www

www.saiwisdom.com

The Sunday Talk Given by Anil Kumar

“Sai Workshop in Muscat, Oman”

October 23, 2010

OM…OM…OM…

Sai Ram

With Pranams at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan,

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

PROUD TO BE A TEACHER

At this moment, I would like to compliment my fellow teachers. I have been in the profession for forty-six years. So I am just a senior teacher, that’s all. We’re all teachers. Before I go into the topic, let me say that I am proud to be a teacher. I consider myself to be the richest of all because my wealth and affluence are not calculated in terms of rupees and coins. My property is recorded in the passbook of the heart of every one of my students; and the entries in the passbook are the goodwill and the love of those students.

You can imagine a period of forty-six years of service: I must have met thousands and thousands of students. No surprise if I declare myself the richest man—I am the richest man! (Applause)

If anyone says, “Are you a teacher?” I simply say, “Why not? I am a teacher. Why not!”

If anyone says, “You could have been an ambassador, a collector, or an engineer,” I just say, “Stop that nonsense! I am proud to be a teacher.”

I belong to a family whose past four generations have been teachers. I carry the genes of the teaching profession in the chromosomes of every cell in my body.

TEACHERS ARE THE BUILDERS AND ARCHITECTS OF THE NATION

We are teachers. We are the builders and architects of the nation. We are in fact sculptors: children come to us and we mould them into beautiful idols of Krishna, Jesus, and Rama. So a teacher is a sculptor.

When a student comes into the classroom all depressed, we console him. We are like the welcomed summer showers during hot climate. So teacher is like a cooling cloud—a friend and a philosopher. A teacher is like a parent.

I know many children imitate their teachers. I saw one little girl wearing flowers in her hair. I asked, “Why are you wearing flowers?”

“My madam wears flowers, so I wear flowers also,” she answered. That’s how a teacher influences a student.

TEACHING IS A MISSION, NOT JUST A JOB OR PROFESSION

Teaching is not merely a process; it is much more than that. When a doctor gives medicine, there ends his job. When an engineer constructs a bridge, his job is done. When a businessman sells his goods or products, there ends his work. But a teacher has no retirement. The job of a teacher is not a job or a profession; rather it is a mission in life. A teacher keeps on inspiring from within.

Friends, we are most fortunate in this world to be teachers and to be working for educational institutions. God bless you! My congratulations to every one of you! Never ever give any room for any negative comment. Never give any chance for depression or frustration. Never compare yourselves with those people who are rich; their wealth is based on lifeless things.

As I was telling you yesterday, someone may have ten houses, ten bank accounts, and crores of wealth, but all that is dead, non-living matter. My account has living children and smiling faces! Life is more valuable than anything else, and a teacher handles lives. Yes, we are very fortunate. Given the chance, I want to be born again and again as a teacher.

Years ago, people refused to marry a teacher. The salary was so meagre in those days. But now a teacher is well-paid. Now teachers receive dowries at very high rates! (Laughter) But in earlier days, it wasn’t like that.

Well now, my friends, I request the principal, Chitra Narayan, to be a bit liberal and generous towards me because, from this moment, I will act more as a fellow teacher, not as a speaker or orator. Taking this as a platform, we will consider this a workshop where we work together. We are fellow pilgrims, fellow sailors or travellers, travelling along the path of education towards the goal of fulfilment.

It is in this context—this being a workshop—that while congratulating him, I beg my good friend Chandrashekar, who gave a thought-provoking talk, to permit me to supplement a few points to his talk.

You did a good job, Chandrashekar. My compliments to you! Here are a few points that could be added to what you said. This is supplementary, additional, extra, compound-interest payable on the principal amount or capital to Chandrashekar’s talk! (Laughter)

A SMILE IS THE FIRST QUALIFICATION OF A TEACHER

During the opening, Chita Narayan said that we are very happy because we are in the company of children. Yes, this is true! The one who smiles is a teacher, and our smiling makes others smile. So the first qualification of a teacher is to smile. A teacher cannot have a long face, a castor oil face, or a Shakespearean face because forty children are looking at him.

