the very important function of

education ; that is to create new values. He believes that life cannot be

made to conform to a system, it cannot be forced into a framework of the

tradition because a mind that has merely been trained in factual

knowledge is incapable of meeting life with its variety, its subtlety, its

depths and great heights. Therefore, education should not make the

students believe in the traditional values but it should awaken the



Get yours now!


194

intelligence of the student who can create the new values. He explains: �

Merely to implant existing values in the mind of the child, to make him

conform to ideals, is to condition him without awakening his

intelligence.� 118

The key word, �The function of education is to bring a mind which

goes beyond�, explains that the individual should not respond

immediately but he should first think from all possible perspectives to

understand the problem. He explains: � Everyone is thinking in terms of

doing something immediately. I think one has to take a long view of the

whole problem and I do not think a specialist can do this because

specialists always think in terms of action which is immediate. Though

immediate action is necessary, I think the function of education is to

bring about a mind that will not only act in the immediate but go

beyond.�119

J .Krishnamurti criticizes the present education system as it does

not help the individual to break through the conditioning and bring about

an integrated human being. As for him, as given in the key word , �The

highest function of education is to prepare integrated individual.�

Individual must be integrated if he is to come out of any crisis and

especially the present world crisis. He explains : �To be an integrated

human being is to understand the entire process of one's own

consciousness, both the hidden and the open. This is not possible if we

give undue emphasis to the intellect. We attach great importance to the

cultivation of the mind, but inwardly we are insufficient, poor and

confused. This living in the intellect is the way of disintegration; for



Get yours now!


195

ideas, like beliefs, can never bring people together except in conflicting

groups.� 120 Integrated life and action is education. Integration does not

come about through conformity to a pattern, either one�s own, or that of

another. �It comes into being through understanding the many influences

that impinge on the mind; through being aware of them without being

caught in them. The parents and society are conditioning the child by

suggestion, by subtle, unexpressed desires and compulsions, and by the

constant reiteration of certain dogmas and beliefs.� 121 To help the child to

be aware of all these influences, with their inward, psychological

significance, to help him understand the ways of authority and not be

caught in the net of society is the function of education.

J.Krishnamurti criticises the present education system as it is aimed

at making the individual conform. The person is educated to fit into

society, but � that is not education, it is merely a process which

conditions one to conform to a pattern.� 122 The key word, �The real

function of education is to understand the whole process of living in the

new world�, suggested that the real education doesn�t help the individual

to understand himself but also to make him understand the whole process

of living and helps him to grow in freedom to create a new world. In the

key word, �The real function of education is to understand the rotten

society and to create new society, new world�, he explains: � You are

educated to fit into society; but that is not education, it is merely a

process which conditions you to conform to a pattern. The real function

of education is not to turn you out to be a clerk, or a judge, or a prime

minister, but to help you understand the whole structure of this rotten



Get yours now!


196

society and allow you to grow in freedom, so that you will break away

and create a different society, a new world.�123

J. Krishnamurti, through the key word � �Basic function of

education is to help the one to find out what really love to do� expresses

his ideas about the basic function of education. For him : � Real life is

doing something which you love to do with your whole being so that

there is no inner contradiction, no war between what you are doing and

what you think you should do. Life is then a completely integrated

process in which there is tremendous joy.� 124 So, education should help

the individual to find out what he really loves to do which makes his life

happy. J.Krishnamurti believes that if education is successful to do so,

there won�t be any competitions or any ambition. He explains : �When

you are doing something with your whole being, not because you want to

get somewhere, or have more profit, or greater results, but simply because

you love to do it - in that there is no ambition, is there? In that there is no

competition; you are not struggling with anyone for first place.� 125

J. Krishnamurti�s ideas on the function of education are reflected

through the key word , �The function of education is to understand

completely, fully and deeply to break the social pattern.� He believes that

everyone is concerned with how to fit into society or how to reform it. He

is very disappointed with such attitude of the individual. He gives the

reason : �Such an attitude destroys whatever confidence, whatever

initiative you have. And you leave school and college like so many

automatons, highly efficient persons, but without any creative flame. That

is why it is so important to understand the society, the environment in



Get yours now!


197

which one lives, and, in that very process of understanding, break away

from it.�126

J. Krishnamurti believes that specialized and trained mind cant

meet the challenges , for that one needs an integrated mind. So he states

in the key word , �the main function of education is not to create

specialised and trained mind but the mind which can meet challenges�.

He explains : �Information, the knowledge of facts, though ever

increasing, is by its very nature limited. Wisdom is infinite, it includes

knowledge and the way of action; but we take hold of a branch and think

it is the whole tree. Through the knowledge of the part, we can never

realize the joy of the whole. Intellect can never lead to the whole, for it is

only a segment, a part.� 127

In the key word, �The function of real education is to awaken,

employ the energy into discovery of reality�, J. Krishnamurti desires to

say that function of education is to awaken energy and make it explode,

continuous, strong, passionate and yet have spontaneous restraint and

employ itself in the discovery of reality. �Then that energy becomes

immense, boundless, and it does not cause further misery but is in itself

creator of a new society.� 128 So the problem, especially in education, is

how to maintain whatever energy one has and give it more vitality, a

greater exploding force.

J. Krishnamurti is the bitter critic of present day education system,

manner, method, examination etc. He suggests completely different ideas

in the key word, �The function of education is not only to pass

examination but to prepare for livelihood, deep thinking, initiative and



Get yours now!


198

laughter�. He believes that: �Surely, life is not merely a job, an

occupation; life is something extraordinarily wide and profound, it is a

great mystery, a vast realm in which we function as human beings. If we

merely prepare ourselves to earn a livelihood, we shall miss the whole

point of life; and to understand life is much more important than merely

to prepare for examinations and become very proficient in mathematics,

physics, or what you will.� 129 An individual gives about twenty or thirty

years to acquiring knowledge of physics, linguistics, biology, sociology,

philosophy, psychology and so on. He criticises : � You give years and

years to it, and you don�t give one day or even one hour to find out for

yourself what you are and why you are living like this.� 130

For J. Krishnamurti, one of the functions of education is to make

creative human being who can think for himself. He criticizes the present

education as it teaches students what to think not how to think because if

the students know how to think, then they can think for themselves. He

explains : � to know how to think requires a great deal of penetration,

understanding, but to know what to think is comparatively easy.�131 So,

he expects education to create such human beings who are creative and

are able to think of themselves.

J. Krishnamurti expresses the idea about the function of education

with the help of the key word , �The function of education is to make

students able to investigate, to find out, to discover knowledge and

techniques�. He desires to make the mind free from tradition or

convention. He believes that : �knowledge is a hindrance when it has

become a tradition which shapes or conditions the mind to a particular



Get yours now!


