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 UNIVERSAL HUMAN VALUES 2:
UNDERSTANDING HARMONY
21GE301

UNIT 1

COURSE INTRODUCTION - NEED,

BASIC GUIDELINES, CONTENT, AND
PROCESS FOR VALUE EDUCATION

Department : THIRD SEMESTER – CSE

Batch/Year : 2023-2024 / III

Created by : DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND

ENGINEERING, RMDEC

Date : 07-08-2023
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

S. No. CONTENTS PAGE

1 Course Objectives 7

2 Syllabus 8

3 Course Outcomes 9

4 CO - PO/PSO Mapping 10

5 Lecture Plan 11

6 Activity Based Learning 12

Lecture Notes: Unit – 1 COURSE INTRODUCTION - NEED,

BASIC GUIDELINES, CONTENT, AND PROCESS FOR VALUE
EDUCATION
1.1 Purpose and motivation for the course, recapitulation
14
from Universal HumanValues-I
1.2 Self-Exploration–what is it? - Its content and process;
‘Natural Acceptance’ and Experiential Validation- as the 18
process for self-exploration
7
1.3 Continuous Happiness and Prosperity- A look at basic
23
Human Aspirations
1.4 Right understanding, Relationship and Physical Facility-
the basic requirements for fulfillment of aspirations of every 27
human being with their correct priority
1.5 Understanding Happiness and Prosperity correctly- A
32
critical appraisal of the current scenario
1.6 Method to fulfil the above human aspirations:
36
understanding and living in harmony at various levels.
S. No. CONTENTS PAGE
Include practice sessions to discuss natural acceptance in
human being as the innate acceptance for living with
responsibility (living in relationship, harmony and co- 38
existence) rather than as arbitrariness in choice based on
liking-disliking
Video Links

Quiz 39

8 Assignment 41

9 Part A – Questions with Answers 42

10 Part B – Questions 47

11 Prescribed Textbooks and Reference Books 48

12 Mini Project Suggestions 49

 COURSE OBJECTIVES

The objective of the course is fourfold:

⮚ Development of a holistic perspective based on self-exploration about

themselves (human being), family, society and nature/existence.

⮚ Understanding (or developing clarity) of the harmony in the human

being, family, society, and nature/existence

⮚ Strengthening of self-reflection.

⮚ Development of commitment and courage to act.

 PREREQUISITES

1. Awareness of basic concepts of physics at higher secondary school level.

2. Fundamental knowledge in mathematics on topics like calculus (differentiation,
integration), trigonometry and geometry.
3. Trusting your intuition by applying basic common sense
4. Conceptual learning
5. Passion for understanding how things work, enjoy playing with ideas
 SYLLABUS
COURSE CODE COURSE INTRODUCTION - NEED, BASIC L T P C
GUIDELINES, CONTENT, AND PROCESS FOR
20GE301 VALUE EDUCATION 3 0 0 3
(Common to CSE & IT)

UNIT I Course Introduction - Need, Basic Guidelines, Content and 9

Process for Value Education

• Purpose and motivation for the course, recapitulation from Universal

HumanValues-I -- Self-Exploration–what is it? - Its content and process;
‘Natural Acceptance’ and Experiential Validation- as the process for self-
exploration-- Continuous Happiness and Prosperity- A look at basic Human
Aspirations--Right understanding, Relationship and Physical Facility- the basic
requirements for fulfillment of aspirations of every human being with their
correct priority -- Understanding Happiness and Prosperity correctly- A critical
appraisal of the current scenario -- Method to fulfil the above human
aspirations: understanding and living in harmony at various levels.

UNIT II Understanding Harmony in the Human Being – 9

Harmony in Myself!

• Understanding human being as a co-existence of the sentient ‘I’ and the

material ‘Body’ --Understanding the needs of Self (‘I’) and ‘Body’ - happiness
and physical facility --Understanding the Body as an instrument of ‘I’ (I being
the doer, seer and enjoyer) --Understanding the characteristics and activities of
‘I’ and harmony in ‘I’ --‘Understanding the harmony of I with the Body: Sanyam
and Health; correct appraisal of Physical needs, meaning of Prosperity in detail -
-Programs to ensure Sanyam and Health.

UNIT III Understanding Harmony in the Family and Society- 9

Harmony in Human-Human Relationship

• Understanding values in human-human relationship; meaning of Justice (nine

universal values in relationships) and program for its fulfilment to ensure mutual
happiness; Trust and Respect as the foundational values of relationship--
Understanding the meaning of Trust;
Difference between intention and competence.-- Understanding the meaning of
Respect, Difference between respect and differentiation; the other salient values
in relationship --Understanding the harmony in the society (society being an
extension of family): Resolution, Prosperity, fearlessness (trust) and co-existence
as comprehensive Human Goals --Visualizing a universal harmonious order in
society- Undivided Society, Universal Order-from family to world family.

UNIT IV Understanding Harmony in the Nature and Existence - Whole existence

as coexistence

• Understanding the harmony in the Nature--Interconnectedness and mutual fulfilment

among the four orders of nature-recyclability and self-regulation in nature --
Understanding Existence as Co-existence of mutually interacting units in all-pervasive
space- Holistic perception of harmony at all levels of existence.

UNIT V Implications of the above Holistic Understanding of Harmony on 9

Professional Ethics

• Natural acceptance of human values --Definitiveness of Ethical Human Conduct --Basis

for Humanistic Education, Humanistic Constitution and Humanistic Universal Order--
Competence in professional ethics: a. Ability to utilize the professional competence for
augmenting universal human order b. Ability to identify the scope and characteristics of
people friendly and eco-friendly production systems, c. Ability to identify and develop
appropriate technologies and management patterns for above production systems. --
Case studies of typical holistic technologies, management models and production
systems. -- Strategy for transition from the present state to Universal Human Order: a. At
the level of individual: as socially and ecologically responsible engineers, technologists
and managers b. At the level of society: as mutually enriching institutions and
organizations
• Sum up. Include practice Exercises and Case Studies will be taken up in Practice (tutorial)
Sessions eg. To discuss the conduct as an engineer or scientist etc.

