ae Universal Human Values Handout 1 of 5 ae Introduction to Value Education Need for Value Education ‘All human beings aspize for a happy, fulfilling life. For a human being, there are two important questions pertaining to this ‘© What is my aspiration? (What to do?) ‘* How to fulfil my aspiration? (How to do?) ‘The purpose of education is to facilitate the development Of elatity on the aspiration and adequate competence to actualize it For this, it is essential to understand what a happy, fulfilling and successful life is — what is really valuable for human being: what is our purpose as a human being? Understanding human aspiration, or what is really valuable for human being, is the value domain. The subject which enables us to understand this domain s called “Value Education’ (VE). enables us fo uadettand our aspirations and visualise ont goals fora flilicg life and indicates th dation fr thei fulfillment In elation to these issues, it also helps to remove our confusions and contradictions. In that sense, VE addresses the issues related to what odo" Itis also necessary to learn the skills to actualise our aspirations, This is the skill domain. The subject which enables us to learn the skills is called ‘Skill Development’ (SD). It enables us to learn the science, technology, management and other skills for fulfilling our aspiration. In that sense, SD addresses the issues related to Show to do?’. Values and skills go hand in hand. Both values and skills are required. There is an essential complementarity between the two. The priority is values, then skills: Le. frst understanding “what to do” and then developing the skills for how to do”. And of course, checking if this results into a fulfilling lite! The present education system has largely become skillcbiased. For developing skills, the prime emphasis is on science and technology. without a base of values. Skills can only help to provide the means to achieve what is considered valuable. It is not within the scope of science and technology to provide a way to decide what really is valuable. The consequence of skill-biased education is clearly visible in the form of serious crises at the individual, societal and environmental level. Thus, there is a sttong need to rectify this situation. Value education is a erucial missing link in the present education system. inaiaiaas baal ne need of value education is tolaiidetstaid liuman aspitations. 10 discover, and work out the program for its fulfillment. Guidelines for Value Education For any input to qualify for Value Education, the following guidelines for the content of the course are important: Universal: It bas to be universally applicable to all human beings for all time and all places. This implies that values should not change according to sect, creed, nationality, gender, etc Rational: It has to appeal to reasoning: and not be based on dogmas or blind beliefs. It has to be open to address the related questions. It cannot be a set of sermons or do’s and don'ts Natural and Verifiable: 1t has to be ‘naturally acceptable’ to the human being and there needs to be every rovision in nature for its fulfillment. It needs to be experientially verifiable, and SSSRERESERSPEAOE isnot merely an intellectual rercse of RASA All Encompassing: It needs to cover all dimensions (thought, behaviour, work and understanding) and levels (individual, family, society and nature/existence) of human life.pe Universal Human Values Handout 1 of 5 Introduction to Value Education 6 Leading to Harmony! 1 ultimately needs to promote harmony within the individual, among human beings and with the entire nature Content of Value Education The context is always the larger order. Value has to do with the participation of a unit in the larger order. E.g. a piece of chalk is a unit. The classroom is the larger order for this unit. The value of chalk is that it can be used to write on the blackboard for the desired functioning of the classroom, The value or role of a human being is its participation in the larger order. E.g. my role in living with the other human being iso ensue the feling of respect nthe relationship, Interestingly, Tiel happy in fulfilling my role: and it is fulfilling for the other as well! This value is worth understanding, worth thinking about, worth living. The value of human being is to censure smutual fulfilment in the larger order", i. in the entire nature/existence, but starting from within themselves, then extending in their family and in the society. Hence, to understand lnuman values, we need to study the human reality along with all that is there in the entire nature/existence which constitutes the larger order. We need to explore and understand things 4s they are; so that we are able to recognise and fulfil our participation with them. That means the content or scope of study has to be all encompassing. ie. ‘ Ithas to cover all dimensions of human being — thought, behaviour, work and realisation, ‘* Tehas to cover all levels of human living — individual, family, society, nature and existence. Accordingly, the content of Value Education has to be to Eg a Hiappiftess, understand the Bl of nan life comprehensively: understand the in nature, the the harmony in the nature/existence and finally the role of human being in this nature/existence. Whatever we think. whatever we do is with some end state in mind, That end state is our basic aspiration, When you ask yourself © DoT want to be happy? © Dol want to be prosperous? © DoT want the continuity of happiness and prosperity? The answers are in affirmative yes. We have a natural acceptance for continuity of happiness and prosperity. These are our basic aspirations “The word ‘order’ is used