199

pattern, because then it not only divides people and creates enmity

between them, but it also prevents the deep discovery of what is truth,

what is life, what is God. To discover what is God, the mind must be free

of all tradition, of all accumulation, of all knowledge which it uses as a

psychological safeguard.�132

In the key word, �The function of education is to create awareness

for not imitating others�, J. Krishnamurti criticizes the present education

as it only encourages the individual to become something or other but not

to become �yourself�. He explains it in detail : �Your `self' is a very

complex thing; it is not merely the entity that goes to school, that

quarrels, that plays games, that is afraid, but it is also something hidden,

not obvious. It is made up, not only of all the thoughts that you think, but

also of all the things that have been put into your mind by other people,

by books, by the newspapers, by your leaders; and it is possible to

understand all that only when you don't want to be somebody, when you

don't imitate, when you don't follow - which means, really, when you are

in revolt against the whole tradition of trying to become something. That

is the only true revolution, leading to extraordinary freedom. To cultivate

this freedom is the real function of education.�133 Mere imitating others

doesn�t create intelligence. �To be rightly educated, you have to

understand yourself; you have to keep on learning about yourself. When

you stop learning, life becomes ugly and sorrowful.�134 And freedom also

lies, not in trying to become something different, but in understanding

what one is from moment to moment.



Get yours now!


200

J. Krishnamurti believes that the true function of education is to

cultivate the intelligence and to solve the problems of life. For him,

education has no meaning unless it helps the individual to understand the

vast expanse of life with all its subtleties, with its extraordinary beauty,

its sorrows and joys. Intelligence comes into being only when �you begin

to understand your whole environment, the social, religious, parental and

traditional influences that are continually closing in on you.� 135 And

through the process of education, an individual should cultivate this type

of intelligence.

In the key word, �The function of education is to help each one of

us to live freely and without fear.�, J. Krishnamurti expresses that it is the

function of education to eradicate the fear, inwardly as well as outwardly,

because fear destroys human thought. He explains that: � Most of us, as

we grow older, become frightened; we are afraid of living, afraid of

losing a job, afraid of tradition, afraid of what the neighbours, or what the

wife or husband would say, afraid of death. Most of us have fear in one

form or another; and where there is fear there is no intelligence.�136 J.

Krishnamurti concentrates on the so-called negative emotions, such as

fear, in portraying children, it is because he considers fear as an

'hindrance' to freedom, and consequently to goodness. Fear, for instance,

is an emotion that is all pervasive. It penetrates both the conscious and the

unconscious mind of students. It dulls their minds and hearts. It is at the

root of conformity and competition, both of which schools nourish. Fear,

J. Krishnamurti insists, cannot be eliminated through discipline. It can,



Get yours now!


201

however, dissolve when the mind is still, when it is aware 'of its [fear's]

darkening influence.

From the above discussion, according to J. Krishnamurti , the

functions of education can be concluded as under:

The function of education is...

to help the individual to discover the psychological hindrances

to cultivate new values

to bring a mind which goes beyond

to prepare integrated individual, new values

to understand the whole process of living in the new world

to understand the rotten society and to create new society

to help the one to find out what really love to do

to understand completely, fully and deeply to break the social

pattern

to create specialised and trained mind but the mind which can meet

challenges

to awaken, employ the energy into discovery of reality

to prepare for livelihood, deep thinking, initiative and laughter

to make creative human being who can think for himself , not a

slavish machine,

to make students able to investigate, to find out, to discover

knowledge and techniques

to create awareness for not imitating others

to cultivate the intelligence and to solve the problems of life

to help each one of us to live freely and without fear



Get yours now!


202

(Figure No. 4.3.5 Functions of Education)

Functions of Education

To create specialized and trained mind

To help the individual to discover the psychology hindrances

To awaken and employ the energy into discovery of reality

To cultivate new values

To prepare for livelihood To bring a mind which goes beyond

To make creative human being who can think for himself

To prepare integrated individual

To make students to investigate and to discover

To understand the whole process of living in the new world

To create awareness for not imitating others

To create new society

To cultivate intelligence and to solve the problem of life

To help one to find out what really love to do

To help one to live freely and without fear

To understand completely to break the social pattern



Get yours now!


203


Most of the eminent thinkers have thrown the light on the

importance of school in one�s life. The objectives, functions, the form and

nature of the schools are introduced by them from time to time. Most of

them seem to agree on the point that the school helps in the process of

education i.e. all round development, drawing out the best, to enhance the

personality along with intelligence and wisdom etc.

J. Krishnamurti�s approach belongs to no system. For him, system

is a trade mark of conformity. System may be educational or political, is

not changed mysteriously. It is transformed when there is a fundamental

change in the person. The individual is of utmost important, not the

system. As long as the individual does not understand the total process

himself, no system can bring order and peace in the world.

J.Krishnamurti�s thinking on schools is totally different. He does

not consider the school as organizations for the indoctrination of children,

but rather as places where students and teachers can flower, and where a

future generation can be prepared because schools are meant for that. He

emphasizes on the psychological development of individuals which is as

important as acquiring academic knowledge and skills. The main function

of school is to help the child to discover and to see the real hindrances in

the development of the child. The following 9 idea units and key words

are suggested by J.Krishnamurti regarding �school�. They are : (1) A

school which is successful in the worldly sense is more often a failure as

an educational centre, (2) A school is a sacred place as a place for



Get yours now!


204

learning, (3) The individual should be important not the school, (4) A

school is the place where one can find himself and do what he likes, (5) A

school cultivates mind to meet the challenges of life, (6) The purpose,

aim and drive of the school is to make complete human being, (7) A

school is a place where the art of learning-living is being taught, (8)

Schools must be the centre of learning � the depth of relationship and

sacredness, (9) A school is a place of learning in real sense not mere

accumulation knowledge,(10) Schools should have limited number of

students, (11) The function of a school is to help the student to awaken

his intelligence to learn the importance of right relationship.

Table 4.3.6 School- its concept and characteristics


1. A school which is successful in the worldly

sense more often than not a failure as an

educational centre. (E.S.L. p.86)

A school which is

successful in the

worldly sense is more

often a failure as an

educational centre.

2. A school is the place of learning and it is

sacred. The temples, the churches and the

mosques are not sacred as they have stopped

learning. A school must be entirely devoted to

learning. (L.S. Vol. 2 p.11)

A sacred place as a

place for learning.

3. As long as institution is the most important

consideration the child is not. (E.S.L. p.88)

The individual should be important not the school.



Get yours now!


205


4. A school should be a place where you are

helped to find yourself through discussion,

listening, silence, right through your life what

you really love to do. (O.E. p.76)

The place where one

can find himself and

do what he likes.

5. The function of the school is to cultivate a

special and trained mind not in technology but

to meet the challenges of life. (O.E. p.100)

A school cultivates

mind to meet the

challenges of life.

6. The purpose, the aim and drive of the school is

to equip the child with the most excellent

technological proficiency so that he may

function with clarity and efficiency to create

right climate for the child to be complete human

being. (O.E. p. 89)

The purpose of the

school is to make

complete human being.

7. A school, after all, is a place where the student

is basically happy, not bullied, not frightened

by examination, not compelled to act according

to a pattern or a system. It is a place where the

art of learning � living is being taught.

(L.S. Vol. 1 p. 32)

A place where the art

of learning is being

taught.

8. Schools must be centres for learning a way of

life which is not based on leisure, on self-

centred activities but the understanding of

correct action, the depth and beauty of

relationship and the sacredness of religious life.

(L.S.Vol.1 p.84)

Schools must be the

centre of learning � the

depth of relationship

and sacredness.



Get yours now!


206


9. A school is a place of leisure. It is only when

you have leisure that you can learn. But when

there is no pressure of any kind of learning can

take place. Thus school is a place of learning in

reality not merely a place of accumulating

knowledge. (L.S.Vol. 1, p.23)

A place of leisure.

