What is True Education?

The education that awakens the spirit is regarded as true education. Education of the spirit leads to acquiring wisdom which inturn endows one the power of discrimination and finally towards moulding a right attitude towards life. Bereft of such education, wisdom, discrimination, the present day society is witnessing divisive tendencies. In much of the avocations, we find that it is devoid of ethics and labour. The means for achieving the ends is not justified.

More emphasis is laid on education, which brings in material benefits rather than education of the spirit. Material education leads us astray and not on the path of true happiness. True education reforms man and makes him realise that the knowledge of the self will lead to contentment and true happiness which is much more in proportion to the happiness that results in the satisfaction of material wants. If the modern man is made aware of the true happiness then the world may become a much better place to live in. The best way to make the moderners aware of the knowledge that yields them true happiness is to induce the ancient literature in the education curriculum. If wisdom i.e., the true knowledge is enshrined in our educational curriculum, then it shall become an asset or a torch-bearer and lead one for an all round development.

Along with the scientific knowledge they should get an opportunity to acquire value-based education also. As value based education alone is capable of transforming the whole world to that of true knowledge society that yields true happiness. Such society shall help one to evolve physically, mentally, morally, humanely and spiritually.

It is only the educated who can lead the society, build the nation and perhaps improve the polity if they are guided by the real precepts. The educational planners should see that ethical values are inculcated in the pupils right from the school level through the examples of the righteous epic characters of our mythology penned by our sages. Then and then alone can the epidemics like anti-national, anti-rational, anti-human, anti-social elements be completely obliterated from its very roots.

One who receives such type of education that emphasizes on values will possess all the positive qualities, power, courage and undaunted spirit. Such possessors of this system of education will surely become the practitioners of righteousness.

The teachers who occupy the seats of learning and are honoured as the makers of the destinies of the nation should be aware of this knowledge and shall try to change the outlook and character of the children who are the building blocks of the nation. If the outlook of the children is changed from the mundane to a spirituo-philosophical outlook then the individual in particular and society and nation in general will be awakened from the present slumber and deplorable condition.

In a nutshell the education that shall lead to the concept of Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu shall be imparted in the schools. Whatever knowledge the child gains if the same be implemented then the nation as well as the world will be a much better place to live in. There will be no room for epidemics like pessimism, lethargy, etc in every individual. Only when one acquires education that emphasizes social values, moral values, ethical values and spiritual values one shall be capable of transforming the individual self, the family, the society, the nation and the world as a whole.