Vidya Vahini
Teachers reveal the direction and the goal. Students lay the road and journey into the future. The skill and strength, the status and stature of mankind are shaped and furthered in proportion to the quality and character of its teachers. Character is the hallmark of man. Teachers must dedicate their learning and wisdom to the great task of uplifting pupils to higher levels of knowledge and action. The virtues, which they help to inculcate in their pupils, are essential for the uplift of society also. When virtues are rooted in the heart, man shines in full glory. A life without good character is a shrine without light, a coin that is counterfeit, a kite with the string broken.
Teachers who teach with the salary paid to them in their minds, and students who learn with the jobs they may procure in their minds, are both pursuing wrong paths. In fact, the task of the teacher is to discharge his duty of instructing and inspiring the students, so that they develop their latent talents and advance in the perfection of their skills. The task of the student is to unfold the divine in him and equip himself for serving society with his skill and knowledge.
Man has three instruments gifted to him: the mind, which involves him in thought, the power of speech, which enables him to communicate his thoughts, and the power of action, by which he can execute his thoughts, alone or with others, for himself and for others. The mind designs thoughts, which are either helpful, or harmful. The mind can lead man into bondage, deeper involvement in desires and disappointments. It can lead man into freedom, detachment, and desirelessness. The mind is a bundle of likes and dislikes. Manas (mind) is the seat of manana (chewing the cud of sensual and mental experiences).
The mind is engaged in two activities: Alochana or planning and sambhashana or dialogue. Both these follow different lines. Planning is intent on solving problems that present themselves before the mind. Dialogue multiplies the problems and confounds the solutions, causing confusion and adoption of wrong and ruinous means to solve them. The inner conversation and controversial chatter continues from morning till night, until sleep overtakes the mind. It causes ill-health and the early setting in of old age. The topics, on which the chatter is based, are mostly the faults and failings of others and their fortunes and misfortunes. This perpetual dialogue is at the bottom of all the miseries of man. It covers the mind with thick darkness. It grows wild very quickly and suppresses the genuine worth of manhood.
The talk that inhabits the mind during the waking stage persists even in dreams and robs man of much-needed rest. And the sum total of all this exercise is, to speak the truth, nil. No man can call himself full and free, unless he succeeds in stopping this evil.
The Upanishats announce certain remedial Sadhanas to get rid of this obstacle to inner peace. The first Sadhana is Pranayama, regulation of breath. Pranayama is no gymnastics, nor a formidable exercise. The inhaling of air is Purakam; the exhaling is Rechakam. Retention in between is Kumbhakam. The mind has to concentrate on the period of retention, on the process of inhaling and exhaling. When attention is fixed thus, the inner talk on other irrelevant matters will end and mental strength is acquired.
The second Sadhana is: immersion in Karma, beneficial activity - that is to say, service to people, which will help diminish the ego sense, acts that are good and godly. When one’s thoughts are engaged in such activities, the mind turns away from the talk it indulges in.
Again, the Sadhanas of Shravana (listening to spiritual advice), Manana (reflection on spiritual directions), and Nidhidhyasana (discovering ways and means of confirming faith in the Spirit), also of Japa (recital of the names of God) and Tapas (withdrawing the mind from sensual pursuits) have been prescribed by the scriptures more for the silencing of this mental chatter, this inner talk, as a preparation for attaining the Reality, than for its Realisation. For, it is only when the mind is cleansed and clarified that it can achieve such a profound task. Only then can the lessons taught and the experiences undergone be pure and unsullied.
The second instrument that is gifted to man for uplifting himself is speech - the use of words. Speech is charged with tremendous power. When, through speech, we communicate to a person something, which upsets his balance or shocks him into grief, the words completely drain off his physical strength and mental courage. He falls on the ground, unable to stand. On the other hand, when through speech, we communicate something happy, or unexpectedly cheering, he gets the strength of an elephant. Words do not cost anything, but they are priceless. So, they have to be used with care. They must be employed not for gossip, which is barren, but for pure and productive purposes only. The ancients recommended the vow of silence in order to purify speech of its evils. A mind turned inwards, towards an inner vision of God and speech turned towards outer vision, both will promote spiritual strength and success.
