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character. Culture means moving away from animal instincts and imbibing human values. Culture can be instilled in children by teaching them such qualities as self-control, rational outlook and cooperation. Let us now consider how we can accomplish our goal.
AVOID CERTAIN FALLACIES ABOUT EDUCATION
It is unfortunate that most of us do not understand the purpose of education. Neither guardians or teachers nor politicians and society understand the real motive behind what is being taught. Most of us have forgotten that an important purpose of education is instilling culture-values. There seems to be a chaos in the field of education and consequently people merely link education to livelihood. Materialistic thinking limits the purpose of education to prepare an individual to earn his livelihood. However, if the goal of education is just earning bread, what is the difference between man and animal? It is said:
Ahar nidra bhayamaithunam ca.
samanyametad pasubhih naranam
Eating, sleeping, fear and sex, these four instincts are common between men and animals. It is a fact that bread comes first but it is not the ultimate goal of life. So why, only earning the bread is being considered the goal and the end of education? It is unfortunate that this thinking is dominant not only in the field of education but also among the parents and administrators. Today, parents want their children to study the subjects leading to prosperity and authority. We want our son to become a doctor, an engineer or a government officer not because he will become more useful to the society but because he will have authority and wealth. This blind pursuit of power and wealth has polluted our outlook towards
269 Jainism and its History