interchangeably with the word ‘harmony’, throughout,ae Universal Human Values Handout 4 of 5 a Introduction to Value Education Basic Requirements for Fulfilment of Human Aspirations When we try to find out if we have fulfilled our basic aspiration, itis not always so affirmative. There is quite a AN NOTTS When we reflect on all the effort we are making, we can easily see that we are generally working for accumulation of physical facility! The basic problem is thet we have assumed that ‘happiness and prosperity will automatically come when we have enough physical facility’. This is something we need to explore in our own life. Where are we puting in our effort? If continuity of happiness and prosperity is not achieved by just accumulating physical facility then ‘what else is essential to do? Let's try to find out by asking this question to ourselves: Is the unhappiness in my family + More due to lack of physical facility or * More due to lack of fulfilment in relationship? When you explore into it, you will find that the major reason for the unhappiness in the family is the Jack of fulfilment in relationship and not just the lack of physical facility, ‘Now to look at the investment of your effort, find out: * How much time and effort you are investing for physical facility, and * How much time and effort you are investing for fulfilment in relationship? Generally, most of the time and effort is being invested for physical facility, assuming that everything is going to be fine when there is enough physical facility. and there will be no unhappiness in the family. The problems are more due to lack of fulfilment in relationship, and we are investing major part of our time and effort for physical facility. With this discussion, the conclusion that we want to draw out of ths is a very simple one: For human being physical facility is necessary, but relationship is also necessary. In fact, by seeing this, we can understand the difference between animals and human beings. Physical facility is necessary for animals as well as for human beings. For animals, it is necessary as well as adequate. But when it comes to human beings, that is not the case ~ physical facility is a necessity, but physical facility alone is not going to suffice for the fulfilment of human being. When a human being as lack of physical facility, (s)he becomes Once (s)le gets the physical facility, (s)he forgets about it and starts thinking about So, we can conclude that physical facility is necessary for animals; it is necessary for human beings also, However: «For animals, physical facility is necessary as well as adequate + For human beings, physical facility is necessary, but physical facility alone is not adequate. While we do have a natural acceptance to live in relationship, are we actually able to ensure living in relationship? Have we understood this or just assumed it? To explore this further, find out if: 1. You want to live in relationship (harmony) with others or 2. You want to live in opposition with others or 3. You believe, living has to be necessarily in opposition with others, i.e. there is ‘struggle for survival,‘ and if you feel happy living this way?ae Universal Human Values Handout 4 of 5 a Introduction to Value Education A little introspection will show that out of these three, what is naturally acceptable is the first one. You certainly do not want to live in opposition with others. But you may be conditioned to think in a manner as mentioned in the third option. If we adopt the third option, it has significant negative implications in our life, in the family and in the society. We can see this all around today. In relationship, what is generally happening today is something like this Every time when there is fight, we want to resolve it. We start the next day with the thought that. swe don’t want to fight today; but a fight takes place again (sometimes by the end of the same der). Does this happen with you, with your brother, sister, father, mother, spouse, children, with your friends, co-workers, etc.? Getting imitated, angry, not speaking for days, dragging each other to cour, divorces, ete. are indicators of the situation in relationship. For ensuring fulfilment in relationship, it is necessary to have right understanding about relationship. From the preceding discussion, it may be concluded that for fulfilment of human being~ physical facility, relationship and right understanding — all three are necessary. We can see that physical facility, relationship and right understanding are three distinct realities. All three are required for fulfilment of human being. One cannot be substituted for the ote If we investigate into the priority among these, we can see that is th with iuman being is the and ensuring ry with rest of nature is the t . Right Understanding, Relationship and Physical Facility Human being wants to live with continuous happiness and prosperity and this is possible by ensuring right understanding, fulfilment in relationship and physical facility in the correct priority. This is living ooh eae On the other hand, if one is living for physical facility alone, and not ensuring right understanding and sight feeling in relationship, s(he) feels unhappy and makes others unhappy too. This is one outcome. The other outcome is that if the right understanding is missing, one is not able to identify the need for physical facility. Now, if we are not able to identify our need for physical facility then regardless of how much physical facility we accumulate, Wwe never fee tat we ave enough. We keep wanting more. This feeling of not having enough is the feeling of deprivation. As a result, one is deprived, exploiting and depriving others, While