If you have a long face, the children simply wait for the bell to ring! That means you are most unsuccessful. The children should forget time and space; they should get lost, they should get drenched, they should bask in the teacher’s dissemination of knowledge. Therefore, the teacher should be happy and make others happy. So smile!

Some women ask, “How can I smile? I have so many children at home and my husband is bothering me. I am not able to manage the household problems or the bank account. How do you expect me to smile?” And yet we smile. That is the greatness of a teacher.

When a teacher goes into a classroom, he is transported to another world. He is a cosmic personality, a universal personality. He is intra-planetary! He is not a simple personality; he becomes cosmic in his approach. After the bell rings and he returns home, he will have all his problems on his face. (Laughter) But while in the class, he is the emperor or sultan! That is his creativity.

A teacher is Lord Shiva himself keeping the poison inside, with a smile on the outside. A teacher is Brahma, the creator, creating good ideas amongst children. A teacher is Vishnu, sustaining good habits and good behaviour amongst children. Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara: three-in-one is called a teacher! What more do you want in life? Trinity in unity is a teacher. That is how I look at it.

TEACHERS ARE CHILD-LIKE, NOT CHILDISH

It is good that Chitra Narayana mentioned we are happy because we are in the company of children. Many students come and tell me, “Sir, we have changed, but you have not changed.” (Laughter)

I tell them, “You change in both width and weight, but we don’t change because we always mix with children—generation-after-generation of youngsters.”

So we are childlike, but never childish. Being childlike is very different from being childish. Childishness is ignorance, whereas to be like a child—childlike—is innocence. To be like a child is to be without motivation, without expectation, always in a joyful, blissful state! Childishness is immaturity and it has to be condemned and given up. Let us instead be childlike. This why Jesus said, unless one becomes like a child, he cannot enter the gates of heaven.

A Teacher should dress well and address well

The next point is that a teacher should learn to dress well and address well. Dress well because your dress will be noticed by your students. If you don’t comb you hair or wear your sari properly, if you wear your sari as if you are wearing a lunghi, (Laughter) then you present an ugly look to your students. You may be highly qualified but you will seem indecent, as if you have no respect for your profession. “Dress well and address well” should be the motto of every teacher.

imbibe, inspire, illumine

Mr Chandrashekar, you mentioned Hanuman. Hanuman is the hero of Ramayana. He is not a small man, nor are you not a small man! Therefore you made reference to him! Yes, it’s an apt reference indeed. (Laughter)

While speaking about service, Mr Chandrashekar said that we should inspire: we should serve and inspire others. Here, my fellow teachers, remember three words in this connection and make your children learn these words by heart. What are they?

Firstly, ‘imbibe’. Let them imbibe the spirit of service. Let them imbibe the philosophy of service. Let them imbibe the human values. Let them imbibe the noble traits and virtues. ‘Imbibe’ means ‘to absorb’. First let them imbibe. Once they have imbibed, they can ‘inspire’.

Many people are not able to inspire others. Why? Because they have not imbibed! They keep on speaking, but it ends only in perspiration! A teacher inspires; he never perspires. Therefore, imbibe and inspire.

Once you imbibe and inspire, the third word is ‘illumine’. Illumination refers to the light of knowledge, the light of wisdom, the light of peace, the light of love, the light of Divinity!

Imbibe, inspire, and illumine—these are the three words that I want to bring to your notice.

service is a beautiful word

Sri Chandrashekar also referred to service. Service is a beautiful word. Nobody will ask you, “How many years have you worked?” Nobody will reply, “I worked for forty years.”

You are not a bulldozer! You are not a machine! No! People will ask you, “How many years of service have you put in?”

“I served for forty years.”

No one will say, “I worked for forty years.” I am not a bull!

Work is an unconscious state, a mechanical, robotic way of life; whereas service is a vital, energetic life force. So this service is very important.

