Human Values- Notes

Q1. What do you mean by values or human values?

ANS. Character oriented education that instills basic values and ethnic values in one’s psyche
is called ‘Value Based Education’. The subject that enables us to understand ‘what is
valuable’ for human happiness is called value education. Value education is important to help
everyone in improving the value system that he/she holds and puts it to use. Once, one has
understood his/ her values in life he/she can examine and control the various choices he/she
makes in his/ her life. Value education enables us to understand our needs and visualize our
goals correctly and also helps to remove our confusions and contradictions and bring
harmony at all levels. It also helps remove our confusions and contradictions and enables us
to rightly utilize the technological innovations.
Values form the basis for all our thoughts, behaviours and actions. Once we know what is
valuable to us, these values becomes the basis, the anchor for our actions. We also need to
understand the universality of various human values, because only then we can have a
definite and common program for value education. Then only we can be assured of a happy
and harmonious human society.
Q2. What are the basic guidelines for value education?
Ans: The subject that enables us to understand ‘what is valuable’ for human happiness is
called value education. In order to qualify for any course on value education, the following
guidelines for the content of the course are important:
• Universal: It needs to be applicable to all the human beings irrespective of cast, creed,
nationalities, religion, etc., for all times and regions.
• Rational: It has to appeal to human reasoning. It has to be amenable to reasoning and not
based on dogmas or blind beliefs.
• Natural and verifiable: It has to be naturally acceptable to the human being who goes
through the course and when we live on the basis of such values it leads to our happiness. It
needs to be experientially verifiable, and not based on dogmas, beliefs or assumptions.
• All encompassing: Value education is aimed at transforming our consciousness and living.
Hence, it needs to cover all the dimensions (thought, behaviour, work and realization) and
levels (individual, family, society, nature and existence) of human life and profession.
• Leading to harmony: The value education ultimately is targeted to promote harmony
within the individual, among human beings and with nature.
Q3. What is the need for value education?
or
Write a short note on the need for value education in today’s scenario.
Ans: The subject that enables us to understand ‘what is valuable’ for human happiness is
called value education. Need for value education is:
⮚ Correct identification of our aspirations. The subject which enables us to understand
‘what is valuable’ for human happiness is called ‘value education’ (VE). Thus, VE enables us
to understand our needs and visualize our goals correctly and also indicate the direction for

HUMAN VALUES Page 1

their fulfilment. It also helps to remove our confusions and contradictions and bring harmony
at all levels.
⮚ Understanding universal human values to fulfil our aspirations in continuity. Values
form the basis for all our thoughts, behaviours and actions. Once we know what is valuable to
us, these values becomes the basis, the anchor for our actions. We also need to understand the
universality of various human values, because only then we can have a definite and common
program for value education. Then only we can be assured of a happy and harmonious human
society.
⮚ Complimentarity of values and skills. To fulfil our aspirations both values and skills are
necessary. When we identify and set the right goals and produced in right direction. This is
known as value domain, the domain of wisdom, and when we learn and practices to
actualize this goal to develop the techniques to make this happen in real life, in various
dimensions of human endeavor (struggle). This is known as domain of skills.
⮚ Hence, there is an essential complementarity between values and skills for the success of
any human endeavor. For example, I want to lead a healthy life. Only wishing for good health
will not help me keep my body fit and healthy and without having understood the meaning of
health, I will not be able to choose things correctly to keep my body fit and healthy.
⮚ Evaluation of our beliefs. Each one of us believes in certain things and we base our values
on these beliefs, be they false or true which may or may not be true in reality. These believes
come to us from what we read, see, hear, what our parents tells us, our friends talk about,
what the magazines talk of, what we see from TV etc. Value Education helps us to evaluate
our beliefs and assumed values.
⮚ Technology and human values. The present education system has become largely
skill-based. The prime emphasis is on science and technology. However, science and
technology 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 the competence of deciding what
really is valuable. Value Education is a crucial missing link in the present education system.
Because of this deficiency, most of our efforts may prove to be counterproductive and serious
crises at the individual, societal and environmental level are manifesting.
Q4. Values and skill complement each other. Elaborate.
Ans: Values means importance or participation and skills means qualities, training, and
capabilities. To fulfil our aspirations both values and skills are necessary. When we identify
and set the right goals and produced in right direction. This is known as value domain, the
domain of wisdom. Basically we must know what really is useful to achieve human
happiness, the happiness to all and for all the time.
And when we learn and practices to actualize this goal to develop the techniques to make this
happen in real life, in various dimensions of human endeavour (struggle). This is known as
domain of skills. Hence, there is an essential complementarity between values and skills for
the success of any human endeavour.

HUMAN VALUES Page 2

For example, I want to lead a healthy life. Only wishing for good health will not help me
keep my body fit and healthy and without having understood the meaning of health, I will not
be able to choose things correctly to keep my body fit and healthy. So i have to learn the
skills to achieve the goal of good health i.e. food to be consumed, the physical workout to be
designed. So without knowing the meaning of good health, health cannot be achieved and
also it is necessary to make use of the goal to achieve the goal of the goal.
Q5. Define self exploration. What is the content of self – exploration?
Ans: Self exploration is the process to find out what is valuable to me by investigating within
myself, what is right for me, true for me, has to be judged within myself. Through self
exploration we get the value of ourself. We live with different entirety (family, friends, air,
soil, water, trees, etc.) and we want to understand our relationship with all these. For this we
need to start observing inside. The main focus of self-exploration is myself - the human
being. Content of self exploration is just finding answers to the following fundamental
questions of all human beings:
1. The Desire/Goal: What is my (human) Desire/ Goal? What do I really want in life, or
what is the goal of human life?
2. Program: What is my (human) program for fulfilling the desire? How to fulfil it? What is
the program to actualize the above?
In short, the above two questions cover the whole domain of human aspirations and human
endeavor. Thus, they form the content of self- exploration.
Q6. Self exploration is a process of dialogue between ‘what you are’ and ‘what you
really want to be’. Explain and illustrate.
Ans: Self exploration is the process to find out what is valuable to me by investigating within
myself, what is right for me, true for me, has to be judged within myself. Through self
exploration we get the value of ourself. It is a process of focusing attention on ourself, our
present beliefs and aspirations vis-à-vis what we really want to be (that is to say, what is
naturally acceptable to us). If these two are the same, then there is no problem. If on
investigation we find that these two are not the same, then it means we are living with this
contradiction (of not being what we really want to be) and hence, we need to resolve this
contradiction this conflict within us. It is a process of discovering that there is something
innate, invariant and universal in all human beings. This enables us to look at our confusions
and contradictions within and resolve them by becoming aware of our natural acceptance.
Q7. How can we verify proposals on the basis of our natural acceptance? Explain with
example.
or
“Natural acceptance is innate, invariant and universal.” Explain this statement with an
example.
Ans: Natural acceptance implies unconditional and total acceptance of the self, people and
environment. It also refers to the absence of any exception from others. Once we fully and
truly commit ourself on the basis of natural acceptance, we feel a holistic sense of inner
harmony, tranquility and fulfillment. Actually natural acceptance is way to accept the good
things naturally. Learn everything that is good from others, but bring it in, and in our own
way absorb it; do not become others. We can easily verify proposals in the basis of
characteristics of natural acceptance mentioned below:

HUMAN VALUES Page 3

a) Natural acceptance does not change with time. It remains invariant with time. For
example our natural acceptance for trust and respect does not change with age.
b) It does not depend on the place. Whatever we have accepted, in our life, at any time of
our age, does not change, even if we move from one place to another one.
c) It does not depend on our beliefs or past conditionings. No matter how deep our belief
or past conditioning, as long as we ask ourselves the question sincerely, as long as we refer
deep within ourselves, the answer will always be the same.
d) This natural acceptance is ‘constantly there’, something we can refer to. Natural
acceptance is always there. Whatever we do, this natural acceptance is within us, it is telling
us what is right.
e) Natural acceptance is the same for all of us: it is part and parcel of every human
being, it is part of humanness. Though each one of us, may have different likes and dislikes
and means to live and to react etc. but if we go deep in our mind the purpose of our work,
behaviour, efforts etc. are based on common goals like need to be happy, need to be
respected, need to get prosperity. So our basic acceptance remains the same.
Q8. What is the meaning of prosperity? How can you say that you are prosperous?
Ans: The feeling of having or making available more than required physical facilities is
prosperity. Almost all of us feel that wealth alone means prosperity and try to explain this
phenomenon on this nonexistent or half fact. We are trying to achieve happiness and
prosperity by maximizing accumulation and consumption of physical facilities. It is
becoming anti-ecological and anti-people, and threatening the human survival itself. For
prosperity, two things are required-
1. Identification of the required quantity of physical facilities, and
2. Ensuring availability / production of more than required physical facilities.
We can be prosperous only if there is a limit to the need for physical facilities. If there is no
limit what so ever be the availability the feeling of prosperity cannot be assured.
Secondly, just assessing the need is not enough. We need to be able to produce or make
available more than the perceived need.
Q9. What is the difference between prosperity and wealth? What is more acceptable to
us and why?
or
What do you understand by prosperity? What is the difference between prosperity and
wealth? How are the two related?
or
What is the meaning of prosperity? How does it differ from possession of wealth?
Explain with examples.
or
Differentiate between prosperity and wealth with examples.
Ans: Prosperity is a feeling of having more than required physical facilities; it is not just
physical facilities. Almost all of us feel that wealth alone means prosperity and try to explain
this phenomenon on this nonexistent or half fact. Wealth is a physical thing. It means having
money, or having a lot of physical facilities or both. This is a very important distinction. We
mostly fail to make this distinction today. We keep working for wealth, without realizing that
the basic desire is for the feeling of prosperity, to have a feeling of having enough. Prosperity

HUMAN VALUES Page 4

is more acceptable to us because wealth is just a part of prosperity. We are trying to achieve
happiness and prosperity by maximizing accumulation and consumption of physical facilities.
It is becoming anti-ecological and anti-people, and threatening the human survival itself. A
person has lot of money, but does not want to share even a bit of it. The person ‘has wealth’
but feels ‘deprived’. If one felt prosperous he/she would have shared what one has, since
there is lot more than enough wealth anyway.
Q10. What is your present vision of a happy and prosperous life?
Ans: We are trying to achieve happiness and prosperity by maximizing accumulation and
consumption of physical facilities. It is becoming anti-ecological and anti-people, and
threatening the human survival itself.
Some of the consequences of such trend are summarized below:
⮚ At the level of individual: rising problems of depression, psychological disorders, suicides,
stress, insecurity, etc.
⮚ At the level of family: breaking of joint families, mistrust, and conflict between older and
younger generations, insecurity in relationships, divorce, dowry tortures, etc.
⮚ At the level of society: growing incidence of terrorism and naxalism, rising communalism,
spreading casteism, racial and ethnic struggle, wars between nations, etc.
⮚ At the level of nature: global warming, water, air, soil, noise etc. pollution, resource
depletion of minerals and mineral oils, etc.
All the problems are a direct outcome of an incorrect understanding, our wrong notion about
happiness and prosperity and their continuity – this is an issue for serious exploration.

Q11. What do the abbreviations given as SVDD, SSDD and SSSS signify?
Ans: To achieve our basic aspirations we need to work for right understanding as the base on
which we can work for relationship and then physical facilities. Today we are not working
according to this that why we can see that there are two kind of people in the world:
Those that do not have physical facilities/ wealth and feel unhappy and deprived. i.e.
SVDD: Sadhan Viheen Dukhi Daridra – Materially Deficient, Unhappy and Deprived.

Those that have physical facilities/ wealth and feel unhappy and deprived. i.e. SSDD:
Sadhan Sampann Dukhi Daridra – Materially Affluent, Unhappy and Deprived. But
these are states we don’t want to be in. We want to move from this to third category i.e.

3. Having physical facilities and feeling happy and prosperous i.e. SSSS: Sadhan
Sampann Sukhi Samriddha – Materially Adequate, Happy and Prosperous.
Presently, as we look around, we find most of the people in the above two categories called
SVD and SSDD, while the natural acceptance of all human beings is to be in the category of
SSSS.
Q12. “Physical facilities are necessary and complete for animals, while they are
necessary but not complete for humans.” Comment.

HUMAN VALUES Page 5

 or
Explain how physical facilities are necessary but not complete for humans while they
are complete for animals.
or
Physical facilities are necessary but not complete for human being. Do you agree with
this statement? Support your answer with reasons and examples.
Ans: Physical facilities are necessary and complete for animals, while they are necessary but
not complete for humans. It is easy to verify.

For Animals: Animals need physical things to survive, mainly to take care of their body. For
example; cow will look for food when it is hungry. Once it gets the grass or fodder. It eats it,
sits around to chew at leisure. Hence, we can say that as long as animals have physical things,
they are largely fine. They don’t desire other things like knowledge or a peaceful animal
society or getting a good MBA.
For Humans: While physical facilities are necessary for human beings, they are not
complete by themselves to fulfill our needs. Our needs are more than just physical facilities.
We all have other needs, other plans, perhaps we think of going to a movie or reading a book,
or go to college, or watch some TV, or spend time with family and friends….. this list is
endless. Thus it is easy to see that while physical facilities are necessary for us human beings,
they are not complete by themselves to fulfill our needs.
Hence we can say that for animals – “Physical facilities are necessary and complete.”
For humans “Physical facilities are necessary but not complete.”
Q 13. What are the requirements to fulfil basic human aspirations?
or
What is the program to fulfil the basic human aspirations? Explain
or
Explain the basic requirements to fulfil human aspirations. Give the correct priority
among them.
or
Three things are needed in order to fulfill basic human aspirations–right
understanding, right relationships and physical facilities. Explain meaning of each one
of these.

HUMAN VALUES Page 6

Ans: Our basic aspirations are happiness (mutual fulfilment) and prosperity (mutual
prosperity). Happiness is ensured by the relationships with other human beings and prosperity
is ensured by working on physical facilities.
Right Understanding: This refers to higher order human skills – the need to learn and utilize
our intelligence most effectively.
Good Relationships: This refers to the interpersonal relationships that a person builds in his
or her life – at home, at the workplace and in society.
Physical Facilities: This includes the physiological needs of individuals and indicates the
necessities as well as the comforts of life. It means the feeling of having or being able to have
more physical facilities than is needed.

In order to resolve the issues in human relationships, we need to understand them first, and
this would come from ‘right understanding of relationship’. Similarly in order to be
prosperous and to enrich nature, we need to have the ‘right understanding’. The ‘right
understanding’ will enable us to work out our requirements for physical facilities and hence
correctly distinguish the difference between wealth and prosperity. With nature as well, we
need to understand the harmony in nature, and how we can complement this harmony.
Q 14. What do you mean by animal and human consciousness? Explain with the help of
a diagram.
or
Distinguish between ‘human consciousness’ and ‘animal consciousness’. How “shiksha
and
sanskar” are helpful in raising man to “human consciousness” level.
or
What is the difference between animal consciousness and human consciousness? How
does the transformation take place in a human being?
Ans: Giving all priorities to physical facilities only, or to live solely on the basis of physical
facilities, may be termed as ‘Animal Consciousness’. Living with all three: Right
understanding, Relationship and Physical facilities is called ‘Human Consciousness’.

HUMAN VALUES Page 7

From the diagram we can say that:
• For animal, physical facility is necessary as well as complete – whereas for human beings it
is necessary but not complete.
• Working only for physical facilities is living with Animal Consciousness.
• Working for right understanding as the first priority followed by relationship and physical
facilities implies living with Human Consciousness.
• There is a need for transformation from Animal Consciousness to Human Consciousness.
It can be accomplished only by working for right understanding as the first priority.
• This transformation from Animal Consciousness to Human Consciousness forms the
basis for human values and values based living.

The content of education is the understanding of harmony at all the four levels of our
existence –from myself to the entire existence. Right living or sanskar refers to the ability to
live in harmony at all the four levels of living. This dimension of society works to ensure
‘right understanding’ and ‘right feelings’ in individual. Or all-encompassing solution called
samadhan in every individual and ensures that our succeeding generation have both the
content and the environment available to work towards achieving their goal of continuous
happiness and prosperity.
Q15. There are many problems manifest today at the level of individual, family, society
and the nature. Identify some of these problems humans suffer from.
Ans: Today we are generally trying to achieve happiness and prosperity by maximizing
accumulation and consumption of physical facilities. This effort is giving rise to many
problems manifest today at the level of individual, family, society and the nature. These
problems are:
• At the level of individual– Rising problems of depression, anxiety, suicides, stress,
insecurity, increasing health problems, lack of confidence and conviction etc.
• At the level of family– Breaking up of joint families, mistrust and disharmony in
relationships, divorce, generation gap, dowry deaths, neglect of older people etc.
• At the level of society– Growing incidences of terrorism, violence, communalism, racial
and ethnic struggle, corruption, adulteration, sex-crimes exploitation, wars between nations,
proliferation of lethal weapons etc.