physical facility alone may suffice for animals, it is not adequate for human being to be fulfilled. Under this condition, one is living with ‘animal consciousness’. There are generally tWO kinds Of people today: 1. Those lacking physical facility, unhappy and deprived 2. Those having physical facility, and yet unhappy and deprived Try to find out where you are —at | or at 2? Whereas we really want to he is in the following state, ie 3. Having physical facility, happy and prosperous.ay Itis easy to see that we naturally want to be in the state 3, of having more than required physical facility. happy and prosperous. However, today we seem to be at 1 or 2 and our effort is generally for 2. You can see that what is called development today largely takes us from ‘I" to 2”. pe Universal Human Values Handout 1 of 5 Introduction to Value Education ‘Now, ifwe are able to ensure all three, i.e. right understanding. relationship and physical facility, in that order of priority, let us see the outcome (refer to fig. 3-5). ‘© Through right feeling in relationship, based on right understanding, we can ensure mutual happiness — happiness for ourselves as well as happiness for others. + With right understanding, we can identify the need for physical facility. We can also learn how to produce using a mutually enriching production process. Once we are able to ensure the availability of more than required physical facility, we have a feeling of prosperity, isn’t it? fimo fees rer cs Ty fe] Ered Perec) PHYSICAL FACILITY — (eco) on For human pa with rest of nature | heceosan MUTUAL HAPPINESS MUTUAL PROSPERITY (sareT FH) (sare wah) Development of Human Consciousness We can clearly envisage holistic development as the transformation of consciousness to human consciousness. Of course, it will necessitate working on all three ~ right understanding, fulfilment in relationship as well as physical facility; and in that order of priorityé pe Universal Human Values Handout 1 of 5 Introduction to Value Education 1s development justin increasing physical facility or development is ensuring ofall 37, |s this transformation desirable? ‘Are we making effort for it? ‘Do wo need to make effort for it? ome (come ys mn nna a) (Enabling the Transformation to Human Consciousness) The role of education is essentially to facilitate holistic development i.e. the individual transformation to human consciousness as well asthe societal transformation to a humane society. For this, the education-sanskar has to ensure: 1, Right understanding in every child, 2. The capacity to live in relationship with other human beings, and 3. The capacity to identify the need for physical facility, the skills and practice for sustainable production of more than what is required, leading to the feeling of prosperity Education is developing the right understanding (holistic perspective) Sauskar is the commitment, preparation and practice of living with right understanding. The preparation includes learning appropriate skills and technology. Cis Understanding of Harmony Harmony fn Huran Beng ‘armory in Forty armonyn Socety Harmony in NatuerExstence VALUES ~~ Living in Harmony Asiana! ine Forty Inte Sodety InNaturerEatonce SKILLS MUTUAL HAPPINESS MUTUAL PROSPERITY (art FH (serer Bagh), 3 Universal Human Values Handout 1 of 5 Introduction to Value Education Key Takeaways The prime need of value education is to understand human aspirations. to discover what is truly valuable (umn value) in life. Value of any entity is its participation in the larger order of which itis a part. The value of human being is its participation towards mutual fulfillment (harmony) starting from within themselves, then extending in their family, in the society and in nature. The content of value education has to be universal, rational, natural, verifiable and leading to harmony. The process of value education has to be a process of self-exploration, rather than being prescriptive. The things are al ed in order of pion Human consciousness is living with continuous happiness and prosperity by ensuring right understanding, fulfilment in relationship and physical facility in the correct priority. Holistic development is the transformation from animal consciousness to human consciousness. Education- sanskar has the most significant role to play in this transformation.pe Universal Human Values Handout 4 of 5 a Introduction to Value Education Process of Value Education — Self-exploration Human Values can be understood by an appropriate process of self-discovery. because they are potentially there in each and every human being. There is already a natural acceptance for values in a hhuman being. It is only that we have to discover them or become aware of them. Thus, the process for Value Education has to be that of self-exploration, and not of giving sermons or telling dos & don'ts. Whatever is found as truth or reality may be stated as a proposal and every student is to be encouraged to verify it on his/her own right. ‘You can check if you want to be able to decide on your own right or you want somebody else to decide for you? This somebody may be a group of people: it may be the society or the education system, ete. If you are not able to decide on your own right then: + Someone else is programming you (deciding what is valuable and what is not valuable for you) © Unconsciously you keep accepting those things as values «You get busy with how to implement them, how to realise them and materialise them This process of Self-exploration has to be in the form of a dialogue — a dialogue between the teacher and student to begin with; and finally, within the student — between ‘what I am’ and ‘what I really want to be’, which