10. That is why it is far more important to have

schools with a limited number of boys and girls

and the right kind of educators, than to practise

the latest and best methods in large institutions.

(E.S.L. p. 86)

Schools should have

limited number of

students

11. Surely this is the function of a school: to help

the student to awaken his intelligence and to

learn the great importance of right relationship.

(L.S V 1 p.12)

The function of a

school is to help the

student to awaken his

intelligence to learn

the importance of right

relationship.

The table 4.3.6 clarifies the ideas of J.Krishnamurti about school-

general ideas and its functions. He is of the opinion that the education

should not be crammed or learnt by heart. Competition and comparison

have no place in right education. He believes that the education must not

be bounded by four walls. Whenever, wherever the education is given,

the place should be liked by the learner, it should be an ideal one

concerning the elements of nature, in open space, in the lap of nature.



Get yours now!


207

In the key word, �A school which is successful in the worldly sense

is more often a failure as an educational centre�, he criticizes the present

day grand, great, showy school which is based on showmanship. He says

that in the worldly sense, it may be a successful but in the case of real

education, it is a failure. He gives the reason for their failure : �Most of us

want large schools with imposing buildings, even though they are

obviously not the right kind of educational centres, because we want to

transform or affect what we call the masses.� 137

In the key word, �A school is a sacred place as a place for

learning�, he expresses his ideas about the school. He strongly believes

that a school should be a pious, sacred place because transformation of

education is done there. The temples, the churches, the mosques and other

places of worship have lost the real religious spirit and holy atmosphere

as � they have faith and that denies entirely the great art of learning�138

He believes that where real learning ; not only about the world around us,

but essentially about what we human beings are, why we behave the way

we do, and the complexity of thought, is possible � it is considered as a

sacred place.

J.Krishnamurti believes in child-centred education. The key word,

�The individual should be important not the school�, J. Krishnamurti

expresses the idea that the school is possible and praised if the students

are there. �So, each individual should be given importance as they are

living elements while a school is a dead element.� 139

In the key word, �A school is the place where one can find himself

and do what he likes�, J. Krishnamurti explains the idea that in the present



Get yours now!


208

day school, its building, its rules and regulations, its arrangement are

given importance. But they would be proved useless if they are unable to

help the individual to know �himself�. �In the school if an individual

cannot do whatever he likes and loves to do, then it is not a school. If face

it is a school but true education cannot be possible so it is not school.� 140

J. Krishnamurti�s idea about schools is reflected through the key

word �� A school cultivates mind to meet the challenges of life�. The

function of the school is mentioned as to cultivate and train the mind not

in information, knowledge and technology but to prepare to meet any

kind of challenges in life.

The key word, �The purpose, aim and drive of the school is to

make complete human being�, shows the aim of the school.

J.Krishnamurti explains in detail : � The purpose, the aim and drive of

these schools is to equip the child with the most excellent technological

proficiency so that he may function with clarity and efficiency in the

modern world, and far more important to create the right climate so that

the child may develop fully as a complete human being. This means

giving him the opportunity to flower in goodness so that he is rightly

related to people, things and ideas, to the whole of life.�141

J .Krishnamurti believes that a school is a place where the student

is basically happy, not bullied, not frightened by examination, not

compelled to act according to a pattern or a system. And he says that it is

a place where the art of learning is being taught. He explains the

difference between learning and art of learning : �Memorizing, recording

information, is considered learning. This brings about a mind that is



Get yours now!


209

limited and therefore heavily conditioned. The art of learning is to give

the right place to information, to act skilfully according to what is

learned, but at the same time not to be psychologically bound by the

limitations of knowledge and the images or symbols that thought creates�

142 If the student is not happy he is incapable of learning this art.

The key word , �Schools must be the centre of learning � the depth

of relationship and sacredness�, also represents the similar type of idea

that schools must not be centers for gaining pleasure or for self-centered

activities but for the correct understanding of action, the depth, the beauty

of true relationship and sacredness of religious life.

The key word, �A school is a place of leisure�, expresses J.

Krishnamurti�s philosophy of life. He believes that it is only when the

individual has leisure, he can learn. He defines the word �leisure� here :

�So we must be very clear in the understanding of the word leisure - a

time, a period, when the mind is not occupied with anything whatsoever.

It is the time of observation. It is only the unoccupied mind which can

observe. A free observation is the movement of learning. This frees the

mind from being mechanical.� 143 And he expects a school to teach this

process.

Through the key word, �Schools should have limited number of

students�, J. Krishnamurti criticizes the present day education with large

number of students. He believes that a school should not have large

number of students. He justifies the point : �A large and flourishing

institution in which hundreds of children are educated together, with all

its accompanying show and success, can turn out bank clerks and super-



Get yours now!


210

salesmen, industrialists or commissars, superficial people who are

technically efficient; but there is hope only in the integrated individual,

which only small schools can help to bring about. That is why it is far

more important to have schools with a limited number of boys and

girls.�144 If the number of students is limited, a teacher can recognise and

bring their potential out.

The last but not the least point regarding the school is �� The

function of a school is to help the student to awaken his intelligence to

learn the importance of right relationship�. For him, it is a place where the

individual are helped to awaken his intelligence and where he can learn

the importance of right relationship. He explains : �when the teacher and

the taught are involved in really understanding the extraordinary

importance of relationship then they are establishing in the school a right

relationship among themselves. This is part of education, greater than

merely teaching academic subjects.�145 For him, a school is not only the

place of learning different subjects but living together, students should

also be taught the importance of relationship.

From the above discussion, the concept and general characteristics

about the school can be summarised as below:

A school...

is a sacred place for learning

is the place where one can find himself and do what he likes

cultivates mind to meet the challenges of life

helps to make complete human being



Get yours now!


211

is a place where the art of learning-living is being taught

helps the student to awaken his intelligence to learn the importance

of right relationship.

is a place of learning in real sense not mere accumulation

knowledge

should have limited number of students

must be the centre of learning � the depth of relationship and

sacredness

School is place ��.

(Figure No. 4.3.6 School-Its concept and characteristics)


J. Krishnamurti, throughout his life, emphasizes on �right

relationship�. For him, Relationship is life; to be is to be related. There is

For Learning

Where one can find oneself

Where the art of learning is being taught

Where the mind is cultivated to meet the challenges of life

Where the human being is helped to make complete



Get yours now!


212

a departure in J. Krishnamurti's teachings from the traditional approach of

the relationship between the teacher and the taught, the guru and the

shishya. The traditional approach is basically hierarchical; there is the

teacher who knows and the student who does not know and has to be

taught. To J. Krishnamurti, the teacher and the student function at the

same level - communicating through questioning and counter-questioning

till the depths of the problem are exposed and understanding is revealed,

illuminating the mind of both. The following idea units and key words

expressed his ideas on the teacher-students relationship. They are : (1) No

fear in teacher-student relationship, (2) Teacher-student should meet

regularly, (3) Feeling of being secure is primary need of students, (4)

Teacher should not have sense of superiority, (5) Teacher-students

establish �right relationship�, (6) Teacher should put comparison and

measurement aside to make the relationship direct, (7) Based on

affection, (8) To have direct relationship, there should be less number

students, (9) Communion between teacher and students, (10) Relationship

is a process of learning, (11) Relationship requires a great deal of

intelligence.