TOTAL: 45 PERIODS
 COURSE OUTCOMES

On completion of this course, the students will gain knowledge and will be able to

CO1: would become more aware of themselves, and their surroundings (family,
society, nature);

C02: would become more responsible in life, and in handling problems with
sustainable solutions, while keeping human relationships and human nature in
mind.

C03: would have better critical ability.

C04: would become sensitive to their commitment towards what they have understood
(human values, human relationship and human society).

C05: would be able to apply what they have learnt to their own self in different day-to-
day settings in real life, at least a beginning would be made in this direction.
 CO – PO/PSO MAPPING

PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO PO
COs
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

- - - - - 2 1 1 3 1 1 1
CO1

- - - - - 3 3 1 2 1 2 1
CO2

- - - - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
CO3

- - - - - 1 1 3 3 1 1 1
CO4

- - - - - 2 2 3 1 2 1 3
CO5

- - - - - 3 3 3 3 2 2 3
CO’S
 LECTURE PLAN

No. Mode
Pertai Prop Actual Taxono
S.N of of
Topics to be Covered ning osed Lecture my
o. Peri Deliver
CO Date Date Level
ods y
Purpose and motivation
PPT,
for the course, 8/08/
1 1 CO1 K1 Chalk &
recapitulation from 23
Talk
Universal HumanValues-I
Self-Exploration–what is
it? - Its content and
process; ‘Natural PPT,
11/08
2 Acceptance’ and 2 CO1 K2 Chalk &
/23
Experiential Validation- Talk
as the process for self-
exploration
Continuous Happiness PPT,
12/08
3 and Prosperity- A look at 1 CO1 K2 Chalk &
/23
basic Human Aspirations Talk
Right understanding,
Relationship and Physical
Facility- the basic PPT,
14/08
4 requirements for 2 CO1 K2 Chalk &
/23
fulfillment of aspirations Talk
of every human being
with their correct priority
Understanding Happiness
PPT,
and Prosperity correctly- 18/08
5 1 CO1 K1 Chalk &
A critical appraisal of the /23
Talk
current scenario
Method to fulfil the
above human
PPT,
aspirations: 19/08
6 1 CO1 K1, K2 Chalk &
understanding and living /23
Talk
in harmony at various
levels.
1.1 Purpose and motivation for the course, recapitulation from Universal
Human Values-I

We need to fulfill our relationship with other human beings or any entity in the
rest of nature, that defines our participation with the larger order. This
participation constitutes the domain of human values. The value of an entity is its
participation in the larger order of which it is a part.

For example, the value of a pen is that it can write. Here writing is the
participation of the pen in the bigger order in which it is present along with paper
and human beings. The value of an eye is that it can be used for seeing. The
value of a vegetable plant is that it provides nutrition to animals and humans.

What is the value of a human being then? This question implies – what is the
participation of a human being in the bigger order? For example, if your
participation in the process of education is to understand what is being taught,
your value is to try to understand. The value of a human being is its natural or
expected participation in the larger order – at the level of the individual, at the
level of family, at the level of society and ultimately, at the level of
nature/existence.

For human beings, this bigger order includes other human beings, plants, air,
water, soil, animals, birds, etc., i.e., the entire nature/existence. The value of a
human being is its participation in this entire nature/existence. Hence, to
understand human values, we need to study the human reality along with all that
is there in the entire nature/existence which constitutes the larger order. The role
of human beings is to understand and fulfill its relationship with each unit in
existence.
To understand human values, there is a need for value education. We need to
explore and understand things as they are; so that we can fulfill our participation
with them. The part of education that deals with the understanding of one’s
participation in the larger order, and thus ensuring it in living, is called Value
Education. It forms the basis of the rest of education as well.

Ultimately, the whole education needs to be value based. If it is not value based,
it will not serve to fulfill the basic aspiration of the human being, i.e., a life of
fulfillment. It can at most provide skills to a person to fulfill the need for physical
facility, or so to say, make money, but the basic desire will remain untouched. A
simple appraisal of the current situation shows that our life has become more
focused on making money rather than ensuring a fulfilling life. This deficiency
needs to be rectified by making education wholesome and conducive to a
fulfilling life.

1.2 Self-Exploration–what is it? - Its content and process; ‘Natural

Acceptance’ and Experiential Validation- as the process for self-
exploration

What is Self-exploration?

It is a process of seeing the truth about a reality in our own right, by our own
investigation, observation, and analysis. Through this process, we should try to
understand the reality that exists and our participation with it, which we are
calling values. It is for us to decide what is valuable for us and what is not.
Whatever is given in the course is just a proposal for us for our self-verification.

What should be the content for self-exploration?

Whatever is essential for us to understand for moving towards a fulfilling life

should naturally form the content for self-exploration. Thus, the content for self-
exploration basically has the following two sub-parts:

a) Desire: What is our basic aspiration?

b) Programme: What is the way to fulfill this basic aspiration?

First, we want to explore our desire as a human being, and second, we want to
explore into the programme to ensure the fulfillment of that desire.

The desire is essentially the basic aspiration, the aim, the objective, the purpose,
what we want to achieve? – what is our goal?

The programme is the process of achieving the desire, the action to achieve our
goal.