is the innate natural acceptance. What is Self-exploration? The first step is to verify the given proposal on your own right, by referring it to your ‘natural acceptance’. If the proposal is naturally acceptable to you, it is right for you. If it is not naturally acceptable to you, itis not right for you. Furtier, SIBEXpIOFatiOn IS PROCESS OF AialOgU. To begin with, itis initiated as a dialogue between us and you. This course systematically presents a series of proposals for your exploration. As you explore, you try to verify the proposals and start asking these questions to yourself. Then, it tums inio a dialogue within your own Self. The Dialogue Within It isa dialogue between “what Tam and “Awhat is naturally acceptable to me” “What I am” has to do with iiiy/desifes: in thoughts, im Expectations, all that is going on in my imagination. It includes the way I feel, the way I think, how Imake decisions, what I expect from others and all that. It is my current competence on the basis of which I live. “What is naturally acceptable to me” is What teally Want f0lbe, that is my natural acceptance. It is my intention. Itis a basic reference which is a part and parcel of every human being. We may or may not be referring to it at present, but it is always there. When we are in harmony within, we are in state of happiness. When we are in a state of contradiction ‘within, we are in the state of unhappiness. Therefore We don't want to be in contradiction, so whenever there is contradiction, we want to run away from it, but if we cannot run away, and if we are forced to be in that state, we cal it unhappiness, Its possible for each one of us to do this self-exploration. The dialogue within constitutes the major part of it, Through this, we:ven @& Universal Human Values Handout 1 of 5 Introduction to Value Education Discover our natural acceptance Become aware of “what Iam” Can make effort to ensure harmony and happiness within by ensuring that “what I am" line with my natural acceptance. The content for self-exploration has two sub-parts: a) Desire ‘What is our basic aspiration? b) Program: ‘What is the way to fulfil this basic aspiration? Tiwe are able to get the answer to these two things, practically all our questions are answered The Process of Self-exploration Whatever is stated here is a proposal; do not assume it to be true or false, right or wrong. Verify it = verify it on your own right, on the basis of your natural acceptance. This is the first part of the process. fee na Goren Whatever is stated is a Proposal (Do not assume it to be true/ false) Verity ton your own right : Proposal &, Qveiry Experientia Vadation orn asle or Live according tot Acceptance Human Beings Rest of Nature a) RIGHT UNDERSTANDING The second part of self-exploration is validation. It means trying to live according to the sroposal. In living, there are two parts ‘When we are behaving with Luman being on the basis of this proposal, we vant to verify whether it leads to nautual happiness or not. If it leads to mutual happiness itis a right proposal; if it does not lead to nnuual happiness, it is not a right proposal. Similarly, when we are ‘working with rest of nafure on the basis of this proposal, we want to verify wiether it leads to imutual prosperity or not. If it leads to mutual prosperity, it is a right proposal; if it does not lead to mutual prosperity, it is not a right proposal. Understanding Natural Acceptance § the basis for Right Understanding (Distinguishing between acceptance aud natural acceptance) ‘Natural acceptance has to do with something fundamental, something related to our purpose, something related to our basic desires. When we ask a question related to these, we get a definite answer from our natural acceptance. For example, «Is happiness naturally acceptable or is unhappiness naturally acceptable? + Isitnaturally acceptable to live in relationship or in opposition? ‘© What is naturally acceptable — to nurture your Body of to exploit it?re Universal Human Values Handout 1 of 5 Introduction to Value Education For all these questions, we get a definite answer when we refer to our natural acceptance. On the other hand, we have an acceptance for our likes and dislikes, assumptions. pre-concitionings. beliefs, world-view, perspective, ete, but these may or may not be naturally acceptable to us. Of course, all acceptances are not wrong. Passing them through our natural acceptance will validate them and contribute to our self-confidence. Some of the characteristics of natural acceptance are: © Itdoes not change with time Itdoes not change with place Ir does not change with the individual It ismcormpied by likes and diltes or assumptions or beliefs It is innate, a part and parcel of our being; we don't need to create it Itis definite As we refer to our natural acceptance, we become Selfefefetential. To conclude, the complete process of self-exploration yields right understanding as the tangible outcome. Right understanding obtained through self-exploration can be recognised as follows: a. Ttis assuring b. _ Itis satisfying ¢, — Ttis universal i. Time: It holds good forall time — past, present and furure ii, Space: Its the same at all places or locations iii, Individual: Itis the same for every human being In case the outcome of self-exploration does not fulfil any of the above three criteria, it means that itis not the right understanding. It could be a pre-conditioning or we have made a mistake in looking into our natural acceptance and so, we need to continue exploring. Self-exploration ultimately results in right understanding of the entire existence, ie. “realisation of co- existence”, “understanding of harmony” and “contemplation of