Coimbatore, Nov. 24
In ancient times, knowledge was imparted only to those who sought it. The earliest record of learning is found in the Upanishads. The very word ‘Upanishad’ means, ‘sitting near’. We have seen pictorial representations of a guru sitting under a tree on a platform; a handful of students sit around him, near enough to ask questions, when in doubt.
In all our ancient scriptures and literature, we find instances of questioning. In fact, one of the Upanishads is named, ‘Kenopanishad’. ‘Kena’ in Sanskrit means, ‘by whom’/‘by which’. The entire work is the collection of such questions and their answers.
When Valmiki was commanded to compose an epic on Rama, he asked a lot of questions to Narada. Through the answers he received, he formed the story of Rama.
Yudhishtra went to pay his respects to Bhishmacharya, who was lying on a bed of arrows and asked him,
kim Ekam daivatham lOkE kim vApyEkam parAyaNam |
stuvantha kam kamarchantha prApnuyur mAnavAh shubham ||
(Who is the greatest Lord in the world and who is the one refuge for all? By glorifying whom and by worshipping whom can man reach auspiciousness, peace and prosperity?)
In reply, Bhishmacharya gave him the Vishnu Sahasranama.
Parvati asked Ishwara to suggest an easy way to enjoy the same benefit without reciting all the thousand names of the Lord (may be, on our behalf). Iswara replied, ‘Utter the name of Sri Rama thrice. (Sri RAma RAma RAma iti RamE RAmE ManOramE| SahasranAma tat tulyam RAma NAma VarAnanE) Thus we got ‘Rama nama’ and learnt of its efficacies.
When Dhritarashtra asked Sanjaya what his sons and the Pandavas were doing in the Kurukshetra battlefield, Sanjaya narrated all that took place in the war.
The Bhagavadgita, which is part of The Mahabharata, is also in the format of a dialogue between student and teacher. Arjuna asks, Krishna replies. Arjuna asks further, Krishna clarifies.
Greek philosopher Socrates is famous for his questions and for encouraging his students to ask questions.
The instances are endless.
As the Zen story says, unless the cup is empty, you cannot pour tea into it and unless a student is hungry to learn, you cannot teach him anything.
The same concept has been used by B F Skinner, an American psychologist, in his Skinner Box in which he kept a hungry pigeon / rat and made it learn certain responses by giving the incentive of food. His findings have revolutionalised modern methods of teaching. Incentives have replaced punishments and loving words have replaced rude words.
When we look at the present educational scenario, how often do we find eager students asking questions and well-equipped teachers answering them? In fact, the child’s natural urge to know by asking questions, slowly disappears once he/she goes to school.
Marks and ranks have become the criteria. A student who scores good marks by learning what is given in the books, is supposed to be intelligent. The less number of questions, he asks, the better.
If this system was right, all the first rank holders should be doing very well in life. But, in reality, the mediocre ones and the so-called last benchers rule the world.
Though we cannot totally change this situation, we should at least not let the spirit of questioning die.
A teacher is compared to a burning lamp. Unless the lamp continues to burn, it cannot light another lamp. Teachers have to keep updating themselves. In the ancient days, the guru being the sole source of knowledge, was held in high respect. Now, teachers have to compete with many sources. Students at times are better informed than teachers. It is very difficult to impress the students of today, but the effort should be on.
There is an utterly simple but all comprehensive definition of education.
‘सा विदà¥à¤¯à¤¾ या विमà¥à¤•à¥à¤¤à¤¯à¥‡| ‘SA VIDYA YA VIMUKTAYE’|
This sentence means, ‘That is education, which liberates.’ Yes. If all the knowledge and qualification that a person acquires does not liberate him from bondage, he cannot be considered educated. That was how education was looked at in the ancient times.
If one has to get the right type of education, he/she should ask questions.
Remember,
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”