Value Inculcation through Self Observation

P.L.DharI.I.T.Delhi

Why Talk about Values ?

• Value crisis is the root of all social and technogenic maladies

• Aristotle “..the fate of empires depends on the education of the youth.”

• Consequences of neglect of value education: “perfection of means and confusion of the ends” …….. Einstein

• What is the real purpose of education ?

What is Education ?• Education is that which remains, when one

has forgotten all that he learned in school• The most valuable result of all education is

the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not…

• Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self confidence

• Education is not filling a bucket but lighting a fire.

Education today

• Best education Assured high paying job

Ad hoc living

Nothing beyond next few stepsPleasant is good !

We become felicity computers! Materialistic world view

Happiness lies solely in sensory pleasures

No discussion on Values

material acquisitions

Why Value Erosion ?

Erosion of Human Values like truthfulness, straightforwardness, friendliness,compassion,

sharing, humility, forgiveness…. is a direct outcome of this crass materialistic world view

Values emanating from materialistic world view=> greed, selfishness, corruption,

Unhealthy competition , jealousy, strife, tension ,Ill will, crime, violence

Imperatives of Value Education

• Change in World view from materialistic to holistic...…humanistic , more to life than wealth, health and even fame ! =>Value education

How to bring about this change ?

Science : what is the nature of reality?

Analyzing life’s experiences

Mind control and purification

Should be a part of Education

Intellectualappreciation

ValueInculcation

Education : Indian Perspective

Vidyaya amritam ashnute

Education is the manifestation of perfection already in Man

Sa vidya ya vimuktaye

The purpose ….. not to produce mere scholars,technicians or job hunters, but integrated men …

who are free of fear

Holistic Education

Spiritual

EmotionalIntellectual

Physical

Ability to Keep the body fit & strong

Abi

lity

to u

nder

stan

d th

e w

orld

Increasing Emotional m

aturity

Understanding the “Phenomenon of Man”

Essence of Value Education

• Value Education = Emotional Education + Spiritual Education

• How to refine the emotions ? …..How to actually detoxify the mind of baser tendencies, the mental defilements ?

• How to develop insight, not mere intellectual knowledge, about the nature of human reality ?

• Value Inculcation not mere sensitization

Knowing vs Imbibing Values

• Duryodhana’s dilemma • janami dharamam na ca me pravritti

janami adharmam na ca me nivritti.• St Paul : I do not do the good I want, but the

evil I do not want is what I do.• Chasm between conscious & unconscious

mind – actions governed more by likes /dislikes than by intellect

• Practical training of strengthening the mind

A peep into the mechanics of mind ……….…...1

• General perception : when we come in contact with anything unpleasant, what we dislike……anger, despair, ill will <aversion> etc. arise

• when we come in contact with anything pleasant, which we like…..greed, desire to have more, jealousy etc. <craving> arise

• If this be the ultimate truth : change the surroundings ; escape from these states quickly …. A vicious cycle

A peep into the mechanics of mind…………………2

Cognition Evaluation

Sensation-feeling

Blind reaction

Increase in craving/aversion

Bare observation

experience of impermanence; insight

A peep into the mechanics of the mind …………......….3

• Modern scientific studies also agree that sensations play a crucial role in emotion ……. We do not like/dislike things but the sensations-feelings caused by those things

Develop the ability to feel these sensations, not react to them blindly, but observe these equanimously

To reduce craving/aversion

A peep into the mechanics of the mind …………......….4

But most of the time these are below the threshold of our awareness, yet the subconscious mind feels and blindly reacts to them

Training in Concentration & Mindfulness : self observation

Training in self observation--Vipassana

• Five Precepts (sila): Abstaining from• killing stealing intoxicants • false speech sexual misconduct

• Anapana : Non reactive observation of breath ( raising concentration or samadhi)– why breath as an object for concentration– universal, always available, neutral– directly related to mind– concentration with equanimity– ensures progressive increase of concentration

Training in self observation: Vipassana

• Vipassana : Complete direct & immediate mindfulness of whatever happens in the body-mind complex

• “bare” observation of somatic sensations • Observing sensations leads to deep equanimity

through development of insight ( pragya) into the fundamental insignia of life :– impermanence un-satisfactoriness impersonality

Spiral of sila samadhi and pragya

sila

samadhi pragya

Reduction in craving/aversion

VIPASSANA IN EDUCATIONSelf control of Impulses

habit of non reactive observation permits --look before you leap , mindfulness is like the brakes of a carreduction in rash, aggressive & unethical behaviour, intolerance, intemperance {Emotional Education}

Equanimity in the face of vicissitudes of lifereduction in escapism i.e. drugs, smoke, alcohol

Attenuation of greed & acquisitiveness manifestation of loving kindness, compassion, service etc. : the higher needs of Maslow

VIPASSANA IN EDUCATION..

Proper self appraisal - knowledge of strengths and weaknesses

increases compassion, forgiveness, humility and reduces vanity- improvement in interpersonal relationships

Insight into the basic characteristics of lifecomprehending the meaning of life and its goal, the way to achieve it and the confidence that it can be done! {spiritual education}

VIPASSANA IN EDUCATION..

• Increase in creativity• Increase in concentration

• avoiding day-dreaming , improved grasping power, examination blues {mental education}

• Inculcation of Scientific temper• practice of bare attention• experience of “dissolution” & quantum-physics

• Improvement in student-teacher relationship

Concluding Remarks

Mere intellectual appreciation is not enoughfor value inculcation, practical training in

purification of mind is necessary

Inculcation of values is the primepurpose of education

Pure mind is naturally free from acquisitiveness, and full of love, compassion and equanimity …..herein lies the solution to the problems facing mankind today

Self observation at the depth- at the level of somatic sensations- is the key.

Thank you!