Get yours now!


213

Table 4.3.7 Teacher-Student Relationship

No. Idea units Key words

1. We said previously that man cannot live

without relationship, and this relationship

is not only his own private life but, if he is

an educator, he has a direct relationship

with the student. If there is any kind of fear

in this, then the teacher cannot possibly

help the student to be free of it.

(L.S Vol 1 p.14)

No fear in teacher-student

relationship.

2. It is particularly important that students and

teachers meet regularly to discuss all

matters relating to the well-being of the

whole group. (E.S.L. p. 94-95)

Teacher-student should

meet regularly.

3. Emotional openness and sensitivity can be

cultivated only when the student feels

secure in his relationship with his teachers.

The feeling of being secure in relationship

is a primary need of children. (L.A. p. 10)

Feeling of being secure is

primary need of students

4. Does the teacher maintain, whether

knowingly or unknowingly, his sense of

superiority and so always stands on a

pedestal, making the student feel inferior,

one who has to be taught? Obviously in

this there is no relationship.

(L. S. Vol 1 p.11)

Teacher should not have

sense of superiority.



Get yours now!


214


5. when the teacher and the taught are

involved in really understanding the

extraordinary importance of relationship

then they are establishing in the school a

right relationship among themselves.

(L. S. Vol 1 p.12)

Teacher-students establish

�right relationship�.

6. When the educator puts aside comparison

and measurement, then he is concerned

with the student as he is and his

relationship with the student is direct and

totally different. This is really very

important to understand.

(L. S. Vol 1 p.102)

Teacher should put

comparison and

measurement aside to make

the relationship direct

7 The student and the teacher must have a

relationship which is essentially based on

affection. (L. S. Vol 1 p.129)

Based on affection

8. A direct and vital relationship between

teacher and student is almost impossible

when the teacher is weighed down by large

and unmanageable numbers. (E.S.L. p. 68)

To have direct relationship,

there should be less number

students.

9. I think learning can exist only in that state

of communion between the teacher and the

student, as between you and me - not that I

am your teacher. You know what the word

"communion" means: to communicate, to

be in touch, to transmit a certain feeling, to

share it, not only at the verbal level but also

at an intellectual level and also to feel

much more deeply, subtly. (O.E. p.93)

Communion between

teacher and students



Get yours now!


215


10. Whether he admits it or not this is a fact,

and in relationship with the student he is

helping both the student and himself to free

consciousness from limitation. A

relationship is a process of learning.

(L S Vol 2 p. 26)

Relationship is a process of

learning

11. Relationship requires a great deal of

intelligence. (L. S. Vol 1 p.12)

Relationship requires a

great deal of intelligence

The above table 4.3.7 shows the ideas of J.Krishnamurti about

educative process. In the key word, �No fear in teacher-student

relationship�, J.Krishnamurti wants to focus on the teacher-students

relationship which is not based on fear. He believes that man cannot live

without relationship. Teacher has direct relationship with students. But

the base of this should not be fear. He explains: �The student comes from

a background of fear, of authority, of all kinds of fanciful and actual

impressions and pressures. The educator too has his own pressures, fears.

He will not be able to bring about the understanding of the nature of fear

if he himself has not uncovered the root of his own fears.� 146 So, fear

should not have any place between their relation, if it is there, there

would be no real relationship between them.

In the key word, �Teacher-student should meet regularly�,

J.Krishnamurti explains that to strengthen the relationship of teacher and

students, they should meet regularly. For the well being of students, a

teacher should know their problems, their habits and their attitude about

the life. He advises the teacher to form student council which can also



Get yours now!


216

help to guide any students who may be somewhat self-indulgent,

indifferent or obstinate.

J. Krishnamurti emphasises on the feeling of security in the

relationship of teacher and students. For him, �feeling of being secure is

primary need of students.� Here he also clarifies the difference between

the feeling of being secure and the feeling of dependency. He believes

that, consciously or unconsciously, most teachers cultivate the feeling of

dependency, and thereby subtly encourage fear. He explains :

�Dependency in the child is brought about by authoritarian or dogmatic

assertions on the part of parents and teachers as to what the child must be

and do. With dependency there is always the shadow of fear, and this fear

compels the child to obey, to conform, to accept without thought the

edicts and sanctions of his elders. In this atmosphere of dependency,

sensitivity is crushed; but when the child knows and feels that he is

secure, his emotional flowering not thwarted by fear.�147 This sense of

security in the child is not the opposite of insecurity. It is the feeling of

being at ease, whether in his own home or at school, the feeling that he

can be what he is, without being compelled in any way; that he can climb

a tree and not be scolded if he falls.

In the key word, �Teacher should not have sense of superiority�, J.

Krishnamurti makes the idea clear that there is no leader and no led in

this relationship. If the teacher feels superior, �from this arises fear on the

part of the student, a sense of pressure and strain, and therefore the

student learns, from his youth, this quality of superiority; he is made to



Get yours now!


217

feel belittled, and so throughout life he either becomes the aggressor is

continuously yielding and subservient.�148

J. Krishnamurti believes that to establish a good school, healthy

relationship between teacher-students is primary importance. It is a part

of education, greater than merely teaching academic subjects. And it can

be happened when the teacher and the taught are involved in really

understanding the extraordinary importance of relationship then they are

establishing in the school a right relationship among themselves.

Being the bitter critic of present education, J. Krishnamurti asks

teachers to keep the comparison and measurement away from education

as well as from teacher- students relationship. Because he believes that

this relationship should be based on love and love is not comparative. It

has no measurement. Comparison and measurement are ways of the

intellect. This is divisive. When this is basically understood, not the

verbal meaning but the actual truth of it - the relationship of teacher and

student undergoes a radical change and � then the teacher is concerned

with the student as he is and his/her relationship with the student is direct

and totally different.�149

J. Krishnamurti firmly believes that the teacher-students

relationship must be �based on affection�. According to him, �Affection

carries no pressure, it is never devious. It is direct and simple.�150 The

teacher may know many subjects and facts. In conveying them to the

students, if there is not the quality of affection, it becomes a struggle

between the two.



Get yours now!


218

J. Krishnamurti believes that schools should be kept small. It is

important to have a very limited number of students in a class, so that the

teacher can give his/her full attention to each one. When the group is too

large, he cannot do this, and �a direct and vital relationship between

teacher and student is almost impossible�151

J. Krishnamurti believes that there should be �communion�

between the teacher and students. He explains the word �communion� :

�the word "communion" means: to communicate, to be in touch, to

transmit a certain feeling, to share it, not only at the verbal level but also

at an intellectual level and also to feel much more deeply, subtly.� 152 and

in that state, it is possible for both the teacher and students to learn.

In the key word, �Relationship is a process of learning�,

J.Krishnamurti asserts that in the relationship with the students, a teacher

helps both students and himself to free consciousness from limitations.

For him, relationship is not a static affair but a living movement and so it

is never the same. What it was yesterday it is not today. When yesterday

dominates in relationship, then relationship is what it was, not a living

thing. �When the relationship between the teacher and the student has this

element of companionship, of mutual unconditioning and humility,

sensitivity and affection are natural.� 153

J. Krishnamurti believes that the teacher-students relationship

requires intelligence. He explains the reason : �Intelligence comes

naturally and easily when the whole nature and structure of relationship is

seen. That is why it is important to have leisure so that the teacher or the

student can quietly and seriously talk over their relationship in which



Get yours now!