HUMAN VALUES Page 8

• At the level of nature– Global warming, weather imbalances, depletion of mineral and
energy resources, deforestation, soil degradation etc.
All the problems are a direct outcome of an incorrect understanding, our wrong notion about
happiness and prosperity and their continuity.
Q16. Critically examine the prevailing notions of happiness in the society and their
consequences.
or
What is prosperity? Is it different from happiness?
or
What are the basic human aspirations? Explain.
or
What is the outcome when we try to identify relationship based on the exchange of
physical facilities?
Ans: Happiness may be defined as being in harmony/synergy in the state/ situation that I live
in. “A state or situation in which I live, if there is harmony in it then I like to be in that state /
situation. The state of liking is happiness.” Whereas, prosperity is the “feeling of having or
making available more than required physical facilities”.
In the current scenario, we are generally trying to achieve happiness and prosperity by
maximizing accumulation and consumption of physical facilities. This is an attempt to
achieve happiness through pleasant sensory interactions. The physical facilities are not seen
in terms of fulfilling bodily needs but as a means of maximizing happiness.
This has resulted in wrong assessment of wants for physical facilities as being unlimited. But
this pursuit is self-defeating. Neither can we hope to achieve continuous happiness through
sensory interactions nor can we have prosperity, as it amounts to trying to fulfil unlimited
wants through limited resources. This effort is engendering problems at all the levels. It is
becoming anti-ecological and anti-people, and threatening the human survival itself. Some of
the consequences of such a trend are summarized below:
1. At the level of the individual – Rising problems of depression, psychological disorders,
suicides, stress, insecurity, psycho-somatic diseases, loneliness etc.
2. At the level of the family – Breaking of joint families, mistrust, conflict between older
and younger generations, insecurity in relationships, divorce, dowry tortures, family feuds,
wasteful expenditure in family functions etc.
3. At the level of the Society – Growing incidences of terrorism and naxalism, rising
communalism, spreading casteism, racial and ethnic struggle, wars between nations, attempts
of genocide, fear of nuclear and genetic warfare, etc.
4. At the level of nature – Global warming, water, air, soil, noise, etc. pollution, resource
depletion of minerals and mineral oils, sizeable deforestations, loss of fertility of soil.
It therefore, calls for an urgent need for human beings to correctly understand happiness and
prosperity as well as the sustainable way to achieve these.

UNIT 2
Q1. What do you mean by Sukh and Suvidha?
or
Distinguish between Sukh and Suvidha in detail taking needs of yourself as an example.

HUMAN VALUES Page 9

Ans: Sukh is a holistic and all encompassing state of the mind that creates inner harmony.
Sukh is also called as happiness. Suvidha implies that it is looking for physical comforts and
all the sources of attaining such comforts. When our body gets used to a certain level of
comfort then we will only feel comfortable at that level e.g. comfort in fan, cooler or air
conditioner. Different people have a different perception of suvidha and will seek a
corresponding level of suvidha according to their perceptions.
By nature man is fond of comfort and happiness so he goes on making desires and ambitions
one after the other to enjoy more in life. To lead a comfortable life he also accumulates many
facilities, so that his life may become full of comfort and happiness. Sukh depends upon our
thinking, so many times we are surrounded by materialistic possessions but we feel
unsatisfied. People think that their happiness depends upon suvidha (facilities) but is it not so;
happiness depends upon our thinking or our mental satisfaction.
Q2. The needs of the body are quantitative. Illustrate.
or
When we try to achieve continuity of happiness through sensation by perpetuating
contact with suvidha, the following pattern results: Necessary and
tasteful ⇒unnecessary but tasteful ⇒ unnecessary and tasteless ⇒ intolerable. Do you
agree with this statement? Support your answer with arguments.
Ans: Needs of body are physical facilities. Physical facilities are needed for the body in a
limited quantity. When we try and exceed these limits, it becomes troublesome for us after
some time. Let’s take the example of eating. As far as, physical facilities (say rasgulla) go,
they are necessary in the beginning, but if we keep consuming, it becomes intolerable with
the passage of time. This applies to every physical facility. We can only think of having
unlimited physical facilities, but if we try and consume, or have too much of physical
facilities, it only ends up becoming a problem for us. When we try to perpetuate physical
facilities, the following pattern results. With time it successively changes from:
Necessary and tasteful
↓

Unnecessary but tasty ⇒

Unnecessary and tasteless ⇒

↓
Intolerable!
Q3. Distinguish between the needs of the Self and the needs of the Body.
or
‘The need for physical facilities is temporary’ – explain the meaning of this statement
with any two examples.
or
Differentiate between the needs of self and the needs of body.

HUMAN VALUES Page 10

Ans: The human being is the co-existence of ‘I’ and the body, and there is exchange of
information between the two. We can make this distinction between the self and the body in
terms of the needs as shown in the table below:
I Body
Needs Needs are …. Trust, Respect…. Food, Clothing…
Happiness (sukh) Physical Facilities (suvidha)
In time needs are… Continuous Temporary
In quantity, needs Qualitative Quantitative (limited in
are... quantity)
Needs are fulfilled Right understanding and right Food, clothing, etc.
by….. Feelings

1. Needs are ….The needs of the body like food for nourishment clothes for protection, and
instruments to ensure right utilization can be categorized as being ‘physical’ in nature, or also
called ‘physical facilities’ (suvidha) whereas the need of I is essentially to live in a state of
continuous happiness (sukh). The needs of the body are physical in nature, whereas the needs
of the self (‘I’) are not physical in nature – like trust, respect, happiness etc.
2. In time, needs are… The needs of ‘I’ are continuous in time, unlike the need of the
body, which is temporary in time. We want happiness continuously. We also want the feeling
of respect continuously and so also acceptance in relationship. If we talk about food, clothing,
shelter, or instruments, these are needed only for some amount of time, or we can say that the
need for physical facilities of the body is temporary in time- it is not continuous.
3. In quality, needs are….. Physical facilities are needed for the body in a limited quantity.
When we try and exceed these limits, it becomes troublesome for us after some time. Let’s
take the example of eating. As far as, physical facilities (say rasgulla) go, they are necessary
in the beginning, but if we keep consuming, it becomes intolerable with the passage of time.
This applies to every physical facility. We can only think of having unlimited physical
facilities, but if we try and consume, or have too much of physical facilities, it only ends up
becoming a problem for us. Whereas the needs of ‘I’ are qualitative (they are not
quantifiable), but we also want them continuously. Our feelings are qualitative. Either they
are or they are not. Ex. Happiness is qualitative. Either we are feeling happy or we are not.
Also if a feeling is not naturally acceptable; we do not want it even for a single moment. If
acceptable, we want it continuously.
4. Needs are fulfilled by….The need of the self (‘I’), for happiness (sukh) is ensured by
right understanding and right feelings, while the need of the body, for physical facilities
(suvidha), is ensured by appropriate physico-chemical things.
Q4. Do you think that human beings are sum-total of sentiments and physical aspects
the ‘self’ and the ‘body’? Explain your answer using examples.
or
“Human being is more than just the body” – Explain.

Ans: There is the familiar shape and structure of a human being that is immediately apparent
to us and we imagine someone with similar human body-like features. But in addition to the

HUMAN VALUES Page 11

body, there is also the aliveness of the person – the entity that keeps the body ‘alive’ and
makes it operate in various ways.
We perceive this aliveness in the activities demonstrated by the person like their seeing,
talking, listening, walking, and eating, etc. This aliveness is called Jivana. Thus, a human
being is coexistence of the body and jivan. This jivan refers to itself as ‘I’ (self). Thus we say
“I am so and so” or “I feel tired” or “I am happy” and not “my body is happy”. This I or self
is also called ‘consciousness’ and is the sentient constitute of the human being.
The human being is the sum total of sentiments and physical aspect, the self (‘I’) and the
body, and there is exchange of information between the two, i.e. ‘I’ and body exist together
and are related. There is a flow of information from ‘I’ to the body and from body to the ‘I’.
We can make this distinction between the self and the body in three ways in terms of the
needs, activities and the types of these two entities.
All the needs of I, say respect, trust, etc., can be called as Happiness (such), while the needs
of body are physical facilities (suvidha) like food. The two things are qualitatively different.
There is no relevance of quantity for the needs of I as it is qualitative, while the needs of body
are quantitative, and they are limited in quantity.
The activities of ‘I’ are activities like, desire, thinking, selection, while the activities of body
are activities like eating, breathing etc.
The mode of interaction of ‘I’ includes knowing, assuming, recognizing and fulfilment. The
fulfilment depends on recognition depends on assumptions and assumptions depends on
knowing or not knowing (beliefs). If assuming is based on knowledge, then recognition will
be correct and fulfilment will be correct. If assuming is not based on knowledge, then things
may go wrong. The mode of interaction of body is only recognizing and fulfilling. Self is a
conscious entity and the body is a material entity, or physicochemical in nature.
To conclude we can say that the human being can be understood in terms of a co-existence of
two entirely distinct entities, namely sentient ‘I’ and material body. Their needs and activities
are quite different and have to be understood accordingly. But these two constituents of
human being are to act in close synergy with each other.
Q5. ‘Human being is co-existence of the Self and the Body’ – elaborate on this
statement.
or
‘Human being is the co-existence of the Self and the Body’ – Explain this statement
taking yourself as an example. (MTU 2010 – 11)
Ans: The human being is the co-existence of ‘I’ and the body, and there is exchange of
information between the two, i.e. ‘I’ and body exist together and are related. There is a flow
of information from ‘I’ to the body and from body to the ‘I’. We can make this distinction
between the self and the body in three ways in terms of the needs, activities and the types of
these two entities.

All the needs of I, say respect, trust, etc., can be called as Happiness (such), while the needs
of body are physical facilities (suvidha) like food.

The two things are qualitatively different. There is no relevance of quantity for the needs of I
as it is qualitative, while the needs of body are quantitative, and they are limited in quantity.

HUMAN VALUES Page 12

The activities of ‘I’ are activities like, desire, thinking, selection, while the activities of body
are activities like eating, breathing etc. The mode of interaction of ‘I’ includes knowing,
assuming, recognizing and fulfilment. The fulfilment depends on recognition depends on
assumptions and assumptions depends on knowing or not knowing (beliefs). If assuming is
based on knowledge, then recognition will be correct and fulfilment will be correct. If
assuming is not based on knowledge, then things may go wrong. The mode of interaction of
body is only recognizing and fulfilling. Self is a conscious entity and the body is a material
entity, or physic-chemical in nature. Thus we can say:

To conclude we can say that the human being can be understood in terms of a co-existence of
two entirely distinct entities, namely sentient ‘I’ and material body. Their needs and activities
are quite different and have to be understood accordingly. But these two constituents of
human being are to act in close synergy with each other.
Q6. Explain with examples where activities involves both body and 'I'
or
Differentiate between the activities of knowing, assuming, recognizing and fulfilling
with the help of an example.
or
Explain the activities of knowing, assuming, recognizing and fulfillment with one
examples.

or
Differentiate between the activities of the self and the body on any two grounds.
or
Can the activities of the self be distinctly understood from the activities of the body?
Name any three activities and elaborate.

Ans: If we look at the variety of activities that we are engaged in commonly – we see that we
can put them in three categories:
1. Activities that are going on in the self
2. Activities that are going on in the body
3. Activities involving both the self and the body
Knowing, assuming, recognizing and fulfilling are the activities involving both the self and
the body.

HUMAN VALUES Page 13

1. Activities of recognizing and fulfilling in the body: Apart from the activities of
Breathing, Heartbeat, Digestion etc., the activities of the body can also be understood as
recognition and fulfilment. In fact, the mutual interaction between any two material entities
can be understood as recognition and fulfilment of their relationship. For example when we
are thirsty and drink water, the body absorbs the water to the extent needed and uses for the
nourishment of the various organs. Here, body recognizes its relation with water and fulfils it.
Recognizing → Fulfilling
2. Activities of knowing, assuming, recognizing and fulfilling in the self (‘I’): When it
comes to self (jivan or ‘I’), which is a conscious entity; in addition to ‘recognizing and
fulfilling’, there is also the activity of assuming and that of knowing. In fact, recognizing and
fulfilling in case of human beings will depend upon knowing and/or assuming.
a. We assume – We all make assumptions and our response (recognition and fulfilment) is
dependent on the assumption. For ex.: If I see a snake and assumed it to be a rope, I shall
respond differently to it, than if I take it to be a snake itself. We call this activity ‘assuming or
mannana’.
b. We recognize – We all recognize things today, we recognize a variety of things. Like, we
recognize water, our parents, friends, etc. We call this activity ‘recognizing or pahachaanana’.
The recognizing in ‘I’ depends on assuming.
c. We fulfil –The response that follows recognition is called the activity of ‘fulfilling or
nirvaha karna’. The fulfilment depends on the recognition. For ex.: Once we recognize water,
we take it.
Taken together we can write it as (in I):
Assuming → Recognizing → Fulfilling
There is another activity that exists in us (in ‘I’). This activity is called ‘knowing’. Knowing
means we have the right understanding – the understanding of harmony at all levels of our
living. When we have the right understanding, when we have the knowledge of reality, it is
definite, and then assuming becomes according to the knowing, and hence recognizing and
fulfilling becomes definite, or according to knowing. Until then, it is subject to beliefs and
assumptions, and this keeps changing. When we list these down:

I Body
Activities Activities are ….. Desiring, thinking etc. Breathing, heart-beat, etc.
Knowing, assuming, Recognizing, fulfilling
recognizing, fulfilling

Q7. What is pre-conditioning? What is their source?

or

HUMAN VALUES Page 14

What is the meaning of desire? How do we verify whether our desires are coming from
sensations or preconditioning or natural acceptance?
or
How human mind gets influenced or conditioned?

Ans: Preconditioning means we have assumed something about our desires on the basis
of prevailing notion about it. They comes from what we read, see hear, what our parents tell
us, our friends talk about what the magazines talk of, what we see on the TV etc. We have not
self-verified the desires in our own right. As a result, we are not clear about what we will get
out of fulfilment of that desire. The problem with that is, unless we verify our desires, we
may not even know whether they are our. We may end up spending an entire lifetime
accumulating desires that are not ours, and in running about trying to fulfil them.
Q8 How do we go into conflicts when our activities are not guided by our natural
acceptance?
or
Explain how pre conditioning can lead to unhappiness.
Discuss the problems that are created by having desire, thoughts and expectation on the
basis of preconditioning.
or
How do sensations and pre-conditionings influence our imagination? Give two examples
of each.

Ans: When our activities are not guided by our natural acceptance, then they are guided by
preconditioning and sensations. Preconditioning means we have assumed something about
our desires on the basis of prevailing notion about it. We have not verified the desires in our
own right. As a result, we are not clear about what we will get out of fulfilment of that desire.
What is the issue with that? Unless we verify our desires, we may not even know whether
they are our! We may end up spending an entire lifetime accumulating desires that are not
our, and in running about trying to fulfil them!
Sensation is a perception associated with stimulation of a sense organ or with a specific body
condition: the sensation of heat; a visual sensation.

HUMAN VALUES Page 15

We go into conflicts when our activities are not guided by our natural acceptance:
A. Conflicts and contradictions in ‘I’ as a result of pre-conditioned desire
We have not verified the desires, thoughts and expectations in us on the basis of our own
natural acceptance. As a result, these desires, thoughts and selections are in conflicts. Since
the desires are in conflict, the thoughts they give rise to, are also in conflict and in turn, the
selection from the thoughts are also in conflicts. This conflict affects us in different manners:
1. Wavering aspirations: Our goals keep shifting as the inputs from the outside also keep
changing. Our desires thus keep shifting, because their source is outside and these
preconditioned desires may come from what we read, see, hear, from media, friends, society,
etc. hence, we are always wavering in what we want; we are not able to be certain about it.
2. Lack of confidence: Since our desires are shaky, we are not sure about them. As a result,
we lack self confidence, in the true sense. Our confidence seems relative i.e. we keep
comparing ourselves with others in order to feel confident.
3. Unhappiness/conflicts: Since our desires, thoughts and expectations are in conflict, it
becomes the cause for our unhappiness, leading to stress and tension. Such desires will also
be in conflict with our natural acceptance
4. Lack of qualitative improvement in us: We focus largely on fulfilling the needs of the
body. As a result, we live with a sense of lack of fulfilment. We are doing many things,
accumulating a lot, progressing on paper, but we don’t feel that we have improved, that we
have become better. It seems that only the things around us are changing!
a) State of resignation: Because we do not understand ourselves properly and have
contradictions within, we slowly start getting disillusioned (pleasant but mistaken beliefs).
We feel that there are no solutions to these issues, and end up in a state of resignation.
B. Short lived nature of pleasure from sensations: The pleasure obtained from sensations
is short-lived. We have so much dependent on sensations that instead of giving us some
sensory pleasure, it becomes the source for our happiness. This can be understood as follows:

The external object is temporary in nature the contact of the external object with the body is
temporary in nature. The sensation from the body to ‘I’ is temporary. And at last the taste of
the sensation from the body in ‘I’ is also temporary. Therefore, if the source for our happiness
is temporary by definition, then our need for continuous happiness will never be fulfilled.
Hence, any sensation we have from the body can’t be the source for our lasting happiness.

