HUMAN VALUES MUST FORM PART OF WORLD EDUCATION: DR.
JOSHI
The values of life
which are universal and eternal should remain an integral part
of the curriculum in the world educational system, said Dr. Murli
Manohar Joshi, the Minister of Human Resource Development and
Science and Technology, while addressing the World Dharma Conference,
in New Jersey, USA today. It is through education alone the essence
of Dharma can be inculcated. A single Vedic statement that "Truth
or Reality is one, but it is defined in various ways by the learned",
is the corner stone of democracy and secularism. An individual,
especially student has to develop an attitude of tolerance and
respect for differing opinions. He should also learn to discriminate
between good and bad. Dharma as a code of righteous conduct can
alone be the source of the value system, which can help build
a world, free of conflicts, violence and non-cooperation, said
Dr. Joshi, at the Conference organized to commemorate the 100th
Anniversary of the Introduction of the Concept of Dharma to the
Modern World, by Swami Vivekananda.
Quoting extensively
from Vedas, Upanishads etc. the Minister told the assembly of
youths that the bounties of nature do not belong to any one, "they
are the creations of the cosmic spirit". It enjoins upon
us to replenish the environment before we draw from it for our
consumption. Sharing and caring thus becomes the principal behavioural
value, while interacting with the eco-system. Dharma guides us
on how to deal with nature. It leads us to non-violence and non-exploitative
attitude in our behaviour. In essence, Dharma unites us with fellow
human beings, removes all differences and seeks unity of mankind,
respect diversity, establishes a symbiotic relationship with the
environment and provides a holistic vision of realizing that "All
is One".
Speaking at length
on the present techno-economic as well as the family system, Dr.
Joshi said that what we need today is a paradigm for individual
and social behaviour, which defines the parameters of relationship
not only between individual, social groups, institutions and nations,
but also between human kind and the environment. Instead of a
disintegrated society and fractured personalities, we must build
an integrated society composed of "total and balanced"
personalities of its constituents, if we want the humankind to
survive, Dr. Joshi averred. The mechanistic world-view has not
succeeded in creating a society with harmony among its members
and interaction with the ecosystem. In Indian view of life, Dharma
is not confined to a community or bounded by the limits of space
and time. It is universal and eternal. It is important to recognise
the difference between Dharma and religion, Dr. Joshi added.
