THE GOAL OF EDUCATION

                                                                    

“The end of education is character and the end of Knowledge is Love. Education should lead one to humility, which in turn equips him with all the eligibility. Eligibility provides him with necessary material wealth” remarks   Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba in one of his Divine discourses. ( SSS Vol 10) We have to examine if what Swami has said is true at present. Has the system of education ensured the building up of one’s character? Has the acquisition of various types of knowledge resulted in Love for all the creatures? Has the educated individual become really humble? Unfortunately the answer is in the negative! Present day education has become the promoter of greed instead of controlling it. It has thus laid the path for Mammon worship. The end of education today is to get as many higher Degrees as possible and earn five or six digit salaries! The educated person does not hesitate to exploit society and pilfer by fair means or foul. While he is ready to take everything that the society offers, he is not ready or willing to give back to society that has nurtured him for long.

The tragedy of Education today is that it has failed to make the student build up his character. Tradition,  culture,  and the ideals of service to society are either not taught in the institutions or totally forgotten by the students. The aim of education is to offer wisdom which is useless without humility. The peculiarity of present day education is that man is not afraid of vice and sin. The crisis of character is the result of the neglect of this aspect in education!  First and foremost how many students revere their parents? Students should concentrate on their studies alone but not be diverted to other activities and especially politics. They should be strong physically, mentally and spiritually. A sound mind in a sound body   should be his ideal. Modern education must give the student the wisdom that has been gathered in the past. Students should learn skills that enable them to serve society. Present day parents and students firmly believe that acquisition of knowledge is for accumulation of wealth! This approach is totally wrong.

More than money and wealth, Education has much to do with the GOAL of life. The means of living is secondary. Education should turn the student self reliant as well as self confident. It should make him stand on his own legs! Education should instill in the student  courage to stand up against injustice, immorality and falsehood. Education cannot be called complete until the student cultivates the spirit of sacrifice and the virtue of charity. Material pleasures influence man and he craves for a bright future, powerful positions of  authority , carefree and comfortable life! Education is intended for the fulfillment of life. “What we should do is to consider ‘fill-fillmemt’ as secondary  and fulfillment as the primary purpose of education” asserts Swami in his advice to students and on the purpose of education  (SSS Vol 10) Real education should enable man to face challenges of life and bring happiness to all human beings as far as possible. While education has made man technically skillful, and able intellectually, it has miserably failed in developing good qualities. Gross materialism is the order of the day as man is preoccupied with mundane pleasures!

The Upanishads call education as BRAHMA VIDYA”—knowledge of the Brahman or the Atma enshrined in every creature. Real  or true education is to realize the Atma residing in one’s own heart. It is an education by knowing which everything else is known.”Whatever one learns or does not learn, one must, after being born as man, learn about the Atman, for that alone can confer Bliss and Immortality” says Swami in his Divine discourse. (SSS Vol 10) The bane of the present day education is that emphasis is not laid on character and development of virtues. On the other hand success in the world, accumulation of wealth, and luxurious living are vigorously cultivated. Desires have multiplied and greed has taken a deep root. Along with some good things, Science has  brought in terror, unrest and anxiety!

Man has conquered everything in the outer world but lost control over himself.  He has totally ignored and forgotten  his inner world! Why is the education system and the world in this alarming state?  It is because of the absence of the Spiritual content. Man should realize that he is Divine—a chip of the same block. It is through him that Divinity can be exhibited. It is the duty of every individual to work for the progress and welfare of society. Mere verbal knowledge cannot be construed as education. The results of true education are: ’humility, reverence, compassion, forbearance, sacrifice and sense control.’ All these golden traits are not imparted to student in the present educational system.  As Swami says, “Science without discrimination, human existence without discipline, friendship without gratitude,  music without melody, a society without morality and justice, cannot be of benefit to the people.”