Autobiography of swami vivekananda thoughts on education

Bring light to ignorant, and more light to the educated, for the vanities of the education of our time are tremendous. No one was ever really taught by another; each of us has to teach himself. The external teacher offers only the suggestion which rouses the internal teacher to work to understand things.

Autobiography of swami vivekananda thoughts on education

There are certain conditions necessary in the taught, and also in the teacher. The conditions necessary in the taught are purity, a real thirst after knowledge, and perseverance. A nation is advanced in proportion as education and intelligence spread among the masses. The chief cause of India is ruin has been the monopolizing of the whole education and intelligence of the land… among a handful of men.

If we are to rise again, we shall have to do it… by spreading education among the masses. Does higher education mean mere study of material sciences and turning out things of everyday use by machinery? The use of higher education is to find out how to solve the problems of life, and this is what is engaging the profound thought of the modern civilized world, but it was solved in our country thousands of years ago.

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The vast canvas of the Complete Works cannot but leave one impressed and inspired with its sheer sweep and depth. One of the main parameters in judging how advanced a nation is at present, is education or the investment in universal education more than its gdp and other factors that drive economic growth. Swamiji was the first to speak on the necessity of universal education and its importance in raising the country and humanity.

This goal of perfection—spirituality—should also be universal. Swamiji has been hailed variously as a prophet, a social reformer, a nationalist-patriot, saint, and so on. But none of these is exclusive—Swamiji is all-in-one and one-in-all. What is inclusive in all his aspects and teachings is the concept of education. Education should help individual and collective progress, for he was at heart a lover of humankind.

Th e child is at first like the primitive ancestors of his race. As he grows, he passes through different stages until he reaches the development of his race. A child anywhere in the world is born without culture. Education is the means that a society adopts in order to transmit its values, culture, knowledge, and also mould behaviour. Education eventually guides people to become useful members of society.

Another important factor that makes this whole process possible is the capacity of humans to form lasting bonds right from infancy. These bonds help in the transmission of knowledge, first from parents and later from others, and this enables children to grow in culture and knowledge; they, inturn, add something to the received knowledge and transmit it to future generations.

Apart from what children receive Swamiji wanted an all-round education that would equally develop the body, mind, and spirit. His ideas seemed radical then, but now they are found to be precise and with far-reaching consequences. Is it book-learning? If the poor cannot come to education, education must reach them at the plough, in the factory, everywhere.

Life is a series of fights and disillusionments. The secret of life is not enjoyment, but education through experience. But, alas, we are called off the moment we begin really to learn. That seems to be a potent argument for a future existence. Everywhere it is better to have a whirlwind come over the work. That clears the atmosphere and gives us a true insight into the nature of things.

It is begun anew, but on adamantine foundations. Yes, learn we must many things from the West: but there are fears as well. The first duty is to educate the people. But, instead of that, we are always trying to polish up the outside. What use in polishing up the outside when there is no inside? The end and aim of all training is to make the man grow.

The man who influences, who throws his magic, as it were, upon his fellow-beings, is a dynamo of power, and when that man is ready, he can do anything and everything he likes; that personality put upon anything will make it work. Otherwise what is the use of men and women, land and wealth? If I had to do my education over again, and had any voice in the matter, I would not study facts at all.

I would develop the power of concentration and detachment, and then with a perfect instrument I could collect facts at will. Side by side, in the child, should be developed the power of concentration and detachment. We have only learnt that we are nobodies. Seldom are we given to understand that great men were ever born in our country.

Nothing positive has been taught to us. We do not even know how to use our hands and feet! All you can do is on the negative side—you can only help. It is a manifestation from within; it develops its own nature—you can only take away obstructions.