Index
Preface
The Perennial Quest
True Vidya
The Present Educational System And Its Defects
True Education Promotes Self-Control
The Genuine Nature of Man
The Concept Of Spiritual Education
The Goal of True Education
Selfless Service – The Purpose of Vidya
Samskaras – The Seeds of Education
Holiness – The Root Cause Of Success
True Education Directs The Mind Towards Happiness
The Meaning of ‘Vidya'
From Falsehood to Truth
Education Arouses Faith and Awareness
Selfless Service – A Sign Of Nobility
The Qualities of Ideal Students
Jealousy, Hatred – The Enemies
Remedies For Inner Sadhana
An Ideal Teacher
Remedies For Inner Sadhana
Teachers reveal the direction and the goal. Students lay the road and journey into the future. The skill and strength, the status and stature of mankind are shaped and furthered in proportion to the quality and character of its teachers. Character is the hallmark of man. Teachers must dedicate their learning and wisdom to the great task of uplifting pupils to higher levels of knowledge and action. The virtues, which they help to inculcate in their pupils, are essential for the uplift of society also. When virtues are rooted in the heart, man shines in full glory. A life without good character is a shrine without light, a coin that is counterfeit, a kite with the string broken.
Teachers who teach with the salary paid to them in their minds, and students who learn with the jobs they may procure in their minds, are both pursuing wrong paths. In fact, the task of the teacher is to discharge his duty of instructing and inspiring the students, so that they develop their latent talents and advance in the perfection of their skills. The task of the student is to unfold the divine in him and equip himself for serving society with his skill and knowledge.
Man has three instruments gifted to him: the mind, which involves him in thought, the power of speech, which enables him to communicate his thoughts, and the power of action, by which he can execute his thoughts, alone or with others, for himself and for others. The mind designs thoughts, which are either helpful, or harmful. The mind can lead man into bondage, deeper involvement in desires and disappointments. It can lead man into freedom, detachment, and desirelessness. The mind is a bundle of likes and dislikes. Manas (mind) is the seat of manana (chewing the cud of sensual and mental experiences).
The mind is engaged in two activities: Alochana or planning and sambhashana or dialogue. Both these follow different lines. Planning is intent on solving problems that present themselves before the mind. Dialogue multiplies the problems and confounds the solutions, causing confusion and adoption of wrong and ruinous means to solve them. The inner conversation and controversial chatter continues from morning till night, until sleep overtakes the mind. It causes ill-health and the early setting in of old age. The topics, on which the chatter is based, are mostly the faults and failings of others and their fortunes and misfortunes. This perpetual dialogue is at the bottom of all the miseries of man. It covers the mind with thick darkness. It grows wild very quickly and suppresses the genuine worth of manhood.
The talk that inhabits the mind during the waking stage persists even in dreams and robs man of much-needed rest. And the sum total of all this exercise is, to speak the truth, nil. No man can call himself full and free, unless he succeeds in stopping this evil.
The Upanishats announce certain remedial Sadhanas to get rid of this obstacle to inner peace. The first Sadhana is Pranayama, regulation of breath. Pranayama is no gymnastics, nor a formidable exercise. The inhaling of air is Purakam; the exhaling is Rechakam. Retention in between is Kumbhakam. The mind has to concentrate on the period of retention, on the process of inhaling and exhaling. When attention is fixed thus, the inner talk on other irrelevant matters will end and mental strength is acquired.
The second Sadhana is: immersion in Karma, beneficial activity - that is to say, service to people, which will help diminish the ego sense, acts that are good and godly. When one’s thoughts are engaged in such activities, the mind turns away from the talk it indulges in.
Again, the Sadhanas of Shravana (listening to spiritual advice), Manana (reflection on spiritual directions), and Nidhidhyasana (discovering ways and means of confirming faith in the Spirit), also of Japa (recital of the names of God) and Tapas (withdrawing the mind from sensual pursuits) have been prescribed by the scriptures more for the silencing of this mental chatter, this inner talk, as a preparation for attaining the Reality, than for its Realisation. For, it is only when the mind is cleansed and clarified that it can achieve such a profound task. Only then can the lessons taught and the experiences undergone be pure and unsullied.
The second instrument that is gifted to man for uplifting himself is speech - the use of words. Speech is charged with tremendous power. When, through speech, we communicate to a person something, which upsets his balance or shocks him into grief, the words completely drain off his physical strength and mental courage. He falls on the ground, unable to stand. On the other hand, when through speech, we communicate something happy, or unexpectedly cheering, he gets the strength of an elephant. Words do not cost anything, but they are priceless. So, they have to be used with care. They must be employed not for gossip, which is barren, but for pure and productive purposes only. The ancients recommended the vow of silence in order to purify speech of its evils. A mind turned inwards, towards an inner vision of God and speech turned towards outer vision, both will promote spiritual strength and success.