This document discusses the importance of value education and proposes self-observation through vipassana meditation as a method for inculcating values in students. It argues that the root cause of social problems is a materialistic worldview that leads to greed, selfishness, and lack of human values. True education should help students develop spiritually, emotionally, intellectually and physically. Merely teaching values is not enough; students must practice mindfulness and concentration techniques to purify their minds and weaken craving and aversion. Regular vipassana practice can help reduce reactivity, develop equanimity, lessen greed and strengthen compassion, thereby facilitating value inculcation.

1. Value Inculcation through
Self Observation
P.L.Dhar
I.I.T.Delhi

2. Why Talk about Values ?
• Value crisis is the root of all social and
technogenic maladies
• Aristotle “..the fate of empires depends on
the education of the youth.”
• Consequences of neglect of value
education: “perfection of means and
confusion of the ends” …….. Einstein
• What is the real purpose of education ?

3. What is Education ?
• Education is that which remains, when one
has forgotten all that he learned in school
• The most valuable result of all education is
the ability to make yourself do the thing you
have to do, when it ought to be done, whether
you like it or not…
• Education is the ability to listen to almost
anything without losing your temper or your
self confidence
• Education is not filling a bucket but lighting a
fire.

4. Education today
• Best education
No discussion on Values
Pleasant is good !
We become felicity computers!
material acquisitions
Assured high paying job
Ad hoc living
Nothing beyond next few steps
Materialistic world view
Happiness lies solely in sensory pleasures

5. Why Value Erosion ?
Values emanating from materialistic world view
=> greed, selfishness, corruption,
Unhealthy competition , jealousy, strife, tension ,
Ill will, crime, violence
Erosion of Human Values like truthfulness,
straightforwardness, friendliness,compassion,
sharing, humility, forgiveness…. is a direct outcome
of this crass materialistic world view

6. Imperatives of Value Education
• Change in World view from materialistic to
holistic...…humanistic , more to life than wealth,
health and even fame ! =>Value education
How to
bring
about
this
change ?
Intellectual
appreciation
Value
Inculcation
Analyzing life’s
experiences
Science : what is the
nature of reality?
Mind control
and purification
Should
be a
part of
Educat
ion

7. Education : Indian Perspective
Vidyaya amritam ashnute
Sa vidya ya vimuktaye
Education is the manifestation of perfection already in Man
The purpose ….. not to produce mere scholars,
technicians or job hunters, but integrated men …
who are free of fear

8. Education
Understanding the “Phenomenon of Man”
Spiritual
Intellectual
Emotional
Physical
Ability to Keep the body fit & strong
Increasing Emotional maturity
Ability to understand the world
Holistic

9. Essence of Value Education
• Value Education = Emotional Education +
Spiritual Education
• How to refine the emotions ? …..How to
actually detoxify the mind of baser tendencies,
the mental defilements ?
• How to develop insight, not mere intellectual
knowledge, about the nature of human reality ?
• Value Inculcation not mere sensitization

10. Knowing vs Imbibing Values
• Duryodhana’s dilemma
• janami dharamam na ca me pravritti
janami adharmam na ca me nivritti.
• St Paul : I do not do the good I want, but the
evil I do not want is what I do.
• Chasm between conscious & unconscious
mind – actions governed more by likes
/dislikes than by intellect
• Practical training of strengthening the mind

11. A peep into the mechanics of
mind ……….…...1
• General perception : when we come in
contact with anything unpleasant, what we
dislike……anger, despair, ill will
<aversion> etc. arise
• when we come in contact with anything
pleasant, which we like…..greed, desire to
have more, jealousy etc. <craving> arise
• If this be the ultimate truth : change the
surroundings ; escape from these states
quickly …. A vicious cycle

12. A peep into the mechanics of
mind…………………2
Cognition
Evaluation
Sensation-feeling
Blind reaction
Increase in
craving/aversion
Bare observation
experience of
impermanence;
insight

13. A peep into the mechanics of the
mind …………......….3
• Modern scientific studies also agree that
sensations play a crucial role in emotion
……. We do not like/dislike things but the
sensations-feelings caused by those things
To reduce craving/aversion
Develop the ability to feel these sensations,
not react to them blindly, but observe these
equanimously

14. A peep into the mechanics of the
mind …………......….4
But most of the time these are below the
threshold of our awareness, yet the
subconscious mind feels and blindly reacts
to them
Training in Concentration
& Mindfulness : self observation

15. Training in self observation-Vipassana
• Five Precepts (sila): Abstaining from
• killing
stealing
intoxicants
• false speech
sexual misconduct
• Anapana : Non reactive observation of breath
( raising concentration or samadhi)
–
–
–
–
–
why breath as an object for concentration
universal, always available, neutral
directly related to mind
concentration with equanimity
ensures progressive increase of concentration

16. Training in self observation:
Vipassana
• Vipassana : Complete direct & immediate
mindfulness of whatever happens in the bodymind complex
•
“bare” observation of somatic sensations
• Observing sensations leads to deep equanimity
through development of insight ( pragya) into the
fundamental insignia of life :
– impermanence un-satisfactoriness impersonality

17. Spiral of sila samadhi and
pragya
samadhi
sila
pragya
Reduction in craving/
aversion

18. VIPASSANA IN EDUCATION
Self control of Impulses
habit of non reactive observation permits -look before you leap , mindfulness is like the
brakes of a car
reduction in rash, aggressive & unethical
behaviour, intolerance, intemperance {Emotional
Education}
Equanimity in the face of vicissitudes of life
reduction in escapism i.e. drugs, smoke, alcohol
Attenuation of greed & acquisitiveness
manifestation of loving kindness, compassion, service
etc. : the higher needs of Maslow

19. VIPASSANA IN EDUCATION..
Proper self appraisal - knowledge of
strengths and weaknesses
increases compassion, forgiveness, humility
and reduces vanity- improvement in
interpersonal relationships
Insight into the basic characteristics of life
comprehending the meaning of life and its goal,
the way to achieve it and the confidence that it
can be done! {spiritual education}

20. VIPASSANA IN EDUCATION..
• Increase in creativity
• Increase in concentration
• avoiding day-dreaming , improved grasping
power, examination blues {mental education}
• Inculcation of Scientific temper
• practice of bare attention
• experience of “dissolution” & quantum-physics
• Improvement in student-teacher relationship

21. Concluding Remarks
Inculcation of values is the prime
purpose of education
Mere intellectual appreciation is not enough
for value inculcation, practical training in
purification of mind is necessary
Self observation at the depth- at the level of
somatic sensations- is the key.
Pure mind is naturally free from acquisitiveness, and full of
love, compassion and equanimity …..herein lies the
solution to the problems facing mankind today

22. Thank
you!