HUMAN VALUES Page 16

To sum up, if our desires, thoughts and expectations are based on pre-conditionings, we are
generally in a state of great confusion. This leads to confusion, unhappiness, conflict and
stress. We have lack of clarity about the self, relationships, society, nature and existence. We
have lack of confidence. We have a feeling of being unfulfilled, unsettled. We operate largely
on the basis of the environment, driven from the outside – either from sensations, or based on
pre-conditionings.
Q9. “I am the seer, doer and enjoyer. The body is my instrument” – Explain.
or
How self enjoys the activities of the body?

Ans: There is a relation between the self and body that body act as an instrument of self.
Whatever self thinks body performs it physically. Body does not decide itself. We can verify
this by the following discussion.
I am the seer: When we are reading a book or listening, when someone is explaining
something to us, when we are watching a scenery or when we are thinking – we are engaged
in the activities of ‘seeing’ or understanding. Now when we see some nice scenery we say ‘I
am seeing’ that means our self ‘I’ see via the eyes, the eyes don’t see, they are just
instruments, that unable me to see something outside. Different images are formed in the eyes
every time, but it is I who is able to relate it to the meaning of that image every time.
Similarly, I can see inside ‘in me’ also – without the eyes. For example I can see that I am
getting angry. In this case I understand or know or am aware that I am getting angry. When I
see outside the body works as an instrument.
I am the doer: Once I have seen/ understood something, I am the one who decides what to
do or not to do. I am the doer. For example, when I see the scenery I am the one who decide
to take a picture of the scenery. I use my hands to pick camera and click a picture. The hands
in the body are thus used as an instrument. In this way I work with my hands and legs.
I am the enjoyer: I saw the scenery and I took the picture. I am the seer and doer so far.
When I see the picture I like it. I am the one that enjoys it. Thus there is a continuity of being
the seer, doer and enjoyer. Similarly when I eat, I am the one that gets the taste – from the
tongue.
Q10. Explain with examples the various activities in the self 'I'.
or
Briefly explain the activities of Desire, Thought and Expectation in the self with an
example.

Ans: The self is conscious in nature while the body is physio-chemical in nature. The
interaction between the ‘I’ and the body is in the form of exchange of information. So the
focus of attention is on two categories of attributes of the self, namely, the powers of the self
and the corresponding activities as the manifest outcomes of these powers.
1. Power: This means the basic capacity in the self (‘I’). They are: desires, thoughts and
expectations.
2. Activities: The activities are: imaging, analyzing, and selecting/tasting. The activity of
analyzing means breaking down the image into various parts or to open it up.
Selecting/tasting is with the expectation of fulfilling our desires with the expectation of

HUMAN VALUES Page 17

happiness. The activity of selecting/tasting is the basic level via which the self interacts with
the body.
A simple example to understand these activities is a follow:
⮚ We may have desire to have respect by being the owner of a big house. This is in the form
of imaging – we have an image in us of fulfillment of this need for respect via a house.
⮚ Based on this desire, we start working out the details of the house. Ex no. of rooms,
storey’s, on which floor in will stay. The image of wanting respect from the house is split into
many parts – this is called analyzing. The activity of analyzing means breaking down the
image into various parts.
⮚ Now that we have worked out the details of the house, we go about choosing the size,
colour etc. of the room. This is called selecting / tasting.

Q11. What do you mean by right utilization of the body?

Ans: Normally we tend to believe that the body is an instrument for sensory enjoyment,
which is not correct. We also happen to our body to exploit other human beings or rest of the
nature, which is also not right utilization. Body is the instrument of the self and the body
needs to be given nutrition, protection and utilized to work as an efficient and effective tool
for the right purpose. This utilization is termed as right utilization. In other words, employing
our body as an instrument for sensory enjoyment, and to exploit other human beings or rest of
the nature is not the right utilization. On the contrary utilizing our body for right behaviour
and work is actually the right utilization of the body.
Q12 What are the programs for ensuring the health of the body? Explain.
or
Suggest programs to ensure proper functioning of your body. Can we sustain them
without right understanding?

Ans: Our present lifestyle and conditionings are not very conductive to keep the body fit and
therefore it is important to understand sanyama and swasthya correctly and maintain proper
harmony with the body. As a proposal, we need to work for the following few things
1. To understand and live with sanyama.

HUMAN VALUES Page 18

2. To understand the self organization of the body and ensure health of the body.
1. Understanding and Living with Sanyama: Sanyama implies that the self takes the
responsibility for proper nurturing, and right utilization of the body. For this it is essential to
understand the functioning of the body instrument. It is also essential to understand that this
instrument has a limited life span and undergoes a pattern of growth and decay. The
interaction of the self with the body has to be in consonance with the above objectives which
are achieved through sanyama.
2. Understanding the self organization of the body and ensure health of the body:
a. Nurturing of the Body: Proper Food, Air, Water, Etc.: In the process of selecting food
for the body, I need to make out the elements which make a complete food so that it gives
required nutrients and energy to the body. On the basis of understanding of the harmony of
the self with the body, it can be said that the food needs to be eaten only when we feel
hungry. The choice of the food has to be such that it is easily digestible and the food needs to
be taken with proper posture of the body and in right quantity.
b. Protection of the Body: The second issue is the protection of the body. The clothes we
choose for protection need to be such that they ensure proper interaction of the body with the
environment. The right amount of exposure of the body to the air, water, and sun is required
to ensure its proper functioning.
c. Right Utilization of the Body (Sadupayoga): Right utilization of the body as an
instrument necessitates understanding the purpose for which this instrument is to be used.
Normally, we tend to believe that the body is an instrument for sensory enjoyment, which is
not correct. We also happen to use our body to exploit other human beings or rest of the
nature which is not right utilization. It is important to realize that the human body is an
instrument to facilitate right understanding and its actualization in life.
Q13. What is sanyam? How is it necessary in ensuring svasthya?
or
Define Sanyam and Swasthya. How are they helpful in keeping harmony between self
and body.
Ans: Sanyama means the feeling of responsibility in the self (I) for nurturing, protection and
right utilization of the body. Self-control or sanyama is the control of the mind and its desires,
urges, emotions and delusions. It is controlling the outgoing tendencies of the mind and the
senses and bringing them back to our self within.

Swasthya is the condition of the body where every part of the body is performing its expected
function.
The word swasthya literally means being anchored to the self, being in close harmony with
the self. In other words, swasthya, in Sanskrit means self– dependence (swa = your own).
Also, embedded in its meaning are health, sound state, comfort and satisfaction. So we can
say that sanyam ensures swasthya.

With right understanding, I get self-organized and take care of the body properly. With lack
of right understanding, I am able to do it and the body becomes unhealthy.

HUMAN VALUES Page 19

With right understanding and right feelings, the body gets favorably affected. For example;
when I am happy, the temperature and pressure in the body are normal, when I am angry or
tense, they get upset. It means if I am in disharmony, say in anger or stress or despair, it
immediately starts affecting the body adversely.

There are many diseases of the body that are caused due to disharmony in ‘I’. These are
called psychosomatic disease, such as asthma, allergies, migraine, diabetes, hypertension etc.
so we can say that sanyam has a strong effect on swasthya.

Q14. What is the responsibility of the self towards the body? How is it fulfilled?
or
Suggest any two programs that you can undertake to improve the health of your body.
or
How does the feeling of sanyam ensure health of the body? List two programs of
sanyam.
or
Explain the relation between the self and the body. What is the responsibility of the self
towards the body?
or
What do you mean by Sanyam? How does it ensure harmony with the body? Explain.

Ans: The self has the responsibility for nurturing, protection and right utilization of the body.
For this self has to follow some programs. We need to work to understand the self
organization of the body and ensure health of the body.
Nurturing of the Body:
Proper Food, Air, Water, Etc.: In the process of selecting food for the body, I need to make
out the elements which make a complete food so that it gives required nutrients and energy to
the body. On the basis of understanding of the harmony of the self with the body, it can be
said that the food needs to be eaten only when we feel hungry. The choice of the food has to
be such that it is easily digestible and the food needs to be taken with proper posture of the
body and in right quantity.
Protection of the Body:
The second issue is the protection of the body. The clothes we choose for protection need to
be such that they ensure proper interaction of the body with the environment. The right
amount of exposure of the body to the air, water, and sun is required to ensure its proper
functioning. To ensure the heath of the Body, we need to take care of the following- i)
Ahar-Vihar, ii) Shram- Vyayam, iii) Asana-Pranayam and iv) Aushadhi-Chikitsa. We have
already discussed about Ahar (Food), let us now discuss about the others:
1) Proper upkeep (Vihar) of the Body: When we work, the Body gets tired. When we take
rest, the Body becomes fit to work. But again, there is a limit to the amount of work and rest
we need. We also need to ensure proper time, posture and ways to work and to rest. We need
to provide hygienic conditions for proper functioning of the Body. These issues are included
in the upkeep of the Body.

HUMAN VALUES Page 20

2) Labour: Labour is another requirement. It means employing the body physically for
production and maintenance of physical facilities. The labour we do helps each part of the
Body to function properly.
3) Physical Exercises: We are aware of physical exercises. While doing labour, some parts
of the Body may get stressed much while others may not get employed to that extent. With
exercises, we can employ all the parts of the Body in the desired way.
4) Asan-Pranayam: This is another way to keep the Body function properly. In Asanas, we
give the body proper postures by sitting or lying, and in Pranayam, we ensure reguation of the
breathing
5) Treatment of the body: When the Body gets hurt, or is in disorder by either misuse or
because of the adversities of the environment etc., there is a natural tendency of the Body to
heal and come back to its desired state of health. We only need to facilitate this process, and
not suppress it. Thus, when unpleasant sensations come from the Body indicating disorder,
they are to be properly interpreted and attended to.
With all the care we take, the body may require treatment at times. There are several
approaches to ensure this. It may be that just by going without food for some time, the Body
gets cured. Right choice for food may also help. The treatment of the Body can be done by
proper exposures of the Body to air, water or sun too. Use of herbs or medicines may also
serve the purpose. Here one thing to understand is that, the system of the body works in a
self-organized way and I only need to facilitate the self-organization of the body by arranging
for material things. One thing to take care about is that while curing the Body of one
problem, we need to choose ways which do not give rise to other problems.
Right utilization of the body (Sadupyog): Right utilization of the Body as an instrument
necessitates understanding the purpose for which this instrument is to be used. Normally we
tend to believe that the Body is an instrument for sensory enjoyment, which is not correct. We
also happen to use our Body to exploit other human beings or rest of the nature which is also
not right utilization. It is important to realize that the human body is an instrument to
facilitate right understanding and its actualization in life. This is an important issue. I need to
ensure that I use my Body for right behaviour and work. When I do so, it has favourable
effects on the Body. On the other hand, if I use it for acting in opposition with other human
beings or nature, like quarrelling, fighting, hitting, it has adverse effects on the Body. I also
need to arrange for equipments/ instruments for right utilization of the body. They increase
the efficiency and capacity of the body.
Q15. In what way can we say that the human body is a self organized unit?
Ans: The human body is a self organized and highly sophisticated mechanism. The body is
made up of several organs and glands and the different parts of the body keep working in a
close co-ordination. All the activities keep the body fit for the use of ‘I’ (self or jivana) so
that ‘I’ and the body may work in synergy as a human being. The silent aspects of this
harmony b/w ‘I’ and the body are:-
1. The body acts according to the needs of I.
2. There is harmony among the parts of the body.
3. What our body follow only by the permission of I.
4. There is a strong coupling b/w I and the body. If I am in disharmony e.g. in anger or
stress or despair. It immediately starts affecting the body adversely.

HUMAN VALUES Page 21

5. There are many diseases of the body that are caused or accentuated due to disharmony in
I. These are called psychosomatic diseases such as asthma, migraine, hyper-tension etc. On
the other hand, when there is a strong disturbance in the body manifesting in the form of
severe pain, it distracts I from its normal functions.
6. I have the feeling of sanyama for the body and the body has swasthya. Sanyama is basic
to swasthya.
UNIT 3
Q1. Define love.
or
How can you say that love is the complete value?

Ans: Love is called the complete value since this is the feeling of relatedness to all human
beings. It is the emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In other words, love is a
feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend. It
starts with identifying that one is related to the other human being (the feeling of affection)
and it slowly expands to the feeling of being related to all human beings.
The word love can refer to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes, ranging from
generic pleasure ("I loved that meal") to intense interpersonal attraction ("I love my wife").
"Love" can also refer specifically to the passionate desire and intimacy of romantic love, to
the sexual love of Eros (cf. Greek words for love), to the emotional closeness of familial love,
or to the platonic love that defines friendship, to the profound oneness or devotion of
religious love. This diversity of uses and meanings, combined with the complexity of the
feelings involved, makes love unusually difficult to consistently define, even compared to
other emotional states.
This feeling or value is also called the complete value since this is the feeling of relatedness
to all human beings. It starts with identifying that one is related to the other human being (the
feeling of affection) and it slowly expands to the feeling of being related to all human beings.
The feeling of love leads to an undivided society, it starts from a family and slowly expands
to the world family in the form of love.
Q2. What is meaning of justice in human relationships? How does it follow from family
to world family?
or
What is ‘justice’? What are its four elements? Is it a continuous or a temporary need?
or
What is justice? How does it lead to mutual happiness?

Ans: Justice is the recognition of values (the definite feelings) in relationship, their
fulfillment, the right evaluation of the fulfillment resulting in mutual happiness. Justice
concerns itself with the proper ordering of things and people within a society. There are four
elements: Recognition of values, fulfillment, evaluation and mutual happiness ensured.

When all the four are ensured, justice is ensured. Mutual fulfillment is the hallmark of
justice. And justice is essential in all relationships. Justice starts from family and slowly

HUMAN VALUES Page 22

expands to the world family. The child gets the understanding of justice in the family. With
this understanding, he goes out in the society and interacts with people.

If the understanding of justice is ensured in the family, there will be justice in all the
interactions we have in the world at large. If we do not understand the values in relationships,
we are governed by our petty prejudices and conditionings. We may treat people as high or
low based on their body (particular caste, or sex or race or tribe), on the basis of wealth one
possesses or the belief systems that one follows. All this is source of injustice and leads to
fragmented society while our natural acceptance is for an undivided society and universal
human order. Having explored the harmony in the human beings, we are able to explore the
harmony in the family. This enables us to understand the harmony at the level of society and
nature/existence. And this is the way, the harmony in our living grows. We slowly get the
competence to live in harmony with all human beings.

Q3. How do we differentiate in relationships on the basis of body, physical facilities, or

beliefs? What problems do we face because of such differentiation?
or
How have we differentiated people on the basis of body and beliefs?
or
What is the meaning of respect? How do we disrespect others due to lack of right
understanding of this feeling?
or
How do we come to differentiate between human beings on the basis of body? Explain.
What are its consequences?

ANS. Respect means accepting individuality and doing right evaluation (to be evaluated as I
am). Our basis for respect today is largely quite contrary to our discussion above. Instead of
respect being a basis of similarity or one of right evaluation, we have made it into something
on the basis of which we differentiate i.e. by respecting you mean you are doing something

HUMAN VALUES Page 23

special, because you are special or have something special or are in some special position.
Thus, all of us are running around seeking respect from one another by trying to become
something special.
Today, we are differentiating in the name of respect. We either differentiate people on the
basis of their body, on the basis of their wealth and possessions or on the basis of their
beliefs. There is no notion of respect in terms of right evaluation. Thus, there is no real
feeling of relationship, only one of differentiation.

On the basis of body

⮚ Sex/gender: We ignore the fact that being male or female is an attribute of the body, and
not an attribute at the level of ‘I’. And differentiate in giving respect on the basis of gender
called male and females. In many countries, people even prefer a male child to a female
child, and in some other societies, the other way round.
⮚ Race: If the person is of the same race as oneself, then we treat them differently. For
example, we differentiate on the basis of skin colour – white, brown, black etc. or on the
basis of whether the person is of Aryan race, Mongolian race etc. or on the basis of caste.
Again here, we don’t do the evaluation on the basis of ‘I’, but on the basis of the body
⮚ Age: We have notions such as ‘one must respect elders’. There is no such notion as respect
youngsters. Here, we see that we are again evaluating at the level of the body – age is related
to the body, and not to ‘I’.
⮚ Physical strength: If someone is stronger, we again treat him/her differently. This is again
at the level of the body. In fact, we think that we are respecting the other while it is fear; the
fear that if we do not treat them like this, we will be harmed.
On the basis of physical facilities
⮚ Wealth: We differentiate people because some have wealth than others. What we term as a
“rich person” gets idolized. We don’t even bother to find out whether such people are feeling
prosperous, or if they just have wealth. This way, we are over-evaluating physical facilities
first, which are just meant to fulfil the needs of the body, and then on this basis, we are
wrongly identifying our relationship.
⮚ Post: We try to respect on the basis of a person’s position. The post is wrongly evaluated as
the mark of a person’s excellence and differentiation sets in. The post is considered important
either on the basis that it gives more physical facilities or on the basis that certain positions

HUMAN VALUES Page 24

are assumed to be important. In our education, we are trained directly or indirectly to earn
posts for us to fetch respect.
On the basis of beliefs
⮚ ‘Isms’: ‘Ism’ means any belief in terms of a ‘thought-system’ that we have, or that we have
adopted. There are also many modern ‘isms’ such as capitalism, socialism, communism, etc.
The people following these sets of beliefs are called capitalists, socialists, communists, and so
on. The people that have adopted them or are following them have been exposed to them
since childhood. Believing theirs to be the right belief. However, all beliefs, as we have seen
are at the level of desires, thoughts and expectations (selections) in ‘I’. There is no
definiteness at this level, and hence, this becomes a cause for differentiation.
⮚ Sects: People of one sect only consider those with a similar belief system to be their ‘own’
and worthy of respect. Following a particular tradition, or what we call as religion, becomes
the basis of respect and disrespect in relationship.
Q4. ‘Discrimination leads to acrimony in relationships’. Explain. What problems are
created when we discriminate?
or
Explain the problems faced due to differentiation in relationship.

