Page 274 - Education World Nov-21 Low 81.6MB

ANNIVERSARY ESSAY

Higher Education according

to Confucius

SUDHEENDRA KULKARNI

HENEVER I VISIT BEIJING, I MAKE IT A Confucius (551-479 BCE) was a
point to visit Wangfujing Street for English
language books. There I always find illumi- master teacher, a gurudev. He had
Wnating books on Chinese philosophy, culture, exrtraordinary love of learning and deep
arts and even politics. Two years ago, I found an intriguing
title H igher Educ ation and The U niversal O rder. Higher respect for the laws of ancient China
education normally connotes post-school education in col-
leges and universities. This book is about something alto- of peace, harmony, cultivation of virtues, ethical conduct,
gether different. It is a classic on Confucian philosophy, nurturing of family values, search for knowledge and good
which has nourished and sustained Chinese civilisation, governance. What Confucius says in his ‘Great Learning’
and given it its unique personality. still sounds strikingly scientific and contemporary”.
Confucius (551-479 BCE) was a master teacher, a gu- W hen things are investigated, k now ledge is ex tended
rudev. He had extraordinary love of learning, and deep W hen k now ledge is ex tended, thoughts are made
respect for the laws of ancient China. An embodiment of sinc ere,
humility, he claimed he was not the originator, only a trans- W hen thoughts are made sinc ere, the heart and mind
mitter of the knowledge and wisdom of ancient sages of are rectified,
the golden age of Chinese history. This is one reason why When the heart and mind are rectified, the personal life
ancestor worship is ingrained in Chinese culture. “Love for is c ultivated,
ancients” is widely appreciated as the hallmark of an edu- When the personal life is cultivated, then the family is
cated individual. regulated,
According to Confucius, every student seeking knowl- When the family is regulated, the state will be in order,
edge in higher education has to cultivate five moral vir- When the state is in order, there will be peace through -
tues: ren, i.e, altruism, compassion and loving others as out the w orld.
one would like to be loved by them; y i (righteousness); li he Confucian philosophy of higher education is not only
(good conduct); z hi (pursuit of knowledge); and x in (loy- Tdirected towards ordinary individuals. As the book says,
alty). Knowledge for the sake of knowledge was anathema it is even more applicable to rulers. “When a ruler gains
to this philosopher-sage who is widely revered in China to the hearts of the people, he will gain the kingdom; when
this day. He believed education should morally reform so- he loses the hearts of the people, he will lose the kingdom.”
ciety. He propagated harmonisation of the moral conduct After reiterating that “what makes a nation prosperous is
of individuals, families and governments with moral laws not wealth and material prosperity, but honour and duty,”
of the universe. In words that echo the philosophy of Ma- H igher Educ ation states: “Those in authority should not
hatma Gandhi, he said: “The moral law is a law from whose accumulate wealth for personal gains, but bring benefits,
operation we cannot escape even for one moment in our in accordance with their duty, to society and the people”.
existence… Truth is the law of God. Acquired and applied This message to corrupt rulers is made even more un-
truth is the law of man.” ambiguous in the following instruction. “A ruler can be lik-
Confucius, says the book, “showed that (these moral ened to a boat, and the people to water. A boat can float on
laws of humanity) harmonise with the divine order which the water, yet waves can also turn the boat upside down.”
governs the revolutions of the seasons in heaven above and Hence, Confucianism is not a philosophy of conformism.
they fit with the moral design which is to be seen in physical If the rulers go astray, people power must be mobilised to
nature upon the Earth below. They form one system with oust them.
the laws by which Heaven and Earth support and contain, Another timeless Confucian precept is “maintain harmo-
overshadow and canopy all things. It is the same system of ny though differences exist”. Today there are serious differ-
laws by which the seasons succeed each other and the sun ences and border demarcation disputes, between India and
and moon appear with the alternations of day and night. China. Can war or a costly arms race resolve them? Never.
It is the same system of laws by which all created things As neighbours, we must follow the path of trust-promoting
are produced and develop themselves each in its order and dialogue and cooperation, so that differences are minimised
system without injuring one another; the lesser forces flow- and disputes resolved. Surely, what the leaders of our two
ing everywhere like river currents, while the great forces of countries need is higher education of the type extolled by
Creation go silently and steadily on. It is this —one system this great guru.
running through all — that makes the Universe so impres-
sively great.” (Sudheendra Kulkarni was aide of former prime minister Atal Bihari
According to Ravi Bhoothalingam, a profound scholar Vajpayee (1999-2004) and currently the Mumbai-based founder of Forum
of Confucian philosophy, “it has created a unique synthesis for South Asia)

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