Vedanta Philosophy & Education

Aims of Education

•The Vedantist has considered two aspects of a human life - Practical and Spiritual.

–The practical aspect embodies physical, mental and moral development besides the basic theoretical education.

–The spiritual aspect focuses upon knowledge and the attainment of this knowledge with the spirituality.

Curriculum

•According to Vedanta, the curriculum of education shall encompass the knowledge and mannerisms of  Practical and Spiritual aspects of a human being.

–For the practical aspect, vedantist included practical knowledge (language, medicine, mathematics and business etc) and practical training (asanas, exercise, diet and celibacy).

–For the spiritual life, the various spiritual subjects (literature, religion, philosophy etc).

–For spiritual training (Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahar, Dharana, Dhyan and Samadhi) have been included.  

Methods of Education

•a. Pratyaksha Vidhi (The Obvious Means)

•b. Prashnottar Vidhi (The Question-Answer Means)

•c. Preaching Method

•d. Explanation Method

•e. Self-Study Method

•f. Superimposition-Exception Method

•g. Listening-Reflecting-Absorbance (Shravan-Manan-Nidhidhyasana)

Discipline

•According to Vedanta, a child can be disciplined only as per his stage.

•Real discipline means concentration, that is, the control of the organs, mind and intelligence

•When a man follows the right path not because of external influences but owing to his spiritual essence, that is when he is said to be disciplined, and this is the true form of discipline.

–This has been named as Self-Discipline by Shankara.

•According to Shankara, the best way to attain it is via the Eight-Step Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) which includes

–i. Moral Code (Yama)

–ii. Personal Discipline (Niyama)

–iii. Yoga Postures (Asana)

–iv. Yoga Breathing (Pranayama)

–v. Withdrawl of Senses (Pratyahara)

–vi. Concentration on Object (Dharana)

–vii. Meditation (Dhyan)

–viii. Salvation (Samadhi).

Teacher

•In Vedantist’s view, teacher or master has two jobs-

–to prepare the student for practical life

–to make him acquire spiritual life.

•According to Vedantist view, a master who gives practical knowledge should also be free from life (disenchanted from worldly happiness-sadness, one with indiscriminate views and who loves all).

•the teacher is not expected to be completed, but knowledge and practices from the point of view of perfection and grow it must be that the teachers should try it.