‘Religions & Education' and ‘Preachers & Teachers' must together plan how to BE & MAKE the ‘GOOD'
Sunil Kumar is currently member, managing committee, Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi. An engineer and project manager trained at Vickers Armstrong Engineers and Babcox & Wilcox, UK, he is a former general manager of The Projects and Equipment Corporation of India, Ministry of Commerce and Consultant, NIDC, Ministry of Industry. Sunil has been member of a high-power government committee for value orientation in Planning Commission and In-charge of Value Education Programmes of Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi. He has written books on Vedanta, managerial effectiveness – Indian Insights, human values, etc. His passion lies in applying Indian wisdom & Vivekananda's principles to managerial situations. His vision and managerial expertise led to the setting up of a unique PGDBM Management Institute in Delhi, called SriSIM, of which he was a Founder Trustee and Professor and which offered education in Indian ethos based Management. He is currently taking the message of Vedanta-centric human development to public servants through programs on 'Ethics in Governance. LESS ... MORE
1. Modern global societies have failed to define, identify, select, nurture, and place 'good' men in leadership positions in governance to lead us; and failed to give us teachers, professionals, businessmen and workers to educate us to be 'good'.
We can attempt to define the good, as those who are Committed to knowing and fulfilling their duties to society, organization, family, Self; Committed to striving for quality and excellence in work and relationships; Committed to striving to develop feelings of love, care and concern for all, etc., which have now been expressed by GOI as be a 'Karma Yogi'; 'treat work as worship of God in man and in all creation'.
To imbibe such spirit of selfless Committed to Duties, religion and education must together inspire us to the necessity of daily self-development practices to learn how to strive to build powers of mind to know and be convinced to walk-the-talk.
2. Our time-tested civilizational culture of Sanatana dharma recognizes that the masses will always need symbols, images, god-men and their life and teachings for inspiration. Only a few Selfless men of wisdom can draw inspiration from universal principles alone, irrespective of their religious beliefs. As mature citizens we should recognize that Principles and Essence of all Religions are universal and eternal and these can be taught in mainstream systems, to inspire all 'to be and do good'. My religion, my ways of worship, my source of inspiration and ideas of divinity may be different, but 'selflessness' and learning 'to do and be good' is our universal ideal.
Commonsense provides the simple fact and obvious principle and worldview that as 'Self, Life, spirit, Atman, Rooha' that makes us 'exist' 'consciously', like it or not, we're all One and shall exist eternally (maybe in different names and forms, e.g. rebirth!) because the law is 'that which exists, can never cease to exist'. Somehow, we've never been made aware of this reality and so, identified with Body-mind we become self-centered. Thru' learning to be Selflessly Committed to our Duties, our Mind expands to grow in feelings of love, care, concern for all equally. Only some very few who grow thru' their respective religions, will understand this and strive sincerely to be and do good. These should be nurtured to be our mentors, teachers and leaders.
As you sow so shall you reap is universal law. Our culture shows and believes that we will continue to take rebirth and grow till we finally recognize that as Self we're all One. Schooling and Preaching must work together to inspire us to realize that Goodness can be acquired only through individual self-effort, in and through daily work, dealings and interactions, and the inspiration for it comes through daily self-development practices.
Respective religions may inspire us to be and do good thru' their respective religious scriptures etc. and epics like Ramayana, Mahabharat, Puranas, and the many gods and goddesses can also provide the inspiration for the masses. Both the educated and the masses keep forgetting the eternal knowledge 'To be and to do good'!
The purpose of all Religions is to give clarity on the aim and purpose of life and create systems to guide people towards it. Essentially all Religions suggest that during Schooling and Growing up we must learn to Imbibe commitment to Righteousness. Righteous conduct implies those virtues or obligatory duties, which lead people on the critical path, to 'Know Thyself'; to know that as body-mind we're separate but as SELF that makes us into Conscious Living-beings (Jiva-atman) we're all One.
Each of us has to individually grow towards Oneness through self-effort and selfless work as worship. The parents and elders of society, the teachers, all the educated people, the statesmen, executives and public servants have the responsibility of creating necessary systems to inspire people to walk on the right path; and they can do so only when they themselves strive for the higher and seek guidance of the selfless men of wisdom. Righteous conduct, Dharma, is the Fruit of all Religions; it is the firm foundation upon which the entire universe stands.
Thus, all religions and education and Preachers & Teachers must be evaluated and judged by their ability to produce the Good, who have learnt and are committed to both Earning and fulfilling all Desires through legitimate means. Thus, Preaches and Teachers must encourage and inspire people to strive to develop powers of mind – discrimination, 'viveka', and the self-control, will power, powers of concentration to walk the critical path to 'Perfection' through Righteous conduct.
It is only daily and life-long continuous practice that can help in developing powers of mind. Continuous practice and self-effort alone can keep people aware of the purpose of life so that they can keep on reviewing and harmonizing their choices, thoughts, words, and goals towards the highest perfection.
Conclusions: All work, actions good or bad, are only efforts to seek 'bliss', which always eludes man! Our culture asks us to reflect and realize that I enjoy maximum Bliss, Ananda, only in deep-sleep state, when I am in my own blissful Self, detached from ever-changing body-mind complex. Only thru' selfless work as worship for good of all, i.e. being a Karma Yogi, can we enjoy this Ananda even while working and living.
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