Unless we train the feelings and the choice, our man is not educated. He is only decked out in certain intellectual tricks that he has learnt to perform. By these tricks he can earn his bread. He cannot appeal to the heart, or give life. He is not a man at all; he is a clever ape.
There is one way, and one way only. It is, throughout the early years of education, to remember that there is nothing so important as the training of the feelings. To feel nobly, and to choose loftily and honestly, is a thousand fold more important to the development of faculty than any other single aspect of the educational process. The lad in whom this power is really present and really dominant, will always do the best thing possible under any given circumstances.
Sister Nivedita of the Ramakrishna Order
(The Complete Works of Sister Nivedita, 4: 344-345)
1 comments:
Abhilash, this is a great statement you have found. I have often wondered how to phrase this idea that education must develop both the intellect *and* the personality, and Sister Nivedita here says it eloquently.
The difficulty I find is that, while there are many resources on developing technical abilities and "earning one's bread," it is hard to cull the Hindu spiritual literature to find resources that students find relevant.
So to answer this question of how we can develop our personalities during this phase of education, we have started a site for students to discuss these important matters of the spirit (http://swadharma.org).
As Sister Nivedita says here, I feel like that is the most pressing task for us today, this development of personality in students. So, Abhilash, whenever you post on the subject, it inspires me to comment here.
Thanks for finding these quotes from spiritual giants on this most important of issues -- keep it up!
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