________________
120
Philosophical Writings
VI. Conclusion:
In our final conclusion, let us note that today the world has become small and our vision is enlarged. “We must, if we are to prepare ourselves for a new world which is on the horizon, rid ourselves of racial pride and religious intolerance and of that deep seated lust for powers .... Civilizations are not built of machines but of values. The driving forces of civilization come from within. The pursuit of scientific truth is a great value. It shows mastery of mind and the will of man over the forces of nature. The progress of civilization depends not only on intellectual creativeness but on the moral qualities of gentleness and compassion.” It is therefore, imperatively important that our children, through education, develop these moral qualities. If we stifle the spirit in us, our society will go to pieces. To control this we need effort and discipline. This can come not from science but from the discipline of religion and philosophy. Teaching Children Value education, study of classics, meditation for a few minutes, comparative religions and philosophy will result in genuine love for mankind which will transcend group loyalty and will preserve intellectual integrity.
“We have in our country, in India, a very great tradition of not merely reverence for life but reverence for suffering. The greatest of our seers were people who tried to help those that needed comfort and relief. We will have to educate our children to attain a strong conviction that we are born in this world to live for a great cause, to live for some supreme purpose. Thus one great thing very much essential is “to instil into our young men a purpose of life, a sense of dedication and to make them feel that they are born in this life to do something great."
And, finally a precise and a straight forward question : What is the essence of our Education of the Future ?
“For the teacher, it is a specific attitude towards the child, for the child it is a way of living, growing and progressing.”
One sentence to sum up: "We do not want brilliant students, we want living souls."
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
