Balanced System of Education

Chapter-7 : by Acharya Mahapragya

Jain Vishva Bharati

Balanced System of Education

The Science of Living visualizes a balanced system of education. In fact Science of Living and balanced system of education are being used synonymously. And by the word ‘balanced’ is meant equal importance given to bodily and intellectual development on the one hand and mental and emotional development on the other. It alone can make education balanced.

What are the facts involved in a balanced education ?

The first fact is a balanced vital force (pranadhara). The development and balance of the vital force is essential for mental and emotional development. In modern physiological terms they are called Parasympathetic Nervous System and Sympathetic Nervous System respectively. Unless these two flows of the vital energy (prana) are balanced, we cannot realize the ideal of the type of student we cherish. If the right course of the vital breath is hyperactive, the tendency to indulge in insolent and irresponsible behaviour as well as in violence and vandalism is roused. If on the other hand the left course of the vital breath is hyperactive, the individual suffers from inferiority, fear and weakness. A balance between the two courses is vital for a balanced development of personality.

Modern medical science has established the truth that it is the left lobe of the human brain that is connected with all learning activity. Logic, Mathematics and languages are all related to the left lobe. Though scientists do not yet know everything about the human brain, it has been proved that whereas the left lobe is responsible for the development of the intellect and of knowledge, it is the right lobe that determines spirituality, inner consciousness and all mental attitudes.

The modern malady lies in a disproportionate growth of the left lobe at the cost of its right counterpart. Over development of one and retardation of another has created a serious imbalance.

The second fact involved in the Science of Living is the establishment of a biological balance.

The third is creating faith in one’s own competence. Man is unaware of his potentialities. From the point of view of philosophy infinite knowledge, power and joy inhere in man. Modern science reiterates the same hoary truth.

Science has proved that of his infinite potentialities man hardly uses five to seven percent. He who begins to use ten percent of them becomes great.

Through the Science of Living students have got to be made aware of their limitless competence and they have to be further made to believe that it lies in their power to activate it.

The fourth fact involved in the Science of Living is refinement, which has three forms: refinement of outlook, behaviour and feelings. Nations have risen and fallen according as these three refinements have been present or absent. Right outlook, right behaviour and right feelings are basic to all progress.

Here it will not be out of place to ask : What causes our outlook, behaviour and feelings to be vitiated ? For this it is necessary to know who or what their controller is. Scientific investigations have revealed that they are controlled by the hypothalamus and the endocrine glands, specifically the pineal and the pituitary glands and the adrenal gland as affected by these two. We have to concentrate on the hypothalamus first, which will refine the secretions of the endocrine glands and this in turn will refine our outlook, behaviour and feelings. While circumstances can be regarded as the Instrumental cause, the secretions can be regarded as the material cause. The latter is more important than the former.