Leave

Sathya Sai Speaks 1999 · Human Values and Education

Read straight through

  1. Human Values and Education

    26 July 1999, Valedictory Function of First Sri Sathya Sai Seminar on Values, Prasanthi Nilayam

    Published English.

    1
    Sadayam Hridayam Yasya Bhasitham Sathya Bhushitham Kayah Parahithe Yasya Kalisthasya Karothikim (Sanskrit verse) What can the evil effects of age do to a man whose heart is filled with compassion, whose every utterance is truth, and whose body is dedicated for the service of others?
  2. 2
  3. 3
    Man should fill his heart with compassion, always speak the truth and dedicate his body for the welfare of society. The thoughts, words, and deeds of man should always be sacred. The heart unpolluted by desire and anger, the tongue not tainted by untruth, and the body unblemished by the acts of violence - these are the true human values. It is because of the lack of these human values that the country is facing hardships today. (India) has been the treasure house of spirituality since ancient times, but, today, it has lost both (truth) and (righteousness) and is enmeshed in unrighteous falsehood and injustice. It is therefore incumbent upon students to dedicate themselves to the task of restoring the pristine glory of . Just as the parents are worried and sad if their children lag behind in studies, so also Mother India feels aggrieved on seeing her children lacking moral and ethical values. You have to remember that all those whom you revere as ideal citizens and noble souls were once students themselves. Never forget that students of today are the future citizens and leaders of this country.
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
    Spiritual education is for life No doubt, teachers teach the students in the class. But, what is ? It is derived from the root word , meaning, ‘to know’. is termed as education in English. The term education has its origin in the Latin word , which means ‘to elicit. has two aspects, the worldly and the spiritual. Worldly education imparts knowledge pertaining to the physical world. Spiritual education is essential, without which human life has little value.
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
    There are and of people who have become great by amassing wealth, but what is their contribution to the welfare of society? Absolutely nil. Therefore, strive to be good, not great.
  12. 12
    Man should become a composer, not a computer Modern students are going to various countries for material education without realizing the fact that the heart, the source of true education is within. True education is that which makes man ideal. Parents are the first teachers. They should show their children the way to goodness. Man cannot become good merely by being highly educated. Worldly education confers only (wealth) and (selfishness). Such education is responsible for the downfall of man.
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
    (revere your mother, father, and teacher as God).
  17. 17
  18. 18
    In the , there is a story of a king named . Having been born and brought up in a palace, he was inclined toward worldly and material pursuits. On the other hand, his son , who was born and brought up in (the hermitage of the sage ) was a repository of moral, spiritual, and ethical values. education inculcates all noble values in man.
  19. 19
    became a paragon of all virtues because he received ideal education right from his childhood. This enabled him to lead a life of peace and security. That is why it is said,
  20. 20
  21. 21
    had worldly and material wealth. He was a mighty emperor. What was the use of all that he possessed when he could not achieve spiritual growth? This clearly demonstrates the difference between urban education and education.
  22. 22
    Values are our life principles The five human values of , , , , and (truth, right action, peace, love, and nonviolence) can be compared to the five life principles of man, viz., , , , , and . A true human being is one who practices the five human values. Today man does not speak truth, lest it bring him harm, and does not practice because he does not know what it really means.
  23. 23
  24. 24
    If you do not speak the truth, you lose one of your life principles. Truth is your . So, till your last breath, uphold truth. The culture of (India) teaches,
  25. 25
    (Speak truth and follow righteousness).
  26. 26
  27. 27
    People all over the world are praying for peace. How can peace be attained? It is only through the practice of and (truth and right action). Today, man is leading a life bereft of and , resulting in lack of peace (), which in turn has lead to the, absence of (love).
  28. 28
    How can (nonviolence) exist in the absence of these four values? Violence is rampant everywhere be it home, , or factory. Man, bereft of these five principles, has become a living corpse.
  29. 29
  30. 30
    Ancient and modern teachers Today, even the parents and the children, the husband and the wife lack faith in each other. The love they exhibit is only artificial. Under such circumstances how can love prevail? One should have deep faith in order to experience true love. Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly. Fill your heart with compassion. When the heart is filled with love, all actions will be suffused with love.