Some people say, “Duty, duty, duty!” Duty is an ugly word, while service is a beautiful word.

Duty is like law enforcement: “Do your duty!” It is a bulldog affair! In duty there is no beauty, but in service there is beauty. Why? Because service is voluntary. Service is a natural, spontaneous response. Service is spiritual and selfless. Service is an all-the-time affair, while duty is from ten to five. Service is omniscient and omnipresent. It implies being ready to work and serve at any time. Duty, on the other hand, is time limited. Therefore, service is such a beautiful word.

Mr Chandrashekar also made mention of social care, healthcare, rural care, and Educare. But there’s another category of people he forgot—those who don’t care! What does ‘care’ mean? Care means concern, commitment, and dedication. Care means identification and upliftment. Therefore, Educare, social care, and healthcare are concerns of love and bliss beyond our understanding.

A TEACHER IS EVERGREEN

Mr Chandrashekar also made a reference to the body and the mind. Good!

How are we today? After all, what’s the body? Well, ten years ago, everyone here must have been very beautiful. Twenty years ago you must have been cute. And today? Tolerable. (Laughter) After five years, adjustable. After fifteen years, goodbye, thank you! (Laughter) Condemned junk! A curly head is replaced by a bald head. Dentures replace the lovely teeth. Plastic surgery may help with the wrinkles on the face, as film actresses do. But we don’t.

So the body goes on changing, but a teacher is an evergreen hero. There is no age limit for him—he is an evergreen hero! (Applause)

Somebody asked me, “Anil Kumar, how old are you?”

I said, “Please correct your English. You don’t seem to know good English. Why do you ask how old am I? It’s better to ask me, ‘How young are you?’ ” (Laughter)

If you ask me, “How young are you?” my answer is, “I am ever young!”

I talk to boys of all classes. A teacher is a teacher to everybody, understand this. If one says, “I teach English. These are my boys.” That’s rubbish! Mathematics students are also your students. A teacher is a teacher for all, at all times.

Someone said that the Sultan here in Oman was a student of the former president of India, Shankar Dayal Sharma. The Sultan received him at the door of the aircraft and he drove the car for the former president. What does that mean? The emperor, the king, His Majesty, considers his teacher as a teacher even to this day!

You don’t say, “He’s my doctor,” as if you are going to be a patient throughout your whole life! (Laughter)

But you do say, “He is my teacher.” No past tense. You cannot say, “He was my teacher.” Stop that nonsense! If you say ‘he was’, that means ‘you were’ a student. Now you are a dunce. You are a student, and I am a teacher, forever and ever.

What’s the body? It is, after all, only matter that goes on changing. If someone asks you, “What is matter?” some modern people would say, “Doesn’t matter!”

What’s the mind? Many people would say, “Never mind.”

bend the body, mend the senses

I say, “Bend the body”, which means ‘learn to work’. Learn to bend in humility. Bend the body in such a way that you will be healthy. Bending the body means that you invite work. Bending the body means you are ready to serve.

The body has sense perception; it is not like a wall. The body has many sense organs: the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin. These five cognitive senses are called the jnanendiryas. “Mend the senses, bend the body.” The senses have got to be mended.

What does that mean? I look at that which I am not supposed to, I hear that which I am not supposed to. So how am I to mend the senses? “See no evil, see what is good; hear no evil, hear what is good; think no evil, think what is good; do no evil, do what is good.” That is the quintessence of Sathya Sai Baba’s message. Mend your senses and bend your body.

end the mind

Third, ‘end the mind’. What does that mean? When the mind is at rest, when it is without thoughts, when it is balanced in a state of equanimity or equilibrium, this is called samadhi or meditation. Meditation is the silencing of the mind. Meditation is a balanced state of mind. Meditation is an equanimous state of mind. So, end the mind.

This is self-realisation. Self-realisation comprises these three components: bend the body, mend the senses, and end the mind.