Ans: Differentiation based on sex/gender: Issue of women’s rights, and women protesting
and demanding for equality in education, in jobs, and in peoples’ representation. People are
insecure and afraid of one another based on their gender.
Differentiation based on race: there are many movements and protect against racial
discrimination and demands for equality, racial attacks, movements against cast
discrimination has people living in fear of such racism, racist attacks, casticism and
discrimination.
Differentiation based on age: Protests and movements demanding for equal rights for
children on the one hand and for rights for elderly people on the other, generation gap
Differentiation based on wealth: Class struggle and movements to do away with
class-differentiation. Many people suffering from a lack of self-esteem and some even
committing suicide,
Differentiation based on post: Protests against high handed government officials. At the
level of the individual, leads to depression, etc.
Differentiation based on ’isms: Fights, turmoil, terrorism and war, people converting from
one Ism to another in order to be able to get more respect.
Differentiation based on sects: Countless religions and sects and each sect has its own
movement to ensure that there is no discrimination against people of their belief. Demands
for special provisions in jobs and in education.
Q5. Difference between respect and differentiation.
or
What is the difference between respect and disrespect? Which of the two is naturally
acceptable to you?
Ans: Difference between respect and differentiation

HUMAN VALUES Page 25

 Respect Differentiation
1. Respect is right evaluation. 1. Differentiation is lack of understanding of
respect.
2. Respect for others is generated by the 2. This differentiation can take the form of:
right evaluation and understanding o Gender bias
which leads to fulfilment in o Generation gap
relationships. This further creates a o Caste struggle
sense of respect among people o Power play and domination
o Communal violence
o Clash of race, religion, etc.
o class struggle,
3. This leads to the escalation in the problems of
society which further lowers the respect shown to
others in society.

.Q6. What do you understand by trust? Differentiate between intention and competence
with examples.

Ans: Trust or vishwas is the foundational value in relationship. “To be assured that each
human being inherently wants oneself and the other to be happy and prosperous” is known as
trust. Mutual trust is a shared belief that we can depend on each other to achieve a common
purpose. Trust is the expectation of people that they can rely on our word. It is built through
integrity and consistency in relationships. There are two aspects in trust:
1. Intention (wanting to – our natural acceptance)
2. Competence (being able to do)
Both intention and competence are the aspects of trust. Intention is what one aspires for (our
natural acceptance) and competence is the ability to fulfil the aspiration.

In intention every human being wants to do what is right, only the competence may be
lacking which needs to be developed through proper understanding and practice.

But what we are doing today is that when we are judging ourself we are judging on the basis
of our intention, whereas, when we are judging the other we are judging him on the basis of
his competence.
We trust our own intention while we are not ready to trust the others intention. It is the same
for other as well. We find that while we look at our intention, we are sure of it, we are not
sure of the other’s intention. We are actually seeing their competence, and making a
conclusion on their intention. Hence, mistrust is born and we deny the relationship. We
seldom look at our competence and other’s intention.
It is very important to differentiate between intention and competence. If we have trust on
intention, we have a feeling of being related to the other and we start helping the other to
improve his competence, if he does not have enough.
Q7. Enumerate some of the important values which lie at the base of good relationships.

HUMAN VALUES Page 26

 or
What are the foundational values of relationships? How can they be used to ensure
strong and mutually relationships?
or
Name the values which are called as “foundation value” and “complete value”. Define
both these values.
or
List down the foundation value and the complete value in human relationship. Explain
each with one example.

Ans: There are certain basic and important values in maintaining relationship. These values,
we all know, are the backbone of health and happy family relations. The feelings, emotions,
sentiments and respect all are of real importance. These values lead to elimination of friction
and establishment of total harmony in relationship on long term basis. Values that are
important in any relationship are
Trust: Trust or vishwas is the foundational value in relationship. “To be assured that each
human being inherently wants oneself and the other to be happy and prosperous.” If we
have trust in the other, we are able to see the other as a relative and not as an adversary.

2. Respect: Respect means individuality. The sense of individuality is prime object. This is
the first basic step towards respect (sammana). Once we realized that we are individual then
only we can see our self different from others. In other words, respect means right
evaluation, to be evaluated as I am.
3. Affection: Affection is the feeling of being related to the other. Affection comes when
I recognize that we both want to make each other happy and both of us are similar.
4. Care: The feeling of care is the feeling to nurture and protect the body of our
relative. Or in other words a state of mind in which one is troubled; worry, anxiety, or
concern is called care.
5. Guidance: The feeling of ensuring right understanding and feelings in the other (my
relative) is called guidance. We understand the need of self (‘I’) for right understanding and
feelings. We also understand that the other is similar to me in his/her faculty of natural
acceptance, desire of wanting continuous happiness and the program of living in harmony at
all the four levels.
6. Reverence: The feeling of acceptance of excellence in the other is called
reverence. When we see that the other has achieved this excellence- which means to
understand and to live in harmony at all the levels of living ensuring continuity of happiness,
we have a feeling of reverence for him/her.
7. Glory: Each one of us wants to live with continuous happiness and prosperity. Each one
of us has the similar faculty of natural acceptance, has the same goal and program and we
have the same potential to realize this. Glory is the feeling for someone who has made
efforts for excellence.
8. Gratitude: Gratitude is the feeling of acceptance for those who have made efforts for
my excellence. Gratitude is an emotion that occurs after people receive help, depending on
how they interpret the situation.

HUMAN VALUES Page 27

9. Love: Love is the emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In other
words, love is a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent,
child, or friend. This feeling or value is also called the complete value since this is the
feeling of relatedness to all human beings. It starts with identifying that one is related to the
other human being (the feeling of affection) and it slowly expands to the feeling of being
related to all human beings.
The above mentioned values are the core of all relations. One has to follow all to gain on the
day to day problems. These values are intrinsic and available in every person. We need to
find out in ourselves and implement. Without implementation, one cannot think of a strong
family relation.
Q8. “When we are assured of the intention of the other and find that the competence is
lacking, we become a help to the other. When we doubt the intention of the other, we get
into opposition.” Explain.
or
In our behaviour, we generally observe our intention and others’ lack of competence.
Does it lead to mutual happiness? What is the alternative? Explain with the help of an
example.

Ans: We trust our own intention while we are not ready to trust the other’s intention. It is the
same for the others as well. They would also have the same answers as we, to the table above.
While the other trusts his/her own intentions, he/she does not trust mine. Hence, mistrust is
born and we deny the relationship.

When we are judging our self we are judging on the basis of our intention, whereas, when we
are judging the other we are judging him on the basis of his competence.

We are sure in point 2 a) that we want to make the other happy, but in point
4 a) we are not sure that the other wants to make us happy.

We find that while we look at our intention, we are sure of it, we are not sure of the other’s
intention.

We are actually seeing their competence, and making a conclusion on their intention, we say
“I wanted to do well, but I could not”. But for the other, we say “He did not want to do well”.
“Wanting to”, is the intention, “could not”, is the lack of competence.

We can see that as we are not able to fulfil our intentions in terms of our competence at all
times. It is the same for the other as well. We want to be related to the other, and we want the
other to be related to us, irrespective of who this other is. If we have trust in the other, we are
able to see the other as a relative and not as an adversary. We then become ready to become a
help to the other. Intentions are always correct; it is only the competence that is lacking,
which can be improved by right understanding.
Q9. There is a common saying; if you trust everybody, people will take undue advantage
of you.

HUMAN VALUES Page 28

 or
What is the basic error in this statement? Explain.

Ans: The basic error is that if we trust everybody people will not take undue advantage of
me. On the contrary, it gives us inner strength and we become far more effective in
interacting with and “dealing with different people”. This is simply because, we already are
sitting with the knowledge of what the person truly wants, truly intends, even though the
person may not know this himself/herself! Hence, our ability to interact with people becomes
far more effective and in the process, we don’t get hurt, we don’t get disturbed, we end up
becoming an aid to the other. In other words, becoming aware, having the right
understanding, living with the assurance in relationship does not mean becoming “stupid”! It
only makes us, more competent. Further, what is being said here is that we have trust on the
intention of everyone, but, when it comes to making a program with someone, I evaluate my
competence, I evaluate his competence and make the program accordingly. This makes me
more effective.
Q10. Write the program to attain comprehensive human goal. Give examples also.
or
What are the programs needed to achieve the comprehensive human goal? List and
define each briefly.

Ans: Comprehensive human goals are right understanding, prosperity, fearlessness and
co-existence. Programs needed to achieve the comprehensive human goals are:
1. Education – Right Living (Siksha – Sanskar)
2. Health – Self Regulation (Svasthya – Sanyam)
3. Justice – Preservation (Nyaya – Suraksha)
4. Production – Work (Utpadan – Kriya)
5. Exchange – Storage (Vinimaya – Kosh)
Education – Right Living: Education refers to understanding hormony at all four levels of
living. While right living refers to commitment and preparedness to live in harmony at all
four levels of living.
Health – Self Regulation: Sanyama refers to a feeling of responsibility for nurturing,
protecting and rightly utilizing the body. When the body is fit to act according to the needs of
the self (‘I’), and, there is harmony among the parts of the body, it is referred to as health or
svasthya.
Justice – Preservation: Justice (nyaya) refers to harmony in the relationship between human
beings, while preservation (suraksha) refers to harmony in the relationship between human
being and the rest of nature.
Exchange – Storage: Exchange (vinimaya) refers to the exchange of physical facilities
between the members of the society, while storage (kosa) refers to the storage of physical
facilities that is left after fulfilling the needs of the family.
We can now see how these five dimensions of humanistic society are able to ensure the
human goal:
Education – Right living leads to Right understanding

HUMAN VALUES Page 29

* Having the process of education and right living leads to right understanding in the
individual.
Health – Self-regulation leads to Prosperity
* Having the program for health and sanyam leads to well-being of the body, nad
identification of need for physical facilities which along with production ensures feeling of
prosperity in the family.
Justice – Preservation leads to Fearlessness and Co-existence (respectively)
* Ensuring justice in relationship, or mutual fulfilment in relationship on the basis of values
like Trust, Respect, etc leads to fearlessness in society, while Suraksha of nature – via
enrichment, protection and right utilization leads to co-existence in nature.
Production – Work leads to Prosperity and Co-existence
* Production and work are for physical facilities, and this leads to a feeling of prosperity in
the family. Production is done in harmony with nature, and hence, this also leads to
co-existence with nature.
Exchange – Storage leads to Prosperity and Fearlessness
* When we store and exchange for mutual fulfillment and not for exploitation, then it leads to
fearlessness (trust) in society.

Q11. Explain the comprehensive human goal. How does fearlessness follow from right
understanding and prosperity?
or
What do you mean by comprehensive human goal? Explain. How is it related to your
goal in life?
Ans: In order to facilitate the fulfillment of the basic aspirations of all human beings in the
society, the following human goal needs to be understood in a comprehensive manner:

HUMAN VALUES Page 30

1. When one does not have the right understanding, one remains disturbed and also acts in a
manner so as to create disharmony with other human being as well as with rest of nature.
2. Prosperity in the family means that the family is able to identify its needs and is able to
produce/ achieve more than its requirements.
3. Trust in society means every member of society feels related to everyone else and
therefore there is trust and fearlessness.
4. Co-existence in nature means there is a relationship and complementarity among all the
entities in nature including human beings.
Abhaya means fearlessness; it is a permanent state where there is no question of ever
experiencing any fear. A person with abhaya is continuously aware if his own reality; for him
to become subject to fear would be impossible. We should not consider this quality of abhaya
as just the absence of fear. The fearlessness in the society begins from the individual. We
need to ensure right understanding in the individual as the foundation of harmony in the
society. With right understanding, the need for physical facilities in the family can be
ascertained. By assessing our needs correctly and by producing more than required the family
can be prosperous. Assurance of right understanding in the individuals and prosperity in the
families, understanding of human relationships leads to harmony and trust (fearlessness) in
the society. When every individual is able to live harmoniously in relationship, and the needs
of all the families are ensured, fearlessness (mutual trust) in society will naturally follow.
Thus the state of absence of fear at society level will only be achieved when we have right
understanding at individual level and prosperity at the level of family.

Q12. Right understanding in the individuals is the basis for harmony in the family,
which is the building block for harmony in the society. Give your comments.
Ans: Right understanding in the individuals is the basis for harmony in the family, which is
the building block for harmony in the society.
1. The harmony in the society begins from the individual. We need to ensure right
understanding in the individual as the foundation of harmony in the society.

HUMAN VALUES Page 31

2. With right understanding, the need for physical facilities in the family can be ascertained.
By assessing our needs correctly and by producing more than required the family can be
prosperous.
3. Assurance of right understanding in the individuals and prosperity in the families,
understanding of human relationships leads to harmony and trust (fearlessness) in the society.
When every individual is able to live harmoniously in relationship, and the needs of all the
families are ensured, fearlessness (mutual trust) in society will naturally follow.
4. When human beings with right understanding interact with nature, it will be in
consonance with the coexistence and will be mutually enriching.
We may also understand it in the following sequence.
1. Right understanding → 2. Prosperity → 3. Fearlessness (trust) → 4. Co-existence
Q13. Explain how production activities can be enriching to all the orders of nature. Give
any two examples.
Ans: In nature, there are four different kinds of entities. One of entity includes materials, the
other kind is plants, herbs, etc., the third kind has animals and birds and the fourth kind
includes human beings. When we look at their interrelationship, we find that the materials,
plants and animals are enriching for the others including human beings. There is cyclic and
enriching process in nature, and based on this process production is naturally taking place in
the nature. Humans only have to understand this feature of nature. The purpose of science
and technology is to facilitate the cyclic processes in nature and make human beings more
and more fulfilling to the other entities. But we will find that human beings are neither
enriching (fulfilling) for humans nor for the other three kinds of entities. If only we
understand the processes in nature, we can design our production systems through application
of science and technology in such a way that this fulfilment is better ensured, rather than
disturbing it.

UNIT 4

Q1. Define harmony in nature. OR Explain the harmony in nature.

Ans: The aggregate of all the mutually interacting units – big or small, sentient or insentient
together can be called nature. These units are infinite in number and we could easily observe
that there existence is a dynamic balance, self regulation among all these units.

This self regulation is harmony or balance in nature. The law of nature has a unique cause
and effect system which must be understood in order to be in harmony with the natural law of
things.
Natural harmony is necessary for the following reasons:

1. Natural harmony is necessary to solve the problem of global warming and depletion of
non-renewable natural resource can be avoided.

HUMAN VALUES Page 32

2. Natural harmony with trees cure all problems like – reduction of wind velocity, energy
savings, doing companion planting, development of an Eco-subsystem in terms of
establishing a forest garden, reduction of building heat.
3. It is possible to achieve natural harmony in the establishment, maintenance and
management of educational institution like schools, colleges and universities.
4. One can understand the depths of harmony and alignment in natural by contemplating
and reflecting upon the natural order. It is possible to unravel the mystery of the natural
synthesis in the midst of ongoing chaos at the material plane.

Q2. What do you mean by co-existence?

Ans: Co-existence in nature means there is a relationship and complementary among all the
entities in nature including human beings. Co-existence is a state in which two or more
groups are living together while respecting their differences and resolving their conflicts
non-violently. Co-existence has been defined in numerous ways:
1. To exist together (in time or space) and to exist in mutual tolerance.
2. To learn to recognize and live with difference.
3. To have a relationship between persons or groups in which none of the parties is trying to
destroy the other.
The world is full of Diversity – there are different nations, cultures, religions, communities,
languages, and beliefs. The beauty of existence can only be maximized if everything in this
world is in harmony. Peaceful, symbiotic co-existence is the key to harmony in the world.

Q3 What do you mean by ‘innateness’? What is the innateness in the four orders?
or
What do you understand by the term ‘innateness’ (dhaarna) in nature? Explain the
innateness of material and animal order in nature.
Ans: Innateness (dharana): Innateness means qualities which are innate to the unit. Each
unit in existence exhibits an innateness, an intrinsic quality that cannot be separated from it.
We refer this principle as innateness also called dharna of that unit. This is intrinsic to the
unit.
Material order: When we burn coal and it has finished burning and only some ash is left and
smokes have gone out, it is not that the basic material, the fundamental particles in coal, have
‘cease to exist’ or ‘disappeared’ from existence. They may not be visible to the eye at that
moment, but they continue to exist, they still are in the form of other matter or in the form of
gases, etc. This is there with all material units. We cannot destroy matter, we can only convert
it from one form to the other. Thus, “to exist”, or ‘existence’ is intrinsic to all material, it is
innate to it. We cannot separate the ‘existence’ of a thing from the thing itself.