The Process of Self-exploration

Whatever is stated here is a proposal, do not assume it to be true or false, right,

or wrong. Verify it – verify it on our own right, based on our natural acceptance.
However, verifying it based on natural acceptance is only a part of the process.
Fig 1 represents the complete process of self-exploration.
Explanation

The first part of self-exploration is to verify the proposal based on our natural
acceptance. Once we have verified that a proposal is naturally acceptable to us,
we are sure that it is something which we would like to live with.

The second part of self-exploration is experiential validation. It means trying to

live according to the proposal. In living there are two parts – one is the behavior
with other human beings and the second is work with the rest of nature. When
we are behaving with human beings based on this proposal, we want to verify
whether it leads to mutual happiness or not. If it leads to mutual happiness, it is
a right proposal; if it does not lead to mutual happiness, it is not a right proposal.
Similarly, when we are working with the rest of nature, based on this proposal,
we want to verify whether it leads to mutual prosperity or not. If it leads to
mutual prosperity, it is a right proposal; if it does not lead to mutual prosperity, it
is not a right proposal.

Example

As an example, let us explore the proposal, “the feeling of respect is natural in a

relationship”. As a first part of the exploration, you can verify whether feeling of
respect is naturally acceptable to you or feeling of disrespect is naturally
acceptable to you. This is part one of the self-exploration.

The second part is living according to the proposal. That is, you have the feeling
of respect in you, and now, you are expressing this feeling of respect in your
behavior with the other human being. Let us find out whether it leads to mutual
happiness or not. If it does, the proposal is a right proposal, otherwise it is not. I
can see that this feeling of respect is naturally acceptable to me, therefore, it
leads to my happiness.

Similarly, this feeling of respect is naturally acceptable to you, therefore, it leads

to your happiness as well, i.e., it leads to mutual happiness, and hence the
second part of the self-exploration also holds true. Putting these two parts
together, now we can say that the given proposal “the feeling of respect is
natural in a relationship” is a right proposal.
We can also verify this in case of our interaction with the rest of nature. Let us
check whether ‘the feeling of nurturing (enrichment) in our interaction with the
environment is natural’. You can verify whether feeling of nurturing is naturally
acceptable to you or feeling of exploiting is naturally acceptable to you.

This is part one of the self-verification. Further, we can proceed to the second
part of self-exploration – living according to it. By nurturing and enriching the
environment, does it lead to mutual prosperity?

If we can see that the enriched environment facilitates better food production,
leading to our prosperity and it also leads to prosperity of the environment in
terms of its enrichment, we can conclude that it leads to mutual prosperity. Thus,
this proposal passes both parts of self-verification. Therefore, this proposal ‘the
feeling of nurturing the environment is natural’ is a right proposal.

What we are verifying for any proposal in the second part is, “does it lead to
mutual fulfillment in our living”? Mutual fulfillment means that:

a. Our behavior with other human beings leads to mutual happiness.

b. Our work with the rest of nature leads to mutual prosperity.

At this point, there may be a question, “is it necessary to experientially validate a

proposal if it is not naturally acceptable”? It is an important question. What is
being said here is that both parts of self-exploration are essential. We may not
be very sure of our natural acceptance, or we may not have the confidence that
we really have the right answers within (that we can really be self-referential).
So, we propose that you experientially validate the proposals. Of course, if you
are very sure that a proposal

do not pass the first test, you need not go to the second test.

When we can verify a proposal, both by way of verifying through natural

acceptance and by way of verifying through experiential validation, the ultimate
outcome is “right understanding”.
1.3 Continuous Happiness and Prosperity- A look at basic Human
Aspirations

Programme for Continuity of Happiness

For the continuity of happiness, we must look into the total possibility of our
being. Ensuring harmony in every aspect of living would lead to continuity of
happiness. Let us find out – as a human being what is the total expanse of our
living?

We live at several levels, starting with ourselves. Then, we live with other people
in our family, in the larger society and we are embedded in nature. Whether we
are aware of it or not, the expanse of our living is at four levels:

1. As an Individual human being

2. As a member of a family

3. As a member of society

4. As a unit in nature/existence

Let us look at these different levels of our being.

As an individual human being: Each one of us is engaged in ourselves much

of the time – in our desires, thoughts, beliefs, imaginations, memories, future
plans, etc. No one else is involved.

As a member of a family: We are born in a family, we are nurtured and

educated in the family. We live with our brothers and sisters, parents and
grandparents, uncles and aunts, cousins and so many people. The family tries to
ensure mutual happiness among the members, it takes care of their physical
needs, it takes care of the young children, the old and all members in between.

As a member of the Society: Our family, together with other families is part of
a larger group of people. We interact with many people outside of our family. In
society we produce, use and exchange things like food, clothing, housing, etc.
There are systems for education, health, justice, production, and order in society.
Our village, town or city is a part of a larger society.
As a unit in Nature/Existence: We are a part and parcel of a large
interconnected, interdependent ecosystem along with the air, water, soil, plants,
trees, birds, and animals which we call nature. We are inhaling the oxygen rich
air and exhaling carbon di-oxide laden air, which the trees consume. Our Earth is
one of the many planets in our solar system. Our galaxy is one of the many
galaxies. Then there is the all-pervading space. All that exists, units of nature in
space, is called existence. We, human beings, are also units embedded in
nature/existence.

We have explored that happiness is to be in harmony. We have also seen that

the expanse of our being is these four levels. We can now see that for continuity
of happiness, it is essential to ensure harmony at all these levels. To ensure
harmony, it is essential to understand harmony.

