LECTURE NOTES B.

TECH (IV YEAR – I SEM)

(2022-2023)
Prepared by:
Mr. Ch.Ramesh M.B.A, M.Com, B.Ed & D.Ed Assistant Professor

Department of MBA
UNIVERSAL HUMAN V

R2041011-Universal Human Values-2:Understanding Harmony

COURSE OBJECTIVES
 To develop a holistic perspective based on self-exploration about themselves (human being), family, society and
nature/existence
 To understand (or developing clarity) the harmony in the human being, family, society and nature/existence
 To strengthen self-reflection
 To develop commitment and courage to act

MODULE 1 COURSE INTRODUCTION - NEED, BASIC GUIDELINES, CONTENT AND PROCESS FOR VALUE EDUCATION
1. Purpose and motivation for the course, recapitulation from Universal Human Values-I
2. Self-Exploration–what is it? - Its content and process; ‘Natural Acceptance’ and Experiential Validation- as the process for self-
exploration
3. Continuous Happiness and Prosperity- A look at basic Human Aspirations
4. Right understanding, Relationship and Physical Facility- the basic requirements for fulfilment of aspirations of every human being
with their correct priority
5. Understanding Happiness and Prosperity correctly- A critical appraisal of the current scenario
6. Method to fulfil the above human aspirations: understanding and living in harmony at various levels.
Practice sessions to discuss natural acceptance in human being as the innate acceptance for living with responsibility (living in relationship,
harmony and co-existence) rather than as arbitrariness in choice based on liking-disliking.

MODULE 2 UNDERSTANDING HARMONY IN THE HUMAN BEING - HARMONY IN MYSELF!

7. Understanding human being as a co-existence of the sentient ‘I’ and the material ‘Body’
8. Understanding the needs of Self (‘I’) and ‘Body’ - happiness and physical facility
9. Understanding the Body as an instrument of ‘I’ (I being the doer, seer and enjoyer)
10. Understanding the characteristics and activities of ‘I’ and harmony in ‘I’
11.Understanding the harmony of I with the Body: Sanyam and Health; correct appraisal of Physical needs, meaning of Prosperity in detail
12. Programs to ensure Sanyam and Health.
Practice sessions to discuss the role others have played in making material goods available to me. Identifying from one’s own life. Differentiate
between prosperity and accumulation. Discuss program for ensuring health vs dealing with disease.

MODULE 3 UNDERSTANDING HARMONY IN THE FAMILY AND SOCIETY- HARMONY IN HUMAN-HUMAN RELATIONSHIP

13. Understanding values in human-human relationship; meaning of Justice (nine universal values in relationships) and program for its
fulfilment to ensure mutual happiness; Trust and Respect as the foundational values of relationship
14. Understanding the meaning of Trust; Difference between intention and competence
15. Understanding the meaning of Respect, Difference between respect and differentiation; the other salient values in relationship
16. Understanding the harmony in the society (society being an extension of family): Resolution, Prosperity, fearlessness (trust) and co-
existence as comprehensive Human Goals
17. Visualizing a universal harmonious order in society- Undivided Society, Universal Order- from family to world family.
Practice sessions to reflect on relationships in family, hostel and institute as extended family, real life examples, teacher-student relationship, goal
of education etc. Gratitude as a universal value in relationships. Discuss with scenarios. Elicit examples from students’ lives.

MODULE 4 UNDERSTANDING HARMONY IN THE NATURE AND EXISTENCE - WHOLE EXISTENCE AS COEXISTENCE
18. Understanding the harmony in the Nature
19. Interconnectedness and mutual fulfilment among the four orders of nature- recyclability and self regulation in nature
20. Understanding Existence as Co-existence of mutually interacting units in all-pervasive space
21. Holistic perception of harmony at all levels of existence.
Practice sessions to discuss human being as cause of imbalance in nature (film “Home” can be used), pollution, depletion of resources
and role of technology etc.

MODULE 5 IMPLICATIONS OF THE ABOVE HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF HARMONY ON PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

22. Natural acceptance of human values
23. Definitiveness of Ethical Human Conduct
24. Basis for Humanistic Education, Humanistic Constitution and Humanistic Universal Order
25. Competence in professional ethics: a. Ability to utilize the professional competence for augmenting universal human order b. Ability to
identify the scope and characteristics of people friendly and eco-friendly production systems, c. Ability to identify and develop appropriate
technologies and management patterns for above production systems.
26. Case studies of typical holistic technologies, management models and production systems
27.Strategy for transition from the present state to Universal Human Order: a. At the level of individual: as socially and ecologically responsible
engineers, technologists and managers b. At the level of society: as mutually enriching institutions and organizations
28. Sum up.
Practice Exercises and Case Studies will be taken up in Practice (tutorial) Sessions eg. To discuss the conduct as an engineer or scientist etc.
Total: 28 Lectures And 14 Practice Sessions

COURSE OUTCOMES
On completion of the course, the student are expected
CO1: To become more aware of themselves, and their surroundings (family, society, nature)
CO2: They would become more responsible in life, and in handling problems with sustainable solutions, while keeping human
relationships and human nature in mind
CO3: To have better critical ability
CO4: To become sensitive to their commitment towards what they have understood (human values, human relationship and human
society)
CO5: To apply what they have learnt to their own self in different day-to-day settings in real life, at least a beginning would be made in
this direction

TEXT /REFERENCE BOOKS

1. Human Values and Professional Ethics by R R Gaur, R Sangal, G P Bagaria, Excel Books, New Delhi, 2010
2. Jeevan Vidya: Ek Parichaya, A Nagaraj, Jeevan Vidya Prakashan, Amarkantak, 1999.
3. Human Values, A.N. Tripathi, New Age Intl. Publishers, New Delhi, 2004.
4. The Story of Stuff (Book).
5. The Story of My Experiments with Truth - by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
6. Small is Beautiful - E. F Schumacher.
7. Slow is Beautiful - Cecile Andrews
8. Economy of Permanence - J C Kumarappa
9. Bharat Mein Angreji Raj – PanditSunderlal
10. Rediscovering India - by Dharampal
11. Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule - by Mohandas K. Gandhi
12. India Wins Freedom - Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad
13. Vivekananda - Romain Rolland (English)
14. Gandhi - Romain Rolland (English)
MODULE 1 COURSE INTRODUCTION - NEED, BASIC GUIDELINES, CONTENT
 Universal Human Values
Introduction to Value Education

Need for Value Education

All human beings aspire 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 clarity 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 is called ‘Value Education’ (VE). It enables us to understand our aspirations
and visualise our goals for a fulfilling life and indicates the direction for their fulfillment. In relation
to these issues, it also helps to remove our confusions and contradictions. In that sense, VE addresses
the issues related to ‘what to do?’.

It is 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 ‘how 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; i.e. first understanding ‘what to
do’ and then developing the skills for ‘how to do’. And of course, checking if this results into a
fulfilling life!

The present education system has largely become skill-biased. 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
strong need to rectify this situation. Value education is a crucial missing link in the present education
system.

But more importantly, the prime need of value education is to understand human aspirations, to
discover what is truly valuable in life; 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 has 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: It has to be 'naturally acceptable' to the human being and there needs to be
every provision in nature for its fulfillment. It needs to be experientially verifiable, and not based on
dogmas, beliefs or assumptions. It is not merely an intellectual exercise or information transfer.

All Encompassing: It needs to cover all dimensions (thought, behaviour, work and understanding) and
levels (individual, family, society and nature/existence) of human life.

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Introduction to Value Education

Leading to Harmony: It ultimately needs to promote harmony within the individual, among human
beings and with the entire nature.

Content of Value Education

The value of an entity is its participation in the larger order of which it is a part. 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 is to ensure the feeling of respect in the relationship. Interestingly, I feel 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
ensure mutual fulfilment in the larger order1, i.e. in the entire nature/existence, but starting from
within themselves, then extending in their family and in the society.

Hence, to understand human 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 as 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, i.e.
 It has to cover all dimensions of human being – thought, behaviour, work and realisation.
 It has to cover all levels of human living – individual, family, society, nature and existence.

Accordingly, the content of Value Education has to be to understand human being, human aspirations,
happiness; understand the goal of human life comprehensively; understand the other entities in nature,
the innate inter-connectedness, the harmony in the nature/existence and finally the role of human
being in this nature/existence.

Continuous Happiness and Prosperity as Basic Human Aspirations

Whatever we think, whatever we do is with some end state in mind. That end state is our basic aspiration.

When you ask yourself:

 Do I want to be happy?
 Do I want to be prosperous?
 Do I 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.

1
The word ‘order’ is used interchangeably with the word ‘harmony’, throughout

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Introduction to Value Education

Basic Requirements for Fulfilment of Human Aspirations

When we try to find out if we have fulfilled our basic aspiration, it is not always so affirmative. There
is quite a gap between our basic aspiration and our state of being.

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 that 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 putting 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
lack 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 this 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 has lack of physical facility, (s)he becomes uncomfortable and unhappy. Once
(s)he gets the physical facility, (s)he forgets about it and starts thinking about many other things.

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', ‘survival of the fittest’ and if you feel happy living this way?

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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 we don’t want to fight today; but a fight takes place again (sometimes by the end of the
same day).

Does this happen with you, with your brother, sister, father, mother, spouse, children, with your
friends, co-workers, etc.? Getting irritated, angry, not speaking for days, dragging each other to court,
divorces, etc. 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 other.

If we investigate into the priority among these, we can see that right understanding is the first priority,
fulfilment in relationship with human being is the second priority and ensuring physical facility with
rest of nature is the third priority.

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 with ‘human consciousness’.

On the other hand, if one is living for physical facility alone, and not ensuring right understanding and
right 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, we never feel that we have 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 1 or at 2?

Whereas we really want to be is in the following state, i.e.

3. Having physical facility, happy and prosperous.

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It is 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 ‘1’ to ‘2’.

Now, if we 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?

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.

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Introduction to Value Education

Role of Education-Sanskar
(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 as the 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).

Sanskar is the commitment, preparation and practice of living with right understanding. The
preparation includes learning appropriate skills and technology.

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Introduction to Value Education

Key Takeaways
The prime need of value education is to understand human aspirations, to discover what is truly
valuable (human value) in life. Value of any entity is its participation in the larger order of which it is
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 basic aspiration of a human being is continuity of happiness and prosperity. To fulfil this, three
things are required in order of priority: right understanding, relationship and physical facility, and one
cannot be substituted for the other.

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.

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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
human 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, etc. 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?
It is a process of seeing the reality on our own right, by our own investigation, observation and
analysis. Through this process, we are trying to understand the reality that exists and our participation
with it; this participation is what we are calling values.
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, it is not right for you.