SHARING OF KNOWLEDGE IS TECHNOLOGY

Sri Chandrashekar also referred to knowledge. He mentioned technology and information technology, the computer. We are working with Sathya Sai Baba, the latest Avatar of our times, a man of humour, the One with supreme wisdom!

One day He was joking with boys. He asked the boys, “What do you do in labs?”

“Oh yeah, we have computers.”

“You know computers?”

“Yes, Swami.”

“What is it all about?”

“Computer is that which has everything that you want, Swami.”

Then Baba said, “Go to the computer. Ask the computer, ‘Oh computer, where is my wife?’ ”

The computer cannot tell you the answer. The computer gives out only information based on what is put into it, what is fed into the system.

If I ask, “What is my wife thinking about me?” the computer cannot answer that. What if the computer says that you cannot live together? Impossible!

Therefore, my friends, technology is simply the sharing of knowledge. Teachers please note this point: the sharing of knowledge. That is one thing Baba has said.

Once Baba was talking to some Master of Technology boys and their professor.

He asked the boys, “Boys, what are you doing? Are you a master? No, you are only a mister (Mr.) because you have not mastered your senses! You have not mastered your mind! How can you say you are a master?”

Then Baba asked, “What is technology?”

“Applying sciences is technology, Swami.”

“Use of science is technology? If both are same, why should there be two words?” Then Baba said, “Do you know what technology is? ‘Take-knowledge’: I have so much knowledge, so you take it! Oh society, take my knowledge,” That is technology. So sharing of knowledge is technology, according to Swami. (Applause)

You also made a mention of treasure. Treasure is that which you get and preserve. Am I clear? I buy gold and I treasure it. I earn money and I treasure it. But the real treasury is your Self. Treasure comes and goes, but the treasury, your Divinity within, is permanent. Think of that treasury, that Divinity which is latent in you, which has to become patent in due course of time.

constant integrated awareness

So, what is information technology in a spiritual sense? What is technology, spiritually speaking? It is ‘C-I-A’: Constant Integrated Awareness. So, constant integrated awareness is the information technology of a spiritual seeker or aspirant.

Mr Chandrashekar also mentioned seva. Here I will leave you with three words. First, there is ‘resolve’, which means ‘to decide’. For example, a boy might say, “I resolve to marry her.” Or a girl may say, “I resolve to work.” Or the government may say, “We resolve to increase taxes.” Resolution means firm decision, determination, and commitment. But it is not enough if you resolve; you must also ‘involve’.

involve

Second comes ‘involve’. I was so happy to see children had ‘resolved’ to put on a program and got ‘involved’ on the dais yesterday. The children were so involved! The little girl who played the role of Theresa acted as if she was Theresa herself. Why? Because she was so involved. The little child who played the role of Gandhiji also did very well. The children got involved. I was so happy.

A teacher gets ‘involved’ in teaching because he has ‘resolved’ to be a teacher. Thus he gets involved in teaching.

evolve

Third comes ‘evolve’. What does ‘evolve’ mean? You evolve to a higher level of awareness, a higher level of consciousness, a higher level of expression, a higher level of comprehension, and a higher level of super-consciousness!

Vijaylakshmi spoke about preaching and practising: there is too much preaching and no practicing.

One slogan Baba said in connection with this is: “Heroes on the platform, but zeroes in practice.” This can be added to the points she made. She further said to stop criticising everybody. I would like to add what Baba has said about this.

My friends, I have been in the Sai field since 1972 and I have been translating His talks since 1989. Whatever lecture I listen to or whatever book I read, I immediately ask, “What does Baba say in this context?” I cannot help it—it is as if a button is pressed!

Therefore, when she said not to criticise, I remembered what He said in this context: “Seek out your own faults and others’ merits.” Seek out your own faults; find out your own mistakes, and others’ merits. This can be added here.

work is life

Further, Vijaylakshmi said that to be workless is to be worthless, because work is life. I think sometimes we feel tired and would like to ask everybody to get out—children, husband, servants—everybody!