219

their actual reactions, susceptibilities, and barriers are seen, not imagined,

not twisted to please each other or suppressed in order to placate the

other.� 154 And this is the function of a school and a teacher: to help the

student to awaken his intelligence and to learn the great importance of

right relationship.

From the above discussion, the ideas of J. Krishnamurti regarding

teacher-students relationship can be summed up as under:

There is no leader and no led in the relationship

It should be based on affection, not on fear

It is a process of learning which requires a great deal of

intelligence

Teacher-students should meet regularly

Students should feel �secured� with a teacher

No comparison or measurement



Get yours now!


220

(Figure No. 4.3.7 Teacher Student Relationship)

4.3.8 Discipline

J. Krishnamurti considers discipline as an easy way to control a

child, but he asserts that it does not help him to understand the problems

involved in living. For him, discipline means conformity, imitation, and

obedience. It means to do what you are told. He believes that where there

is discipline, there is fear ; so discipline is not the way of love. That is

why, he believes, discipline at all costs should be avoided. If the classes

are small and the teacher can give his full attention to each child,

observing and helping him, then compulsion or domination in any form is

obviously unnecessary. J. Krishnamurti expresses his ideas about

discipline through the 8 idea units , key words. They are : (1) Discipline

Teacher

Student

Relationship

No leader and no led

Based on affection, not a fear

Requires a great deal of intelligence

Student's should feel 'secured' with a teacher

No comparison or measurement



Get yours now!


221

has become important for political and industrial reasons, (2) Discipline

doesn�t help the individual to understand the problems, (3) No discipline

without love, (4) Discipline means the art of learning, (5) Society insist us

to believe that discipline is necessary, (6) Discipline means to adjust our

thinking to what other people say, (7) Discipline is not creative but

destructive, (8) Discipline means conformity, imitation, obedience. It

means to do what you are told.

Table 4.3.8 Discipline


1. For political and industrial reasons, discipline

has become an important factor in the present

social structure and it is because of our desire

to be psychologically secure that we accept

and practice various forms of discipline. It

guarantees a result. system becomes more

important than to human beings. It becomes a

substitute for love. Freedom never comes

through discipline. (E.S.L. p.31)

Discipline has become

important for political

and industrial reasons.

2. Discipline is an easy way to control a child,

but it does not help him to understand the

problems involved in living.

(E.S.L.p.32-33)

Discipline doesn�t help

the individual to

understand the

problems.

3. Intelligence is not the consequence of

discipline. It is not a by product of the thought.

It is the result of knowledge and ignorance.

There can be no discipline without love. It has

certain values, leads to conformity. It means

No discipline without

love.



Get yours now!


222


to learn. It is based in reward and punishment.

(L.S. Vol p.47)

4. Discipline really means to learn, not to bow

down to a standard; from childhood we are

told to mould

ourselves according to a religious or social

structure, to control ourselves, to obey.

(L.S. Vol p.47)

Discipline means the

art of learning.

5. Political parties all over the world insist that

the party discipline be followed, your parents,

teachers, society around you. They tell you

that you must be disciplined, controlled. We

are accustomed to think that discipline is

necessary. (M.C.p.85)

Society insist us to

believe that discipline

is necessary.

6. Discipline means to adjust your thinking to

what other people say, to resist some forms of

desire and accept others to comply with this

practice and not with that to conform to

suppress, to follow not only for the surface of

the mind, but also deep down all that is

implied. (L.A.p.86)

Discipline means to

adjust our thinking to

what other people say.

7. And for centuries, age after age, we have been

told by teachers, gurus, priests, politicians,

kings, lawyers or by the society in which we

live, that there must be discipline. It is

something altogether ugly, it is not creative but

it is destructive. (M.C.p.87)

Discipline is not

creative but

destructive.



Get yours now!


223


8. Discipline means conformity, imitation,

obedience. It means to do what you are told.

As human beings you have to find for yourself

what it is to orderly, to be punctual, kind

generous unafraid. Thus the discovery of all is

discipline brings order. (O.E.p.40)

Discipline means

conformity, imitation,

obedience. It means to

do what you are told.

The above table 4.3.8 clearly signifies the ideas of J. Krishnamurti

about �discipline�. J. Krishnamurti believes that for political and

industrial reasons, discipline has become important factor in the present

social structure. He explains the reason also : �Discipline guarantees a

result, and to us the end is more important than the means; but the means

determine the end.�155 He also throws light on the consequences of it :

�One of the dangers of discipline is that the system becomes more

important than the human beings who are enclosed in it. Discipline then

becomes a substitute for love, and it is because our hearts are empty that

we cling to discipline. Freedom can never come through discipline,

through resistance; freedom is not a goal, an end to be achieved.� 156

In the key word, �Discipline doesn�t help the individual to

understand the problems�, J. Krishnamurti expresses that discipline is an

easy way to control a child but it doesn�t bring understanding in him

regarding the problems. Because discipline always limits the mind

movement within the framework of a particular system of thought or

belief. And such a mind is never free to be intelligent. He explains:

�instead of merely being disciplined to do what you are told, you are



Get yours now!


224

helped to understand, to be intelligent and free, for then you will be able

to meet all the difficulties of life without fear.� 157

In the key word, �No discipline without love�, J. Krishnamurti

explains that there can be no discipline without love. Though the

discipline of thought has certain values, it leads to conformity. It is

understood as discipline. In the key word, �Discipline means the art of

learning�, J .Krishnamurti shows the new perspective to look at the

discipline. For him, discipline means to learn, not to bow down to a

standard, a religious or a social structure. He says : �Discipline implies

learning the whole complex movement of life social, personal and beyond

personal.�158 He says it means: �to learn; not conform, not rebel, but to

learn about your own reactions, your own background, their limitation,

and to go beyond them.159

In the key word, �Society insists us to believe that discipline is

necessary�, J.Krishnamurti expresses the root cause of discipline. He

believes that everyone around the individual; political parties, teachers,

parents, religious leaders; tells him that he must be disciplined and

controlled. So the individual gets accustomed to think that discipline is

necessary.

J. Krishnamurti is a bitter critic of any form of discipline so he

defines discipline in his own way that �discipline means to adjust our

thinking to what other people say�. Because, for him, it simply means

conformity, imitation, obedience. It means to do what you are told.

In the opinion of J. Krishnamurti, �Discipline is not creative but

destructive�. He explains the reason: �Your mind becomes dull, it loses



Get yours now!


225

its initiative, its quickness. This external, outward imposition of discipline

makes the mind stupid, it makes you conform, it makes you imitate.�160

So, in a way, discipline proves to be destructive for the creativity of the

mind.

In the key word, Discipline means conformity, imitation,

obedience. It means to do what you are told�, J. Krishnamurti explains the

meaning of discipline in present world which doesn�t allow the individual

to be free. He adds: �The older the culture, the greater is the weight of

tradition which disciplines you, tells you what you must and must not do;

and so you are weighed down, psychologically flattened as if a steam-

roller had gone over you.�161 But he says : �But, if you want to be free -

and human beings must be completely free, otherwise they cannot flower,

otherwise they cannot be real human beings - you have to find out for

yourself what it is to be orderly, what it is to be punctual, kind, generous,

unafraid. The discovery of all that is discipline. This brings about

order.�162

From the above discussion, J. Krishnamurti�s ideas about

�Discipline� can be summarised as below:

Discipline...

doesn�t help the individual to understand the problems

means the art of learning

means to adjust our thinking to what other people say

is not creative but destructive



Get yours now!