Further, self-exploration is a process of dialogue. To begin with, it is 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 turns into
a dialogue within your own Self.

The Dialogue Within

It is a dialogue between “what I am” and “what is naturally acceptable to me”.

“What I am” has to do with my desires, my thoughts, my expectations; all that is going on in my
imagination. It includes the way I feel, the way I think, how I make 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 I really want to be, that is my natural acceptance. It is
my intention. It is 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:
Happiness is to be in a state of harmony.
Unhappiness is to be forced to be in a state of contradiction.

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 call it unhappiness.

It is possible for each one of us to do this self-exploration. The dialogue within constitutes the major
part of it. Through this, we:

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Introduction to Value Education

1. Discover our natural acceptance

2. Become aware of “what I am”
3. Can make effort to ensure harmony and happiness within by ensuring that “what I am” is in
line with my natural acceptance.

The Content for Self-exploration

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?
If we 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.

The second part of self-exploration is experiential validation. It means trying to live according to the
proposal. In living, there are two parts – one is the behaviour with other human beings and the second
is work with rest of nature. When we are behaving with human being on the basis of this proposal, we
want to verify whether it leads to mutual happiness or not. If it leads to mutual happiness, it is a right
proposal; if it does not lead to mutual happiness, it is not a right proposal. Similarly, when we are
working with rest of nature on the basis of this proposal, we want to verify whether it leads to mutual
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 and 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?
 Is it naturally acceptable to live in relationship or in opposition?
 What is naturally acceptable – to nurture your Body or to exploit it?

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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-conditionings,
beliefs, world-view, perspective, etc. 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:

 It does not change with time
 It does not change with place
 It does not change with the individual
 It is uncorrupted by likes and dislikes or assumptions or beliefs
 It is innate, a part and parcel of our being; we don’t need to create it
 It is definite

As we refer to our natural acceptance, we become self-referential.

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. It is assuring
b. It is satisfying
c. It is universal
i. Time: It holds good for all time – past, present and future
ii. Space: It is the same at all places or locations
iii. Individual: It is 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 it
is 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, i.e. “realisation of co-
existence”, “understanding of harmony” and “contemplation of relationship”.

Key Takeaways
Self-exploration is a process of seeing the reality on our own right, by our own investigation,
observation and analysis. It is a process of dialogue between “what I am” and “what is naturally
acceptable to me”. It includes verifying the proposals on the basis of natural acceptance (which is not
the same as acceptance) and validating experientially in living.

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Introduction to Value Education

Exploring the Meaning of Happiness and Prosperity

As stated earlier, the proposal for happiness is:
“The state or situation, in which I live, if there is harmony / synergy in it, it is Naturally Acceptable to
me to be in that state / situation”.
“To be in a state / situation which is Naturally Acceptable is Happiness”.
i.e. “To be in a state of Harmony / Synergy is Happiness”.
i.e. Happiness = Harmony.

Some exploration will show that when we are in a state of harmony within, we feel happy because
that state is naturally acceptable to us. When we are 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 acceptance is happiness. Similarly,

“The state or situation, in which I live, if there is disharmony / contradiction in it, it is 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”.
i.e. “To be forced to be in a state of Disharmony / Contradiction is Unhappiness”.
i.e. Unhappiness = Disharmony.

Is Happiness the same as Excitement?

The question is whether the feeling that we get is happiness or something else.
 What we get from the favourable sensation = happiness?
 Is the favourable feeling we get from the other = 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 happiness (a harmonious state within). Excitement is short
lived, not sustainable, while a harmonious state within is something which can be continuous and
sustainable.

Exploring the Meaning of Prosperity

Prosperity is the feeling of having more than required physical facility.

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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 right assessment, the feeling of prosperity cannot be assured,
regardless of the availability or accumulation of physical facility that we may have been able to do.

Just assessing the need is not enough. We need to ensure the availability or production of more than
the required quantity. This requires skills, technology and production. With both of these, right
assessment and availability, we have more than required physical facility. Over and above that, it is a
matter of feeling that we have more than enough.

When you have a feeling of prosperity, you will naturally think of nurturing and enriching others. On
the other hand, if we feel deprived then we think of exploiting and depriving others.

Prevailing Notions of Prosperity

By and large, there is confusion between accumulation of physical facility and the feeling of
prosperity. 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 are. With this sort of assumption, we pursue
prosperity with an obsession for profit, for accumulation. That is happening all around. The major
focus in the society today is on accumulation of physical facility. In particular, there is a major focus
on accumulating money.

Today, most of the wealth (money) in the world is owned by a very tiny percentage of people. Many
such people are seen exploiting others, and exploiting the Earth, in an effort to accumulate even more.
Without clarity about how much is required, the effort is for an unlimited quantity of physical facility,
and by almost any means. First the efforts may be by legal means, and then slip to even illegal means.
This is all because the quantity required is undefined and there is a feeling of deprivation!

Program for Continuity of Happiness

The expanse of our living is at the following four levels:
1. As an Individual human being
2. As a member of a family
3. As a member of society
4. As a 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 it.

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 Universal Human Values
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. At the level of family
3. At the 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 required 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-I, UHV-II, etc.)
It may be freely used for educational purposes as it is, without any additions, deletions or changes
For suggestions or updates etc., please contact UHV team coordinator through NCC-IP, AICTE

13
MODULE 2 UNDERSTANDING HARMONY IN THE HUMAN BEING - HARMONY
 Universal Human Values Handout 2 of 5
Understanding Harmony in the Human Being

Now we will start exploring the four levels of living of a human being, starting from the level of
individual.

Understanding the Human Being

(As Co-existence of Self and Body)
We are human beings; and we need to first understand ourselves.
So, what is a human being? The proposal is that human being is co-existence of the Self and the Body.
Self is what we term as ‘I’ and Body is what we see with our eyes.

To understand the two realities, we can start by looking at the needs, activities and response of the
Self and the Body.

The Needs of the Self and the Body

The need of the Self is happiness (e.g. feeling of respect leading to happiness) while the need of the
Body is physical facility (e.g. food). All the needs related to the Self are continuous in time while all
the needs related to the Body are required for a limited time. This is one way we can differentiate
between the need of the Self and the need of the Body.

The other way to see the difference between the two is in terms of quantity and quality. The need for
food is quantitative in nature. We can identify the quantity of the food needed to nurture our body.
Same is the case with the need of clothes, shelter, etc. On the other hand, the feeling of respect, trust,
etc. is not quantitative. We don’t say, ‘today I got half kg of respect’ or ‘two metres of trust’. These
feelings are qualitative in nature.

Now, let us see how these two different types of needs are fulfilled. The need for food is fulfilled by
something physical. But when it comes to the need for respect, it is fulfilled by the feeling of respect.
All the needs related to the Body are fulfilled by some physio-chemical things. All the needs related
to the Self are in terms of feeling, and they are fulfilled by right understanding and right feeling.

The Activities of the Self and the Body

The Self has the activity of desire, thought and expectation which are continuous. On the other hand,
any activity of the Body, like eating, walking, etc. is temporary in time.

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The Response of the Self and the Body

The response of the Body is based on recognizing and fulfilling whereas the response of the Self is
based on knowing, assuming, recognizing and fulfilling. The recognition and fulfilment of the Body is
definite, while that of Self is determined by the activity of assuming. As assumption changes, the
recognition and fulfilment by the Self also changes. The conduct of the human being basically
depends upon the response of the Self, as all decisions are made by the Self. Only with the
assumptions set right,
i.e. assuming based on knowing (which is definite), can recognising and fulfilling be set right; and
only then, the conduct can become definite.

All the problems of a human being are due to assumptions without knowing, and the solution lies in
ensuring the activity of knowing. And this is possible only through education-sanskar.

The Self as the Consciousness Entity, the Body as the Material Entity
The Self and the Body are two different types of reality. The Self is the domain of consciousness,
which is characterised by the activity of knowing, assuming, recognising and fulfilling. The Body is
the domain of material and it only has the activity of recognising and fulfilling.

Happiness is the need of the consciousness and it is fulfilled by right understanding and right feeling,
which are activities of the consciousness itself. The Body is a material unit, its needs are material in
nature and they are fulfilled by physio-chemical things.

To understand the human being, both the domain of consciousness as well as the domain of material
needs to be understood. For human being to be fulfilled, both domains need to be fulfilled separately.

Key Takeaways
Human being is co-existence of the Self (Consciousness) and the Body (Material). This can be seen
on the basis of exploring into the need, fulfilment of need, activity and response of the Self and the
Body. In particular, the response of the body is definite while the response of the self depends on
assuming. With assuming based on knowing, the conduct of a human being gets definite, otherwise it
is indefinite.

Gross Misunderstanding – Assuming Human Being to be only the Body

The gross misunderstanding is assuming the human being to be the Body; and therefore, trying to
fulfil all the needs through physical facility.

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It is needless to say that due to over-use of physical facility, there are widespread repercussions at
every level of human existence. On the one hand, there is exploitation of natural resources for more
and more physical facility. On the other hand, human beings are exploited in the process and also,
they are made to compete for the limited physical facility.

The Way Ahead

The only way to come out of this misunderstanding is to understand the human being as it is. The Self
has to be understood as a conscious entity and Body as a material entity. Their needs are different,
activities are different, response is different and basically, they are two different entities co-existing as
a human being.

Key Takeaways
The needs of the Self and the Body are of two different types, so they have to be fulfilled separately.
A gross misunderstanding is to assume the two to be the same, and this leads to the feeling of
deprivation and exploitation.

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Understanding Harmony in the Human Being

Understanding Harmony in the Self

Now we will explore into the activities of the Self and see how harmony can be ensured among all the
activities of the Self, resulting into a state of continuous happiness.

Activities of the Self

The activities of the Self can be seen in terms of desire, thought and expectation.

Desire is the name given to the activity of imaging. You are making an image in the Self. Desire is in
the form of an image which you have created within. Thought is the power for the activity of
analysing based on comparing various possibilities to fulfil your desire. Expectation is the power for
the activity of selecting based on tasting.

Activities of the Self are Continuous

These powers of desire, thought and expectation are inexhaustible, and the activities are continuous.
The activities of imaging, analyzing-comparing and selecting-tasting are always going on, whether we
are aware of them or not.

These Activities Together Constitute Imagination

These activities are together called imagination. We may not immediately be able to observe our
desire, thought and expectation distinctly, but it may be easier to see that something is going on
within. One imagination or the other is going on in us all the time.