The programme for ensuring the continuity of happiness is:

To understand the harmony at all levels of being and

To live in harmony

1. At the level of the individual human being

2. At the level of family

3. At the level of society and

4. At the level of nature/existence

Exploring the Meaning of Prosperity

Prosperity is related to material things or what we have been referring to as

physical facilities. If you list out all the things that you use, it will probably be a
long list. It will include food to eat, clothes to wear, shelter for protection, a
mobile phone, a two-wheeler and so many other things. These things are
required. When we are able to see that we have more than adequate physical
facilities, we feel prosperous.
Over and above physical facility, prosperity has to do with our feelings. The
proposal is:

Prosperity is the feeling of having more than required physical facility.

There are two basic requirements:

1. Right assessment of the need for physical facility, along with its
required quantity.

2. Ensuring the availability/production of more than required physical

facilities.

The right assessment of physical needs, along with their required quantity, will
come through right understanding. Without that right assessment, the feeling of
prosperity cannot be assured, regardless of the availability or accumulation of
physical facility. We need to ensure the availability or production of more than
the required quantity. This requires skills, technology, and production. With both,
right assessment, and availability, we have more than required physical facilities.
Over and above that, it is a matter of feeling that we have more than enough.

Let us take an example When we investigate our need for food for nurturing
our body, we find that it is required in a limited quantity. Once we can identify
the need for food along with the required quantity, we can check whether we
already have more than what is required. If we have more than required food or
if we can ensure more than required food by way of production, we will have the
feeling of prosperity as far as food is concerned.
If we neither have the availability nor the ability to produce more than the
required quantity of food, we will feel deprived (as far as food is concerned).
Similarly, we can find clothes, mobile phones, etc. When you have a feeling of
prosperity, you will naturally think of nurturing and enriching others. On the other
hand, if we feel deprived then we think of exploiting and depriving others. By and
large, there is a confusion between accumulation of physical facility and the
feeling of prosperity. It is generally assumed that the richer you are, the more
prosperous you are the more you have accumulated, the more prosperous you
are. With this sort of assumption, we pursue prosperity with an obsession for
profit, for accumulation. That is happening all around. The major focus in society
today is on accumulation of physical facilities. There is a major focus on
accumulating money. Today, most of the wealth (money) in the world is owned by
a very tiny percentage of people. Many such people are seen exploiting others,
and exploiting the Earth, to accumulate even more. Without clarity about how
much is required, the effort is for an unlimited quantity of physical facility, and by
almost any means. First the efforts may be by legal means, and then slip to even
illegal means. This is all because the quantity required is undefined and there is a
feeling of deprivation!

1.4 Right understanding, Relationship and Physical Facility- the basic

requirements for fulfillment of aspirations of every human being with
their correct priority

Right Understanding, Relationship and Physical Facility – All Three are Required
for fulfillment of Human Being

For the fulfillment of human beings – physical facility, relationship, and right
understanding – all three are necessary (Refer Fig. 2.)
To explore this further, let us look at these situations:

• It is hot and humid, and you are sweating. If you switch on an air conditioner,
does the cool air from it help? You can see that it makes the environment more
conducive, and your body is no longer sweating. The air conditioner and cool air
are physical facilities. It is useful for protecting the body from excessive heat.

• Now, you are sitting in that air-conditioned room. A person, with whom you
have a feeling of opposition walks into the room. Your body is comfortable with
the cool air, but how do you feel within? Comfortable or uncomfortable? With a
little exploration you will be able to see that you would feel uncomfortable. It is
due to the feeling of opposition that is within you. Check if it would make any
difference if you made the room cooler (or warmer)?
After this person has left the room, you are sitting alone but you are still thinking
of that person. You have contradictions in your thought. You are thinking about
how to resolve these contradictions, but you are unable to. Will you feel
comfortable within or uncomfortable within? Once again, you can see that you
will be uncomfortable within, regardless of the temperature of the air conditioner.
Without the requisite knowledge, the right understanding (of relationship and the
feelings in relationship) can you resolve these contradictions? Can any amount of
physical facility resolve these contradictions in you?

We can see that physical facility, relationship and right understanding are three
distinct realities. When we look them in more detail, we can see that:

• Right understanding (in the Self) is understanding myself, understanding all

that I live with (the entire existence) and understanding my role with respect to
all that I live with, i.e., Myself, my family, society, nature/existence.

• Relationship is essentially the feeling I have for other human beings (in the
family, in the society).

• Physical facility includes all things physical. All three are required for the
fulfillment of human beings. One cannot be substituted for the other.

Next, let us find out if we are taking care of all three of them or focusing on
physical facilities? You can see that we need all three of them, but today the
major focus is on physical facilities.

Can we take care of relationships with physical facilities alone? Can we take care
of the right understanding with physical facilities alone?
Now, the next question is that if all three of them are required, what is going to
be the priority?

Priority indicates what is fundamental, what is the relative importance. Working

on the higher priority facilitates the fulfillment of the lower priority. It does not
mean that we can do away with the lower priority.

All three of them are required. Right understanding in the Self is a

priority because only with right understanding we can ensure
fulfillment in a relationship; and we are able to make out how much
physical facility is required. Therefore, right understanding is the
priority.

The problems in the family are more due to lack of fulfillment in relationships,
rather than the lack of physical facility. It indicates that relationships are more
important than physical facilities.

It is interesting that out of these three, today, generally we are not

taking care of the first priority; we are not taking care of the second
priority; the major focus is on the third priority.
Can you see that our major focus is not on right understanding in the Self, not
on fulfillment in relationship, but the major focus is on physical facility? And now
you can see that if we are not focusing on the first two priorities and we are only
trying to work with physical facilities, where will we end up?

If we are only working for a physical facility, the outcome is depicted in Fig. 3 a.
At the level of physical facility, we are feeling deprived, and we are making
others deprived or exploiting others. When we don’t have the right
understanding (about relationship) in the Self, we are not able to ensure
fulfillment in relationship, therefore, we are unhappy within. When we are
unhappy within, are we going to make others happy?

