Thoughts from Man Management - Education is for Life and not for a living!

[Guest guest]

Educare is true education

 

'What is the meaning of

education? It is not just the accumulation of information. It includes action

too. Education, which originates from within has a sound basis and is

permanent. It is referred to as Sathyam (Truth).'

 

Education is of two types; the first type is concerned

merely with the collection of facts and knowledge about the external world. The

second type is educare. Educare involves deep understanding and assimilation of

knowledge. Baba brings out the difference between education and educare by this

ingenious example where he says, "Education is like insipid water, educare

is like sugar. Merely adding sugar to water does not make it sweet. It is only

on stirring that the sugar mixes with water, making it sweet. The heart is the

tumbler, divinity is the sugar and secular education is tasteless water. With

intelligence as spoon and enquiry as the process of stirring, we can experience

all-pervasive divinity. That is true wisdom, which enables us to recognize the

unity of all creation. This recognition of unity in multiplicity is the

ultimate goal of education."

 

Baba also emphasizes on the following key pointers:

Education is for Life and not for a living

: If mere

living is the purpose, then how do birds and beasts live without any

education? Is education merely for earning one's bread? What is the

essence of education? Baba says, 'It is the concentration of the mind and

not just the collection of facts. Mere collection of facts will not serve

any purpose'.

Swami Vivekananda puts this very firmly, saying

"Education is not the amount of information that is put in your brain and

runs riot there undigested all your life. We must have life building, man

making, character making and assimilation of ideas. If you have assimilated

five ideas and made them your life and character, you have more education than

any man who has got by heart a whole library."

Education culminates into character

:

Education without character is useless. True education, which moulds

character, has no limits. When we learn about 'That' who is limitless we

attain the end of education. I quote an enlightening statement by Swami

Vivekananda, "We want that education by which character is formed,

strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded, and by which one

can stand on one's own feet".

 

In the divine message to all the students Baba says,

"This college has not been established just

to prepare you for earning degrees. The main purpose is to

help you to cultivate self knowledge and self-confidence, so that each one of

you can learn self-sacrifice and earn self-realization. Teaching the university

curricula, preparing you for the examinations and awarding university degrees

are only the means employed for the end, namely spiritual upliftment, self

discovery and social service through love and detachment."

 

These are few thoughts that I have put down from the preface of the

book 'Man Management' - The Gita of

management by Bhagawan Sri Satya Sai Baba.

I'll continue to send on a weekly basis, thoughts from this inspiring

book. Further, It'll be a great delight if these thoughts can really educate us!

And as Baba says education is not just the accumulation of information.

It includes action too." Thus we need ACTION!

 

Let us initiate a dialogue and get into a discussion each week

regarding how do we really apply these principles and learning's into our

lives. Lets share insights from each others about ways and means of applying

this wisdom and helping each other grow!

I would like to initiate this weeks discussion by putting forth 3

questions that Baba has put forth and ask you to share your insights

(learning's from your life) over the same . Further questions, comments and

suggestions are most welcome.

 

What is the meaning of education?

Is education merely for earning one's bread?

What is the essence of education?

 

Looking forward to a fruitful discussion,

 

Sai Ram