Happiness and unhappiness depend on the state of imagination. If your imagination is in harmony
with your natural acceptance, you are in a state of happiness. When it is in contradiction with your
natural acceptance, you are in a state of unhappiness.
Imagination is expressed to the world outside, in terms of behaviour with human being and work with
the rest of nature.

We have also referred to imagination as “what I am” and the natural acceptance as “what I really want
to be”.

State of Imagination
Once you start looking at your imagination, you will be able to find out the state of your imagination.
Your imagination could be well organised, in harmony or it could be a random mixture of harmony
and contradiction.

Possible Sources of Imagination

There are three possible sources of motivation for imagination: 1. Preconditioning, 2. Sensation and 3.
Natural Acceptance

A dominant source of imagination is preconditioning. Preconditioning means the beliefs, notions,

norms, ideas, views, dictums, goals, etc. prevailing in the family, in the society which we have
assumed without knowing. They may influence our imagination.

Another major source of our desire, our imagination is the sensation. Sensation is the information we
get from the Body through the five sense organs – of sound, touch, sight, taste and smell.

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Understanding Harmony in the Human Being

The third source of imagination is our natural acceptance. It can also be referred to as the inner voice
or conscience. Self-verification on the basis of our natural acceptance can be the third possible source.
It may or may not be the predominant source of motivation currently, but it can be the real source for
deciding our desire, our imagination.

Consequences of Imagination from the three Sources

– Self-organisation or Enslavement?
If your imagination is motivated by preconditioning or sensation, you may or may not be in harmony
with the natural acceptance. Therefore, you may be in a state of happiness within or unhappiness
within. Your happiness is dependent or enslaved by your preconditioning and sensation.

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Understanding Harmony in the Human Being

And then there is a large possibility that there is contradiction in your desires, leading to contradiction
in your thoughts and then expectations. In such a state of contradiction within, your imagination is
enough to keep you unhappy all the time.

There is a possibility that a large share of your imagination is enslaved by preconditionings and
sensations, while a very small share is guided by your natural acceptance. One thing to note here is
that sensation is not an enslavement in itself. Through sensation only, the Self is able to take proper
care of the Body. But problem arises when you try to associate happiness with favourable sensations.
Similarly, there could be some preconditioning which may also be right. But unless you verify it, and
validate in your living, it is just like an enslavement. And this leads to unhappiness.

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If your imagination is guided by your natural acceptance, you are sure to be in harmony and happiness
within. You are self-organized.

The Way Ahead

– Ensuring Harmony in the Self by way of Self-exploration
To achieve this harmony in the Self, we need to start self-exploration. In the process, we need to:
 Know our natural acceptance
 Be aware of our imagination
 Find out the source of imagination
 Work out a way to sort out our imagination till it is fully in line with our natural acceptance
When the imagination is in harmony with the natural acceptance, there is harmony in the Self. This
harmony is happiness.

Key Takeaways
The activities of desire, thought and expectation are together called imagination. Imagination is
continuously going on in the Self. The sources of imagination can be sensation, pre-conditioning or
natural acceptance. There is harmony in the Self when the imagination is in line with one’s natural
acceptance. Harmony in the Self is in continuity when all the activities of the Self are awakened.

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Understanding Harmony in the Human Being

Understanding Harmony of the Self with the Body

In this lecture, we will discuss the harmony of the Self with the Body, and try to understand self-
regulation and health.

The Body as a Self-organised System

The Body is a wonderful self-organised system. It has so many parts. Each part co-exists in harmony
with every other part. The eyes are well connected to the brain; the mouth, the stomach and the whole
digestive system is synchronized and so it is for every organ, every cell of the Body – and you have to
do nothing to make these connections or to synchronize the various parts or to deal with every cell.

Harmony of the Self with the Body: Self-regulation and Health

As we discussed in lecture 9, the Body is an instrument of the Self. The responsibility of the Self
towards the Body is in terms of nurturing, protecting and rightly utilizing the Body. Nurturing the
Body is by providing appropriate air, water, food, sunlight, etc. Protection is to ensure the continuity
of the body which includes safeguarding from unfavorable conditions. Right utilization would mean
using the Body for the purpose of the Self. This feeling of responsibility towards the Body is called as
the feeling of self-regulation, and a natural outcome of it is health.

Feeling of self-regulation = the feeling of responsibility in the self towards the Body – for nurturing,
protection and right utilization of the Body.

Indicators of a healthy body:

 The Body is healthy if it is able to perform as per the instructions of the Self.
 Different parts of the Body are in harmony amongst each other, they are in order.

The feeling of self-regulation in the Self is primary. Health in the Body is a natural consequence.

When the Self has the feeling of self-regulation and there is health in the Body, there is harmony of
the Self with the Body.

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Appraisal of the Current Status

Over the last 100 years or so, there have been significant improvements in terms of longer life-spans,
in dealing with communicable diseases and trauma, but yet, ensuring health remains a question mark 1.
The problem is in the wrong assumptions, one of which is that human being is the Body. With this
assumption, happiness is sought through favorable sensation through the Body. Further, the
assumption that we will get happiness from sensation through the consumption of physical facility has
led to a high demand for it. Most of the present-day disorders are psycho-somatic in nature. ‘Psycho’
has to do with the Self and ‘Somatic’ has to do with the Body. Disharmony in the Self causes
disharmony in the Body causing psycho-somatic problems. These effects are very prominent when the
individual is living with the assumption “I am the Body”.

The Way Ahead

There is a need to understand human being as it is (as co-existence of Self and Body). The significant
part is having the feeling of self-regulation in the Self. This can happen only when the Self is in
harmony, i.e. there is right understanding and right feeling in the Self. With a feeling of self-
regulation, the Self will naturally nurture, protect and rightly utilize the Body, resulting in health of
the Body.

Key Takeaways
The Body is an instrument of the Self. Harmony of the Self with the Body is ensured when Self has
the feeling of self-regulation and there is health in the Body.

Programme for Self-regulation and Health

As we discussed earlier, feeling of self-regulation is the feeling of responsibility in the Self for
nurturing, protection and right utilization of the Body. We can now detail it further:

Nurturing the Body

Nurturing means providing the necessary inputs to the Body. The right inputs nurture the Body,
without disturbing its harmony.

The programme for nurturing and maintaining health of the Body includes the following:
1a. Intake 1b. Routine
2a. Physical Labour 2b. Exercise
3a. Balancing internal and 3b. Balancing breathing of body
external organs of body
4a. Medicine 4b. Treatment

1a. The first part is the intake, all that the Body takes in. It includes the air it breathes, the water it
drinks, the sunlight it absorbs, the food given to it and so on.

1b. A regular routine is required in order to keep the Body healthy, like ensuring a proper programme
for sleeping, waking up, cleaning the Body, eating, doing physical work, etc.

2a. The Body needs adequate movement to maintain health. Labour is the work on the rest of nature.
Few hours of labour a day provides sufficient body movements to keep the Body in good health. It
also ensures production of physical facility.

A lifestyle which includes appropriate intake, routine and labour, would be generally sufficient to
keep the Body in good health. However, if we are unable to do that, or in spite of this effort, there is
some

1
Please refer to latest health data available from sources like the World Health Organisation
(https://www.who.int/)
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disharmony in the Body, there are some more aspects of the programme for self-regulation and health,
below.

2b. If one is not able to labor, s(he) can do exercises for proper upkeep of the Body.

3a. There is a need for keeping the internal as well as the external organs in harmony by appropriate
means like postures, movements etc.

3b. Breathing is a significant activity for the Body. Balancing the breathing of body is necessary,
through appropriate breathing exercises.

For the most part, health of the Body can be maintained by these three (1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b).
Despite these, if there is some problem in the health of the Body then we take medicine and
ultimately, we also take treatment when all this does not work.

4a. The Body is self-organised and naturally in harmony. It is able to recover itself from many
disturbances. But if due to some reasons it runs into disharmony, medicine is helpful in taking care of
lifestyle disorders, non-communicable illnesses as well as communicable diseases.

4b. In the event the Body is not in a state to recover itself back to a state of harmony, there is a need
for treatment.

Protecting the Body

Providing a conducive physical environment includes clothing, shelter etc. is all a part of protection of
the Body.

Right Utilisation of the Body

Right utilization of the Body would mean that it is used in the process of fulfilling human aspiration,
which is basically the need of the Self. If one is using the Body in the process of fulfilling the needs of
the Self, it is right utilization of the Body. It would include work with rest of nature to produce
physical facility required for the Body.

Revisiting Prosperity in the Light of the Harmony between the Self and the
Body
The need for the physical facility is essentially related to fulfillment of this feeling of responsibility
towards the Body, i.e. we need physical facility for nurturing the Body (food…), for protecting the
Body (clothes, shelter…) and for rightly utilizing the Body (instruments…) and that’s it. And if we
can see this clearly, we can also see that the physical facility required to ensure each one of them is
required in limited quantity. Hence, prosperity is very much possible.

As an exercise, one can list all the physical facilities required for these three purposes, and see
whether they are limited. Next, one can assess the available facilities, and see if they are more than
required. If not, then how much more will be required can be worked out. This will clearly give a
vision for ensuring prosperity.

My Participation (Value) regarding Self and my Body

My participation (value) with my Body is:
 Ensuring a feeling of self-regulation in the Self
 Ensuring the nurturing, protection and right utilisation of the Body
 Ensuring the production / availability of more than required physical facility for the above

By ensuring these three, the Body continues to be in harmony, it remains healthy. And one also has
the feeling of prosperity.

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Understanding Harmony in the Human Being

Key Takeaways
When the Self has a feeling of self-regulation (the responsibility for nurturing, protection and right
utilisation of the Body), and it is able to fulfil this responsibility, the Body is in harmony (good
health). This feeling of self-regulation is instrumental in identifying the need for physical facility and
ensuring prosperity.

© 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-I, UHV-II, etc.)
It may be freely used for educational purposes as it is, without any additions, deletions or changes
For suggestions or updates etc., please contact UHV team coordinator through NCC-IP, AICTE

11
MODULE 3 UNDERSTANDING HARMONY IN THE FAMILY AND SOCIETY- HA
 Universal Human Values Handout 3 of 5
Understanding Harmony in the Family

Every human being is born in a family and is part of a family. The family is the basic unit or
building block of human organisation. It provides a base for appreciating, accepting,
understanding and practicing to live in relationship and harmony (order).

Feeling of Relationship as the Basis for Harmony in the Family

The harmony in the family has primarily to do with the fulfilment of relationship between
one human being and the other human being. In order to fulfil relationship, it is necessary to
understand relationship.