Plant/bio order: Because the pranic order is a development of the material order, it also has
the innateness of ‘existence’. In addition, it also exhibits the ‘growth’. This principle of
‘growth’ cannot be separated from any units of this order. If it is of pranic order, it will grow.

HUMAN VALUES Page 33

For example, if you have a plant, you cannot stop it from growing. It will continue to respire
and keep changing in this way. The only way you can stop it from growing is by cutting it,
but when you do that, it ceases to belong to the pranic order, instead decays and then belongs
to the material order. So, as long as you have a plant, it will grow.

Animal order: The animal body is a development of the pranic order and therefore this order
inherits the innateness of the previous order namely ‘existence’ and ‘growth’. This is at the
level of the body, which is physico-chemical in nature. In addition, all units in this order have
the ‘will to live’ in ‘I’. Indeed no unit in this order can be separated from this ‘will to live’. It
is intrinsic to every unit in this order.
Human (knowledge) order: When we look at the human being, we find that ‘existence’ and
‘growth’ are fundamentally present in the body, just as in the animal body. At the level of ‘I’
however, in addition to the ‘will to live’, a human being’s innateness is the ‘will to live with
happiness’.
Order Things Innateness
Material order Soil, water, metals, Existence
etc.
Pranic order Plants and trees Existence + growth
Animal order Animals and birds (Existence + growth) in body + will to live in ‘I’
Human order Human beings (Existence + growth) in body + will to live with
happiness in ‘I’

Q4. What is the svabhava (natural characteristic) of a unit? Elaborate on the svabhava
of a human order.
or
How does the natural characteristics (svabhava) of material order helped man to lead a
better life?
or
Explain the natural characteristics of the material and pranic orders. Give examples.
or
What are the natural characteristics (swabhava) of human order? Explain.

Ans: When we look at the different orders in nature, we find that each order has a certain
value. In a fundamental way, this is the ‘usefulness’ or ‘participation’ of the order in
existence. This ‘value’ or ‘participation’ is also referred to as “natural characteristic”. The
‘characteristic’ the order displays in ‘natural to itself’. This is the same as the value of the
entity, or its participation also called ‘svabhava’.

The svabhava of material order is ‘composition/decomposition’, of Plant/bio order is

‘composition/decomposition’ and to nurture or worsen other pranic units.

The svabhav of animal order and human order can be understood in two aspects: body and
self.

HUMAN VALUES Page 34

The svabhav of animal order is Composition / decomposition, nurture / worsen in body and
non cruelty, cruelty in ‘I’. The svabhav of human order is Composition / decomposition,
nurture
/ worsen in body and perseverance, bravery, generosity in ‘I’.
Similar as to the case in animals, the human body also belongs to the plant/ bio order and
hence has the same svabhava or value/natural characteristic as the pranic order.It either
nurtures or worsens other pranic units. As in the example above, when I digest the
vegetable, I absorb the plant and it worsens, while my body is nurtured.

The svabhava/ value of the self (‘I’) in human beings is perseverance (dhirata), bravery
(virata) and generosity (udarata).

⮚ Perseverance (dhirata): Being assured that the all encompassing solution is to understand
and live in harmony at all levels of existence, living with this commitment without any
perturbation.
⮚ Bravery (virata): Being assured that the all encompassing solution is to understand and
live in harmony at all levels and I am ready to help the other to have the right understanding.
This is the commitment to help the other have the right understanding of the harmony and
living at all levels of existence.
⮚ Generosity (udarata): Being assured that the all encompassing solution is to understand
and live in harmony at all the four levels and I am ready to invest myself, my body and wealth
to help the other have the right understanding.
Human beings are not living as per this natural characteristic; even though we have a
svabhava, we are not living according to this. This is basic reason for the contradiction and
conflict that we see in human being. This is what leads to a state of unhappiness. Only when
we live according to our basic human characteristics as mentioned above, we have definite
character, otherwise, it is not definite, it is uncertain, unlike other three orders as discussed
above.
Order Things Natural Characteristic
Material order Soil, water, metals, Composition / decomposition
etc.
Pranic order Plants and trees Composition / decomposition + nurture / worsen
Animal order Animals and birds (Composition / decomposition, nurture / worsen)
in body + (non cruelty, cruelty) in ‘I’
Human order Human beings (Composition / decomposition, nurture / worsen)
in body + (perseverance, bravery, generosity) in
‘I’

Q5. What are the four orders of nature? Briefly explain them.
Ans: All the physical objects that are in solid, liquid or gas state either living or non-living,
collectively termed as nature. In other words, the aggregate of all the mutually interacting

HUMAN VALUES Page 35

units – big or small, sentient or insentient together can be called nature. These units are
infinite in number and we could easily observe that there exists a dynamic balance, self
regulation among all these units. There are four orders of nature:
Material order: The big land mass of the continents, gigantic water bodies like ocean and
seas, mountains and rivers, the atmosphere above, the heaps of metals and mineral below, the
dense gases and fossil fuels deep below the surface of the earth – all fall into the material
order or padartha avastha. In fact, if we look around beyond the earth, the material order is
visible even in the form of stars, planets, moons and several astronomical bodies.
Pranic order: Our land mass is covered with grass and small shrubs and they form the lining
on the entire soil. Shrubs, plants and trees form huge forest along with the flora in the ocean.
All of this is the plant/bio order or prana avastha and it is the next big order on our planet.
(The material order is far greater in quantity compared to the plant/bio order)
Animal order: Animals and birds form the third largest order and we call them the animal
order or jiva avastha. Here again, we see that the plant/bio order is far greater in quantity than
the animal order.
Human order: Human are the smallest order and they are referred to as human order or
gyana avastha. Animals are far greater in quantity as compared to the human order.
Q6. Explain the differences and similarities between animal order and human order.
What is the relation between the two orders?
or
Present the difference and similarity between a human being and an animal. Give
examples to support your answer.
ANS. The two orders can be distinctly recognized in terms of their characteristics,
participation with other units in similar order, activities, pattern of inheritance, etc. We can
see this in the following diagram:
Order Things Activity Innate-ne Natural Basic Conformanc
ss Characteristi Activity e
c
Anima Animal (Composition (Exisetenc (Composition (Recognisin Breed
l s / e / g, conformance
order and decompositio + growth) decompositio fulfillment)
birds n, in n, in
respiration) in body + nurture / body +
body + will worsen) (assuming,
selection to live in in body + recognising,
in ‘I’ ‘I’ (non fulfillment)
cruelty, in
cruelty) ‘I’
in ‘I’
Huma Human (Composition (Exisetenc (Composition Recognising Right values
n beings / e / , /
order decompositio + growth) decompositio fulfillment sanskara
n, in n, in conformance
respiration) in body + nurture / body +
body + will worsen) (knowing,
(selection, in body + assuming,

HUMAN VALUES Page 36

 thought, to live (perceverance recognising,
desire) with , fulfillment)
in ‘I’ happiness bravery, in
in generosity) in ‘I’
‘I’ ‘I’

Things (Vastu)
Animal order: The animal order is made of various kinds of animals and birds. These
entities display both a body (physicochemical activity) as well as a conscious activity (self or
‘I’). The animal order thus is the coexistence of the animal body (pranic order) and the self
(or ‘I’ = consciousness).
Human (knowledge) order: The human order is constituted of all the human beings. Each
human being is coexistence of the self (‘I’, conscious entity = consciousness) and the body
(pranic order).
Activity (Kriya)
Animal Order: Body In Animals – Physico-Chemical Activities: The body displays
respiration, or breathing, or pulsating also there is composition/ decomposition in the body.
‘I’ In Animals – Conscious Activities: The activities in ‘I’ are fundamentally different from
those in the body. ‘I’ is a unit that has the ability or capacity of assuming.Animals make
assumptions. If we have a dog and some strangers come into the house, the dog may start
barking at him. If this person stays at our house, the dog may stops barking at him, but will
continue to bark at other strangers. What has happened here is that the dog’s ‘assumption’
about this person has changed, due to which; the way in which it responds to the person has
changed. We call this assuming.
Human Order: The activities in human body are similar to that in the animal body, i.e.
composition/ decomposition and respiration. When it comes to consciousness or ‘I’, however,
the human displays more than just an ability to ‘select’ or make choices as animals do. In
human beings, ‘I’ has the activities of desiring, thinking, and selecting/tasting, with a
possibility or need for understanding and realization. Only humans have this need to know
and that is why it is called gyana avastha – the knowledge order.
Innateness (dharana)
Animal Order: The animal body is a development of the pranic order and therefore this order
inherits the innateness of ‘existence’ and ‘growth’. This is at the level of the body, which is
physicochemical in nature. In addition, all units in this order have the ‘will to live’ in
‘I’. Indeed no unit in this order can be separated from this ‘will to live’. It is intrinsic to every
unit in this order.
Human Order: When we look at the human being, we find that ‘existence’ and ‘growth’ are
fundamentally present in the body, just as in the animal body. At the level of ‘I’ however,
in addition to the ‘will to live’, a human being’s innateness is the ‘will to live with
happiness’.
Natural Characteristics (Svabhava)
Animal Order: The body of the animal belongs to the plant/bio or pranic order, and hence has
the same ‘usefulness’ or ‘value’ as the pranic order. Thus ‘nurture/worsen’ is the svabhava
of the animal body. The svabhava of the self (‘I’) of the animal order is non-cruelty

HUMAN VALUES Page 37

(akrurata) and cruelty (krurata). Cruelty (krurata) means the feeling that it can fulfil its
needs through violence and forcefulness. For ex., cows may largely be living with a feeling of
non-cruelty (akrurata); while animals like tigers and lions may exhibit cruelty (krurata).
Human Order: Similar as to the case in animals, the human body also belongs to the plant/
bio order and hence has the same svabhava or value/natural characteristic as the pranic
order. It either nurtures or worsens other pranic units. As in the example above, when I
digest the vegetable, I absorb the plant and it worsens, while my body is nurtured. The
svabhava/ value of the self (‘I’) in human beings is perseverance (dhirata), bravery
(virata) and generosity (udarata).
1. Perseverance (dhirata): Being assured that the all encompassing solution is to understand
and live in harmony at all levels of existence.
2. Bravery (virata): I am ready to help the other to have the right understanding.
3. Generosity (udarata): I am ready to invest myself, my body and wealth to help the other
have the right understanding.
Basic Activity:
Animal Order: there is only recognising, and fulfilment in body, and in self (I) there is the
basic activity of assuming, recognising, fulfilment.
Human Order: human displays the same basic activity as that of animal body i.e.
Recognising, fulfilment, but in self (I) human have one more activity i.e. knowing.
Conformance (Anu-Sangita)
Animal order: Animals conform to their lineage. How animals are, their behaviour is
according to their lineage they belong to, the lineage they come from. Hence, we say that an
animal conforms to its breed, or has ‘breed conformance’. This breed conformance method
is the mechanism by means of which the continuity of an animal species is maintained in
nature/existence.
Human (knowledge) order: We humans are not according to our lineage or race, as in
animals. We humans are according to our imagination; according to our desires, thoughts and
selection in ‘I’. The desires, thoughts and selections we have in ‘I’ can come from past
memories, our parents, the environment, and the media, anywhere. In the case of humans, we
can say ‘as the education, so the human’. Together, we call these ‘sanskara’. Hence, we say
that a human being conforms to his or her sanskar or has ‘sanskaar conformance’.
Q7. What are the four orders in nature? Describe their activities and natural
characteristics?
or
What do you understand by ‘activity’? Write down the activity of the four orders in
nature.
or
Distinguish between the activities of different orders of nature giving an example of
each.
Ans: Combination of all that is in solid, liquid or gas state, or the aggregate of all the
mutually interacting units – big or small, sentient or insentient together can be called nature.
We can categorize all these units into four distinct orders.
⇒ Material order ⇒ Pranic order

HUMAN VALUES Page 38

 ⇒ Animal order ⇒ Human order
The four orders can be distinctly recognised in terms of their natural characteristics and
activities.
Order Things Activity Natural Characteristic
Material Soil, water, Composition / decomposition Composition / decomposition
order metals, etc
Pranic Plants and Composition / decomposition Composition / decomposition +
order trees + nurture / worsen
respiration
Animal Animals (Composition / decomposition, (Composition / decomposition,
order and birds respiration) in body + nurture / worsen) in body + (non
selection in ‘I’ cruelty, cruelty) in ‘I’
Human Human (Composition / decomposition, (Composition / decomposition,
order beings respiration) in body + nurture / worsen) in body +
(selection, thought, desire) in (bravery, perseverance, generosity)
‘I’ in ‘I’

Q8. How will you show interconnection and mutual fulfillment in four order of nature
with examples?
or
There are four orders in nature. How does each order participate in the harmony in the
nature? Give few examples.
or
What are the four orders in nature? How can the human order be responsible to the
other three orders?
or
Critically examine the attitude of humans today towards the other three orders of
nature. Try to make a proper evaluation of human efforts.
or
How is the human order related to the other three orders in nature? How does this
understanding help in choosing the production activity for a human being?

Ans: In the nature, all the units are connected to each other and fulfilling each other. Human
being is related to all other human beings. On this basis, we have feelings and emotions for
everyone. Human being is connected to all the material units in the existence and gets aware
of it as he starts exploring it. We can see this interconnectedness and mutual fulfilment in the
following diagram:
Material Order and Plant/Bio-Order: The material order provides the nutrients to the
plant/bio order in the form of soil, minerals, etc while the plant/ bio order decays and forms
more nutrients, thus enriching the soil. The plant/bio order also decays to substances like oil
and coal, which are stored deep within the earth as protection against the heat from the
molten core inside the earth as well as the heat from the sun (today, this is the material we are
removing and using as fuel). Plants help move the nutrients through the various layers of the

HUMAN VALUES Page 39

soil. The roots of the plants hold the soil together and prevent the soil from erosion. Plants
produce oxygen/ carbon dioxide and thus help in the movement of the material order. There is
a mutual interdependency and co-existence we can see here.

Material Order, Plant/Bio- Order and Animal Order: The material order provides the
basis for movement of all animals, birds and fishes. Water, oxygen and other gases are
necessities for both plants and animals. At the same time, the animal order helps enrich the
soil with its excreta and these excreta help the plants with nutrients. The plant/bio order
provides food for animals, birds and fishes. The animal Order helps in pollination of the
flowers of the pranic order.
Material Order, Plant/Bio- Order, Animal Order and Human Order: We humans also
have a natural acceptance to be mutually fulfilling to these three orders. However, we are not
able to ensure this mutual fulfillment. We are dependent on the material order for soil and
minerals and metals, but only end up polluting the soil and depleting the fossil fuels; we are
dependent on plants for our food and holding together the larger ecosystem, but we have
destroyed forests and destroyed multiple species of plants and herbs; we are dependent on
animals to carry out our production and transportation activities, but have made many species
of animals extinct, and are today known for our cruelty towards animals. We can see that
there is interconnectedness and mutual fulfillment in all the orders of nature except human
order. We have to work on this.

HUMAN VALUES Page 40

Q9. Explain how there is re cyclability and self-regulation in nature.
or
Explain the recyclability in nature with any two examples.
or
There is recyclability in nature. Explain this statement with any two examples. How
does it help in production activity?
or
Explain the recyclability of any two units in nature with examples. How is it useful for
sustainable production activities?

Ans: There are several cyclical processes that we can see in nature. For example the cycle of
water, evaporating, condensing and precipitating back to water giving the weather
phenomena. The cycles keep these materials self-regulated on the earth. Breeds of plants and
animals are similarly self-regulated in their environment. In a forest, the growth of trees takes
place in a way so that the amount of soil, plants and animals remains conserved. It never
happens that the number of trees shoots up and there is a lack of soil for the trees. The
appropriateness of the conditions for growth of both plants and animals are self-regulated in
nature keeping the population proportions naturally maintained. This phenomenon is termed
as self-regulation. In a single breed of animals, the number of males and females generated
through procreation is such that the continuity of species is ensured by itself. This happens
with humans too, but inhuman practices have led to disproportionate numbers of men and
women. These two characteristics namely, cyclical nature and self-regulation provide us with
some clues of the harmony that is in nature.
Q10. What do you mean by ‘conformance’? Explain the conformance in the four orders.
Ans: Each unit conforms through the principle of conformance or anusangita. It means how
the continuity of the fundamental nature of the unit is preserved.
Order Material order Pranic order Animal order Human order
Things Soil, water, Plants and trees Animals and Human beings
metals, etc birds

HUMAN VALUES Page 41

Conformance Constitution Seed Breed Right values /
conformance conformance conformance sanskara
conformance

Material order: The continuity of the fundamental nature of the material unit is preserved
through the physical and chemical processes. Take iron for example. Each atom of iron
conforms to the constitutional structure of ‘Iron’. There is no atom of iron that will be unlike
the other atom of iron, if it were, we would not call it iron. We call this ‘constitution
conformance’. The material order exhibits constitution conformance. We can verify this for
all things in the material order. For example, oxygen, nitrogen, other gasses, gold, silver,
aluminum… all of them conform to and are always according to the constitution of their
kind. Hence, we say that any matter conforms to its constitution or has ‘constitution
conformance’.
Plant/bio order: A neem seed will always sprout a neem plant. All of us know this. Its fruits,
its leaves, the taste of the leaves, the colour of the leaves, all this information, this basic
information of every neem plant are stored in the seed. Thus, we say the plant is always as the
seed, or we can say, ‘as the seed, thus the plant’.Hence, we say that a plant conforms to the
seed, or has ‘seed conformances’. This ‘seed conformance’ method is the mechanism by
means of which the continuity of a plant species is maintained in nature/existence.