226

X conformity, imitation

X obedience

X To adjust our thinking to what other people say

Creative

Art of Leaving

means conformity, imitation, obedience. It means to do what you

are told

(Figure No. 4.3.8 Discipline)

4.3.9 Evaluation

J. Krishnamurti is against the present examination system as, for

him, it breeds fear and ambition in the minds of students. He also opposes

to give any kind of grade or marks to the students. He believes that the

present examination system only encourages comparison in education.

His ideas regarding evaluation are presented in three idea units. They are:

(1) Giving grades or marks degrades human dignity, (2) Teacher should

observe the progress of every student, (3) No comparison in a school.

Discipline



Get yours now!


227

Table 4.3.9 Evaluation


1. Intelligence is the capacity to deal with life

as a whole; and giving grades or marks to the

student does not assure intelligence. On the

contrary it degrades human dignity.

(L A p. 8)

Giving grades or marks

degrades human dignity.

2. This comparative evaluation cripples the

mind - which does not mean that the teacher

must not observe the progress of every

student and keep a record of it.

(L A p. 8)

Teacher should observe

the progress of every

student.

3. This measurement is comparison. We are

encouraged throughout our life to compare.

When in your school you compare B with A

you are destroying both of them.

(L.S. Vol 1, 70)

No comparison in a

school

The above table 4.3.9 discusses the ideas of J. Krishnamurti

regarding the process of evaluation in education. In the key word, �Giving

grades or marks degrades human dignity�, he asserts that a school should

not depend on examination to evaluate the students� understanding or

intelligence. He believes that giving marks, grading or comparing through

kindness or through threats, breeds fear; and it is because we are caught

in this fear while we are young that we struggle in fear for the rest of our

life. It also gives birth to ambition in education. So, according to him,

there should be no place for examination in education.



Get yours now!


228

In the key word, �Teacher should observe the progress of every

student�, he answers the question : if there is no exam in education, how

would a teacher evaluate the progress of a student�. He suggests the

alternative of examination in education by asking a teacher to keep the

record of each child by observing his/her each action. He explains: �Do

not give the student marks but keep a record for yourself to see how he is

behaving, how he is learning and the stage of his knowledge and so on,

but do not goad him and help him to compete.�163 The reports should be a

�qualitative� record of the students� life in school during the year and

contain a review of their academic work and comments on their social

and emotional life. For that he advises to keep a less number of students

in a class so that a teacher can pay attention on each student.

J. Krishnamurti criticizes the present education for developing

competitive spirit in students. J. Krishnamurti opposes any kind of

competition and comparison in education. He believes that to help the

child to learn basically and fundamentally he must cease to compete, with

all its implications. He suggests that to bring the inner potential of a

student, we should eradicate all kinds of comparison from our life, then

we can accept the uniqueness of a student�s personality.

From above discussion, J. Krishnamurti�s ideas about evaluation can be

summed as follows:

No comparison

Progress of students be observed by teachers

No grades or marks



Get yours now!


229

(Figure No. 4.3.9 Evaluation)

4.4 Educational Implication : Rajneesh�s Ideas Regarding

Education Thinking

Rajneesh speaks extensively on education. He has expressed his

views on education in general and on education for what he calls �the new

man�. Rajneesh offers a challenge to our customary ways of looking at

education. For him, conventional ideas and approaches regarding

education may be meaningful but not significant; they may be useful but

not uplifting. He divides the education in two parts, education for

livelihood and education for death.

Rajneesh�s perspective on education is a protest against the values

and meanings ascribed to traditional education. According to him,

�education� doesn�t mean literacy. It means much more. For him,

education liberates the human being from the past, from the

theologies, from the ideologies and makes a human being a seeker

of truth. Education should lead an individual from darkness of

ignorance to the light of knowledge. True education draws the

hidden potential out and let the individual flower in all aspects and

Evaluation

No comparison Progress of students be observed by teachers

No grades or marks



Get yours now!


230

completes the bridge between the potentialities and actualities. So,

in a way, it teaches �how to be yourself�. Education encourages to

take the challenges of the unknown by making the individual

fearless and courageous.

Rajneesh ideas about the education are based on some unique

principles. He believes that education should be future-oriented. It

is true that the experience of the past gives the knowledge but it is

harmful to bind the child with the past. According to him, every

generation should defeat the past generation in all aspects. For him,

love should be the foundation of education. He suggests that the

whole capacity of childhood should be devoted to the development

of love, not to the development of intellect because he strongly

believes that great power is dangerous in the hands of those who

have no love. He believes that education is incomplete , if a child

knows nothing about himself. "Know thyself" must be the most

precious education, and then one can get acquainted with

everything else, for that , meditative awareness should be

developed in a child. He suggests to give freedom to children and

create respect for freedom in their minds. The children should

have freedom to inquire, to doubt; total freedom to grow according

to their nature. According to him, religious education; education

for courage, fearlessness and silence; should be the centre of

education.

According to him, the curriculum of the education should consist

two languages ; mother tongue and international language and



Get yours now!


231

informative subjects, scientific subjects like mathematics and

natural science. He also adds the subjects like art of living which

consists sense of humour and reverence of life. He emphasizes on

art and creativity as a part of curriculum in which different arts and

skills can be taught. His unique feature in curriculum is his

suggestion of �art of dying� as a subject in which students should

be taught meditation techniques and self defence techniques.

Aims of education, according to Rajneesh, are to liberate the

individual and lead him to the total fulfilment of the soul and thus,

teach him the art of becoming one with God. For Rajneesh, the aim

of education is also not only to prepare the individual for livelihood

but also to provide inner richness.

Functions of education decide the whole education system in

society. Rajneesh wants to awaken the youth�s thought by using the

method of �doubt� in education. He believes that every individual is

unique and it�s the function of education to make them aware about

their uniqueness by encouraging self-inspired growth. Education

should not teach competition and comparison but should focus on

teaching of love, morality and aesthetics, it should teach the

individual how to unfold one�s true and inner being by teaching

them the art of transcending one�s own self. Not only that, it gives

courage, adventure and space to live accepting all risks in life.

Rajneesh believes that learning of different subjects in schools is

always secondary. It should not be given prime importance. School

should not provide them the direct solution but create the



Get yours now!


232

atmosphere where a child can enquire, for which, a school should

not impose its belief or ideology on a child because the function of

a school is to develop quest and to teach doubt and eventually, lead

the child for the self identity. For that, he suggests that a child

should be the centre of the school. To know the uniqueness of a

child, every school must have a psychologist. According to him, a

school should also provide the opportunity for the seed of religion

to sprout.

According to Rajneesh, teacher-students relationship is very

important part of the whole education system. There should be

constant sharing between teacher and students. Not only students

but teacher should also learn from students which, at last, dissolve

the difference between teacher and taught.

Rajneesh is not in favour of imposed discipline. He suggests that

discipline should be born out of love and intelligence. He gives

very innovative definition of discipline that it is a capacity to learn.