Understanding Relationship
We will now explore into the four important aspects of relationship:
1.
Relationship is – between one Self (I1) and another Self (I2)
2.
There are feelings in relationship – in one Self (I1) for the other Self (I2)
3.
These feelings can be recognised – they are definite
4.
The fulfilment of these feelings and their right evaluation lead to mutual happiness
1.
Relationship is – between one Self (I1) and another Self (I2)
Relationship is already there. We do not have to construct or create relationship. All we need
to do is to understand relationship and fulfil it.

Relationship is between one Self and the other Self. It is the Self which is recognizing the
relationship, and not the Body. It is the Self which relates to the other, and not the Body.
2.
There are feelings in relationship – in one Self (I1) for the other Self (I2)
The important issue in human relationship is that of the feelings. We can see that feelings are
in the Self, not in the Body. It is the Self which has the feelings and which recognises the
feelings. To understand relationship, one has to understand the Self and the naturally
acceptable feelings in the Self.
3.
These feelings can be recognised – they are definite
These feelings can be recognised, they are definite. There are nine feelings in relationship.
These are the feelings which we can understand, which we can ensure within ourselves,
which we can share with others and thus ensure mutual fulfilment in relationship. These are
the feelings which are naturally acceptable to us in the relationship with the other human
being.

Feelings (values) in relationship:

1. Trust (foundation value)
2. Respect
3. Affection
4. Care
5. Guidance
6. Reverence
7. Glory
8. Gratitude
9. Love (complete value)
4.
Fulfilment of feelings in relationship and their evaluation leads to mutual happiness
When we have these naturally acceptable feelings in the Self, we share them with the other
and when we are both able to evaluate the feelings rightly, it leads to mutual happiness, i.e.
the happiness of oneself as well as the happiness of the other.
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Appraisal of the Current Status

The problem today is that we assume ourselves to be the Body and we assume the
relationship on the basis of the Body (and not the feelings). We, therefore, fail to understand
relationship and consequently, we fail to fulfil it, despite all our good intentions. The
problems are due to absence of one or more of the right feelings in the Self. And we try to
make up this gap by physical facility or by trying to demand these feelings from others, rather
than ensuring these feelings in ourselves and sharing it with others.

The Way Ahead

First, we need to righty recognize the relationship, identify the naturally acceptable feelings
in relationship, understand these feelings and ensure that these feelings are there in us. This
will ensure happiness in us. Secondly, we have to share these feelings with the other.
Because this is naturally acceptable to the other as well, it will lead to happiness in the other
also. Thus, it will lead to mutual happiness. And that is how the fulfilment in relationship
takes place.

Key Takeaways
Relationship already exists – we don’t have to create it; rather we only have to recognise and
fulfil it. The family is the basic unit of human-human interaction. The basic issue in family is
that of relationship. In relationship, there are nine feelings (values) that can be clearly
understood and lived with. There is harmony in the family, mutual happiness in the family,
when we understand the feelings and ensure in our living.

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'Trust' – the Foundational Value in Relationship

Now we will explore the first feeling, which is the foundational feeling (value) in relationship.

Feeling of Trust
Trust is to be assured that the other intends to make me happy and prosperous.

In order to understand trust, examine these eight statements:

1a. Do I want to make myself happy? 1b. Am I able to make myself always happy?
2a. Do I want to make the other happy? 2b. Am I able to make the other always
happy?
3a. Does the other want to make 3b. Is the other able to make himself/herself
himself/ herself happy? always happy?
4a. Does the other want to make me happy? 4b. Is the other able to make me always
happy?
Intention (Natural Acceptance) Competence
What is the answer? What is the answer?

The questions 1a to 4a relate to natural acceptance, the intention. Questions 1b to 4b relate to

the competence, the ability. By and large, as far as the statements about the intention, i.e.
natural acceptance, are concerned, there is a tick mark in 1a, 2a and 3a, and there is a
question mark in 4a. When we look at the competence, at the ability, there is a question mark,
right from the beginning – there is a question mark on 1b, 2b, 3b; on 4b there is a big
question mark.

Distinguishing between Intention and Competence

Now if you try to analyse your own responses, many things will get clarified. You’ll find that
while evaluating yourself, you evaluate on the basis of your intention (natural acceptance).
You think that you are a good person as your intentions are good. On the other hand, when
you evaluate the other, you evaluate him on the basis of his/her competence. You find that
s(he) is
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not able to make you happy all the time. Many times, or most of the time he ends up making
you unhappy. Therefore, you think that the other wants to make you unhappy. You have a
doubt on other’s intention.
On the basis of lack of competence, we conclude about the lack of intention of the other.
When we doubt their intention, instead of accepting the other as a relative, we have a feeling
of opposition. This is the common mistake that we make in relationship today.

Now that we have clarity about intention and competence, explore this question:
If you have unconditional, continuous trust on intention, on the natural acceptance of the
other and if the other is lacking competence, what will you do?
a) Try to improve upon his competence
b) Get irritated
c) Get angry
d) Have a feeling of opposition

The answer is obviously (a). It is a response which indicates trust on intention. All other
answers are reactions based on doubt on intention.

Now with these indicators, find out how many people are there in your life on whom you
have trust on intention (natural acceptance) which is unconditional and continuous.

Generally, we don’t see intention and competence separately. Since competence is generally
lacking, the feeling of unconditional acceptance is almost completely missing; rather there is
a feeling of opposition. With that, we reinforce wrong assumptions like:
 Strangers can’t be trusted (?)
 Trust is developed over a long-time (?)
 Never trust anyone (?)

Thus, if we are able to see intention and competence distinctly, we will be able to place a tick
mark in 4a. We will be assured of the intention of the other human being. And with that, we
will make a programme of interaction with right evaluation of our competence and their
competence (so, this is not ‘blind’ trust).

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With the feeling of trust, one is able to see it clearly that the intention is same for all, to be
happy and make other happy. The only difference lies in the level of competence.

Key Takeaways
Trust is to be assured that the other has a natural acceptance (intention) to make me happy
and prosperous. Trust on intention is the foundation of relationship. It is the beginning of
mutual development. A common mistake is to evaluate oneself on the basis of one’s intention
(and conclude that I am good) and the other on the basis of their lack of competence (thus
doubt their intention and conclude that the other is bad).

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Respect– As the Right Evaluation

Out of the nine feelings in relationship, we tried to understand the feeling of Trust. With trust on
intention, the relationship starts. We will now explore the feeling of respect. Let us see, when do we
feel respected? How do I respect others?

Feeling of Respect
Respect is right evaluation.

When we are rightly evaluated, we feel respected. When we are not rightly evaluated, we feel
disrespected.

Disrespect can take place in three ways:

Over evaluation – evaluating for more than what it is
Under evaluation – evaluating for less than what it is
Otherwise evaluation – evaluating for other than what it is

If we look at our day-to-day behavior, we generally tend to do one of these three – over evaluation,
under evaluation or otherwise evaluation. If any of these three takes place, the other person feels
uncomfortable, disrespected.

Minimum Content of Respect – The Other is Similar to Me

When we evaluate the human being on the basis of Self, we are able to see that:
1. Our purpose is the same – As I have a natural acceptance to live with continuous happiness
and prosperity, it is same with the other. So, on the basis of our natural acceptance, we have
the same purpose.

2. Our programme is same – As my programme to achieve continuous happiness and

prosperity is to understand the harmony and live in harmony at all levels of my being (from
human being to the entire existence), it is same with the other. In that sense, our programme
to fulfil our purpose is also same.

3. Our potential is same – As I am endowed with natural acceptance and the activities of
desire, thought and expectation are going on continuously in me, it is the same with the other.
So, our potential is also same.

Thus, we can see that the other (Self) is similar to me. This is the minimum content of respect for a
human being.

Disrespect Arising out of Differentiation leading to Discrimination

In general, what we are doing in the name of respect today is differentiating and discriminating.

First set of differentiation is on the basis of body– on the basis of age, gender, race and physical
strength. This is based on the gross misunderstanding that human being = Body. The truth is that
human being = co-existence of the Self and the Body.

The second set of differentiation is made on the basis of physical facility – on the basis of wealth and
post. The gross misunderstanding here is that physical facility = happiness. The truth is that happiness
is to be in a state of harmony.

The third basis of differentiation is on the basis of beliefs – on the basis of different isms (thought
systems like socialism, capitalism, etc.), different sects, and different sets of information prevalent in

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the society. This is founded on the misunderstanding that if the pre-conditioning of the other matches
with mine, then the other is respectable, otherwise not. The truth is that pre-conditioning and right
understanding are two different things.

All this differentiation ultimately leads to discrimination, which is disrespect because it is not
naturally acceptable.

Complete Content of Respect – We are Complementary to Each Other

At the level of the Self, only the competence could be different. Competence means how much of the
potential of the Self has been realized. One Self may have realized more of its potential, while another
may have realized less of its potential.

This difference in competence is to be complementary to each other (not to discriminate and exploit
each other).

The complete content of respect is to be able to see that ‘the other is similar to me and we are
complementary’.

Defining one’s complementarity:

 If the other has more understanding, is more responsible than me, I’m committed to
understand from the other
 If I have more understanding than the other, I’m more responsible than the other. I live with
responsibility with the other, unconditionally, unperturbed by the behaviour of the other. I am
committed to facilitate the understanding in the other, once the other is assured in relationship
and not before that

The complete content of respect is

 The other is similar to me in terms of purpose, programme and potential and
 We are complementary to each other in terms of competence

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Thus, respect is right evaluation (of intention and competence on the basis of Self). We are similar at
the level of purpose, programme and potential and we are complementary at the level of competence.

Disrespect arises out of over-evaluation, under-evaluation or otherwise-evaluation; and also, out of

differentiation leading to discrimination on the basis of body, physical facility or beliefs. Small
incidents of disrespect can have long-lasting consequences – from not speaking to each other, to
opposition, break in relationship, divorce, fights and even war.

With the complete understanding of respect, we can see for every individual on the earth that we all
are the same in terms of intention, program and potential. The only difference may lie in the level of
competence. I may be having higher level of competence in relation to one, but may be having lower
level of competence in relation to another. With this evaluation, one can work out the program to be
complimentary to the other.

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All the specific characteristics at the level of Body, physical facility, belief etc. can be used to express
that complementarity.
e.g. a person with greater physical strength do the heavy work
e.g. a person at a higher post can work for the development of more people and so on

Key Takeaways
Respect is right evaluation at the level of the Self. The complete content of respect is to see that the
other is similar to me in terms of purpose, programme and potential; and we are complementary to
each other in terms of competence.
Over evaluation, under/otherwise evaluation and discrimination are disrespect.

