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Which values should be taught to kids? || Acharya Prashant, on Vivekachudamani (2018)
Acharya Prashant
2.3K views
7 years ago
Values
Truth
Self-knowledge
Social conditioning
Realization
Kabir Saheb
Education
Inquiry
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses a question regarding the role of values in upbringing, explaining that conventional values often represent social conditioning that obscures one's true self. He argues that the common teaching of non-violence or not hurting others is often misunderstood. Hurt is not inherently good or bad; rather, the intention and the center from which the action arises are what matter. He uses the analogy of a doctor pressing a wound to show that hurt can be a necessary tool for realization and healing. Truth cannot be hurt, and sometimes causing a sense of hurt is the only way to show someone they are not living in truth. Therefore, a blanket ban on hurting others can prevent necessary growth and treatment, much like how a worldly mind might feel offended by the sharp truths of Kabir Saheb. He further explains that secondary values, such as speaking the truth or being polite, are meaningless without the primary value of self-realization. He provides an example where speaking the literal truth to a killer would be a violation of valuing the truth itself. Realized beings do not claim to speak 'the truth' because truth is unutterable; instead, they speak what is useful to guide others toward the truth. Teaching children superficial values like punctuality or politeness can often nurture a 'demon' within if the central value of inquiry and God is missing. Such values can become a lid that suppresses deep inquiry and leaves the individual feeling hollow despite their outward virtues. Finally, Acharya Prashant points out that humans and even animals are born with biological values, such as the sense of possession or the need for food. The role of a parent or teacher should be to remove the clutter of these biological and social values rather than adding to them. He warns that most education and parenting further corrupt the child because the teachers themselves do not value the 'invaluable' or God above all else. He concludes that only one who is established in self-knowledge and values the divine is truly qualified to guide a child, as conventional education often serves as an exploitation that takes the attention away from the real essence of life.