If we don’t have the right understanding about relationships, we don’t know

about the feelings in a relationship. If we have not ensured those feelings in us,
we are unhappy within. In that state of unhappiness, we are not able to ensure
fulfillment in a relationship – we make others unhappy. This is one outcome.

The other outcome is that if the right understanding is missing, we are not able
to identify our need for physical facility. Now, if we are not able to identify our
need for physical facility then regardless of how much physical facility we
accumulate, we never feel that we have enough. We keep wanting more. This
feeling of not having enough is the feeling of deprivation. Now, if we have a
feeling of deprivation, will we think of nurturing others or exploiting others?

If we do not know how much physical facility we require, we will never have a
feeling of prosperity, regardless of how much we accumulate. The accumulation
of physical facilities may go on increasing, but our feeling of deprivation will
continue; and, if we feel deprived, we think of depriving others, exploiting
others, and accumulating more and more.
If you look around, there are generally two kinds of people today:

1. Those lacking physical facility, unhappy and deprived

2. Those having physical facility, unhappy and deprived

Try to find out where you are – at 1 or at 2?

The whole concept of what is called development today, largely takes us from ‘1’
to ‘2’. While working for development, we are focusing on a good outside
environment, lavish infrastructure, etc.

– is it sufficient for your happiness and prosperity? The nice apartment, 24-hour
electricity, running water, laptop, mobile, a big car, wide roads, trains, planes,
and all this may be required. However, is it sufficient to ensure continuity of your
happiness and prosperity? Through education, if we are focused on that good job
just for a high salary and more and more physical facilities, without having clarity
on how much is required, it can only take us from ‘1’ to ‘2’; and it can never
ensure happiness, prosperity, and continuity of the two.

Whereas we really want to be is in the following state, i.e.

3. Having physical facility, happy and prosperous.

Find out what is naturally acceptable to you – to be in 1, 2 or 3? It is easy to see

that we naturally want to be in state 3 of having more than enough physical
facilities, happy and prosperous. However, where are we today – at 1, 2 or 3?
And even more importantly, what is our effort for – 1, 2 or 3?

Now, if we can ensure all three, i.e., right understanding, relationship, and
physical facility, in that order of priority, the outcome (refer to Fig. 3 b).

• Through the right feeling in a relationship, based on right understanding, we

can ensure mutual happiness – happiness for ourselves as well as happiness for
others.
With the right understanding, we can identify the need for physical facilities. We
can also learn how to produce using a mutually enriching production process.
Once we can ensure the availability of more than required physical facilities, we
have a feeling of prosperity.
When you can see that you have more than what is required, i.e., you have a
feeling of prosperity, you will naturally think of nurturing others and not exploiting
them.
Right understanding + Relationship → Mutual happiness
Right understanding + Physical facility → Mutual prosperity
In this way, with the right understanding and fulfillment in a relationship, we can
ensure mutual happiness.
With the right understanding and enough physical facility (working with the rest
of nature), we can ensure mutual prosperity, mutual enrichment. Therefore, by
ensuring the right understanding, relationship, and physical facility, we can ensure
happiness and prosperity for ourselves and work for happiness and prosperity for
others.

1.5 Understanding Happiness and Prosperity correctly- A critical

appraisal of the current scenario

A Look at the Prevailing Notions of Happiness

In the light of the preceding discussion on happiness, let us take a critical look at
the prevailing notions of happiness. One of them is that the continuity of
happiness is possible through consumption of physical facilities and enjoyment of
favourable sensations. People may go to almost any extent to get the taste of
their favourite sensation! It could be some particular type of touch, sound, sight,
taste or smell.

(1) Accumulating physical facility

● Physical facility is required, but it alone does not be

sufficient for a human being .

● Dependence on the physical facility, can’t give continuous

happiness.
Is it possible to ensure continuity of happiness by the consumption of physical
facility, and the enjoyment of favourable sensation? Let us study this
phenomenon and see what is taking place.

Physical thing → Contact with Body → Sensation (from Body) → Tasted by Self

- If taste is favourable → Happiness (Temporary)

- If taste is unfavourable → Unhappiness (Temporary)

We get happiness, or what appears to be happiness, when we eat our favourite

sweet. What is happening is that a physical thing, this sweet, is coming in
contact with our tongue. At that point, we can taste the sweet. Taste is a
sensation. In case we find the sensation to be favourable, we feel happy. If we
find the sensation to be unfavourable, we feel unhappy. You can observe this for
any sensation – sound, touch, sight, taste or smell. But can it ensure happiness
in continuity?

To take the sweet example further, let us say a particular chocolate is your
favourite sweet – you like its taste. You get a lot, say 100 of them. Now you start
eating these sweet savouries. You put the first chocolate in your mouth. If you
like the taste, you feel happy about it but if you don’t like the taste, you feel
unhappy about it. Let us say you like the taste and continue to eat. So now you
have eaten 10 of them and your stomach is full. Do they still remain tasty? Go
for another one, and another one...

If you observe carefully, it can be seen that:

• When you start eating the sweet, it seems tasty (for you) and necessary (for
the Body). You are eating for happiness (for you) as well as for nurturing your
body.

• Once your stomach is full, it still seems tasty (to you), but it is now
unnecessary (for your Body). Now you are still eating for happiness from the
taste of it (for you), but you know it is no longer necessary for nurturing your
Body.
 If you continue to eat some more and you are full up to the neck, what is your
state? The sweet is no more a source of happiness for you. At the same time, it
remains unnecessary for nurturing the Body. It is still your favourite sweet, but
now it is neither tasty to you nor necessary for your Body. Now you want to stop
eating it.

