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MORAL AND SPIRITUAL EDUCATION AS THE FOUNDATION FOR A HEALTHY SOCIETY AND A PEACEFUL WORLD

We are living in an age of profound change. Driven by unprecedented advances in science and technology, these changes are sweeping throughout the world, transforming cultures and challenging ancient traditions and customs. In the face of such an advance, old traditions and values seem powerless to respond to problems often accompanying these changes.

These problems include the now nearly worldwide trend towards sexual immorality, the rise of a divorce culture and the consequent breakdown of families, crime and violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and environmental destruction. Although previously these problems afflicted Western societies in particular, they are rapidly infiltrating all cultures and no Nation can consider itself immune from these negative influences.

At the root of many of these problems is selfish individualism and a desire for instant gratification. People speak of a moral nihilism where all values are considered to be subjective, relative and arbitrary, nothing is knowable or can be communicated, and where life itself is said to be meaningless. This unspoken and often unconscious view of life is what provides the basis for much of the destructive behavior that we see in our World. Without a sense of common values, which are absolute and unchangeable, human society quickly fragments as individuals and groups pursue their own self-centered interests and desires.

It is well documented that the greatest youth unrest and social problems occur where the family structure has broken down. Conversely, where families are strong and stable, there are fewer social problems. Thus healthy families are the foundation of a healthy society. The family is the first school of love, for, it is here that a young person learns the essential values and virtues that form the foundation for achieving his or her goals in life. For example, when a child receives adequate love and guidance from parents, that child is much less likely to become promiscuous or be involved in crime.

It is important as India pursues economic development that it avoids the social problems that have accompanied prospering economies elsewhere. As it seeks to learn from and imitate, even surpass the economic achievements of the West, India can avoid the proliferation of the host of problems discussed above by understanding the values that create the foundation for a materially prosperous and morally enlightened society. With this in mind. I want to speak about the importance of cultivating heart and character in providing that foundation.

As parents, educators and leaders we must do more than simply educate our youth for academic or technical excellence. It is equally important to be concerned about moral and ethical excellence, for it will be through the cultivation of a young person’s heart character that the highest values can expressed.

Cultivating heart and character will profoundly influence our ability to achieve certain non-material goals which provide lasting fulfillment and happiness in life. There are three basic life goals that underlie all other goals. First is becoming a person of mature character, learning self-control and developing the capacity to love. The second goal is the ability to establish a happy and healthy family through which one can experience ethical and loving relationships. The third goal involves the development of one’s creative abilities through which a person can make a positive contribution to society. The ethical center guiding these three goals, is true love.

The core of human nature is heart, which is the motivating force for relatedness and all moral striving. Therefore the first dimension of education should be to develop a mature character through the cultivation of heart. The second dimension of education should guide us in forming genuine relationships centered upon true love, understanding the differences between proper and improper behavior in human relationships. Therefore education in norms supports the development of one’s ability to form genuine relationships. The third dimension of education is the development of knowledge and skills needed to prepare for a career as well as a true appreciation of the environment.

These three dimensions of education form a pyramid whose base is in the cultivation of heart. However, modern education approaches from an inverted pyramid with an overemphasis on accelerated learning, technology and information, while neglecting the other more essential aspects. A balanced approach emphasizes the importance of the cultivation of heart and education in norms as a foundation for academic and technical education.

The cornerstone of a child’s personality is in him or her ability to relate to others in true love. True love means living for the sake of others without calculating personal reward. When this quality of love is applied in the relationship between men and women it leads naturally to purity before marriage and undivided conjugal love within marriage. Motivated by morally based love, a person would always act in the best long-term of the other, never gambling with their health, future goals or their personal integrity.

Human beings come to know true love through experiencing what is known as the four realms of heart. First they develop a filial heart toward their parents by responding to their unconditional and sacrificial love; second, the heart of mutual love and friendship between brothers and sisters or peers; third, the heart of conjugal love between husband and wife; and fourth, the unconditional parental heart of love toward their children. By realizing the four realms of heart a person becomes a man or a woman of good character embodying true love. The family therefore becomes the foundation for human happiness, life and ideals.

Parents should teach and guide their children to become sons and daughters of duty and filial piety who will love and respect their parents and, by extension, relate to their teachers and elders in society with a similar attitude. To Teach true filial piety, an individual should serve and sacrifice for the sake of the family. By practicing this attitude in the community, and being ready to sacrifice the family for the good of the nation, a person becomes a true citizen and patriot. A person who is ready to sacrifice his or her life according to universal values for the benefit of human kind is known as a saint or a sage.

In the family, parents should seek to fulfil the three subjective roles of true parents, true teachers and true leaders. Central to the fulfilment of each role is true love. True love is unconditional and sacrificial love in which a person invests and forgets what they have given and continues to give without expecting anything in return. The best example, of such love is a parent who lives selflessly for the sake of his or her children. By living according to such a standard a parent becomes a true parent. A parent should also be a true teacher - this means teaching moral values and exemplifying standards from which other members of the family may learn. And a parent must be a true leader. This is achieved by guiding one’s children in the right direction while maintaining a strong sense of responsibility for the lives and future of the family.

These roles should be realized in the greater society, by for example, teachers in Schools. First, a teacher should be a true parent. This is done by demonstrating a heart of parental love toward the pupils, by loving them as he or she would love his or her own children. Secondly, a teacher must be a true teacher. This means that he or she must guide the pupils in the right way by instruction as well as by his or her own example. And finally a teacher must be a true leader; that is, a teacher should always have a sense of responsibility for the moral and physical well-­being of the children in his or her care, just as parents feel responsible for the whole well-­being of their own children. The same principle applies to each person, whether he or she is responsible for a small group of people or an entire nation.

At the dawn of this new century, people all over the world are hoping to see the beginning of a new world culture of peace and unification. If the 20th century was characterized by scientific, technological and economic achievement, the 21st century should become the era of a worldwide spiritual renaissance. Given it’s history of profound spirituality, India can play a leading role in providing moral leadership towards that noble goal.

Yet for this to happen we should learn from the experience of the 20th century, that science, technology and economic development alone do not create the proper conditions for peace, harmony and true happiness. Rather, we need a new universal, value based view of life, which supports the establishment of true families, healthy societies, as well as true nations and a world of peace and unification. Our search for such values should integrate the best of spiritual and material values, traditional and contemporary values, and Eastern and Western values. Integrating these complementary views provides a more, complete context for the appreciation and application of moral and ethical ‘Values�.

The realization of young people’s hopes and dreams requires the cultivation of a strong conscience and a heart of true love through the stimulation provided by a loving family environment. A strong and pure conscience is the basis for academic excellence, personal achievement, family stability and true citizenship. One’s conscience constantly tries to guide a person to do what is right. However, due to the corrupt moral environment, the conscience has been unable to function properly. We all have the responsibility to first purify and liberate our own conscience and in turn help others to do likewise. The development of a pure conscience together with the cultivation of true love will empower us with the inner strength and desire to live an exemplary life for the sake of others.

It is well understood that India will become one of the great global economic powers in the 21st century. However, I expect India to be a great power not only economically or politically, but more importantly morally. If India can revive and modernize its great moral and spiritual traditions; it will become an inspiration for the entire World.

-Courtesy SUVICHAR, Nov. 2006