Dalai Lama backed the ancient Indian value system as the guiding light to all present elucidations in a virtual conversation ‘Need for Secular Ethics in Modern Education System’ with Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Director IIM Kozhikode, facilitated by the Mind Mingle Education, on August 25.
The spiritual leader spoke passionately about the essentiality of the revival of Indian wisdom gained over thousands of years. Interacting from his residence in Dharamshala, the Dalai Lama, elaborated on the culture of emotions as critical to global education. He said ‘Ahimsa’ (non violence) and ‘Karuna’ (compassion) were advocated several thousand years ago by Indian rishis and these ancient Indian values need to be taught to the anxious and fear prone modern mind. ‘Karuna’, brings inner peace and strength, coupled with the restraining virtue of the concept of ‘Ahimsa’ is what will make knowledge truly complete and thereby help achieve happiness.
On being probed about freedom as the ultimate goal of education, by Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, the Dalai Lama replied, “Parochialism and narrow religious beliefs are not good for the world. Religion should remain strictly a personal pursuit. However, the ancient Indian knowledge of the mind has universal relevance.” He cited the example of Global warming, caused by the weaponized mind, that does not make a distinction between north, south, east and west. “Freeing the mind is what will lead to happiness which is the true goal of education”, he said.