Animal order: We see that a cow is always like a cow, and a dog is always like a dog.
Animals conform to their lineage. How animals are, their behavior, is according to their
lineage they belong to, the lineage they come from. Hence, we say that an animal conforms
to its breed, or has ‘breed conformance’. This breed conformance method is the
mechanism by means of which the continuity of an animal species is maintained in
nature/existence.
Human (knowledge) order: We can see that we humans are not according to our lineage or
race, as in animals. We may pick up something from our parents as we grow up, but we are
usually very different in many ways from them. We humans are according to
our imagination; according to our desires, thoughts and selection in ‘I’. The desires, thoughts
and selections we have in ‘I’ can come from anywhere. It can come from past memories; it
can come from our parents, the environment, media and from anywhere. In the case of
humans, we can say ‘as the education, so the human’. We are according to our desires,
thoughts and selections. Together, we call these ‘sanskara’. Hence, we say that a human
being conforms to his or her sanskar or has ‘sanskaar conformance’.
Q11. How the activity is in human order is different with that of animal and plant
order?
Ans: An activity means something that ‘has motion’ and /or ‘has a result’. The material order
is active in multiple ways, and the same with the plant order or animal order or human order.
We are sitting in a room. But we are active. We are thinking, desiring, the body has breath
running, heart throbbing. The air in the room is blowing. The wall standing constantly also
has activity. The chair in the room is also active. It may not be very visible to our eyes but the
chair is still active.
We can understand this activity in two ways:

HUMAN VALUES Page 42

⮚ Things that we see are ‘visibly moving’, through the naked eyes, such as a spinning top, a
moving bus, a running man, are active, and
⮚ All things that are ‘visibly stationery’, are not moving, are also active. Like a stationary
chair. The activity of chair is that the wood of the chair is interacting with the environment
and as a result it decays with time.
All units around us, including ourselves, are active, all the time. They are interacting with the
environment. In the activity, there is a state or configuration and motion simultaneously. This
remains all the time.
Order Things Activity
Material order Soil, water, metals, etc. Composition / decomposition
Pranic order Plants and trees Composition / decomposition + respiration
Animal order Animals and birds (Composition / decomposition, respiration)
in body + selection in ‘I’
Human order Human beings (Composition / decomposition, respiration)
in body + (selection, thought, desire) in ‘I’

Material order: All material things (i.e. units in the material order) can be understood as an
activity of ‘units’ coming together to form a bigger unit. We call this ‘composition’. For
example, the chair is made of smaller pieces of wood. Bigger units can also separte from each
other to form smaller units and we call this ‘decomposition’. Like a wooden chair can decay
after a few years. Thus any unit in the material order can be understood as an ‘activity of
‘composition/decomposition’.
Plant/bio order: When we look at all the units that make up the plant/bio order we will find
that they can be understood in terms of composition/ decomposition and respiration. Not only
do plants compose (following new plants) and decompose (decaying), they are also breathing,
or pulsating, which we call respiration.
Animal order: We can understand the activities of animal order in two aspects:
• Body In Animals – Physicochemical Activities The body displays the same activities that
we see the plant. The body displays respiration, or breathing, or pulsating, as we call it. The
body is also formed at one point in time and keeps building cells as well, i.e. there is
composition in the body. Hence, the activities in the body are the same as that in the plant/bio
order, which are: composition/ decomposition and respiration. Hence, we say that the body
belongs to plant/bio order.
• ‘I’ In Animals – Conscious Activities The activities in ‘I’ are fundamentally different from
those in the body. ‘I’ is a unit that has the ability or capacity of assuming. Animals make
assumptions. If you have a dog and some strangers come into the house, the dog may start
barking at him. If this person stays at your house, the dog may stops barking at him, but will
continue to bark at other strangers. What has happened here is that the dog’s ‘assumption’
about this person has changed, due to which; the way in which it responds to the person has
changed. We call this assuming.

HUMAN VALUES Page 43

It is important to note that this consciousness or faculty of assuming is not in the
body. The body belongs to the plant/bio order, and is physicochemical in nature. It just
responds to physicochemical inputs.
Human (knowledge) order: The activities in human body are similar to that in the animal
body, and we have seen this in detail as: composition/ decomposition and respiration. When it
comes to consciousness or ‘I’, however, the human displays more than just an ability to
‘select’ or make choices as animals do.
Thus, in human beings, ‘I’ has the activities of desiring, thinking, and selecting/tasting, with a
possibility or need for understanding and realization. Only humans have this need to know
and that is why it is called gyana avastha – the knowledge order.

Q12. Explain the basic activity in the four orders in nature.

Ans:
Order Things Basic Activity
Material order Soil, water, metals, . Recognizing, fulfillment
etc.
Pranic order Plants and trees Recognizing, fulfillment
Animal order Animals and birds (Recognizing, fulfillment) in body + (assuming,
recognizing, fulfillment) in ‘I’
Human order Human beings Recognizing, fulfillment in body + (knowing,
assuming, recognizing, fulfillment) in ‘I’

In the material and pranic order, there is only recognizing and fulfillment. Such units do
not have the activities of assuming and knowing. Take for example, hydrogen and oxygen
recognize the relation to each other, and combine to form water. A brick and the other brick
have a definite relation, recognize it and get arranged to form a building. A plant recognizes
the relation with sun and water, and fulfils it by acting accordingly. Such activities take place
in a similar way all the time, there is no selection involved here. A plant does not choose to
turn or not to turn to sun, absorb or not to absorb water. Similarly, the fan in your room does
not choose to rotate clockwise or anti-clockwise. It turns as per the winding in the motor. No
choice.
When we look at the animals and humans, we find selection taking place.

Q13. Comment on the statement: “Nature is limited and space is unlimited.”

Ans: Nature has four orders and there are units in each order. Each unit is limited in
size. The size ranges from being really small (atom) to really big (galaxies). Each and every
unit is finite and limited in size, be it the smallest particle or the biggest galaxies. Space, on
the other hand is unlimited. Space has no ‘size’, unlike units, it is not bounded. So, there is
no beginning or end to space, as there is to units. For example, when we take a book, we
know that it starts and finishes. We say the book is ‘limited’ in size. When we take space,
there is no such thing. There is space behind us, inside us, between us and the book, between
the book and the earth, in the book, in every page of it, inside the page, and beyond the

HUMAN VALUES Page 44

earth…. all the way till we can imagine. We find that space pervades; it is
all-pervading. Units, on the other hand are not all-pervading. This is how we recognize them
as units.
Q14. How can we say that ‘nature is Self Organized and in space Self-Organization Is
Available.’
Ans: Every unit is an organization. A unit recognizes other units and combines to form a
bigger organization. Starting from the atom, to the big galaxy, this organization goes on, as a
self-organization. At every level, we get a self-organization. Sub atomic particles recognize
each other and come together to form atoms. Cells recognize each other and form
organizations like organs and a body. Planetary bodies, solar systems, galaxies are still bigger
organizations. We are not organizing it. We are not supplying it organization from outside.
When we look at humans,

we see that we are self-organized at the level of the body. We are not organizing the body.
We are not doing anything for the coordinationbetween the heart, kidneys, lungs, eyes, brain,
hands, legs, etc.

All these are functioning together. Our input is needed only to provide the required nutrition,
and to assist the body when we fall sick/get injured. At the level of ‘I’, we are not
self-organized, but being in space, self-organization is available to the self (‘I’). That’s why
we are in pursuit of happiness, which is essentially being in harmony. Whenever we are not in
harmony, we are unhappy. All the units of four orders are self-organized. No one is
organizing them from outside. No one is supplying this organization. This self-organization is
available to units being in space. Hence, for space, we say ‘self organization is available’.

Q15. Define existence? Show that existence is in a form of co-existence.

or
Existence is co-existence of mutually interacting units in all-pervasive space. Explain.
or
“Existence = Nature submerged in space” – Elaborate this point.
or
Differentiate between units and space. How are units self-organized in space?
or
What are the various attributes of units and space? Explain each.
or
Write a short note on ‘nature (units) submerged in space’. Explain the meaning of
submerged here.
or
‘Existence is co-existence’. Give your opinion.

Ans: All the units together constitute nature. All the units of nature exist in space which is an
important reality to understand. Existence is nothing but the nature in space.
Existence = Exist + Essence, whatever exists.

HUMAN VALUES Page 45

 ↓ ↓
To be harmony
We define unit as something that is limited in size. Like a small blade of human hair to the
biggest planets we know of, they are all limited in size, i.e. bounded on six sides. So, all the
‘things’ we have been studying so far: the human beings, animals, lumps of matter as well as
various atoms and molecules, are all ‘units’. We can recognize them as such, they are
countable.
But there is another ‘reality’ called ‘space’. We normally don’t pay attention to this ‘reality’,
because it’s not a ‘unit’. We can’t ‘touch it’, smell it. We normally just ‘see through it’. But
the fact is because we can’t ‘touch it’ or ‘see it’ as we would see a unit like our body, our
friends, or a piece of rock, doesn’t mean it does not exist. Space exists
everywhere. Co-existence is a state in which two or more groups are living together
while respecting their differences and resolving their conflicts non-violently. Coexistence
has been defined in numerous ways:
1. To exist together (in time or space) and to exist in mutual tolerance.
2. To learn to recognize and live with difference.
3. To have a relationship between persons or groups in which none of the parties is trying to
destroy the other.
4. To exist together (in time or place) and to exist in mutual tolerance.
EXISTENCE
Nature submerged in Space
(Collection of units) (Empty)
Limited Unlimited
Active No activity
Energized Equilibrium energy
Recognizes and fulfils the relation All reflecting, transparent
Self organized Self organized is available
Unit All pervasive
Abundance with diversity All pervasive
Consciousness (I) – Nirantar Nitya
Material- Anitya (Ulimited in space and time)
(Niranatar: Limited in space, Unlimited in time, Anitya: Limited in space and time)
When we look at the existence around, the first thing we see is space. And then we see the
units in space. Between every two units there is a space. The units exist in space. If we were
to define this, we would say that there are two kinds of realities in existence and these are:
space and units (in space). So we say,
Existence = space + units (in space)
Since nature consists of the four orders we have been discussing, we can say,
“Existence = Nature submerged in space”.
Nature = Four orders (Material, Plant/Bio or Pranic, Animal and Human Order)
Q16. Explain the concept of holistic perception of harmony in existence.
Ans: The existence is units in space. Space is the empty area all around. The units are of two
types: material (insentient) and conscious (the sentient ‘I’). The material units are

HUMAN VALUES Page 46

transformable, and their composition keeps on changing, hence these are gathan sheel.
The other category of units, the sentient ‘I’, does not transform and are complete in
composition, hence gathanpurna. The material units are changeful (with activities of
recognizing and fulfilment only) while the other kinds of units are continuous (with activities
of knowing, assuming, recognizing and fulfilment).

The material units are available in two orders – material order and pranic order. In the
material order, an atom combines with another atom to form a molecule; a molecule similarly
forms a molecular structure. Molecular structures are found in two forms: lumps and fluids.
Fluids give nutrition to pranic order. In pranic order, the smallest units are plant cells which
combine with other cells to form plants, animal bodies and human bodies.

The co-existence of ‘I’ with the animal body becomes the animal order, and the co-existence
of ‘I’ with the human body becomes the human order. Completion of right understanding in
human being is called kriya purnata(COMPLETENESS) and ability to live with complete
understanding is called acharanpurnata.(PERFECT CONDUCT)

If we look at the left side of the chart, the transformation keeps taking place and the
transformation is cyclic in nature. But on the right hand side, the transitions are acyclic. This
implies that what we have understood continues to stay with us. We will never miss it. This is
a transition in one direction. This is actually called development (vikas).
So, Our Existence is in the form of co-existence. It is in Harmony. We don’t have
to create this harmony, it already exists. We only have to understand it to be in it. This means
that having the knowledge of self (‘I’) gives me the knowledge of human conduct (how to
live in existence, with the four orders). With this knowledge, I can live with human
conduct. This is the pending task we have to complete.

HUMAN VALUES Page 47

 UNIT 5
Q1. What are the values in interaction of human beings with the material things? Give
one example of each.
or
What is utility value and artistic value? How are both important in human life? Explain
with example.
or
'When there is no utility there is no scope for art too'. Explain.

Ans: Competence of living in accordance with universal human values or the participation of
a unit in the larger order- its natural characteristics or svabhava. Values are a part of our
ethical conduct. They are the natural outcome of realization and right understanding, which
are always definite. Values need not to be imposed through fear, greed or blind belief. The
vastu mulya (values of Human Being in the Interaction with the Rest of the Nature) is the
participation of the human being with the rest of the nature. It is further categorized as:

1. Utility Value (Upyogita Mulya): The participation of human being in ensuring the role
of physical facility in nurture, protection and providing means for the body.
2. Artistic value (kala mulya): The participation of a human being in ensuring the role of
physical facility to help and preserve its utility.

HUMAN VALUES Page 48

For example, the utility value of a pen is that it aids in writing. This provides a means to the
body. Providing a cap to the pen so that the ink does not spill, a proper design for holding of
the pen while writing, etc. preserve the utility of the pen.

A shirt has the utility that it protects the body. This is its utility value. Designing the shirt so
that it can be easily put on is the artistic value.

Q2. What do you understand by definitiveness of ethical human conduct? Why is this
definitiveness desirable?
or
What do you mean by definitiveness of ethical human conduct? How can it be ensured?
Ans: The right understanding gained through self-exploration also enables us to identify the
definitiveness of human conduct which may also be called the ethical human conduct. It is
the same for all human beings.
So we are also able to understand the universality of ethical human conduct which is in
consonance with the universal human values. Each one of us wants to have a definite conduct
but presently we may not be able to ensure that. This is because we are presently living on the
basis of our per-conditionings or assumptions which are not in consonance with the truth or
the right understanding. But, this situation neither gives satisfaction to us not to others. We do
see the human beings struggling to find out what the right conduct is and in the process,
exhibiting a wide variety of attributes. We also see people debating endlessly about what they
consider to be ethical. But unless we have the right understanding, we are not able to
identify the definiteness of ethical human conduct. It can be understood in terms of the
following:
1. Values (Mulya): Competence of living in accordance with universal human values or the
participation of a unit in the larger order- its natural characteristics or svabhava is known as
values. Values are a part of our ethical conduct.
2. Policy (Niti): policy is the decision (plan, program, implementation, results, evaluation)
about the enrichment, protection and right utilization of the resources (self, body and wealth –
mana, tana and dhana).
3. Character (Charitra): The definiteness of my desire, thought and selection gives
definiteness to my living. Definitiveness of character is the outcome of the definiteness of my
behavior and work.
Q3. Comment on Profession – in the light of comprehensive human goal
Ans: Any profession is a channel for participation by human beings in the larger order in
pursuance of comprehensive human goal. In the process, one is able to contribute towards the
livelihood of one’s family and also participate in the larger order constituting the society and
the nature around. All these activities do require a certain degree of skill and are expected to
be performed in consonance with the comprehensive human goal. Then only, these will be
conducive to the sustained welfare of the individual as well as the society. The excellence or
the success of any professional activity is to be judged from this comprehensive point of view
only and not in terms of just wealth generation. Accordingly, the profession is not only a
means of earning one’s livelihood but a means of one’s evolution by appropriate participation
in the larger order. It is an important activity to authenticate one’s understanding, whereby

HUMAN VALUES Page 49

interact with other human beings and with rest of nature in a mutually fulfilling manner.
Thus, profession is a ‘service’.
Q4. What do you mean by professional ethics?
Ans: Professional ethics means to develop professional competence with ethical human
conduct. Ethical human conduct means definitiveness of human conduct. Ethical human
conduct is the foundation of professional ethics. The only effective way to ensure
professional ethics is through correct appraisal and systematic development of ethical
competence in the professional (the human being). Profession is a significant domain of
human activity targeted towards participating in the larger order which includes the society
and nature around. Thus, it is a meaningful participation for each one in one or more of the
five domains of human endeavor needed for a harmonious society. Ethical conduct of
profession implies the right utilization of one’s professional skills towards the fulfilment of
comprehensive human goal and thus, meaningfully participates in the larger order.
Professional ethics may be defined as a form of applied ethics that examines ethical
principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment.
Professional ethics concerns the moral issues that arise because of the specialist knowledge
that professionals attain, and how the use of this knowledge should be governed when
providing a service to the public.
Q5. What do you mean by competence in professional ethics? Elaborate with examples.
or
What do you understand by competence in professional ethics? Give two examples of its
implications in industry.
Ans: Professional ethics means to develop professional competence with ethical human
conduct.
Developing ethical competence in the individual (profession) is the only effective way to
ensure professional ethics. The development of ethical competence is a long term process to
be achieved through appropriate value education. As profession is only a subset of the life
activities, the competence in profession will only be the manifestation of one’s right
understanding. The salient features characterizing this competence can be summarized as
follows:
Clarity about comprehensive human goal: Samadhan – Samridhi – Abhay – Sah-astitva,
and its fulfilment through universal human order.

