Guru Purnima reminded me the Upanishad with editor of Organiser weekly Shri Prafulla Ketkar held on a certain Teacher’s Day in which we both deliberated on the aim of the education. And, our conversations inevitably meandered around the content of vishwa bandhu Bharat or, vishwa guru Bharat? In that conversation, the significance of incorporating a ‘how to live’ quotient into global education systems was highlighted, demonstrating its notably absent presence in the global education landscape.
Considering the current climate change challenges and psychological issues that are leading to conflicts, jealousy, and hatred, the question of ‘how to live’ has become increasingly relevant. If global humanity, starting from preschool, is practically exposed to the content of ‘how to live the right way,’ reaching a consensus on solving the aforementioned issues will become much easier as these young children evolve into enlightened young adults and future citizens.
Our education system must reflect our priorities in its syllabus and curriculum, as these elements ultimately shape our lives. We need to be factual and truthful.
The first basic fact is that we all need to breathe. We are not artificial intelligence which doesn’t need to breathe. What could be more truthful and factual than giving priority to activities that ensure the availability of clean air for everyone to breathe?
Therefore, in order to ensure that the praan-vaayu doesn’t get polluted, we all must act in such a way that space, energy, environment/air, water and soil are not polluted by us human beings to ‘such an extent’ that occurrence of natural calamities becomes the norm than the exception.
It is clearly visible that ideal of maintain ‘zero-pollution production and consumption chain’ is not feasible here and now. It is taking time for the comity of the nations to come back from ‘polluter pays policy’ to ‘zero pollution’. Bharat is leading in terms of its commitment to environment even when other nations are lagging behind in honouring the commitment. Character and trust are two sides of the same coin.
By the same argument of ‘zero pollution’ this is also visible that we need to mould our daily behavioural norms, habits, thinking patterns, aesthetics, established ways of appreciation of arts and production technology in such a way that it aligns with the ‘unknown-unknown’ field in total harmony (lay/yog). This, field of unknown-unknown is known as, तत् /तद् /वह /सः across various Indic languages including Sanskrit. In English language we may loosely translate it as ‘that’. Why loosely? Because word(language) is a subjective cultural experience. Yog can fill this gap, as Yog is capable of imparting subjective experience beyond the limitations of baikhari forms of language(shabd). Process of yog is capable of manifesting unity by transcending the lingual limitations. There is no doubt left in any sensitive human being’s mind across the globe that current ways of living (consuming patterns) are not in sync with the wisdom which embosoms sustainably living. Adverse climate changes are hammering aforesaid fact in global humanity’s head and heart with deafening silence. Incorporation of spirituality in our daily lives alone can shape us in such conscious human beings who will not be brain washed to give priority to any secondary identity. Manifestation of the order of priorities in our daily behaviour is the critical point or threshold point or point of transcendence.
Whether we will keep transgressing without mustering the courage to break this compulsive cycle of complacency, inertia and doubt or we will progress tangentially? Or, we will stay in ‘coma’ in our urban bubbles akin to patients in a perpetual state of critical care in an ICU-like environment. Answers of all these questions depend on the choices we make and manifest in our daily life. LiFE concept articulated in COP-26 by our prime minister is very relevant.
Spirituality asks for courage to uphold the truth through one’s conduct and behaviour every moment. It is the science of the free, independent and the liberated conscience of each and every individual.
Great spiritual being from antiquity Krishna ( dwaipayan/Vasudev ) whose wisdom still stays freshly relevant, didn’t preach before the crowd huddled before him, he instead conversed with an individual who said “I see you as guru/that” and guru freed the former from the cycle of compulsive existential behaviour by mirroring the eternal wisdom. With the help of information technology available today eternal Indic education tradition has the potential to transform the humanity into an enlightened global democracy.
The second fact is that we all eat food.
No religious identity no scientific clarity, no racial or ethnic identity can deny our need for food.
But, can nations of the world agree on aforesaid two facts and incorporate them systematically in global education system right from the beginning? Or, we will keep shying away from the basic truth cocooned in various secondary identities? Our choices alone will decide that as, the argument has already reached to its saturation point.
Apparently, aforementioned two facts are so clearly feelable that all earthlings are likely to acknowledge those as our priority. Can we give those facts that kind of priority in our education also which these have in our life? Or we will continue with largely the same tasteless and lifeless education? How long will humanity last if we don’t?
Argument can take humanity to thus far, but after a point our choices become decisive. Take one example. There is this argument which keeps circulating in debates and discussion across platforms that “all religions are not same”. Its meaning swings to mean exactly opposite depending on who chooses to use it or who uses to choose it. This shows us the limit of the communication in Baikhari language. But this is not the limit of human frame.
As, spiritually attained saadhak/saadhikaas are capable of transmitting spiritual knowledge to worthy seekers(saadhaks) through spiritual transmission. There are higher forms of communication, which obviously are clearer forms of communication also. These forms of communication have been preserved in Bhartiya Gyaan Paramparaa in an unbroken human chain of guru-shishya paramparaa. Guru undoubtably finds disciple and a disciple finds one’s guru. But can this be made mainstream reality? That is the question.
As the penetration and utility of the artificial intelligence advances across the globe (of course for the welfare of humanity) and, difference between man and machine keeps shrinking/expanding, these higher forms of communication will become much more relevant to prove to ourselves that human frame is not limited to its brain processing function or brain’s computing capacity alone.
Data processing can be delegated to artificial intelligence, but such decision making which may involve taking a call on the existence of the humanity should not be delegated to artificial intelligence. Decision making must be kept with humanity. Directing education (globally and locally) towards attained higher forms of consciousness is the right choice for humanity. (Question is how long will it take to evolve a consensus on the basic syllabus? Who can show the light to the enlightened intellectuals when they refuse to see their own image in the mirror?) As, the consciousness has many realisable levels which may be accessed by humanity. Even those who have not transcended worldly consciousness and thus have not irreversibly united with the ‘unknown-unknown’ field will also acknowledge the existence of such a realm.
Guru-Purnima reminds humanity to endeavour in this direction of exploring its unexplored higher potential to save the humanity from its own intelligence. It is by mastering the higher forms of consciousness alone that humanity will stay in the position to master the artificial intelligence and use it for serving enlightened humanity without becoming its slave. Contemplate and choose before we hit the point of no return. That is the point.
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