PL Dhar Valueeduselfobservation 140108061403 Phpapp02

8/20/2019 PL Dhar Valueeduselfobservation 140108061403 Phpapp02

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Value Inculcation throughSelf Observation

P.L.Dhar

I.I.T.Delhi


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Why Talk about Values ?

• Value crisis is the root of all social andtechnogenic maladies

• Aristotle “..the fate of empires depends on

the education of the youth.”

• Consequences of neglect of value

education: “perfection of means andconfusion of the ends” …….. Einstein

• What is the real purpose of education ?


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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, whetheryou like it or not…

• Education is the ability to listen to almostanything without losing your temper or yourself confidence

• Education is not filling a bucket but lighting afire.


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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 ac uisitions


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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


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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

aboutthis

change ?

Science : what is thenature of reality?

Analyzing life’s

experiences

Mind control

and purification

Should

be a

part of

Educat

ion

Intellectual

appreciation

Value

Inculcation


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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


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Essence of Value Education

• Value Education = Emotional Education +Spiritual Education

• How to refine the emotions ? …..How toactually 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


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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 & unconsciousmind – actions governed more by likes

/dislikes than by intellect• Practical training of strengthening the mind


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A peep into the mechanics of

mind ……….…...1

• General perception : when we come incontact with anything unpleasant, what wedislike……anger, despair, ill will

etc. arise• when we come in contact with anything

pleasant, which we like…..greed, desire tohave more, jealousy etc. arise

• If this be the ultimate truth : change the

surroundings ; escape from these statesquickly …. A vicious cycle


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A peep into the mechanics of

mind…………………2

Cognition Evaluation

Sensation-feeling

Blind reaction

Increase in

craving/aversion

Bare observation

experience of

impermanence;

insight


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A peep into the mechanics of the

mind …………......….3

• Modern scientific studies also agree thatsensations 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 theseequanimously

To reduce craving/aversion


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A peep into the mechanics of the

mind …………......….4

But most of the time these are below thethreshold of our awareness, yet thesubconscious mind feels and blindly reacts

to them

Training in Concentration

& Mindfulness : self observation


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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


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Training in self observation:

Vipassana

• Vipassana : Complete direct & immediatemindfulness 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


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Spiral of sila samadhi and

pragya

sila

samadhi pragya

Reduction in craving/

aversion


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VIPASSANA IN EDUCATION Self control of Impulses

habit of non reactive observation permits --look before you leap , mindfulness is like thebrakes of a car

reduction in rash, aggressive & unethical behaviour, intolerance, intemperance {EmotionalEducation}

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

Attenuation of greed & acquisitiveness

manifestation of loving kindness, compassion, serviceetc. : the higher needs of Maslow


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VIPASSANA IN EDUCATION..

Proper self appraisal - knowledge ofstrengths and weaknesses

increases compassion, forgiveness, humility

and reduces vanity- improvement ininterpersonal relationships

Insight into the basic characteristics of life

comprehending the meaning of life and its goal,the way to achieve it and the confidence that itcan be done! {spiritual education}


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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


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Concluding Remarks

Mere intellectual appreciation is not enough

for value inculcation, practical training in purification of mind is necessary

Inculcation of values is the prime

purpose of education

Pure mind is naturally free from acquisitiveness, and full oflove, compassion and equanimity …..herein lies the

solution to the problems facing mankind today

Self observation at the depth- at the level ofsomatic sensations- is the key.


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Thank

you!

PL Dhar Valueeduselfobservation 140108061403 Phpapp02

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