Do you think you will be relaxed if they leave? No! You will worry: will the children come back or not? Will the husband run away? Will I be healthy now? What if the heart stops when nobody is around? Arre, how about the cash? I have hidden some gold and I have not told anybody. Who will come and collect it? (Laughter)

Is this relaxation? No, this is tension! So being without work is to be in tension. It is a cause for suspicion and jealousy. An empty mind is the devil’s workshop. Work and work and work—work is life! The heart works. If it stops, the next day is a holiday! (Laughter) The blood circulates. If it stops, there will be a vote of thanks and a goodbye! (Laughter) So, work as long as the blood flows and the mind thinks.

It is calculated that we entertain roughly sixty thousand thoughts per day. The mind works horribly, terribly, and incorrigibly! Our whole system works. When it stops working, it is time for the cemetery or burial ground.

Work is life. The sun, moon, stars, planets, earth, flowers, and rivers never say, “We won’t work. Revise our salaries. Give us some more D.A. (Dearness Allowance.)” No! Continuous work is Divine. Laziness is rust and dust. Work is beautiful. Work is realisation. Work is rest and best. Work is rest. But you do not know that.

While resting, I suddenly start sweating. People ask, “What’s happening?”

“I am worried about the future. In ten years’ time, who will take care of me if I am bed-ridden?”

After ten years? Who knows? You may ‘kick the bucket’ before that! Who knows if you will survive that long? So work is rest and best. Laziness is rust and dust.

vibrations are important

Vijaylakshmi also talked about samskaras. In this connection, I would add that not only samskaras, but vibrations are also important. Samskaras are from a past life, and those samskaras today manifest in the form of vibrations.

In the company of a good man, we will have positive vibrations. In the company of a holy man—the moment you sit in front of Baba, the moment you look at the photograph of Jesus or a statue of Buddha, Rama, or Krishna, you will experience positive vibrations.

On the other hand, in the company of a horrible creature, we will have terrible vibrations. If you look at Ravana’s photo, you will not have any good feelings at all. You may even feel like killing someone! Thus we see that vibrations are important.

She also made a reference to this point: enjoy the beauty of nature. When we enjoy nature, we find fulfilment.

odd situations should be taken as challengeS

Vijaylakshmi also mentioned “odd situations”. Are there any odd situations in life? I repeat what Baba says: “An odd situation should be taken as a challenge.”

When Mr. and Mrs. Sainath came to Muscat, Oman twenty-five years ago, they must have had so many odd situations. Mr Sainath was telling me that the whole year was full of problems. They must have faced so many odd situations. And today? The odd situations are transformed into beautiful, heavenly situations!

The dark night of an odd situation will be followed by the light of a full moon. Therefore, odd situations are milestones or challenges in front us.

find out if YOU deserve before you desire

Vijaylakshmi also made a reference to “deserve”. Unfortunately, we desire but we do not know if we deserve or not.

“I want to be the President of India.”

“Oh! That’s a good desire!”

“But I am not even able to be a municipal ward counsellor!” (Laughter)

When you are not even able to be a counsellor in a municipal ward, how do you expect to be President of India? Find out whether you deserve that before you desire it.

do not ask, BUT accept what is given to you

Further, Vijaylakshmi said, “Do not ask God.” This is a very good suggestion because when I ask, I do not know whether it is for my good or not.

“Oh God, make me a doctor!” I ask, but what if my mind is not tuned to take up medical practice? Before a patient cries, I start crying. So I am unfit. I cannot collect a bill for every pill. No, I cannot do that. My mind is not suited. So if I pray to God to make me a doctor, I’ll be a doctor without a practice!

Therefore, do not ask because you do not know what is good for you.