He believes that instead of asking students to obey something, a

teacher should try to develop their intelligence which, eventually,

brings self-discipline in a student.

While describing his vision of evaluation; he hammers the practice

of judging a student only by a three-hour examination where the

student becomes just tense and nervous. This system also brings,

says Rajneesh, competition and ambition in the field of education.

And the fear of exams at the end of the year kills the joy of

learning. He suggests to remove the whole examination system



Get yours now!


233

from the education and gives a fresh and new ways of observing

students throughout the year so that the formative years of their life

will not create scars in their minds. He proposes that a teacher

should decide whether the student is able to move forward or not

through his/her daily observations.

4.5 Educational Implication : J. Krishnamurti�s Ideas

Regarding Educational Thinking.

J.Krishnamurti spent his entire life talking about education as being

the agent not only of inner renewal but also of social change. For J.

Krishnamurti the purpose of education is not merely acquiring

knowledge, gathering and correlating facts; it is to see the significance of

life as a whole. A constant theme in J. Krishnamurti's declarations of the

intentions of education is internal freedom - the deeper freedom of the

psyche and the spirit, the inner liberation that he feels is both the means

and the ends of education. Educational implications from J.

Krishnamurti�s ideas is as follows:

For J.Krishnamurti, the right kind of education is not merely to

collect information but should help the individual to face the

problems, understand and eliminate the conflicts, to discover the

topic of interest, choice, creative anxiety. He defines education as

to cultivate the students whole being, the totality of mind, the depth

of mind and heart and understanding of beauty. It should not deal

with specific ideology or system. It should encourage

thoughtfulness and consideration. It is helpful to individual to be



Get yours now!


234

mature and free and to flower greatly in love. It should bring true

co-operation with whole and many. It enriches insight. It is helpful

to bring about a harmony between the inner and outer world, to

achieve freedom and integration. It helps to awaken intelligence

and significance of life as a whole. Moreover, it helps to

understand all relationships of life without any prejudices. The

right kind of education refuses any bondage, rule and regulations of

the government. It can be concluded as , for J. Krishnamurti,

education is 1.) educating the whole person (all parts of the

person), 2.) educating the person as a whole (not as an assemblage

of parts), and 3.) educating the person within a whole (as part of

society, humanity, nature, etc.) from which it is not meaningful to

extract that person. From the above it probably goes without

saying, though it cannot be said often enough, education is not

about preparation for only a part of life (like work) but is about

preparation for the whole of life and the deepest aspects of living.

According to J. Krishnamurti, principles of education can be : (1)

Learning to unlearn, (2) Competition and co-operation, (3)

Fearlessness, (4) Get disturbed and disturb others, (5) Inward

flowering. J.Krishnamurti consideres education as of prime

significance. He satirizes the present day education bitterly. He

thinks to make the student learn by unlearning all the traditional,

ancient, informative knowledge. He is against competitive spirit

and comparison and favours co-operation. He is a strong follower

of fearlessness in education. His principle �get disturbed and



Get yours now!


235

disturb others� looks apparently contradictory. If internally one is

dissatisfied, discontented, he would desire more to gain so in this

procedure, he will get disturb and will disturb others. By inward

flowering he desires to flower, to grow, to bloom in the realistic

sense.

For curriculum, J. Krishnamurti doesn�t talk clearly and directly.

But he is surely in favour of teaching academic subjects. But along

with that, he wants to have focus on the matters which teaches how

to live life.

The vision of a new kind of education that emerged through J.

Krishnamurti's writing sees traditional education as a servant of

national, civic or economic interests, designed to produce efficient

workers and patriotic citizens. J. Krishnamurti often states that the

purpose of education is to bring about freedom, love, �the

flowering of goodness� and the complete transformation of

society. According to him, the aims of education are to produce

integrated men and women, who are free of fear, and depart in

peace, to cultivate right relationship between individual and

society, to grow up the whole mind, heart and body and finally to

create complete human being.

In the opinion of J.Krishnamurti, one of the main functions of

education is to understand the rotten society and to create new

society by making the students aware about the psychological

hindrances. Other functions of education are to bring about an

integrated individual, to make the individual capable of dealing



Get yours now!


236

with life as a whole with new values, to help the individual to

uncondition himself, to understand the whole process of living, to

grow in freedom and create a new world, new society. For him, to

prepare only to pass a few examination is not the function of

education but to create the creative human being who can think for

himself by making them able to investigate, to find out, to discover

knowledge and techniques should be the functions of education.

As per J. Krishnamurti the general ideas of school, its functions are

quite different from other thinkers. Such as in worldly sense a

successful school is showy and failure as to achieve education in

true sense. A school is the sacred place of learning like churches,

temples, mosques etc. A school must be entirely devoted to

learning. A school must be a place where students are helped to

find themselves through discussion, listening silently. The function

of a school is to cultivate a special and trained mind to meet the

challenges of life, to equip the child with the most excellent

technology, proficiency, to create right climate to be a complete

human being not frightened by examination, not compelled to act

according to a pattern or a system. Schools must be a centre for

learning a way of life, not based on pleasure, or self centred

activities but on correct action, the depth, the beauty of

relationship, the sacredness of religious life.

To J. Krishnamurti, the teacher and the student function at the same

level - there is no leader and no led in this relationship,

communicating through questioning and counter-questioning till



Get yours now!


237

the depths of the problem are exposed and understanding is

revealed, illuminating the mind of both. A teacher has direct

relationship with students. But the base of this should not be fear.

Teachers should meet regularly to the students to know their

problems, their habits and their attitude about the life. He firmly

believes that the teacher-students relationship must be based on

affection.

He believes that where there is discipline, there is fear ; so

discipline is not the way of love. That is why, he believes,

discipline at all costs should be avoided. For him, discipline means

to learn, not to bow down to a standard, a religious or a social

structure. J. Krishnamurti expresses that discipline is an easy way

to control a child but it doesn�t bring understanding in him

regarding the problems. Because discipline always limits the mind

movement within the framework of a particular system of thought

or belief.

J. Krishnamurti opposes any kind of competition and comparison

in education. He believes that to help the child to learn basically

and fundamentally he must cease to compete, with all its

implications. J. Krishnamurti believes that education should not

depend on examination to evaluate the students� understanding or

intelligence. He believes that giving marks, grading or comparing

through kindness or through threats, breeds fear in students. He

suggests the alternative of examination in education by asking a



Get yours now!


238

teacher to keep the record of each child by observing his/her each

action.

4.6 Conclusion :

In this chapter, the researcher discussed about the educational

thinking of Rajneesh and J. Krishnamurti in detail. Rajneesh and

J.Krishnamurti give completely novel, revolutionary, humanitarian, non-

violent ideas to the world to learn , to know, to implement and to follow.



Get yours now!


239

References

1. Dhiman, O.P., Foundations of education, Philosophy and

Sociology of education, Atmaram & Sons, Delhi, p 51.

2. Ibid , p. 52.

3. Osho (1997). Revolution in Education, New Age International

Publishers, New Delhi, p. 97.

4. Rajneesh (1980). The Secret , Rajneesh Foundation, Pune, Chapter

2, Question 4.

5. Rajneesh (1981). Be Still and Know, Rajneesh Foundation, Pune,

Chapter 10.

