Values of love and righteous conduct can curb violence

Violence and terrorism are on the rise all around, and the sense of insecurity and apprehension impacts one and all.

Violence and terrorism are on the rise all around, and the sense of insecurity and apprehension impacts one and all. Search for solutions is the most prominent challenge before the humanity. The phenomenon has grown up to shocking and apparently immeasurable levels. Urgent measures are necessary to ameliorate human sufferings being inflicted on innocent persons, including women and children. Education offers the only ray of hope for lasting peace and harmony among people of diverse faiths and ideology.

Education systems are the custodians of the process of preparing future generations. It alone can prepare youths to strive to contribute to a humane society—one that values social cohesion, religious harmony, and unequivocally accepts diversity. As education systems have to reason the changing scenario outside the institutional environs, these cannot ignore the growing presence of hatred leading to violence, terror and religious fundamentalism. In Nelson Mandela’s words, “People are not born to hate. They are taught to hate. They can, therefore, be taught to love.”

This is the challenge before those responsible to maintain relevance, credibility and dynamism in education. They need to analyse how the mere insistence on high grades and marks in exams has snatched away the essence of growing up from the children and young persons in their formative years. The changes in approach, methodology and pedagogy could be well derived from Gautama Buddha’s words: “The thought manifests as the word. The word manifests as deed. The deed develops into habit. And the habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care. And let it spring from love, born out of concern for all beings.” Love and brotherhood, emanating out of concern for all beings is the key to acquisition of humanistic values. Unfortunately, this is not being accepted in certain societies and consequently, the education systems there are not imparting the ‘values of love and righteous conduct’ to their young ones. Without these two, it is not possible to create universal brotherhood and mutual understanding. Acceptance of equality of all faiths and religions; and to treat their adherents and practices equal to one’s own are two critical elements for the very survival of the humanity.

India is acknowledged as a multi-religious society. Multi-religiosity is now making its presence felt in most countries that don’t wish to remain ‘islands of isolation’. Several European nations keenly engage in understanding how to ‘live together with others and otherness’. They look towards India, which had to refresh its strategy to banish fissures that crept into its hallowed practices that sustained harmony of religions, and created a tradition of ‘learning to live together’.

As the first step, let everyone accept that diversity of religions is a reality and that all religions shall survive; with commonalties and differences; without hurting each other. Hence, kids must learn about the basics of all religions. Once they know the commonalities, they shall develop respect for their neighbour’s religion. Simultaneously, they must know the differences as well, and learn to respect these also. While none can plead to suppress facts, it is well known that most of the troubles arise because of wrong and biased interpretation of religions.

At present teachers, writers are apprehensive on putting forward the right interpretation of the term ‘secularism’. This must change. The values of righteous conduct and love must pervade every action and activity in schools and higher education institutions. That is the most potent instrument to combat violence, wars and terrorism.

J S Rajput

Former director of the NCERT

rajput_js@yahoo.co.in

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