Then what should we do? Accept. Accept what is generously given to you; accept what is extended to you, or what is gracefully showered upon you—this is the attitude of a religious man, what we call spiritually saranagathi. Without saranagathi there is no gathi (progress) at all. There is no alternative.

imitation is human, creation is divine

Vijaylakshmi made a reference to imitation. Imitation is really a sin, I would say. Some of my students say, “Sir, see that man has a Benz car. See how he is going.” The student wants that car, although he has not completed his BSc!

You know what I tell him? “You want a Benz car? The owner has a heart problem. Are you ready to have that too?”

“You want his Benz car, but not his heart problem! You know where he is going in his Benz car? To the cardiologist—why don’t you go with him?” (Laughter) Imitation, you see. You cannot have all this.

Imitation is blind and imitation is human, but creation is Divine.

This is the first part of my talk, covering Chandrashekar and Vijaylakshmi’s talks. I beg to be excused if I am off-track. This being a workshop, I wanted to pass on the knowledge and the information I have understood based on the beautiful topics that both speakers touched upon this morning.

education is knowledge--educare is wisdom

Now, we will move on to Educare. We all know education, but we do not know Educare.

What is education? Education is a collection of facts; it is bookish knowledge. Education is superficial.

Jesus Christ had no education; the Prophet Mohammed had no education. Many great people have no education. Baba discontinued His education in the seventh class. So education is superficial, bookish information. It is called ‘knowledge’.

Educare, however, is ‘wisdom’—not knowledge, but wisdom.

Knowledge is memory; it is recalling or recollection. Knowledge is like a memory stick; it is like information saved in a computer—later it may get deleted or a virus may destroy it! So knowledge is superficial, bookish, and external; but wisdom is practical and discriminatory.

Suppose a fellow is a physician and he has a young child. This child starts coughing. This fellow starts reading up on what medicine is to be given. Meanwhile the grandmother comes from the kitchen, “Oh, shut up!” she says, “Give him this kashayam and he will be alright.”

Grandmothers are the best doctors and the best teachers. A grandmother is better than any qualified midwife. Grandmothers are always practical. Understand that. We read the lines, but grandmothers read between the lines. We look at, while grandmothers look through. Therefore, practical, discriminating knowledge is wisdom, and that is Educare.

knowledge is within the limiTation of THE senses

Point two: what is knowledge, after all? You get facts from all that you see, all that you hear, think, taste, and touch through the senses. So knowledge is based on the senses. Knowledge is within the range, framework, boundary, and limitation of the senses.

But wisdom is beyond the senses. It is transcendental. Knowledge is bound by the senses, while Educare is transcendental and beyond senses. This is the second point I want to emphasise.

educare deals with conSciousness

As I look at you, I know who you are. As I shake your hand, I feel your touch. As I listen to you, I hear you. This is the conscious state. Education deals with the conscious state where all the senses are functional and active, whereas Educare deals with consciousness.

Conscious and consciousness are different. We are teachers, so we cannot use words interchangeably as politicians often do. We must be aware of every word, of its depth and profundity. So consciousness is awareness and Educare deals with consciousness, while education is limited to the conscious state alone.

education is information--Educare is transformation

Point three: education is about collecting facts and information. That little boy was telling me yesterday, “Uncle, do you know the name of that street? Do you know that river?” He was full of information. I have never met any other boy of that age with so much information! He is highly knowledgeable! Sabarish Raghavendrakumar Krishnamurthy—an unforgettable figure in Oman! In this trip, he appears to be my film star now. I am not able to forget that fellow.

The moment he saw me, he went on feeding me with information, lots and lots of things. Before I could receive one fact, he would come up with another point. That is education, a collection of facts—what we call information.

But Educare is a bit higher. After all, what’s all this information? A stage comes when we ask, “How will this information be of use to me?” And that is transformation. Education deals with information, while Educare is transformation at a higher level.

education is becoming--educare is being

Some people in Bangalore tell me, “Oh, my child is in an international school!”

“I see. What is she doing?”

“Oh L.K.G., Lower Kindergarten.” (Laughter)

“International, I see. How did you get admission?”