• But if someone forces you to eat further; eating the same sweets becomes
intolerable. Now, it turns into a source of unhappiness for you; and you have to
deal with the stomach ache on top of it!

The conclusion is that you do get some sort of happiness from the sensation.
However, this happiness is momentary, very short lived and it seems to pass
through the following stages:

(2) Pleasure (from favourable sensation)

Sound, Touch, Form, Taste, Smell – Through the Body

Tasty-Necessary → Tasty-Unnecessary → Tasteless-Unnecessary →

Intolerable

Firstly, continuity of happiness is not possible from eating chocolates, nor from
any other food or any other sensation for that matter; be it sound, touch, sight,
taste or smell. Secondly, you become bored of the taste after indulging in it for
some time. Even if one wants to get happiness out of taste, one has to keep
changing from one sensation to another to another. Thirdly, the little temporary
happiness you get from the taste is dependent on something outside, i.e. the
chocolate in this example. There is no guarantee that you will get chocolate as
and when you want to derive happiness out of its taste.

This applies to any sensation from which one is trying to derive happiness.

[A point of caution: We are not saying that physical facility is not required. It is
required for the Body. However, it cannot ensure continuity of happiness.
Similarly, sensation has its definite role for the Body, but it cannot ensure
continuous happiness.
Dependence on sensation, can’t give continuous happiness.

Continuity of Happiness from Favourable Feeling from Others?

The second prevailing notion is that we can be happy by getting favourable

feelings from others. We tend to feel happy when others pay attention to us,
when others praise us, when others respect us, care for us or express any
favourable feeling to us.

For that, we keep doing all kinds of things. Wearing clothes of the latest fashion,
going to college on that borrowed motorcycle and so many other things like that.
Similarly, we may be pretending to be more than what we really are or agreeing
with people just to be in their good books and to get their attention. All these are
examples of our effort for getting feelings from others. We have a deeply held
belief that we will get happiness like this.

(3) Attention, Appreciation… (favourable feelings)

Sometimes “happiness”, excitement… Sometimes “unhappiness”,

depression…

Is it possible to ensure continuity of happiness by receiving favourable feelings

from others? Let us study this phenomenon.

Other Human Being → Expression of Feeling → Feeling Received and Evaluated

by Self

- If feeling is favourable → Happiness (Temporary)

- If feeling is unfavourable → Unhappiness (Temporary)

When someone is expressing a right feeling, like respect, that is naturally

acceptable for you, you like to receive that feeling – you feel happy. Of course, if
the other is expressing emotions that are not naturally acceptable for you, e.g.
disrespect, you feel unhappy.
To take an example, you wear an exclusive dress while going to a party. Your
expectation is that you will be noticed in the party, people will compliment you
and this will make you happy. You enter the door and the host appreciates your
dress – you feel happy. Next minute another person points out that this dress is
now out of fashion; he saw it in the neighbourhood goodwill store – your
happiness is replaced by unhappiness.

The conclusion is that you do get some sort of happiness from the attention and
feeling you get from others. However, this happiness is momentary, very short
lived. So firstly, continuity of happiness is not possible through getting feelings
from the other. Secondly, the little temporary happiness you got from the
compliments is not your own property. You are not deciding the feeling – it is
being decided by the other person. There is no certainty that they will notice you
again or if they will even be around

next time!

Happiness is not the same as Excitement

The question is whether the feeling that we got is happiness or something else.

• Was what we got from the favourable sensation = happiness?

• Was the favourable feeling we got from the other = happiness?

What we got in both cases is a sort of momentary happiness. We are calling it

excitement. There is a confusion between excitement and happiness (a
harmonious state within). Excitement is short lived, not sustainable, while a
harmonious state within is something which can be continuous and sustainable.
You have an expectation, say for a particular sweet, and if that expectation is
fulfilled, you feel happy. However, since you are looking for continuity of
happiness, you try to continue, in this case eating the sweet. But sooner or later
you see that it cannot be continued indefinitely, so that happiness from eating
the sweet dies out. In fact, there is no possibility to continue this happiness from
eating sweets. Somewhere you are able to see this. You are able to see that you
have a deeper desire for continuity of happiness which this sweet is not able to
fulfil.
This temporary happiness we are getting out of favourable sensation or out of
the feeling we receive from the other is not really happiness (harmony). It is just
a temporary state of excitement. If you look at it in a deeper sense, you would
realize that this excitement is actually creating a disharmonious state within. That
is why you feel uncomfortable when you are in a state of excitement, so much so
that it starts reflecting on your body in terms of disturbed pace of breathing, high
blood pressure,etc.

Other Prevailing Notions about Happiness

You can find out if these ways of escaping from unhappiness work or not. Take
for example, people who smoke. Does their intake of cigarettes go up or does it
go down when they are in more tension?
Generally, the more the tension, the more is the intake of cigarettes. Needless to
say, there are adverse side effects on the health of the Body. Is it a permanent
solution to unhappiness? We can easily see that cigarettes or any of the other
means used for escape (such as alcohol, drugs, over eating, etc. as listed above)
is not a permanent solution.

Another observation is that people with such assumptions about happiness tend
to keep moving between excitement and escape. If we observe people working
under unfavourable conditions they are under a lot of pressure. Such people tend
to take to one escape route or the other, in the name of relaxing, chilling out,
etc., so much so that it may even become an addiction. We can observe many
well-meaning people caught up in this cycle.

Of course, such methods of trying to get happiness from outside, or the efforts
for escaping from unhappiness in this manner are futile. Not only do these
methods not work, but they also have many undesirable side effects. For
example, rates of obesity, depression and suicide are increasing globally,
particularly in high income societies, due to this confusion. Like that the side
effects can be observed at every level – exploitation of human beings as well as
exploitation of nature, as indicated in fig.