2. Confidence in oneself: Based on the right understanding of oneself and the rest of
existence.
3. Mutually fulfilling behavior: Clarity and confidence in ethical human conduct and its
correlation with sustained personal as well as collective happiness and prosperity.
4. Mutually enriching interaction with nature: Self-sufficiency in fulfilment of physical
needs; ability to assess the needs for physical facilities for the family and their fulfilment
through production systems ensuring harmony in the nature. In the light of the above, one
acquires the ability to identify and develop appropriate (people-friendly and eco-friendly)
technologies, production systems etc.
Q6. What do you mean by ‘universal human order’?
or

HUMAN VALUES Page 50

What is your vision of a universal human order? Write in your own words.
or
What do you mean by universal human order? What are its implications?

Ans: Universal human order (sarvabhauma vyavastha) is a feeling of being related to every
unit including human beings and other entities of nature. Having understood the
comprehensive human goal, we are able to be in harmony not only with human beings, but
also with the rest of the nature. We are able to see that we are related to every unit in nature
and ensure mutual fulfilment in that relationship. On the bases of understanding of harmony,
we get the notion of an undivided society and universal human order. The universal human
order will comprise of:
1. The five dimensions of human endeavor (education, health etc.) towards a fragmented
society.
2. The steps of organization from family to world family, each anchored in right
understanding will integrated in the following way:
Family ⇒ family cluster ⇒ village / community ⇒ village cluster ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ world family
Q7. What are the implications of value based living at all four levels of living? Explain.
ANS. The implications of value-based living can be studied in the following terms:
1. At the level of the individual – Transition towards happiness and prosperity will take
place at the individual level. It will instil self-confidence, spontaneous joyfulness, peace,
contentment and bliss in the self, and also perseverance, bravery and generosity in living of
the individual.
2. At the level of the family - Mutual fulfilment in relationships, prosperity in the family,
sustenance of joint families, family as the building block of societal order in place of law
enforcing bodies, respect for all without differentiation on the basis of age, gender, caste,
race, money, post, creed, etc.
3. At the level of the society – Fearlessness in the society, holistic systems for education,
health, justice, production, exchange and storage, harmony between nations, world growing
as a family.
4. At the level of nature – Co-existence of all units in nature, earth getting more and more
suited for sustenance of all entities on the globe, balance of seasons, proper development
Q8. What would be the pragmatic implications of value-based living at the four levels?
Briefly explain.
Ans: The implications of value based living can be understood in the following terms:
1. At the level of the individual – Achieve happiness, peace, contentment and bliss in the
self, perseverance, bravery and generosity in living of the individual. The individual get rid of
the tensions, frustrations, depression, and other such situations
2. At the level of the family - Mutual fulfillment in relationships, prosperity in the family,
sustenance of joint families, family as the building block of societal order in place of law
enforcing bodies, respect for all without differentiation on the basis of age, gender, caste,
race, money, post, creed, etc.
3. At the level of the society – Fearlessness in the society, holistic systems for education,
health, justice, production, exchange and storage, harmony between nations, world growing

HUMAN VALUES Page 51

as a family. Differentiations on the basis of body, physical facilities and beliefs will be
reduced.
4. At the level of nature – Co-existence of all units in nature, earth getting more and more
suited for sustenance of all entities on the globe, balance of seasons, proper development. The
problems of pollution and resource depletion can be solved.
Q9. How do the current world views lead to contradictions and dilemmas in
professional life? – Explain.
Ans: Contradictions and Dilemmas: We can understand more clearly through examples
how the contradictions and dilemmas are inherently generated by the prevailing worldview in
which wealth maximization is perceived to be the prime objective.

In such a paradigm, ‘your loss is my gain’. Thus the other person’s happiness seems to be in
conflict with my happiness.

In that case, the other people have to be exploited for one to gain affluence and there is no
possibility of mutual fulfilment in a sustainable way.

In the same way, exploitation of nature also becomes acceptable as it helps a person to
accumulate wealth easily and there is no limit to this. Let us analyze how such a world view
affects the propensity of people in different professions.

Take the example of business circles, whenever there is a scarcity of commodity due to say –
monsoon failure or other natural disturbances or wars etc, the people in general are in distress
and need succour; however in such a situation the businessmen endowed with materialistic
world view will feel elated and look at it as an opportunity to make maximum profit.

They feel that the market is ‘improving’ and they should take the maximum advantage of it,
even accentuate it by hoarding and black marketing to serve their objective. Thus the interest
of such businessmen and the consumers in general come in direct conflict. While in reality
they are expected to be mutually complementary. In a similar way, ethical practices like
adulteration and spurious production etc. are also adopted in an attempt to increase profits-
albeit at the cost of greatly endangering public health and safety. An interesting example of
the prevailing dichotomy is evident in the advertisements that we daily come across,
particularly in case of various evidently harmful products like cigarettes, pan masala etc.
Where on one hand, the use of these products is highly glamorized to attract the consumers
and in the end there is an inconspicuous statutory warning indicating that the use of these
products is injurious to health. Thus there is clear tendency of making profits by promoting
the sale of the products which are injurious to public health. In such a situation the dilemma
as to how much importance is to be given to one’s profit and how much to the welfare always
remains unresolved.
Q10. What do you understand by holistic technology? Briefly explain.
or

HUMAN VALUES Page 52

What is a holistic technology? Take any two such examples from the Indian tradition
and elaborate on them.
or
Describe briefly the criteria for evaluation of holistic technology. Support your answer
with an example.

Ans: The modern technologies and systems are all human inventions in response to the needs
visualized under the influence of the prevailing worldview.

Accordingly, they have been designed and optimized to the objective functions best suited to
this world view. In order to facilitate the development of holistic technologies and systems,

it will be necessary to visualize alternative objective functions and to formulate appropriate

criteria for evaluation compatible with comprehensive human goal. Generally speaking, there
are three broad criteria to guide the development of such technologies and systems, viz.
a. Catering to appropriate needs and lifestyles,
b. People-friendly, and
c. Eco-friendly.
Criteria for Technologies
The above mentioned general criteria can be itemized into more specific form as follows:
1. Catering to real human needs
2. Compatible with natural systems and cycles
3. Facilitating effective utilization of human body, animals, plants and materials
4. Safe, user-friendly and conducive to health
5. Producible with local resources and expertise as far as possible
6. Promoting the use of renewable energy resources
7. Low cost and energy efficient
8. Enhancing human interaction and cooperation
Q11. Give a critical review of the current management models in profession.
Ans: If we really wish to gain an insight into the holistic systems, we have a lot to learn from
systems of nature and from traditional practices. With modern developments in science and
technology, and their widespread application, an impression has grown that the nature is
primarily for exploitation as per the whims and fancies of human beings, the nature has to be
tamed/controlled and exploited for human enjoyment. Further, it is believed that the systems
in nature are all primitive and have to be replaced by man-made systems. This is how one
looks at ‘development’. Similarly, it is also believed that the traditional practices are all
obsolete and have to be rejected outright. This arrogant attitude towards nature and the
traditional know-how has caused much damage to humanity in recent times. It is high time
we critically examine these beliefs and rectify them in the light of right understanding. In
reality, nature is not only our nourisher but also a learning ground. The human beings are an
integral part of this self-sustaining nature and it is essential to understand its functioning and
systems to live in harmony with it. After all, it is only by diligent study of nature that all the
laws and principles governing various processes have been discovered by human beings. In a
similar way, the systems and cycles of nature also need to be understood and emulated as

HUMAN VALUES Page 53

required in man-made designs. Then only, we can correctly visualize and evolve the holistic
way of living.
As for the traditional practices, it is true that with increase in knowledge and skills, and with
changing needs, it is necessary to make improvisations in technologies and systems of human
use, however, in order to do that it is essential to critically evaluate their strengths and
weaknesses. It is important to identify the characteristics which have enabled the traditional
practices to serve humanity for long periods. The eco-friendly and people-friendly
characteristics of many traditional practices are very much worthy of our recognition and
retention. Then we will be in a better position to utilize our present day knowledge to
augment the systems and make them more effective, efficient and more suited to current
needs. For example, we can learn a lot from the traditional practices of eco-friendly
agriculture techniques, watershed management, eco-restoration, herbal formulations,
preservation techniques, and artisanal practices and so on. It does not amount to going
backwards but rather enables us to avail from the vast storehouse of wisdom and experience
so that we become better prepared to take the leap forward in the right direction.
Q12. Critically examine the issues in professional ethics in the current scenario. List any
five unethical practices in profession today and the methods being tried to curb them.

Ans: The unethical practices are rapidly increasing and their impact is also becoming
far-reaching. Corruption in multifarious manifestations is afflicting all the professions like a
virus. Similarly, other unethical practices are also proliferating and getting out of control. It
appears as if human ingenuity is being increasingly harnessed to devise newer and subtler
ways to thwart the ethical conduct of profession, to twist the laws and to beat the system. As
a result of this ‘epidemic’ of unethical practices, we are frequently coming across serious
scams, major economic offences and kickbacks in large scale purchases. Lapses on the part of
big organizations in ethical conduct of profession have led to large scale disasters, such as
Bhopal Gas Tragedy, the Chernobyl Disaster, etc. endangering public life and prosperity, and
causing serious degradation to environment. This menace becomes even more serious as
unethical politics are adopted collectively by large industries, cartels, multinational
corporations and even national governments. We are also quite familiar how misleading
propaganda, advertisements using sex-appeal, the influence of show business ad celebrities
are being employed to influence the public mind for promoting all types of products which
are not quite conductive to human welfare. We may enlist some salient categories of these
unethical practices as follows:
⮚ Corruption in multiple forms and at various levels.

⮚ Tax evasion, misappropriation and misuse of public funds.

⮚ Misleading propaganda, unethical advertisements and sale promotion.

⮚ Cut-throat competition.

⮚ Exploiting the weakness of consumers through various enticements

HUMAN VALUES Page 54

⮚ Adulteration and spurious production

⮚ Endangering the health and safety of public at large.

⮚ Hoarding and over-charging etc.

………… the list could be much longer.
Q13. Explain how Identification of svatva leads to svatantrata and svarajya.
or
You were introduced to the words Svatva, svatantrata and svarajya. How does the
self-exploration help you to identify swatva and transition to swatantrata and swarajya?
or
How does exploring our svatva leads to svatantrata and svarajya.
or
Elaborate on the meaning of swatwa (innateness), swatantrata (self-organization) and
swarajya(self-expression). How are they related?
Ans: We are exploring our svatva and in the process of self-verification and living
accordingly, we are attaining svatantrata and svarajya. Having discussed the content of right
understanding,

we can see how we explored our svatva (our natural acceptance) at different levels of our
living and how the dialogue that started in us helped us getting rid of our preconceived
notions, our dilemmas, contradictions and compulsions, either external or internal.

Having explored our svatva, we are able to live accordingly and this way, we become
svatantra.
The more, we attain this self- organized state, we are able to live in harmony with others and
also we are able to help others attain this state. This leads to our participation in svarajya. It is
a natural process. It leads by itself, without any external force. From here we get an important
message: the effort towards ensuring orderliness in the society is possible and is sustained by
ensuring orderliness in ourselves. Every mechanism to bring order in the society needs to be
based on this. This is an important implication of right understanding when we go to make
policies for nations and the world.
Q14. Write a short note on the comprehensive human goal. Establish that it is
comprehensive.
Ans: In order to facilitate the fulfillment of the basic aspirations of all human
being in the society and the comprehensive values that join these human being
together the following human goal needs to be understood.
Right Prosperity Fearlessness Co-existence
Understanding (Trust)
↓ ↓
↓ In Every Family ↓ In Nature
In Society
HUMAN VALUES Page 55
 In Every
Individual
⮚ Right understanding is necessary for all human beings. When one does not
have the right understanding, one remains disturb and also acts in a manner so
as to create disharmony with other human being as well as with rest of nature
⮚ Prosperity is needed in every family. Prosperity in the family means that the
family is able to identify its need and is able to produce/ achieve more than its
requirements
⮚ Trust in society means every member of society feels related to everyone else
and therefore there is trust and fearlessness
⮚ Co-existence in nature means there is a relationship and complementary
among all the entities in nature including human beings
This is the Comprehensive Human Goal. With little exploration we can find
that, this is the minimum level that each one of us wants and also the maximum
we can think of. The moment we leave anyone of them out, there will be loss of
continuity and the goal cannot be achieved.
The above mentioned four goals are not only comprehensive but also universal
i.e. equally applicable to all human beings and for all times. It includes all our
aspirations and this is the goal for each one of us. As our understanding and
awareness deepens, we begin to take responsibility that spreads beyond the
confines of ourselves and our family and begin to include the entire human
society in working towards the above goal.
Lack of understanding of harmony has led astray our programs and we are not
able to work for the fulfillment of comprehensive human goal today. In light of
the comprehensive human goal, the following five salient dimension of human
endeavor are to be shaped and implemented in society.
⮚ Education – Right living

⮚ Health – Self-regulation

⮚ Justice – Preservation

⮚ Production – Work

HUMAN VALUES Page 56

⮚ Exchange – Storage
These five dimensions broadly cover all the activities that are necessary and
fundamental to the harmonious existence of human society and to achieve
comprehensive human goal.

Ethics, Morals and Values

According to Charles Colson, “Morality describes what is, whereas Ethics describes
what ought to be”. Fundamentally, morals refer to a set of rules defining what is
considered to be right or wrong and accepted without questions. These rules are typically
defined by society. If someone breaks such a rule then he is typically considered to have been
“bad” or “immoral.”
Values, on the other hand, provide direction in the determination of right versus wrong
or good versus bad. Values are what an individual believes to have worth and importance or
to be valuable. As such, morals are values defining right from wrong or good from bad.
Ethics refers to the “moral character of an individual”. The Greeks believed that it includes
an emphasis on an individual’s character as well as national character of a citizen as a
component of a greater community.

Morals Ethics

Derived from Latin

Derived from the Greek word, ethos,
word moralis, meaning “traditional
meaning moral character
customs”

Typically associated with personal Typically refers to professional

behaviour practices and behaviour

Customs or manners practiced in any Conveys sense of

given community or culture stability/permanence

May be different from culture to culture An absolute standard of behaviour

HUMAN VALUES Page 57

May change as acceptable social Standard is universal and immutable
behaviour in the culture changes (not subject to change)

WHAT IS ETHICS?

Ethics is the science of conduct. It considers the actions of human beings with reference to
their

rightness or wrongness. The word "ethics" is derived from the Greek word ethos, which
means

"character".

Mackenzie defines ethics as ―the study of what is right or good in human conduct‖ or ―the
science of

the ideal involved in conduct‖. It is a branch of philosophy, specially the moral philosophy
that studies the

evolution of concepts; such as right or wrong behaviour. So, it is clear that ethics is the study
which

determines rightness or wrongness of actions.

Ethics then, we may say, discusses men‘s habits or customs, or in other words their
characters,

the principles on which the habitually act and considers what it is that constitutes the
rightness or

wrongness of these principles, the good or evil of these habits.

Ethics is the word that refers to morals, values, and beliefs of the individuals, family or the
society. The

word has several meanings.

HUMAN VALUES Page 58

First, it is an activity and process of inquiry.

Second, it is different from non-moral problems, when dealing with issues and controversies.

Third, ethics refers to a particular set of beliefs, attitudes, and habits of individuals or family
or

groups concerned with morals.

Fourth, it is used to mean ‗morally correct‘.

The study on ethics helps to know the people‘s beliefs, values, and morals, learn the good and
bad of

them, and practice them to maximize their well-being and happiness.

It involves the inquiry on the existing situations, form judgments and resolve the issues. In
addition, ethics

tells us how to live, to respond to issues, through the duties, rights, responsibilities, and
obligations. In

religion, similar principles are included, but the reasoning on procedures is limited. The
principles and

practices of religions have varied from to time to time (history), region (geography, climatic
conditions),

religion, society, language, caste and creed. But ethics has grown to a large extent beyond the
barriers listed

above. In ethics, the focus is to study and apply the principles and practices, universally.

Types of professional ethics:

1. Meta ethics: (origin of ethical principle)

It deals with origin of ethical principles that govern the specification of right and wrong
behaviour.

A major issue of debate in this category is whether ethical principles are eternal truths that
evolved

from a spiritual world or simply created by the humans.

2. Descriptive ethics: (moral beliefs)

It refers to the study of moral beliefs of the people. It is a field of empirical research into what

people or societies consider right or wrong.

HUMAN VALUES Page 59

3. Normative ethics: (self moral conduct)

It is concerned with arriving at set of moral conduct rules against which behaviour are
judged.

4. Applied ethics:

The ethical principles are designed or written for implementation in a specific situation.

a. Bio ethics: These are the ethical principles or codes for maintaining normal livelihood.

b. Medical ethics: The ethical principles or codes designed for a medical profession.

c. Computer ethics: The ethical principles or codes designed for a medical profession.

d. Engineering ethics: The ethical principles or codes designed for an engineering

profession.

e. Business ethics: The ethical principles or codes designed for a business operation

f.