6. Rajneesh(1988). The Great Pilgrimage: From Here to Here, Rebel

Publishing House, West Germany, Chapter 28, Question 1.

7. Osho(1997). Revolution in Education, New Age International

Publishers, New Delhi, Chapter 2.

8. Rajneesh(1981). Be Still and Know, Rajneesh Foundation, Pune,

Chapter 3, Question 3.

9. Rajneesh(1991). The Dhammapada: The Way of the Buddha, Vol

5, Rebel Publishing House, West Germany, Chapter 6,

Question 2.

10. Osho (1989). Shiksha Mein Kranti, Rebel Publishing House, Pune,

Chapter 25.

11. Rajneesh(1988). The Great Pilgrimage: From Here to Here, Rebel

Publishing House, West Germany, Chapter 28, Question 1.



Get yours now!


240



13. Ibid , p.35

14. Ibid , p. 35

15. Rajneesh(1985). From Death to Deathlessness, Rebel Publishing

House, West Germany, Chapter 6, Question 1.



17. Ibid , p. 119

18. Ibid , p. 126

19. Ibid , p. 50

20. Ibid , p.49

21. Ibid , p. 54

22. Rajneesh (1991). Dhammapada : The Way to the Buddha, Rebel

Publishing House, West Germany Vol 10, Chapter 5.



24. Rajneesh(1981). Nothing to Lose But Your Head, Rajneesh

Foundation, Pune, Chapter 14.



26. Ibid , p. 84

27. Ibid , p.87

28. Ibid , p. 45-46



Get yours now!


241

29. Rajneesh(1987). The Golden Future, Rebel Publishing House,

West Germany, p.212.

30. Ibid , p. 212

31. Ibid , p. 213

32. Ibid , p. 214

33. Ibid , p. 214

34. Ibid , p. 215


Publishers, New Delhi, p.36.

36. Ibid , p. 32

37. Rajneesh(1981). Philosophia Perennis, Vol 2 , Rajneesh

Foundation,Pune, Chapter 10, Question 2.

38. Ibid , Chapter 10, Question 2

39. Rajneesh(1982). The Discipline of Transcendence, Vol 4 ,

Rajneesh Foundation, Pune, Chapter 6, Question 3.

40. Rajneesh(1980). The Secret , Rajneesh Foundation, Pune, Chapter

2, Question 4.


Publishers, New Delhi, p.23-24.

42. Ibid , p. 37

43. Ibid , p. 6

44. Ibid , p. 97

45. Ibid , p. 36

46. Rajneesh(1982). The Discipline of Transcendence, Vol 4 , Rajneesh

Foundation, Pune, Chapter 6, Question 3.



Get yours now!


242

47. Rajneesh(1981). Philosophia Perennis, Vol 2 , Rajneesh

Foundation, Pune, Chapter 10 Question 2.

48. Ibid , Chapter 10 Que 2

49. Rajneesh(1981). Nothing to Lose But Your Head , Rajneesh


50. Osho (1989). Shiksha Mein Kranti, Rebel Publishing House, Pune,

p. 19.



52. Rajneesh(1981). Nothing to Lose But Your Head , Rajneesh


53. Ibid , Chapter 14

54. Rajneesh(1980). The Sun Behind the Sun Behind the Sun ,

Rajneesh Foundation, Pune, Chapter 2.

55. Rajneesh(1992). Book Of Wisdom, Rajneesh Foundation, Pune,

Chapter 24 Question 1.


9, Rebel Publishing House, West Germany, Chapter 3.



58. Ibid , p.16

59. Rajneesh(1980). Don't Just Do Something, Sit There , Rajneesh

Foundation, Pune, Chapter 16 .


9, Rebel Publishing House, West Germany, Chapter 3.



Get yours now!


243

61. Osho(1997).Revolution in Education, New Age International


62. Rajneesh(1987).The Golden Future, Rebel Publishing House, West

Germany, p. 242.

63. Ibid , p. 245

64. Ibid , p. 246

65. Rajneesh(1987).The Invitation, Rebel Publishing House, West

Germany, p. 266.

66. Ibid , p.266

67. Ibid , p.266

68. Ibid , p.266

69. J. Krishnamurti (1992). Education and the Significance of Life,

Krishnamurti Foundation India, Chennai, p.21.

70. J. Krishnamurti(1998). On education , Krishnamurti Foundation

India, Chennai, p.143.

71. Ibid , p.10

72. J. Krishnamurti(2001).Life Ahead, Krishnamurti Foundation India,

Chennai, p. 60.

73. J. Krishnamurti(1998).On education , Krishnamurti Foundation

India, Chennai, p. 59.

74. J. Krishnamurti(1992). Education and the Significance of Life,


75. J. Krishnamurti (1992). Commentaries on Living, Krishnamurti

Foundation India, Chennai, p. 131.



Get yours now!


244





78. Ibid , p.35

79. J. Krishnamurti(2002). Why are u being education, Krishnamurti

Foundation India, Chennai, p.29.

80. Ibid , p. 70



82. Ibid , p. 46

83. Ibid , p.17



85. J. Krishnamurti(2001). Life Ahead, Krishnamurti Foundation India,

Chennai, p.34.



87. J. Krishnamurti(1965). This matter of culture, Krishnamurti


88. J. Krishnamurti (1992). Commentaries on Living II, Krishnamurti


89. Ibid , p. 39

90. J. Krishnamurti(2002).Why are u being education, Krishnamurti




Get yours now!


245


Chennai, p.21.

92. Ibid , p. 34








Chennai, p.6.



98. Ibid , p. 44



100. Ibid , p. 63

101. Ibid , p.64



103. J. Krishnamurti(1981). Letters to school Vol 1, Krishnamurti






Get yours now!


246








Krishnamurti Foundation India, Chennai, p.15 .

109. Ibid , p.15

110. Ibid , p. 15

111. J. Krishnamurti (1992). Commentaries on Living II, Krishnamurti





Krishnamurti Foundation India, Chennai, p. 25.



115. Ibid , p. 65

116. J. Krishnamurti(2002). Why are you being educated?,

Krishnamurti Foundation India, Chennai, p. 64



118. Ibid , p. 25



Get yours now!


247





121. J. Krishnamurti (1992). Commentaries on Living III, Krishnamurti




123. Ibid , p.17

124. Ibid , p.62

125. Ibid , p.10

126. Ibid , p.73





129. Ibid , p.7

130. J. Krishnamurti(2002). Why are you being educated, Krishnamurti




132. Ibid , p.123

133. Ibid , p.8

134. J. Krishnamurti (1992). Commentaries on Living III, Krishnamurti

Foundation India, Chennai, p. 94 .



Get yours now!


248



136. Ibid , p.5-6













143. Ibid , p.23





146. Ibid , p.14


Chennai, p.10.





Get yours now!


249

149. Ibid , p.102

150. Ibid , p.130



152. J. Krishnamurti (1998). On education , Krishnamurti Foundation








156. Ibid , p.31


Chennai, p.44.



159. Ibid , p.132







163. Ibid , p.97



Get yours now!


Documents

Chapter-4 Educational Thinking of Rajneesh and J.Krishnamurtishodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/37688/8/08_chapter 4.pdf · 92 Chapter-4 Educational Thinking of Rajneesh and