The problems mentioned above have to do with one’s notion of happiness and
the programme for its fulfillment. By now, you would have appreciated that in
order to move towards a fulfilling life, it is of utmost importance to have clarity
about happiness and prosperity.
The Programme for Happiness
We have seen that happiness is to be in a state of harmony. The expanse of our
living encompasses four levels – individual, family, society and nature/existence.
The programme for harmony is to make the necessary effort to understand
harmony and to live in harmony at all levels of our being. This is articulated in
figs.
We have earlier proposed that the basic human aspiration for continuity of
happiness and prosperity is fulfilled by right understanding in the Self, fulfillment
in relationship and physical facility.
Right understanding is essentially the understanding of harmony in the entire
expanse of our being, i.e. harmony in the human being, in the family, in the
society and in nature/existence. If we are able to see the harmony at all these
levels, there is a possibility of living in harmony at all these levels.
1.6 Method to fulfill the above human aspirations: understanding and
living in harmony at various levels.
• The basic human aspiration is to be in a state of continuous happiness and
prosperity. It is something we want to be and continue to be, without any break.
• For fulfillment of human aspiration, three things are necessary: right
understanding in the Self, fulfillment in relationship with human beings and
physical facility with the rest of nature, in that order of priority.
• Fulfillment of relationship (with human beings) leads to mutual happiness, and
fulfillment of physical facility (with rest of nature) leads to mutual prosperity.
• Living with all three, right understanding, relationship, and physical facility, in
that order of priority, is fulfilling for human beings. Seeking and ensuring
fulfillment in this manner is living with human consciousness.
• Living solely based on physical facilities is not fulfilling for human beings – for
human beings, physical facility is necessary, but it does not be sufficient. It may
be adequate for the fulfillment of animals. If one is seeking fulfillment solely out
of physical facility, ignorant of the need for right understanding and relationship,
(s)he is living with animal consciousness or inhuman consciousness.
Animals living with animal consciousness are fine, they are in harmony; only
human beings, living based on physical facility alone tend to be in disharmony; so,
human beings living with animal consciousness is a problem.

The transformation from animal consciousness to human consciousness is the

essential core of holistic development. With human consciousness at the base,
holistic development includes development of relationship as well as required
physical facility.

• Education-Sanskar has the pivotal role in the development of human

consciousness. It must ensure right understanding in the Self of every child,
capacity to live in relationship with other human beings as well as the capacity to
identify the need for physical facility, the skills and practice for sustainable
production of more than what is required, leading to the feeling of prosperity.
Such an education will eventually be able to prepare the child with the
competence to be in harmony within, to live with definite human conduct and to
be in harmony with the world outside for actualizing an undivided society and
universal human order.
OTHER LEARNING MATERIALS
 COMPREHENSIVE QUIZ

1. Natural Acceptance:

a) It does not change with time.

b) It does not depend on the place.

c) It does not depend on our beliefs or past conditioning.

d) All of the above

2. For Human consciousness:

a) Physical facility is necessary and sufficient.

b) Physical facility is necessary but not sufficient.

c) Physical facility is not necessary and not sufficient.

d) None of the above

3. Identify the correct order:

a) Physical facility, relationship, Right understanding

b) Physical facility, Right understanding, relationship

c) Relationship, Right understanding, Physical facility

d) Right understanding, relationship, and Physical Facility

4. Need and activities of self are:

a) Both are continuous

b) Both are temporary

c) Not fixed

d) None of the above

5. What is self-exploration?
a) Dialogue between what you are and what you really want to
be
b) It is the process of self-evolution through self-investigation
c) It is the process of knowing human conduct
D) All of the above

6. Right understanding and relationship lead to

a) Mutual Happiness
b) Mutual prosperity
c) Both
d) None of the above

7. Right understanding and physical facilities lead to

a) Mutual Happiness
b) Mutual prosperity
c) Both
d) None of the above

8. Happiness is:
a) Harmony in self
b) Harmony in the body
c) Harmony in both
d) None of the above
 ASSIGNMENT

Define the terms: Value, Human Value, Universal Human Values, and
Natural Acceptance?
“Physical facilities are necessary and complete for animals, while they
are necessary but not complete for humans.” Comment
“To be in a state of harmony is happiness”. Explain this statement and
illustrate with two examples from your day to day life?
What is the need for value education in technical and other
professional institutions?
What do you understand by prosperity? What is the difference
between prosperity and wealth? How are the two related?
Self exploration is a process of dialogue between ‘what you are’ and
‘what you really want to be’. Explain and illustrate.
 PART A – QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS

1. In Education whether both values and skills are required. If both are
required, then what is the priority?

Yes, in education both values and skills are required. The Priority is
i. Understanding ‘what to do’ = Value Education
ii. Learning ‘how to do’ and Doing =Technical Education

2. What is Value and Skill education?

a. A part of education that deals with the understanding of one’s participation in
the larger order and thus ensuring it in living is called Value Education.
b. Skills are required to achieve a particular purpose in an effective and efficient
manner, it is not within the scope of technology, management, medicine, etc. to
decide the purpose.

3. Highlight the differences between Value and Skill education.

a. Value is “What to do” and Skill is “How to do”
b. Value means importance and participation and skill means qualities, training,
and capabilities.

4. What is the value of a unit?

The value of a unit is its participation in the larger order e.g., The value of a piece
of chalk is its participation in the classroom.

The value of a unit is also referred to as its role. e.g., The role of chalk is to write
on the blackboard
• .