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Other Naturally Acceptable Feelings in Relationship

In the previous three lectures, we explored the feelings of trust and respect. Now, we will discuss
other feelings, and understand our participation in the family.

3. Affection
Affection is the feeling of being related to the other.
Affection is the feeling of acceptance for the other as one’s relative. Lack of affection is seen in the
form of opposition, jealousy, etc. The feelings of trust and respect are essential to have the feeling of
affection. When we have the feelings of trust, we feel related to the other; otherwise we may feel
opposed to the other.

4. Care
Care is the feeling of responsibility and commitment for nurturing and protection of the Body
of my relative.
With the feeling of affection, one naturally takes the responsibility for development of the relative –
both at the level of Self as well as at the level of Body. Being responsible to the Body of one’s relative
is Care.

5. Guidance
Guidance is the feeling of responsibility and commitment for development of Self by ensuring
the right understanding and right feeling in the Self of my relative.
Being responsible to the Self of my relative is Guidance.
Generally, our focus is mostly on care because we have come to assume that human being is Body.
We are not even aware of the Self. Therefore, we are not aware that we have to take care of the Self as
well.

6. Reverence
Reverence is the feeling of acceptance for excellence.
Excellence is to be in a state of continuous happiness with the completeness of understanding of
harmony and living in harmony at all levels. Once we achieve excellence, it continues. Excellence is
something definite, something absolute.

There is a basic difference between working for excellence and competition. If you have achieved
excellence, you would naturally make effort for helping others to achieve excellence. On the other
hand, in competition, we not only do not help rather we hinder the other to reach to our level.

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7. Glory
Glory is the feeling of acceptance for those who have made effort for excellence.
For all those people whom we call great people, when we accept the effort made for excellence by
them, to whatever extent they are able to achieve it, we naturally have a feeling of glory for them.

8. Gratitude
Gratitude is the feeling of acceptance for those who have made the effort for my excellence.
In our life, there may be so many people who have been of help to us in the process of understanding
harmony and living in harmony. So, we have this feeling of gratitude for them. Gratitude is a
significant feeling in the development of relationship.

9. Love
Love is the feeling of being related to everyone, to all. It starts from affection, which we have already
explored. If this feeling expands to many and ultimately to all, it is the feeling of love. So, we begin
with the feeling of affection, and complete it with the feeling of love. That is why, Love is called
complete value.

Love is the feeling of being related to all.

Love is expressed in the form of compassion. The feeling of love is for all and it is expressed to
whosoever comes in contact.

Distinguishing Between Love and Infatuation

The feeling of love is not something which is based on sensation. If there is a feeling on the basis of
sensation, this is the case of infatuation where the sensual pleasure becomes the major goal.
Infatuation is conditional – it may last only as long as you are able to get the sensation or you have
hope of getting happiness through sensation. It is very temporary; it does not last for long. Once the
effect wears off, then the long-term issues of feelings become prominent.

Right Feeling – within Myself or from the Other?

With this background, we can ask ourselves which can have continuity:
 Right feeling in myself or
 Getting right feeling from the other
The answer is quite obvious that there can be continuity of right feeling, if it is from within and based
on right understanding. But generally, we do keep making effort for getting right feeling from the
other in continuity.

Role of Physical Facility in Fulfilment of Relationship

You can now see that physical facility has a limited role to play in the fulfilment of the feeling in
human- human relationship. To fulfil the feeling of care, physical facility is certainly required. For
other than the feeling of care, physical facility only has a symbolic role to play.

Response and Reaction in Behaviour

An important implication of understanding relationship, particularly trust on intention, is the clarity
about problems in living in reaction and the possibility of living with response. With response, your
conduct is definite while with reaction, the conduct is indefinite.

My Participation (Value) in Family

My participation (value) vis-à-vis my family is to ensure harmony in the family, ensure mutual
happiness, ensure justice in the family by way of:
 Ensuring right feelings (trust, respect, affection, care, guidance, reverence, glory, gratitude
and love) in myself – this leads to my happiness.

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 Expressing (sharing) these feelings with the other. When the other is able to make the right
evaluation of these feelings, it leads to his/her happiness, thus leading to mutual happiness.
My participation is to be of help to the other in their self-evolution, self-development.

With this preparation in the family, I have the ability to participate meaningfully in the larger society
– in the neighbourhood, in the community and so on.

Justice in Relationship
With the above discussion, justice can be understood.

Justice is the recognition, fulfilment and evaluation of human-human relationship, leading to

mutual happiness.

To expand it a bit:
 Recognition of relationship means recognizing the naturally acceptable feelings in
relationship rightly.
 Fulfilment of relationship means
o Ensuring the naturally acceptable feelings in oneself.
o Living with responsibility with the other with these feelings, forming the basis of
relationship. This makes the other comfortable and assured.
o Making effort for mutual development, i.e. development of one’s own competence
and being of help to the other in developing their competence.
 Evaluation means verifying that I have the right feeling, I am able to express it properly, the
right feeling has reached to the other and the other is able to identify it as the right feeling.

When the recognition, fulfilment and evaluation are right from my side, I feel happy. When the other
is able to evaluate the expression of my feeling rightly, then (s)he also feels happy. Developing this
competence may take time.

Justice is desirable in the family and beyond the family, all the way to the world family.

Key Takeaways
The other feelings in relationship include affection, care, guidance, reverence, glory, gratitude and
love. Love is the feeling of acceptance of all; it is the complete value. Justice is ensuring these
feelings in oneself and expressing them to the other, leading to mutual happiness. Justice begins from
family and extends to the world family, leading to undivided society.

© 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-I, UHV-II, etc.)
It may be freely used for educational purposes as it is, without any additions, deletions or changes
For suggestions or updates etc., please contact UHV team coordinator through NCC-IP, AICTE

12
MODULE 4 UNDERSTANDING HARMONY IN THE NATURE AND EXISTENCE - WH
 Universal Human Values Handout 4 of 5
Understanding Harmony in the Society

So far, we have explored harmony in the human being and harmony in the family. In the sequence, the
next level of living for a human being is society. We can see very much see that we can conceive of a
society only if it has families living together in a relationship of mutual fulfillment otherwise it is just
like a crowd or battlefield.

Understanding Human Goal

The goals of human being living in a society can be articulated as shown below:

We can explore and see what is naturally acceptable?

 Right understanding in every human being or only a few to have right understanding and
others to follow them?
 Prosperity in every family or few families to have accumulation, and others to be deprived
and dependent on the few?
 Fearlessness, based on trust and affection, in the society or a state of fear, based on mistrust
and jealousy in the society?
 Co-existence (mutual fulfilment) in nature or exploitation and domination of nature?

Appraisal of the Current Status

As shown in the figure, due to the prevailing false assumptions of happiness (like money is
everything), happiness is sought through accumulation of physical facility (money) by any means, and
using it for getting sensations from the body or feelings from others. The second goal of prosperity is
similarly seen as accumulating more and more. With these as the driving assumptions in the society, it
has led to people living with three kinds of obsessions:
1. Obsession for consumption
2. Obsession for profit
3. Obsession for sensual pleasure

Similarly, instead of the third goal of fearlessness (trust), we have domination, exploitation and fear in
the society. Finally, instead of mutual fulfilment, we are mostly trying to exploit and be the master
over nature.

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The Way Ahead

There is a need for understanding the harmony in society and living accordingly. The correct
sequence in which these four goals can be fulfilled is shown in the figure below:

Dimensions (Systems) of Human Order

With the clarity of human goals, we can discuss five interconnected, complementary dimensions of
human order required for the fulfilment of the human goal. The five basic systems of a human society
are:
1. Education-Sanskar
2. Health-Self regulation
3. Production-Work
4. Justice-Preservation
5. Exchange-Storage

Though all are interconnected, we can see a primary link of the systems with the goals as:
Education-Sanskar (leads to)  Right understanding and right feeling (happiness)
Health-self-regulation  (leads to)  Prosperity
Production-Work  (leads to)  Prosperity
Justice-Preservation  (leads to)  Fearlessness and Co-existence (respectively)
Exchange–storage  (leads to)  Prosperity and Fearlessness

Education-Sanskar
Looking at the first dimension of Education-Sanskar, as we discussed earlier, we can see that

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Education is to develop right understanding of the harmony at all levels of being – from self to the
entire existence (individual, family, society, and nature/existence).
and
Sanskar is to develop the basic acceptances of the harmony at various levels.

Education provides the commitment, preparation and practice of living in harmony at all levels.
Preparation includes learning the skills and technology for living in harmony. Our living is an
expression of our sanskar.

Health and Self-regulation

We had discussed this at length earlier.

Self-regulation is the feeling of responsibility towards the Body, for nurturing, protection and right
utilization of the Body.

Health of the Body is indicated by the fact that it is able to act according to the instruction of the Self
and the different parts of the Body are in harmony.

Production-Work
Work is the effort a human being does on the rest of nature and Production is the physical facility
obtained from work.

There are two important issues related to production-work:

1. What to produce?
2. How to produce?

Regarding what to produce, we have already discussed while exploring the proposals about
prosperity, health and self-regulation – we have to produce physical facility required for nurturing,
protection and right utilisation of the Body.

Regarding how to produce there are two criteria:

1. The process needs to be cyclic and mutually enriching – it has to be eco-friendly
2. Justice needs to be ensured in relationship with human being – it has to be people-friendly

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A production process is cyclic when the resources utilised in the process return to their original state
in due course of their lifecycle. In the absence of being in tune with the natural processes, what we see
ultimately is resource depletion and pollution.

Resource depletion is the symptom of using a natural resource at a rate which is greater than the rate
at which it is produced in nature. For example, if we use forest at a rate greater than the rate at which
it is produced in nature, there will be a shortage/ depletion of forest.

Similarly, pollution indicates that we are producing something which does not return to the cycle in
nature or it is produced at a rate that is faster than the rate at which it can return to the cycle in nature.
Plastic, for example, does not degrade, it does not return to the cycle of nature for many years.

Justice-Preservation
We had discussed about justice.

Justice is recognition of human-human relationship, its fulfilment and evaluation leading to mutual
happiness.

We had discussed earlier that in human-human relationship, the feeling is the core issue. In order to
ensure justice in the society, we need to develop the competence to understand and ensure justice in
every individual. In case someone is not able to develop this competence and ends up doing injustice
then:
a) Stop the him from doing further injustice, as well as
b) Help him/her to develop the competence for ensuring justice.
In the present system, mostly we seem to be restricting ourselves at (a) and not doing (b).

Preservation has to do with relationship of human being with the rest of nature.
Preservation is the recognition of relationship of human being with the rest of nature, its fulfilment
and evaluation leading to mutual fulfilment.