“Fifty thousand rupees’ donation.”

Some people say, “My son is at Oxford University,” or, “My son is at Cambridge University,” or, “My daughter is at Harvard or Columbia University.” Or the most prestigious international university, Stanford University! It means that by going to these centres of learning, by getting enrolment in these prestigious institutions, we want to become something!

Education aims at ‘becoming’ something higher. It confers status, dignity, respectability, and stature. ‘Becoming’ is the aim of education. Educare, however, is not about becoming, Educare is about ‘being’. Your being is Educare, whereas becoming is education.

We only know how to make friendships for the time being. We don’t know what being is. We say “hello” for the time being. Later we forget.

So what is being? As a boy, I used to say, “I am Anil Kumar.” As a young man, I said, “I am Anil Kumar.” Still today I say, “I am Anil Kumar.” After ten years, I will still be Anil Kumar.

That which is changeless, that which is beyond time and space, beyond nationality, gender, caste, community, creed, and knowledge, that which continues to eternity, is being. This is the aim of Educare. So while becoming is the purpose of education, being is the centre of Educare.

education causes pride--educare confers humility

Some people go on bragging, blowing their own trumpet. For example, a person will take you to visit his house and say, “Look at this flooring! You know, the stones were brought from Allahabad.”

“You may have brought the stones from any place. I have come to meet you, not your stones!”

This is all bragging, self-praise, self-aggrandisement, and self-glorification. It is pride and pomp. Education takes you to that state of pride, pomp, and show.

It was Socrates who said, “The only thing I know is that I do not know.” It was Sir Isaac Newton who said, “I am like a child, collecting pebbles along the seashore.” Therefore, humility, sensitivity, receptivity, and simplicity are the nature of Educare. Simplicity, humility, an unostentatious nature, and austerity are the qualities of Educare.

teachers in education--Masters in educare

Next, to be involved in the field of education is to be a teacher. But to be involved in Educare is to be a master. There is a gulf of difference, a vast difference, between a teacher and a master.

Who is a teacher? Who is a master? A teacher is one who teaches from 8 o’clock to 2:30 or even 4 o’clock. A master has no time limits. He may teach you at any time. A master may prefer to teach you at any time, out of college or school hours.

A teacher teaches in a classroom, whereas a master may choose to teach anywhere—in a classroom, forest, hermitage, hillside, riverbed, seashore, or under a tree. Buddha taught under a tree, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa taught in a temple. A master may teach anywhere!

A teacher has a syllabus: six hundred and fifty working days, fifteen chapters, twenty lessons.

Some students ask me, “Sir, please tell us some important questions.”

I tell them, “Arre, I never teach unimportant things!”

So, a teacher has a syllabus, but a master has no syllabus. He may speak on your personality or on your being. He may speak on the purpose of life. He may speak on sadhana or spiritual practice; or he may speak on universal love. A master speaks on eternal values in a changing society, while a teacher confines himself to a syllabus and the examination.

education is outside--educare is inside

A teacher will try to make you familiar with everything around you: the planet Earth, the galaxy, the solar system, the lunar system, vegetation, flora, fauna, mountain ranges, dynamics, electronics, space science, interplanetary travel, or intercontinental ballistic missiles!

Education teaches all that is outside, outward, and external. In Vedantic parlance, we call it pravritthi, which means ‘that which is external or outside’.

Educare, on the other hand, focuses on nivritthi or ‘that which is inward or inside’. In other words, education deals with the lights, the tyres, the top and the box, whereas Educare deals with the gears, steering, and the brakes.

That which deals with the inside or nivruthi is Educare. That which deals with the outer, or pravruthi, is education.

THE FOUR TYPES OF TEACHERS

Students often have a doubt or a question, and teachers answer in different ways. There are four types of teachers. The first type is type ‘A’ for ‘avoid’. These teachers will avoid the question by saying, “I will talk to you tomorrow.” (Laughter)

The second type of teachers is type ‘B’ for ‘bypass’. “You know this? You know that? Did you read that? Did you know that?” (Laughter) They will bypass the question.