relationship” 10pe Universal Human Values Handout 4 of 5 a Introduction to Value Education Exploring the Meaning of Happiness and Prosperit: As stated earlier, the proposal for happiness is “The state or situation, in which F live, if there is harmony / synergy init, itis Naturally Acceptable to ie to be in that state / situation”. “To be in a state / situation which is Naturally Acceptable is Happiness” i.e. “To be ina state of Harmony / Synergy is Happiness”. fe. Some exploration will show that when we are ina state of harmony within, we feel happy because that state is naturally acceptable to us. When we ave in a situation with the outside world in which there is harmony, we feel happy as the feeling of being in that situation is naturally acceptable to us. This state or situation of being in line with natural accepiance is happiness. Similarly. “The state or situation, in which I live, if there is disharmony / contradiction in it, itis not Naturally Acceptable to me to be in that state / situation” “To be forced to be in a state / situation which is not Naturally Acceptable is Unhappiness”. ive. “To be forced to be ina state of Disharmony / Contradiction is Unhappiness”. i coast Coo The state or situation, in which | live, if there is harmony / synergy in it, then itis Naturally Acceptable to ‘me to be in that state / situation To be ina state of Harmony / ‘Synergy is Happiness Happiness = To be in Harmony Is Happiness the same as Excitement? ‘The state or situation, in which | live, . tims stern} 5! contradiction in it, ~ then itis not Naturally Acceptable to me to be in that state / situation To be forced to be in a state of Disharmony / Contradiction is Unhappiness | Unhappiness = Disharmony The question is whether the feeling that we get is happiness or something else. «What we get from the favourable sensation = happiness? « Isthe favourable feeling we get from the ote happiness? What we get in both cases is a sort of momentary happiness. This is what is called as excitement. There is confusion between excitement and hay lied not ssaimble, vie » field Exploring the Meaning of Prosperity ness (a harmonious state within). Excitement is short within is something which can be Continuous! and) "1pe Universal Human Values Handout 4 of 5 a Introduction to Value Education There are two basic requirements: 1. Right assessment of the need for physical facility, along with its required quantity. 2. Ensuring the availability/production of more than required physical facility. We can have a feeling of prosperity only if we are able to do the right assessment of our physical needs. The right assessment of physical needs, along with their required quantity, will come through right Understanding, Without that ight esessteu, tc il i ese ERSEEIREL SURREY hc ee mary have been able todo Just assessing the need is not enough. We need to ensure the availability or production of more than the required quantity. This requires RllSTSSSIORP AR PROUGEHBD, With bos of tes, ht esessment and avai ‘we have more than required physical facility. Over and above that, When you have a feeling of prosperity, you will naturally think of nurturing and enriching others. On the ote hand ifwe fel deprived then ve think of exploiing and depriving others. Prosperity = The feeling of having | producing han seouired Ptevaical Pact we = = ee ya 4 afte at orafty/ sere a Te Prosperity and Possession of Wealth are two different things = Prevailing Notions of Prosperity By and lege tie i confsion beers SETOPEELGSY ad he CAFE. It is generally assumed that the richer you are, the more prosperous you are, i.e. the more you have accumulated, the more prosperous you se. With tis sor of sssunption, we lita A ‘SoSGRMRSeORIMRSERGAMMIAR. That's happening al around. The major foeus mn the society today is on accumulation of physical faci oney y. In particular, there is a major focus on accumulating Today, most of the wealth (money) in the world is owned by a very tiny percentage of people. Many such people are seen exploiting otters, and exploiting the Earth, in an effort ro accumulate even more. Without clarity about how much is requited, the , and by almost any means. Firs the efforts may be by legal means, and then slip to even illegal means This is all because the: , Program for Continuity of Happiness The expanse of our living is at the following four levels As an Individual human being Asamember of a family As a member of society Asa unit in nature/existence We are living with all this expanse of our being, at these four levels; of course, we may or may not be aware of i.pe Universal Human Values Handout 4 of 5 a Introduction to Value Education Therefore, the programme for ensuring the continuity of happiness is To understand the harmony) _at all levels of being: and 1. At the level of the individual human being To live in harmony 2. Atthe level of family 3. Atthe level of society and 4. At the level of nature/existence Key Takeaways Happiness is to be in a state of harmony. The expanse of our living is at four levels (individual human being, family, society and nature/existence), and thus the program for continuity of happiness is to be in harmony at all these levels. Prosperity is the feeling of having more than requited physical facility. © All Rights Reserved This material here has been provided by the UHV Team, through NCC-IP, AICTE for use in AICTE FDPs (3-day UHV FDP or 5/6-day online UHV Workshop, 8-day UHV FDP, etc.) and AICTE recommended courses (like UHV-1, UHV-II, ete.) It may be freely used for educational purposes as itis, without any additions, deletions or changes For suggestions or updates etc., please contact UHV team coordinator through NCC-IP, AICTE 13