Precisely, preservation would mean enrichment, protection and right utilization of the rest of the

nature. Preservation ensures 1. Prosperity in human being

2. Enrichment, protection and right utilisation of the rest of the nature

Justice ensures fearlessness (trust) in the society and preservation ensures the mutual fulfilment (co-
existence) with rest of the nature.

Exchange-Storage
Exchange means sharing or exchanging physical facility with a view of mutual fulfillment and not
with the obsession for profit.

The sharing is within the family, or to the extent one has been able to accept relationship. Beyond that
is exchange. Through sharing and exchange of physical facility, each family can have all that it needs,
i.e. there is mutual fulfilment.

Storage is preserving physical facility after the fulfillment of needs, so that it is available, when
required. This is done with a view of mutual fulfilment and not with the obsession for accumulation or
exploitation.

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Scope: Harmony from Family Order to World Family Order –

Universal Human Order

The scope of the society is from family order to world family order. Every human being has a role in
one or more of the social systems, starting from the family order, then the family cluster order and so
on to the nation family order and ultimately, the world family order, leading to universal human order.

Family order refers to the system in a family of responsible people living together for the common
human goal. The family cluster order is the next larger unit. It is the system that a group of families
evolve in order to fulfil those goals of individual families which require the participation of more
people than the family has. The scope of the system from the family order to the world family order is
indicated below. It is ensured through successively larger and larger complementary units,

Family Order  Family Cluster Order  Village Order  Village Cluster Order  …  Nation
Order…  World Family Order

Natural Outcome of Right Understanding

Now if you look at the basic human aspiration and its fulfilment:
1. The happiness is ensured by having the right understanding and right feeling in the Self.
2. The prosperity is a feeling of the availability of more than required physical facility. To
ensure it, Right understanding is required at the base, along with physical facility.
3. The tradition of living with happiness and prosperity starts from the family order and
ultimately, continuity can be ensured by the universal human order.

In this way, the society with happiness in every individual, prosperity in every family, fearlessness
(trust) in the society and co-existence (mutual fulfilment) in nature/existence is realized. This is one’s
participation (value) vis-à-vis society.

Process of Development of a Child – In an environment of Relationship

A child intrinsically has a desire to understand what is right, to learn right skills and to do what is
right This desire to understand is innate in every Self. This is the guidance that is expected by the
child. The child wants to know about everything, so asks lots of questions, wants to relate to people
around, picks up the language, the accent, the mannerisms… The thoughts and actions that lead to
contradiction, thus unhappiness, are not satisfying for her/him, and hence the child makes a lot of
effort in this direction from a very early age. It expects others to help him/her in learning and in
understanding with a feeling of affection. In this process, the child starts with imitating, and then
following. In time, progressing to obedience and discipline, all the time assuming the elders to be
right. If (s)he is able to find answers and is able to validate them to be right, it leads to self-discipline
and self-confidence in the child. The child’s conduct is definite and it is human.

On the other hand, if the child finds that the inputs are not right, it starts to have doubts on elders,
teachers and hence tries out something on his/her own. If yet the knowing does not take place, the
child’s conduct remains indefinite and inhuman. The people around the child then try to restrain the
child by more instructions, more domination. Many of the bad habits form during this stage. It is
basically that the child is trying ways and means of happiness or escaping from unhappiness. This
further aggravates the state making way for dissatisfaction, lack of confidence, opposition, revolt,
struggle and war. So, one has to find out where do we stand today? And what is the naturally
acceptable way?

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Key Takeaways
At the level of society, the human goal is right understanding and right feeling (happiness) in every
individual, prosperity in every family, fearlessness (trust) in society and co-existence (mutual
fulfilment) in nature/existence. This goal is fulfilled by human order, i.e. systems for education-
sanskar, health-self regulation, production-work, justice-preservation and exchange-storage. These
systems start with the family order, and are interconnected right up to world family order, leading to
universal human order. The natural process of development of a child in an environment of
relationship needs to be understood and fulfilled so that the child grows into a human being who can
have the competence to participate in the universal human order.

© 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-I, UHV-II, etc.)
It may be freely used for educational purposes as it is, without any additions, deletions or changes
For suggestions or updates etc., please contact UHV team coordinator through NCC-IP, AICTE

6
MODULE 5 IMPLICATIONS OF THE ABOVE HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF H
So far, we elaborated on harmony in the individual, family and society. Now, we move to the next level,
i.e. nature. Human order is a part of nature; hence, it is essential to understand the nature and the
participation of human being in nature for a mutually fulfilling and sustainable way of living. After
discussing nature, we will move on to understand the existence as a whole which is in the form of
units (nature) submerged in space.

Understanding Harmony in Nature

Nature as Collection of Units
Nature is the collection of all the units – the air, soil, water, plants, trees, animals, birds, other human
beings and even things that are at a distant from us like the sun, the moon, the other planets, etc.

Classification of Units into Four Orders

Although the units are innumerable, they can all be classified into just four orders:
1. Physical order – this includes units like air, water, metal and so on.
2. Bio order – this includes grass, plants, trees, etc.
3. Animal order – this includes animals and birds.
4. Human order – this has human being only.

Harmony among the Four Orders

There is mutual fulfilment among the first three orders in nature. The soil-plant interaction is an
example of mutual fulfilment between the physical order and the bio order. Animals and birds (units
of the animal order) depend on plants (units of the bio order) for their food. At the same time, animals
and birds help to spread the seeds of plants from one place to the other. They protect plants from
harmful insects and pests. Similarly, the units of physical order, like air and water, are essential for
animals to survive. In turn, animals enrich the soil – their dung and their dead bodies act as very good
manure which makes the soil fertile. This is amply visible in the forests. These three orders are
enriching for the human being too. This we can see from our day to day life.

Now, is the human being fulfilling for the other three orders? This is a big question. Human being is
not only unfulfilling for the other three orders, rather it is dominating and exploiting them, to the
extent of global warming and climate change.

However, when we refer to our natural acceptance, we want to fulfil all the four orders. Ask yourself
this question, “what is naturally acceptable to you – to enrich these four orders or to exploit them”?
The

1
answer is obvious – to enrich all the four orders. Once human beings understand the mutual fulfilment
among the four orders, they can be fulfilling for all the orders.

Interconnectedness, Self-regulation and Mutual Fulfilment among the Four

Orders of Nature
With the above discussion, we can conclude that there is interconnectedness and mutual fulfilment
among the four orders in nature. One can also see that there is self-regulation in nature. In a forest, the
proportion of soil, plants and animals of various species is self-regulated. It never happens that the
lions eat up all the deer or the deer eat up all the grasses or that the plants grow to the extent that there
is no space for deer or that there is lack of soil for new plants and so on. The forest does not need to
be regulated by human being to be in harmony. With right understanding only, human being will also
be self-organised, in harmony within and participate in the harmony in the larger order.

Abundance in Nature
Nature is organised in such a manner that the physical facility required for any order is available in
abundance. The quantity of soil is far more than that of plants and trees. And both of these are
available in far greater quantities as compared to the quantity of animals and birds. Human beings
require all these three orders to survive, and the quantity of all these three orders together is far more
than the quantity of human beings. By its very being, nature is organised in a manner where quantity
of all four orders is in a sequence:
Physical order >> Bio order >> Animal order >> Human order.
Therefore, the requirement of any order is already available in abundance.

Key Takeaways
Nature is the collection of units. It can be classified into four orders, (physical, bio, animal and
human). There is a relationship of mutual fulfilment amongst these. It is already going on in the first
three orders. Human being also has the natural acceptance for mutual fulfilment. All that we need to
do is to understand it and live accordingly.

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 Realizing Existence as Co-existence at All Levels
In this lecture, we will explore into the harmony in existence.

Existence as Units in Space

Existence is whatever exists.
There are two types of basic realities in existence – one is space and the other is units. The units are in
space.

Understanding Units and Space

There are innumerable units in existence. There is air, water, soil, earth, sun, moon, plants, trees,
animals, birds, human beings etc. These units are in space. The co-existence of the two is in the form
of units submerged in space.

Units are Limited in Size; Space is Unlimited

We can observe units all around – they are limited in size. Coming to space, it is unlimited. It is
spread all around. It is all-pervading. There is no limited size of space. It does not have any boundary.

Units are Activity, they are Active; Space is “No-Activity”

Every unit is an activity and it is active with other units. In itself, one or the other kind of activity is
always taking place in the unit. Further, the unit is interacting with other units, i.e. it is active in
relation to other units. When it comes to space, it is no-activity. There is activity only in the units.

Understanding Submergence
Units are in space – they are submerged in space. It means units are in space, they are inseparable
from space. Where ever a unit is there, space is also there.

1. Units are Energised in Space

Being in co-existence with space, every unit is energised, right from the smallest atom to the largest
planet.

3
2. Units are Self-organised in Space
Being in co-existence with space, every unit is self-organised. It is in a definite order. By being in a
definite order, it exhibits a definite conduct – that is how one can identify or recognise and study that
unit.

3. Units Recognise their Relationship and Fulfil it with Every Other Unit in Space
Being in co-existence with space, every unit recognises its relationship with every other unit in space
and fulfils that relationship.

Existence as Co-existence – Units Submerged in Space

Existence is co-existence. It is in the form of units submerged in space. In the light of above
discussion on existence as co-existence, we can now visualise the overall picture of the whole
existence.

Key Takeaways
Existence is co-existence, which is in the form of units submerged in space. Units are energised, they
are self-organised and they recognise their relationship with other units and participate with them in a
mutually fulfilling manner (except for human beings without right understanding).

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 The Holistic Perception of Harmony in Existence
In the light of this discussion, we can now visualise the overall picture of the whole existence.

The Holistic Perception of Harmony in Existence

At the base of the whole existence is co-existence, which unfolds in terms of units submerged in space.

Units are limited in size; they are activity and are active. Space is unlimited, all-pervading and is no
activity. Being submerged in space, units are energised, self-organised and recognise their
relationship with every other unit in space and fulfil it.

Units are of two types – material units and consciousness units. Material units are temporary in time,
while consciousness units (Self) are continuous. Material units recognise and fulfil their relationship
with other units– their conduct is definite. Consciousness units recognise and fulfil their relationship
on the basis of assuming without knowing or assuming based on knowing – the conduct of the human
being is definite if it is operating on the basis of assuming based on knowing; and it is indefinite if it
is operating on the basis of assuming without knowing.

All material units are composed of other (simpler) material units. The smallest or fundamental stable
material unit is the atom. An atom may combine with another atom to form a molecule. These
molecules further combine to form molecular structure. Molecular structures can exist either as
lumps, or fluids. Fluids provide nurturing of cells and such cells combine to form plants, the animal
body and the human body.