5. What is the continuity of happiness?

a. Continuity of Happiness= Harmony at all levels of being i.e.
b. Harmony in the Human Being
c. Harmony in the Family
d. Harmony in the Society
e. Harmony in Nature/Existence
6. State the difference between happiness and unhappiness.

7. State the difference between acceptance and natural acceptance.

9. List out the five basic guidelines of Value Education.

Values must enable us to live in peace and harmony within ourselves as well
as with others (human beings and the rest of nature).
⮚ Universal
⮚ Rational
⮚ Natural and Verifiable
⮚ All-Encompassing
⮚ Leading to Harmony
10. What is the difference between “belief” and “understanding”?

Beliefs Understanding
Beliefs are the ad-hoc values Correct or Right understanding is the
Universal human values
Beliefs are usually not the same for Understanding are the same for
everybody everyone
Beliefs are assumed values Understanding is evaluated values

Belief usually changes with time Understanding does not change with
time.

11. What are pre-conditionings? What is their source?

or

Do you feel that you have some pre-conditionings? How do you evaluate
them?

Yes, Preconditioning means the condition developed by beliefs. They come

from what we read, what we hear, what our parents tell us, what our friends
talk about and what the magazines talk about also what we see on the TV,
etc. Most of our desires, thoughts, and expectations are based on this
preconditioning. We do not verify our desires in our own right. Because of
this, we often end up spending an entire lifetime accumulating desires that
are not ours and running about trying to fulfill them. As a result, our desires,
thoughts, and selections are always in conflict leading to dissatisfaction and
unhappiness.
12. "Right understanding + Relationship = Mutual fulfillment”- Briefly
explain.

Through the right feeling in a relationship, based on the right understanding,

we can ensure mutual happiness ⇒ happiness for ourselves as well as
happiness for others.

13. “Right understanding + Physical facilities = Mutual prosperity”-Briefly

explain.

With the right understanding, we can identify the need for physical facilities.
We can also learn how to produce using a mutually enriching production
process. Once we can ensure the availability of more than the required
physical facilities, we have a feeling of prosperity.

14. What is Prosperity? Give an example.

The feeling of having/producing more than the required Physical

Facility is known as Prosperity.

Example-- based on your self-exploration.

15. What a prosperous person thinks? Give an example.

A prosperous person thinks of the right utilization and nurturing of the other.

Example-- based on your self-exploration.

16. What a deprived person thinks? Give an example.

A deprived person thinks of accumulation and exploiting others.

Example-- based on your self-exploration.

17. What is our program as human being?

18. Is the unhappiness in our families (i) More due to lack of physical
facility or

(ii) More due to a lack of fulfilment in a relationship? Justify with

an example.

More due to a lack of fulfilment in the relationship.

Example-- based on your self-exploration.

19. What is the source of happiness?

Right Understanding – in Self Harmony at all levels of being

(I)
Human Being, Family, Society,
Nature/Existence
Right Feeling – in Self Trust, Respect, Affection, Care,
(I) Reverence, Guidance, Glory,
Gratitude, and Love
(TRACRGGGL)

Definite completion point, Continuity is possible, Self-organized

 PART B – QUESTIONS
1. Explain in detail (i) Value Education and (ii) Skill Education.

2. What is the content of Value Education? What is the need for it?

3. What are the basic guidelines for value education?

4. What is the difference between animal consciousness and human

consciousness? How does the transformation from animal
consciousness to human consciousness take place in a human being?
Explain with a neat diagram.

5. Explain the process of Self-Exploration. What is the expected outcome

of self-exploration? Or Explain the content, process, and natural
outcome of self-exploration with a neat diagram.

6. What are the basic requirements for the fulfilment of the aspirations
of every human being? Or Explain the correct priority of Right
Understanding, Relationship, and Physical Facility with a
diagrammatic representation.
 PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOKS AND
REFERENCE BOOKS
TextBook

1. R R Gaur, R Sangal, G P Bagaria, Excel Books, New Delhi, 2010, “Human Values
and
Professional Ethics”

Reference Books

1. Jeevan Vidya: Ek Parichaya, A Nagaraj, Jeevan Vidya Prakashan, Amarkantak,

1999.

2. Human Values, A.N. Tripathi, New Age Intl. Publishers, New Delhi, 2004.

3. The Story of Stuff (Book).

4. The Story of My Experiments with Truth - by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

5. Small is Beautiful-E. F Schumacher.

6. Slow is Beautiful-Cecile Andrews

7. Economy of Permanence - J C Kumarappa

8. Bharat Mein Angreji Raj – Pandit Sunderlal

9. Rediscovering India – by Dharampal

10. Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule - by Mohandas K. Gandhi

11. India Wins Freedom – Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad

12. Vivekananda-Romain Rolland (English)

13. Gandhi-Romain Rolland (English)

 MINI PROJECT SUGGESTIONS

1. Due to cut-throat competition and lack of human consciousness in

society, the focus of the students is on developing skills for a good
pay package and not on values. How to bring their attention to
values?

2. What is the need for self-exploration? The existence is so vast and I

am a tiny unit of this existence. Is it not unwise to also even think of
exploring everything on my own right?

3. If prosperity is a feeling, can’t I simply have it without working

much for physical facilities by minimizing my needs?

4. I think a physical facility is the most basic and important human

need. Even Maslow’s hierarchy of needs puts physical needs at the
base. How can you say that RU is the first priority?

5. If ensuring harmony at one level dibs the harmony at some other

level, how can I make the program for continuity of happiness? e.g.
taking care of my baby and doing justice with my job e.g. when I
invest myself for right understanding, the family members feel
angry on me, and there is disharmony in the family.

6. Few people in history have said that the biggest hurdle in the
development of society is family. They propounded the concept of
commune. Where do we place the commune here?
 Thank you

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