  31. 31
    , in his talk, referred to EHV as 3HV. The first H stands for Heart, the second for Head, and the third for Hand. The harmony of heart, head, and hand symbolizes true human life.
  32. 32
    (he is a noble soul whose thoughts, words, and deeds are in perfect harmony).
  33. 33
    (he is a wicked one whose thoughts, words, and deeds are at variance).
  34. 34
    The very name of (heart) - + - indicates compassion (). So, the heart should be filled with compassion. When there is love in the heart all that you utter will be truth.
  35. 35
    Love in speech is truth. Love in action is . Love in thought is peace. Love in understanding is (nonviolence).
  36. 36
  37. 37
    In olden days the teachers were called , meaning those who practice what they preach. Today teachers cannot be called because they do not practice what they preach. The modern teachers are experts in giving platform speeches, whereas the of ancient times were proficient in practical science.
  38. 38
  39. 39
  40. 40
  41. 41
    The real “donation” Today, money can buy admission, attendance, marks, and even degrees for that matter. The medical seats are readily offered to candidates who pay a sum of twenty to thirty . In order to earn the money spent by them to secure the medical seat, the doctors charge exorbitant fees from the patients. The same is the case with engineering, too. Even for admission in first standard, some institutions are charging twenty to twenty five thousand .
  42. 42
    Modern education has made man a beggar. One should be bigger not a beggar. I am not saying this out of sense of pride, but Institute is the only institution offering free education. said that more and more institutions should be established. It is a matter of pleasure, but care has to be taken to see that education is offered totally free of cost. Only then can we shape the students into ideal citizens. Teachers should share all their knowledge with the students wholeheartedly. They must practice before they preach. This is what I expect from the teachers.
  43. 43
  44. 44
  45. 45
  46. 46
    School in Zambia In Zambia, there is a devotee by the name Victor Kanu. He is here right now. He has established a School in Zambia. Many poor children are studying there. Both he and his wife are teaching the children with all love and care.
  47. 47
    (At this juncture asked Mr. Victor Kanu, sitting nearby, as to how many children are studying in their school. Mr. Kanu said 520 children were studying there.)
  48. 48
    They are imparting ’s teachings and human values to all the children. It is going to become a college very soon.
  49. 49
    There are many affluent people in the world. But they do not have the spirit of sacrifice to help such sacred institutions. Some of them do contribute something, but they do it for name and fame. They expect their names to appear in letters of gold. institutions are not for name and fame.
  50. 50
  51. 51
    Education leads to immortality The culture of declares
  52. 52
    “ (immortality can be attained only through sacrifice; neither wealth nor progeny nor good deeds can confer it).”
  53. 53
  54. 54
  55. 55
  56. 56
  57. 57
  58. 58
  59. 59
    Make proper use of the knowledge you have acquired. Parents should take active interest in the education of their children. Never desire that your son should become a great person, instead pray that he become a good person, like . That is true human life.
  60. 60
    The good and the great If one goes through the sacred texts of the , the , and the , one understands the evil effects of (desire), (anger), and (greed). In the , symbolized goodness, whereas , greatness. Though and were equally proficient in all forms of knowledge, could not make proper use of his knowledge because he had no control over his senses. On the other hand, exercised control over his senses and sacrificed everything for the sake of truth. The is known as (the story of ) and the story of is known as (the story of desire).
  61. 61
    The speaks of the consequences one has to face if one becomes a victim of anger. and were air-powerful, but ultimately perished because of their anger toward God. was a great, scientist. Today man has traveled only up to the moon, but could even reach the stars. But his anger ruined him.
  62. 62
    In the , and symbolize greed, which is a negative power. On the other hand, the stand for the positive power. They adhered to under all circumstances. Similarly, in the , symbolises negative power and , positive power. Thus, wherever you see, you find positive and negative, good and bad co-exist. Accept the good and give up the bad and earn a good name. Then, you are not merely great, you are also good.
  63. 63
  64. 64
  65. 65
  66. 66
  67. 67
    As I have told you earlier, has two aspects: one is (outward) and the other, which comes from the heart, is (inward). God is the (indweller). So, all that originates from the heart is essentially divine. Therefore, let all your thoughts, words, and deeds originate from your heart.
  68. 68
  69. 69
  70. 70
  71. 71
  72. 72
  73. 73
  74. 74
  75. 75
    Stop hankering after foreign lands after you complete your studies. Serve your Motherland. Lord said,
  76. 76
    (mother and motherland are greater than heaven).
  77. 77
  78. 78
  79. 79