Coming to the domain of consciousness, there is just one type of unit which we have referred to as the
Self. We can classify all the units in existence into four orders. Material units can be classified into
two orders – physical order and bio order. The animal order is the co-existence of consciousness
(Self) and the animal body (material). The human order is also the co-existence of consciousness
(Self) and the human body (material).

5
Development in the Existential Sense
Now, we can see that everything is in co-existence. Everything that exists is basically the expression
of this ever-present co-existence. It is expressing itself in the form of harmony and relationship. This
unfolding is something which is happening and has to be completed through human being.

Whatever we do with the material world is cyclic. It will keep changing; keep going back to initial
state, no matter what we do. In that sense, there is no development here. Only in the human order,
there is a potential for development or transformation in the Self which is not cyclic. Development or
permanent change is possible only in the domain of consciousness. It is in terms of

1. developing right understanding (understanding co-existence) and right feeling (feeling of co-
existence) in the Self. It means awakening to the activities of contemplation (of relationship,
participation in the larger order), understanding (of self-organisation, harmony) and
realisation (of co-existence), as discussed earlier, and

2. living on the basis of right understanding and right feeling- part one is updating all our desires,
thoughts and expectations in line with right understanding and right feeling; part two is the expression
in the form of behaviour, work and participation in the larger order.

This development, this transformation in human being is facilitated by education-sanskar. There is

every provision in existence for this development.

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 Sum Up
Now, we can sum up all that has been discussed in the workshop. We started by explaining the
meaning of value. It was put as shown in the figure:

Then we went on to discuss the value at all the levels which is explained below.

Expression of Co-existence at Different Levels

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With this background, we can see that all that we discussed about harmony at the level of individual,
family, society and nature are basically the systematic reflection (the expressions) of existence as co-
existence. The same is shown in figure below. The whole discussion so far can be summed up in a
simple chart given below. It can be expressed in one word – ‘Co-existence’.

Natural Outcome of the Understanding

The completion point for human being (materialising universal human order) is also the completion
point of the universal order in existence. In that sense, the universal human order and universal order
are synonymous. This is also the total expression of existence. It is the completion point of unfolding
of the existence as co-existence.

Thus, My Participation (Value) in Existence is to Realize the Co-existence and Live in Co-
existence.

Key Takeaways
Existence is co-existence, and the role of human being is to realise co-existence in the Self and live in
co-existence in nature/existence, extending up to universal human order. In this way, the unfolding of
the co-existence will be completed through human being – resulting into universal order.

8
 Program of Action
With the discussion so far, now we can work out the program of action at the individual level and at
the level of society.
At the level of individual, what is expected is to understand harmony and live in harmony. This is
something that has been initiated in the workshop.

In the process of understanding, three things are required as mentioned above:

1. Self-exploration: Verifying the proposals on our own right and living accordingly
2. Self-awareness: Being aware of one’s desires, thoughts and expectations every moment
3. Self-evaluation- Evaluating one’s competence vis-à-vis the natural acceptance every moment.

These three things will help one transform from the present level of competence to the level of
completeness of right understanding and right living in continuity. The time taken for this may vary
from person to person, but the process is definite.

At the level of society, what is expected is shown in the figure below.

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 UNIT-5
Module 5: Implications of the above Holistic Understanding of Harmony
on Professional Ethics:

Introduction:
Professional ethics are principles that govern the behavior of a person or group in a business
environment. Like values, professional ethics provide rules on how a person should act
towards other people and institutions in such an environment.
Natural acceptance of human values:
The acceptance of human values is a complex phenomenon that is influenced by many
factors, including cultural, social, psychological, and historical factors.

First, it is important to understand what is meant by “human values.” Values are beliefs or
principles that guide our actions, decisions, and choices. Human values refer to the shared
moral and ethical principles that are considered important in a given culture or society. Some
examples of human values include respect, honesty, fairness, responsibility, compassion, and
equality.

One of the most significant factors that contributes to the natural acceptance of human values
is culture. Culture refers to the shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that
characterize a group or society. Cultural values shape our attitudes, beliefs, and behavior, and
play a significant role in determining which human values are considered important. For
example, in some cultures, respect for elders is highly valued, while in others, individual
freedom and independence are prioritized.

Another factor that contributes to the acceptance of human values is socialization.

Socialization is the process by which individuals learn and internalize the values, norms, and
beliefs of their culture and society. This occurs through a variety of channels, including
family, friends, media, education, and religious institutions. Through socialization,
individuals learn which values are considered important in their culture, and these values then
become deeply ingrained in their personal beliefs and behavior.

Psychological factors also play a role in the natural acceptance of human values. Our
personal values and beliefs are shaped by our experiences,

personality, and emotional state. For example, an individual who has experienced the effects
of dishonesty or injustice may place a higher value on fairness and honesty than someone
who has not had similar experiences. Similarly, an individual’s sense of self-worth and

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 identity is closely tied to their values and beliefs, and may influence their willingness to
accept or reject certain human values.

Historical and political factors also influence the acceptance of human values. For example,
the development of modern human rights and the global movement towards equality and
justice has helped to shape the values of many societies and has contributed to the natural
acceptance of human values such as fairness, equality, and respect for all individuals.
Similarly, political systems and institutions play a significant role in shaping the values of a
society by promoting certain values and beliefs, and by limiting or restricting others.

The benefits of natural acceptance of human values are numerous and far-reaching.
Some of the most significant benefits include:

1. Improved relationships: When individuals have a natural acceptance of human values such
as respect, honesty, and empathy, they are more likely to form strong and healthy
relationships with others. This can lead to a greater sense of community, increased trust and
cooperation, and a reduction in conflicts and misunderstandings.
2. Better decision-making: When individuals have a strong foundation of values, they are
more likely to make decisions that align with their beliefs and principles. This can lead to
greater satisfaction with their choices and a sense of purpose and meaning in their lives.
3. Increased personal growth: Accepting and internalizing human values can help individuals
to grow and develop as individuals. This can include an increased sense of self-awareness,
improved emotional intelligence, and greater personal fulfillment.
4. Greater social and political stability: Societies and communities where human values are
widely accepted are more likely to be stable and peaceful. This can be seen in countries
where respect for human society as a whole. The level of definitiveness of ethical human
conduct is influenced by a variety of factors, including cultural, social, and philosophical
beliefs.

However, in other cultures and societies, the definitiveness of ethical human conduct may be
more subjective and open to interpretation. This is often the case in more secular or liberal
societies, where individuals are encouraged to make their own moral and ethical decisions
based on personal beliefs and values.

In addition, philosophical and ethical theories can also play a role in shaping the
definitiveness of ethical human conduct. For example, Utilitarianism and Deontological

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 ethics are two different ethical theories that provide different frameworks for what constitutes
right or wrong behavior.

s:

The process of definiteness of ethical human conduct involves several steps, including
awareness, reflection, internalization, practice, and reevaluation. This process is ongoing and
requires individuals to continually reflect on their beliefs and values and to make choices that
align with the ethical principles they believe are important. The level of definiteness of
ethical human conduct is influenced by a variety of factors, including cultural, social, and
philosophical beliefs, and is shaped by the beliefs and values of individuals and the societies
in which they live.

The process of definiteness of ethical human conduct involves several steps:

● Awareness: The first step in establishing ethical human conduct is to become aware of
what values and principles are considered important in a particular society or culture. This
may involve learning about religious, legal, or philosophical systems that provide guidelines
for ethical behavior.

● Reflection: Once individuals have a basic understanding of the values and principles that
are considered important, they must reflect on their own beliefs and values and consider how
these align or conflict with the values they have learned. This step can involve self-
examination and introspection, and may require individuals to question their own
assumptions and beliefs.

● Internalization: After individuals have reflected on their own beliefs and values, they
must internalize the values and principles that they believe are important. This may involve
adopting new beliefs and values, or modifying existing beliefs and values to align with the
ethical principles they have learned.

● Practice: The next step is to put ethical principles into practice by making decisions and
taking actions that align with these principles. This can involve making sacrifices, speaking
up for what is right, and making ethical choices even when these are difficult or unpopular.

● Re-evaluation: The process of definiteness of ethical human conduct is ongoing, and

individuals must continually reevaluate and adjust their beliefs and values as they grow and
develop. This can involve questioning their ethical beliefs, seeking out new experiences, and
being open to new perspectives and ideas.

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 Benefits of Definitiveness of Ethical Human Conduct:

The benefits of having a high degree of definitiveness in ethical human conduct are numerous
and can have a significant impact on individuals, communities, and society as a whole. Some
of the key benefits include:

1. Increased trust and confidence: When individuals consistently behave in ethical and moral
ways, others are more likely to trust and have individually and collectively, and generally
prefers critical thinking and evidence over acceptance of dogma or superstition.
Humanistic education is based on the belief that education should be centered on the needs
and potential of the individual student, rather than being focused solely on the acquisition of
knowledge. The goal of humanistic education is to foster critical thinking, creativity, self-
awareness, and self-expression in students, and to help them develop the skills and
knowledge necessary to live fulfilling and meaningful lives.

Humanistic constitutions are based on the belief that the organization and structure of
society should be designed to support the dignity, rights, and well-being of all individuals.
Humanistic constitutions provide a framework for organizing society in ways that promote
individual freedoms, protect human rights, and provide opportunities for individuals to
pursue their goals and dreams.

The humanistic universal order is based on the belief that all individuals are connected, and
that the well-being of one person is linked to the well-being of others. The humanistic
universal order is based on the idea that all individuals have a shared responsibility to care for
one another and to create a world that is just, fair, and sustainable.

s:

The process of establishing humanistic education, humanistic constitutions, and a humanistic

universal order involves several key steps, including developing a shared understanding of
humanistic values and principles, establishing goals and objectives, designing systems and
structures that support humanistic values, implementing humanistic programs and initiatives,
and evaluating and refining humanistic systems and structures over time. The goal of this
process is to create a world in which individuals are supported in their quest for self-
expression and self-realization, and in which all people have the opportunity to live fulfilling
and meaningful lives.

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 The process of establishing humanistic education, humanistic constitutions, and a
humanistic universal order involves several key steps:

● Developing a shared understanding of humanistic values and principles: The first step
in establishing a humanistic approach to education, government, and society is to establish a
shared understanding of the values and principles that underlie this approach. This requires
individuals to engage in dialogue and critical thinking about the importance of individual
dignity, freedom, and well-being.