Legal ethics: The ethical principles or codes designed for maintaining a legal system.

WORK ETHICS:

Industry and Society are the two systems which interact with each other and are
interdependent.

Society requires industry/business system which provides manufacturing, distribution and

consumption

activities. It needs investment (capital input), labor (input), supply (raw materials),
production (industries,

business organizations), marketing and distribution (transport), and consumption (public,

customer). A lot

of transactions (and interactions) between these sub-systems involving people are needed for
the welfare of

the society. It is here, the work ethics plays an essential role.

Work ethics is defined as a set of attitudes concerned with the value of work, which forms the
motivational

orientation. The ‗work ethics‘ is aimed at ensuring the followings.

economy (get job, create wealth, earn salary),

productivity (wealth, profit), safety (in workplace), health and

HUMAN VALUES Page 60

hygiene (working conditions),

privacy (raise family),

security (permanence against contractual, pension, and retirement benefits),

cultural and social development (leisure, hobby, and happiness),

welfare (social work),

environment (anti-pollution activities),

All above offer opportunities for all, according to their abilities, but without discrimination.

MORALS:

Morals are the welfare principles enunciated by the wise people, based on their experience
and

wisdom. They were edited, changed or modified or evolved to suit the geography of the
region, rulers

(dynasty), and in accordance with development of knowledge in science and technology and
with time.

Morality is concerned with principles and practices of morals such as:

(a) What ought or ought not to be done in a given situation?

(b) What is right or wrong about the handling of a situation? And

(c) What is good or bad about the people, policies, and ideals involved?

Morality is different from Ethics in the following ways:

Morality

Ethics

More general and prescriptive based on

1. customs and traditions.

Specific and descriptive. It is a critical reflection on

1.

morals.

More concerned with the results of

wrong

HUMAN VALUES Page 61

More concerned with the results of a right action, when

2. action, when done.

2.

not done.

Thrust is on judgment and punishment, in the

3. name of God or by laws.

Thrust is on influence, education, training through codes,

3.

guidelines, and correction.

In case of conflict between the two,

morality

Less serious, hence second priority only. Less common.

is given top priority, because the damage is

But relevant today, because of complex interactions in

4. more. It is more common and basic.

4.

the modern society.

Example: Character flaw, corruption,

5. extortion, and crime.

Example: Notions or beliefs about manners, tastes,

5.

customs, and towards laws.

As against morals and ethics, laws are norms, formally approved by state, power or national
or

international political bodies. Breaking the norms is called crime, and invite specific
punishment

VALUES:

Humans have the unique ability to define their identity, choose their values and establish their

HUMAN VALUES Page 62

beliefs. All three of these directly influence a person‘s behavior. People have gone to great
lengths to

demonstrate the validity of their beliefs, including war and sacrificing their own life!
Conversely, people

are not motivated to support or validate the beliefs of another, when those beliefs are contrary
to their own.

People will act congruent with their personal values or what they deem to be important.

A value is defined as a principle that promotes well-being or prevents harm. Another

definition is: ―Values

are our guidelines for our success—our paradigm about what is acceptable.”

Personal values are defined as: ―Emotional beliefs in principles regarded as particularly
favorable or

important for the individual.” Our values associate emotions to our experiences and guide our
choices,

decisions and actions.

Types of Values:

The five core human values are: (1) Right conduct, (2) Peace, (3) Truth, (4) Love, and (5)
Non-violence.

1. Values related to RIGHT CONDUCT are:

(a) SELF-HELP SKILLS: Care of possessions, diet, hygiene, modesty, posture, self

reliance, and tidy appearance

(b) SOCIAL SKILLS: Good behavior, good manners, good relationships, helpfulness, (b) No

wastage, and good environment.

(c) ETHICAL SKILLS: Code of conduct, courage, dependability, duty, efficiency, ingenuity,

initiative, perseverance, punctuality, resourcefulness, respect for all, and responsibility

2. Values related to PEACE are: Attention, calmness, concentration, contentment, dignity,

discipline,

equality, equanimity, faithfulness, focus, gratitude, happiness, harmony, humility, inner

silence,

optimism, patience, reflection, satisfaction, self-acceptance, self-confidence, self-control, self

HUMAN VALUES Page 63

discipline, self-esteem, self-respect, sense control, tolerance, and understanding

3. Values related to TRUTH are: Accuracy, curiosity, discernment, fairness, fearlessness,

honesty,

integrity (unity of thought, word, and deed), intuition, justice, optimism, purity, quest for
knowledge,

reason, self-analysis, sincerity, sprit of enquiry, synthesis, trust, truthfulness, and

determination.

4. Values related to LOVE are: Acceptance, affection, care, compassion, consideration,

dedication,

devotion, empathy, forbearance, forgiveness, friendship, generosity, gentleness, humanness,

interdependence, kindness, patience, patriotism, reverence, sacrifice, selflessness, service,

sharing,

sympathy, thoughtfulness, tolerance and trust

5. Values related to NON-VIOLENCE are:

(a) PSYCHOLOGICAL: Benevolence, compassion, concern for others, consideration,

forbearance,

forgiveness, manners, happiness, loyalty, morality, and universal love

(b) SOCIAL: Appreciation of other cultures and religions, brotherhood, care of environment,

citizenship, equality, harmlessness, national awareness, perseverance, respect for property,

and

social justice.

(c)PHYSICAL : Non-injury to others, no physical action, non-aggressive, etc.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence can be defined as the ability to monitor one's own and other people's

HUMAN VALUES Page 64

emotions, to discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately and to use
emotional

information to guide thinking and behavior.

Emotional intelligence also reflects abilities to join intelligence, empathy and emotions to
enhance

thought and understanding of interpersonal dynamics. However, substantial disagreement

exists regarding

the definition of EI, with respect to both terminology and operationalizations. Currently, there
are three

main models of EI

The models of EI:

1. Ability model

2. Mixed model (usually subsumed under trait EI)

3. Trait model

1. Ability model:

Salovey and Mayer's conception of EI strives to define EI as ―The ability to perceive

emotion,

integrate emotion to facilitate thought, understand emotions and to regulate emotions to

promote personal

growth."

After pursuing further research, their definition of EI evolved into "the capacity to reason
about

emotions, and of emotions, to enhance thinking. It includes the abilities to accurately perceive
emotions, to

access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional
knowledge, and

to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth."

The model proposes that individuals vary in their ability to process information of an
emotional nature

and in their ability to relate emotional processing to a wider cognition. This ability is seen to
manifest

HUMAN VALUES Page 65

itself in certain adaptive behaviors. The model claims that EI includes four types of abilities:

a) Perceiving emotions: the ability to detect emotions in faces, pictures, voices, and cultural

artifacts—including the ability to identify one's own emotions.

b) Understanding emotions: the ability to comprehend emotion language and to appreciate

complicated relationships among emotions. The ability to be sensitive to slight variations

between

emotions, and the ability to recognize and describe how emotions evolve over time.

c) Using emotions: the ability to harness emotions to facilitate various cognitive activities,
such as

thinking and problem solving.

d) Managing emotions: the ability to regulate emotions in both ourselves and in others.

a. Therefore, the emotionally intelligent person can harness emotions, even negative ones,

and manage them to achieve intended goals.

2. Mixed model:

The model introduced by Daniel Goleman focuses on EI as a wide array of competencies and
skills that

drive leadership performance. Goleman's model outlines five main EI constructs (for more
details see

"What Makes a Leader" by Daniel Goleman, best of Harvard Business Review 1998):

a) Self-awareness: the ability to know one's emotions, strengths, weaknesses, drive values
and

goals and to recognize their impact on others.

b) Self-regulation: involves controlling or redirecting one's disruptive emotions and impulses

and adapting to changing circumstances.

c) Social skill: managing relationships to move people in the desired direction

d) Empathy: considering other people's feelings especially when making decision

e) Motivation: being driven to achieve for the sake of achievement.

Goleman includes a set of emotional competencies within each construct of EI. Emotional

HUMAN VALUES Page 66

competencies are not innate talents, but rather learned capabilities that must be worked on
and can be

developed to achieve outstanding performance.

Goleman proposed that individuals are born with a general emotional intelligence that
determines

their potential for learning emotional competencies.

3. Trait model:

Konstantinos Vasilis Petrides ("K. V. Petrides") proposed a conceptual distinction between

the

ability based model and a trait based model of EI and has been developing the latter over
many years in

numerous publications.

Trait EI is "a constellation of emotional self-perceptions located at the lower levels of

personality." In lay terms, trait EI refers to an individual's self-perceptions of their emotional

abilities.

This definition of EI encompasses behavioral dispositions and self-perceived abilities and is

measured by self report, as opposed to the ability based model which refers to actual abilities,
which have

proven highly resistant to scientific measurement. Trait EI should be investigated within a

personality

framework. An alternative label for the same construct is trait emotional self-efficacy.

For most people, emotional intelligence (EQ) is more important than one‘s intelligence (IQ)
in attaining

success in their lives and careers. As individuals our success and the success of the profession
today

depend on our ability to read other people‘s signals and react appropriately to them.

Therefore, each one of us must develop the mature emotional intelligence skills required to
better

understand, empathize and negotiate with other people — particularly as the economy has
become more

global. Otherwise, success will elude us in our lives and careers.

HUMAN VALUES Page 67

The Big Five are five broad factors (dimensions) of personality traits. They are:

1. Extraversion:

Extraversion is characterized by excitability, sociability, talkativeness, assertiveness and high

amounts of emotional expressiveness.

People who are high in extroversion are outgoing and tend to gain energy in social situations.

People who are low in extroversion (or introverted) tend to be more reserved and have to
expend

energy in social settings.

2. Agreeableness:

This personality dimension includes attributes such as trust, altruism, kindness, affection and
other

pro-social behaviors.

People who are high in agreeableness tend to be more cooperative while those low in this trait
tend

to be more competitive and even manipulative.

3. Conscientiousness:

Standard features of this dimension include high levels of thoughtfulness, with good impulse

control and goal-directed behaviors. Those high on conscientiousness tend to be organized

and

mindful of details.

4. Neuroticism:

Neuroticism is a trait characterized by sadness, moodiness, and emotional instability.

Individuals

who are high in this trait tend to experience mood swings, anxiety, moodiness, irritability and

sadness. Those low in this trait tend to be more stable and emotionally resilient.

5. Openness:

This trait features characteristics such as imagination and insight, and those high in this trait
also

tend to have a broad range of interests. People who are high in this trait tend to be more

HUMAN VALUES Page 68

adventurous and creative. People low in this trait are often much more traditional and may
struggle

with abstract thinking.

It is important to note that each of the five personality factors represents a range between two

extremes.

For example, extraversion represents a continuum between extreme extraversion and extreme

introversion. In the real world, most people lie somewhere in between the two polar ends of
each

dimension.

Understanding the Five Categories of Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

1. Self-awareness. The ability to recognize an emotion as it ―happens‖ is the key to your EQ.
Developing

self-awareness requires tuning in to your true feelings. If you evaluate your emotions, you
can manage

them. The major elements of self-awareness are:

 Emotional awareness. Your ability to recognize your own emotions and their effects.

 Self-confidence. Sureness about your self-worth and capabilities.

2. Self-regulation. You often have little control over when you experience emotions. You can,
however,

have some say in how long an emotion will last by using a number of techniques to alleviate
negative

emotions such as anger, anxiety or depression. A few of these techniques include recasting a
situation in a

more positive light, taking a long walk and meditation or prayer. Self-regulation involves

 Self-control: Managing disruptive impulses.

 Trustworthiness:. Maintaining standards of honesty and integrity.

 Conscientiousness:. Taking responsibility for your own performance.

 Adaptability:. Handling change with flexibility.

 Innovation:. Being open to new ideas.

HUMAN VALUES Page 69

3. Motivation. To motivate you for any achievement requires clear goals and a positive
attitude. Although

you may have a predisposition to either a positive or a negative attitude, you can with effort
and practice

learn to think more positively. If you catch negative thoughts as they occur, you can reframe
them in more

positive terms — which will help you achieve your goals. Motivation is made up of:

 Achievement drive:. You‘re constant striving to improve or to meet a standard of

excellence.

 Commitment:. Aligning with the goals of the group or organization.

 Initiative:. Readying you to act on opportunities.

 Optimism:. Pursuing goals persistently despite obstacles and setbacks.

4. Empathy. The ability to recognize how people feel is important to success in your life and
career. The

more skillful you are at discerning the feeling behind others‘ signals the better you can
control the signals

you send them. An empathetic person excels at:

 Service orientation: Anticipating, recognizing and meeting clients‘ needs.

 Developing others:. Sensing what others need to progress and bolstering their abilities.

 Leveraging diversity:. Cultivating opportunities through diverse people.

 Political awareness:. Reading a group‘s emotional currents and power relationships.

 Understanding others:. Discerning the feelings behind the needs and wants of others.

5. Social skills. The development of good interpersonal skills is tantamount to success in your
life and

career. In today‘s always-connected world, everyone has immediate access to technical

knowledge. Thus, ―people skills‖ are even more important now because you must possess a
high EQ to better understand,

empathize and negotiate with others in a global economy. Among the most useful skills are:

 Influence:. Wielding effective persuasion tactics.

 Communication:. Sending clear messages.

HUMAN VALUES Page 70

 Leadership;. Inspiring and guiding groups and people.

 Change catalyst:. Initiating or managing change.

 Conflict management:. Understanding, negotiating and resolving disagreements.

 Building bonds:. Nurturing instrumental relationships.

 Collaboration and cooperation:. Working with others toward shared goals.

 Team capabilities:. Creating group synergy in pursuing collective goals.

What factors are at play when people of high IQ fail and those of modest IQ succeed?

How well you do in your life and career is determined by both. IQ alone is not enough; EQ
also matters. In

fact, psychologists generally agree that among the ingredients for success, IQ counts for
roughly 10% (at

best 25%); the rest depends on everything else — including EQ.

A study of Harvard graduates in business, law, medicine and teaching showed a negative or
zero

correlation between an IQ indicator (entrance exam scores) and subsequent career success.
Three

examples illustrate the importance of emotional competencies

GOVERNING FACTORS OF INDIVIDUAL’S VALUE SYSTEM:

 Social status

 Cultural status

 Economic status

 Political situation

 Linguistic pattern

 Religious components

 Environment factors

 Geographic location

HUMAN VALUES Page 71

 Demographic Traits

 Technology

 Peer group

 Past experience

PERSONAL ETHICS:

Personal ethics refer to a person‘s personal or self-created values and codes of conduct. From
the very

beginning, these ethics are instilled in an individual, with a large part having been played by
their parents,

friends, and family. Common examples may include honesty, openness, commitment,
unbiased behavior,

and sense of responsibility. What a person develops regarding fairness or learns during
childhood remains

with him all through his life and is reflected by his actions and words. No matter if he is
talking to a friend

or his relatives or an elderly, his ethics would be clear from what he says and how he says it.
A person‘s

personal ethics are revealed in a professional situation through his behavior.

Features of Professional Ethics:

 Refrain from causing harm to others

 Be benevolent or good to others

 Be a well-wisher to others

 Respect individual freedom

 Ensure justice to all, without discrimination

 Respect law and code of conduct

 Follow noble practices like honesty, integrity, truthfulness etc.

 Free and fair to all

 Practice non-violence

 Help the people in need

HUMAN VALUES Page 72

 Help the poor.

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS:

Professional ethics are those values and principles that are introduced to an individual in a
professional

organization. Each employee is meant to strictly follow these principles. They do not have a
choice. Also,

this approach is imperative in professional settings as it brings a sense of discipline in people

as well as

helps maintain decorum in offices. Some examples may include confidentiality, fairness,
transparency and

proficiency. These ethics make employees responsible.

Features of professional ethics:

 Openness

 Transparency

 privacy

 Impartial

 Practical and un-biased

 Loyal

 Co-operative

 Objective oriented

Personal vs. Professional Ethics:

What‘s the difference between personal and professional ethics?

The ethics that you adhere to in your personal life and those that you comply with in your
professional

life are different in certain aspects. Without certain ethics, human beings would be
incomplete and

shallow. Thus, they have different systems of ethics in different places.

The biggest difference between personal and professional codes of conduct is perhaps the
strictness

HUMAN VALUES Page 73

with which people conform to them. The values that you define for yourself are up to you to
be

followed or not to be followed. However, those defined in a company or by a profession must

be

followed by you, since breach of these principles or rules may harm your reputation and
status. But if

you do not adhere to your personal ethics, it might hardly make a difference, depending on
the

circumstances. Even then, you must keep in mind that violation of your own rules may harm
others

around you.

Comparison Chart:

Personal Ethics

Includes your personal values and moral

Professional Ethics

qualities.

Rules imposed on an employee in a company, or as member of

a profession, e.g. doctor or lawyer.

Incorporated by family, friends and

Learnt when you are a part of a professional setting or when

surroundings since your childhood.

you are being trained or educated for working there.

Examples: honesty, care, and sincerity.

Not conforming to these may harm or

Examples: no gossiping, time management, punctuality,

confidentiality, transparency.

hurt others.

Not adhering to these may harm your professional reputation.

HUMAN VALUES Page 74

HUMAN VALUES Page 75