● Establishing goals and objectives: Once a shared understanding of humanistic values and
principles has been established, the next step is to establish goals and objectives for
education, government, and society. This might include goals such as promoting critical
thinking and creativity, protecting human rights, and creating a just and sustainable world.

● Designing systems and structures that support humanistic values and principles: The
next step is to design systems and structures that support humanistic values and principles. In
education, this might involve creating curriculum and teaching practices that are centered on
the needs and potential of individual students. In government, this might involve creating
constitutions and laws that protect human rights and promote fairness and justice.

● Implementing humanistic programs and initiatives: Once systems and structures have
been established, the next step is to implement humanistic programs and initiatives. This
might involve creating programs that support students in their academic and personal
development, or initiatives that promote sustainability and social justice.

● Evaluating and refining humanistic systems and structures: The final step is to
evaluate and refine humanistic systems and structures over time. This requires ongoing
reflection and critical thinking about the effectiveness of humanistic approaches and the
identification of areas for improvement.

advance humanistic values and principles and to contribute to the development of a more
humane and sustainable society. The process of utilizing professional competence for this
purpose involves several key steps:

1. Understanding humanistic values and principles: The first step in utilizing professional
competence to augment the universal human order is to understand the values and principles
that underlie this approach. This requires individuals to engage in ongoing reflection and
critical thinking about the importance of individual dignity, freedom, and well-being.

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2. Aligning professional practice with humanistic values: Once a shared understanding of
humanistic values and principles has been established, the next step is to align one’s
professional practice with these values. This might involve incorporating humanistic
approaches into one’s work, or developing new initiatives and programs that support
humanistic goals.
3. Collaborating with others to promote humanistic outcomes: Utilizing professional
competence to augment the universal human order also requires collaboration with others.
This might involve working with colleagues and community partners to design and
implement programs and initiatives that promote humanistic outcomes, or engaging in
advocacy and activism to promote human rights and social justice.
4. Continuously evaluating and refining one’s professional practice: The final step is to
continuously evaluate and refine one’s professional practice over time. This requires ongoing
reflection and critical thinking about the effectiveness of one’s work and the identification of
areas for improvement.
The need for utilizing professional competence for augmenting the universal human order
arises from the belief that all individuals have the capacity for self-expression and self-
realization, and that it is the responsibility of society to provide the conditions that support
this capacity. By utilizing professional competence to advance humanistic values and

principles, individuals can contribute to the development of a more just and sustainable world
and help to create a world in which all individuals can thrive and live fulfilling and
meaningful lives.

In conclusion, the ability to utilize professional competence for augmenting the universal
human order is a critical aspect of creating a more just and equitable world. The process of
utilizing professional competence for this purpose involves understanding humanistic values
and principles, aligning professional practice with these values, collaborating with others to
promote humanistic outcomes, and continuously evaluating and refining one’s professional
practice. By utilizing professional competence to advance humanistic values and principles,
individuals can contribute to the development of a more just and sustainable world and help
to create a world in which all individuals can thrive and live fulfilling and meaningful lives.

Ability to identify the scope and:

characteristics of people-friendly and:

eco-friendly production systems, technologies:

15
 and management models:

The ability to identify the scope and characteristics of people-friendly and eco-friendly
production systems, technologies, and management models is critical for creating a more
sustainable and equitable world. People-friendly and eco-friendly production systems,
technologies, and management models aim to balance the needs of both people and the
environment, and to promote sustainable development. The following are the key scope and
characteristics of these systems, technologies, and models:

1. Scope: People-friendly and eco-friendly production systems, technologies, and management

models are applicable to a wide range of industries and sectors, including agriculture,
manufacturing,
inequality. By prioritizing sustainability, social responsibility, efficiency, innovation, and
collaboration, these systems, technologies, and models help to create a more sustainable and
equitable world in which both people and the environment can thrive.

In conclusion, the ability to identify the scope and characteristics of people-friendly and eco-
friendly production systems, technologies, and management models is critical for creating a
more sustainable and equitable world. These systems, technologies, and models are designed
to balance the needs of both people and the environment and to promote sustainable
development. By prioritizing sustainability, social responsibility, efficiency, innovation, and
collaboration, these systems, technologies, and models help to create a more sustainable and
equitable world in which both people and the environment can thrive.

Strategy for transition from the present state to Universal

Human Order

The transition from the present state to a Universal Human Order can be a complex and
challenging process that requires careful planning and execution. The transition from the
present state to a Universal Human Order requires a comprehensive and collaborative
approach that involves raising awareness and educating people, building partnerships and
networks, developing policies, investing in technology and innovation, promoting
sustainability, supporting social justice and equality, and monitoring and evaluating progress.

By prioritizing these strategies, it is possible to promote the transition to a Universal Human

Order in whichboth people and the environment can thrive.

16
The following are some key strategies that can be used to facilitate this transition:

● Awareness and education: One of the most important strategies for promoting the
transition to a Universal Human Order is to raise awareness and educate people about the
benefits and importance of this order. This can be achieved through a variety of methods,
including public speeches, educational programs, and media campaigns.

● Collaboration and partnerships: The transition to a Universal Human Order requires

collaboration and partnerships between governments, organizations, and communities. It is
important to build strong networks and partnerships that can facilitate the sharing of
knowledge, expertise, and best practices.

● Policy development: The transition to a Universal Human Order requires the development
of policies that promote sustainable development and support the well-being of people and
the environment. These policies should be based on best practices and should be developed in
collaboration with stakeholders.

● Investment in technology and innovation: Investing in technology and innovation is

critical for promoting the transition to a Universal Human Order. This can be achieved
through the development of new and innovative technologies, the adoption of
environmentally-friendly practices, and the continuous improvement of existing systems and
processes.

● Promotion of sustainability: Sustainability is a key principle of the Universal Human

Order, and it is important to promote sustainable development in all sectors of society. This
can be achieved through the use of renewable resources, energy-efficient technologies, and
environmentally-friendly practices.

● Support for social justice and equality: The Universal Human Order prioritizes social
justice and equality, and it is important to support these principles in all aspects of society.
This can be achieved through the promotion of fair labor practices, the provision of safe and

● Evaluate their current practices and identify areas where they can make changes to be more
socially and ecologically responsible.

● Develop a personal action plan that includes goals, strategies and metrics to measure
progress.

● Seek out opportunities to collaborate with like-minded individuals and organizations to

scale their impact and drive systemic change.

17
● Continuously review and refine their approach, and share their experiences and lessons
learned with others to inspire and support their efforts towards Universal Human Order.

The need for the transition from the present state to a Universal Human Order is driven by
the pressing global challenges we face today such as climate change, inequality, and social
unrest. As engineers, technologists, and managers, individuals have the power to design and
implement solutions that address these issues. By adopting a socially and ecologically
responsible approach, they can ensure that their work contributes to a more sustainable and
equitable world. This transition is necessary to ensure the survival of humanity and the
planet, and it is up to individuals to take the lead in creating a better future for all.

As socially and ecologically responsible engineers, technologists, and managers, the role of
transition from the present state to a Universal Human Order at the individual level involves
taking actions and making decisions that align with the principles and values of a sustainable
and equitable society. This may involve rethinking current practices, developing innovative
technologies and processes, and engaging with communities and stakeholders to ensure that
the impacts of their work are positive and contribute to the overall goal of a Universal Human
Order. Additionally, individuals in these roles may need to advocate for policy changes and
systemic shifts to support the transition and educate others about the importance of this effort.

Transition from the present state to Universal Human Order At

the level of individual, At the

level of society: as mutually enriching institutions and

organizations

Transition from the present state to Universal Human Order At the level of individual, At the
level of society: as mutually enriching institutions and organizations

At the level of society, the transition from the present state to a Universal Human Order
involves the development and implementation of mutually enriching institutions and
organizations that support the principles and values of a sustainable and equitable society.
This transition requires a shift in both mindset and behavior, as well as systemic changes that
support the development of these institutions and organizations.

One key aspect of this transition is the creation of new forms of governance that are based on
collaboration, transparency, and participation. This may involve the development of
decentralized decision-making processes, stakeholder engagement, and the use of technology

18
 to facilitate collaboration and information sharing. The goal is to create a system of
governance that is inclusive, responsive, and accountable to the needs of all stakeholders.

Another important aspect of the transition is the development of sustainable economic

systems that prioritize the well-being of people and the environment. This may involve the
growth of alternative economic models, such as the sharing economy, the circular economy,
and the cooperative economy, as well as the promotion of sustainable practices in traditional
economic sectors. The goal is to create an economy that is equitable, sustainable, and
resilient, and that supports the development of a Universal Human Order.

In addition, the transition requires the creation of new forms of education and learning that
promote the development of socially and ecologically responsible individuals. This may
involve the integration of sustainability

At the individual level, the need for transition is driven by a growing recognition of the
importance of personal responsibility for creating a better world. Individuals play a crucial
role in shaping the future, and it is important that they have the knowledge, skills, and values
necessary to contribute to the development of a Universal Human Order.

At the societal level, the need for transition is driven by the need for systemic change. The
current system is not working for many people, and it is increasingly clear that radical change
is needed if we are to create a more sustainable and equitable world. This change must occur
at all levels of society, from the individual to the institutional, and it must be driven by a
shared vision of a better future.

In both cases, the need for transition is driven by a recognition of the interconnectedness of
people, the planet, and the systems that support life. In order to create a Universal Human
Order, it is necessary to create mutually enriching institutions and organizations that support
the principles and values of sustainability and equity. This requires a systemic shift in
mindset and behavior, and the collaboration of individuals, organizations, and communities.
The goal is to create a world that is equitable, sustainable, and resilient, and that supports the
well-being of all individuals and the planet.

Different Role:

At the level of individual, the role of transition from the present state to a Universal Human
Order is to develop socially and ecologically responsible individuals who have the
knowledge, skills, and values necessary to contribute to the development of a sustainable and

19
equitable society. This may involve education and learning that promotes sustainability and
social responsibility, as well as personal action and engagement in creating a better world.

At the level of society, the role of transition is to develop mutually enriching institutions and
organizations that support the principles and values of a sustainable and equitable society.
This may involve the creation of new forms of governance, economic systems, education, and
organizations that prioritize the well-being of people and the planet. It also involves the
development of new forms of media and communication that promote transparency,
collaboration, and the sharing of information.

In both cases, the role of transition is to create a world that is equitable, sustainable, and
resilient, and that supports the well-being of all individuals and the planet. This requires a
systemic shift in mindset and behavior, and the collaboration of individuals, organizations,
and communities. The goal is to create mutually enriching institutions and organizations that
support the principles and values of sustainability and equity, and that contribute to the
overall goal of a Universal Human Order.

THE-END

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