Next, some teachers are ‘C’ types for ‘confuse’. The idea is if you confuse the questioner, he will forget the question! (Laughter) Here’s a simple example: I know a very important officer, but I shall not tell you his name because it involves risk. (Laughter) When I ask him a simple question, “Sir, I want to come for Swami’s darshan. At what time should I be there?” he answers, “You can be here at 3:30, but at the same time Swami may come at 4:00. But at times he comes at 5:30; but better you come at 3:30. We cannot really say.”

“So what time do you want me to be there?” (Laughter)

“Sir, please leave me.” So, this third set of teachers is confused!

The fourth set of teachers is ‘D’ type, for ‘divide’. For example, “Last years’ batch never asked such silly questions! (Laughter) Ten years ago, we had the best students.”

A, B, C, D: avoid, bypass, confuse, and divide. This is all education—questions, doubts, answers, and replies.

question is education--quest is educare

Life is a matter of questioning. Education is all about when, what, where, why, and how. These are the five questions. So in education, life is a matter of questions.

On the other hand, Educare is not a question; rather it is a quest. A quest is a search; it is continuous, meditative, and spiritual—an inward journey. A quest allows us to know eternity, to know the One-in-all, to know the fundamental principle.

So Educare is a quest, whereas questions are asked in education.

education is explanation--educare is exclamation

Education deals with explanation. For example, I can give ten pages of notes for a question that needs a short answer. Explanation can be elaborated, elucidated, described, narrated, and extended—like chapattis of all sizes! (Laughter)

Someone who cannot explain cannot be a teacher. Some teachers explain in such a way that students go into samadhi or fall sleep immediately! Students sleep nicely. (Laughter) Last year I saw one MBA boy loitering on the veranda in our university.

I asked him, “Why are you loitering like that?”

“Sir, we are free now, therefore we are loitering. We have no class now.”

“Go to that empty classroom. Go and sleep there.”

He said, “Without any lecture, how can I sleep?”(Laughter)

He wants a lecture as a lullaby! (Laughter) My mother never slept without the radio or TV turned on. When it was switched on, she snored. (Laughter)

So the boy said, “How can I sleep without any lecture?”

Life is explanation, and explanation is a method of education. But Educare is not an explanation; it is an exclamation.

What is an exclamation? You see a rainbow, but you cannot explain it. It is awe, wonder, ecstasy, and bliss—beyond description, narration, and explanation.

Explanation is the way of education, but exclamation is when you are taken by wonder. You are taken by awe or surprise. When you watch the sea with its surging waves, you are lost. That is exclamation, and that is Educare.

education focuses on THE seen--educare Focuses on THE unseen

Education speaks about what we see. However there are some things we don’t see. For example, you see the sun rise, but you don’t see that it is due to the Earth’s revolving. You see me, but you don’t see my heart. You see me, but you don’t see my nerves and bones.

So, life education is about ‘this’, what we call twam, while Educare speaks of ‘that’, the unseen or tat. For example, this microphone is functioning and you are listening to me. The microphone can be seen, so that is twam. But the electricity is not seen, so that is tat.

Tat, which is unseen, is the basic foundation. Twam is its expression. So manifestation and expression of the unseen is twam. The basic, fundamental, formless, nameless, blemishless, immortal, eternal, spiritual Divine is tat. Educare deals with tat, while education deals with twam.

So what shall I do now? Tat twam asi, which means “That is this.”

Twam, such as the microphone, is functioning because of electricity, which is tat. Without electricity, the microphone is useless, and without the microphone, electricity is useless. Both are necessary. So tat twam asi is the combination of Educare and education.

education deals WITH CREATION--EDUCARE WITH THE creator

Education speaks about this creation, but Educare deals with the Creator. Creation is education; the Creator is Educare. Who is the Creator? The Creator manifest is creation, and creation unmanifest is the Creator.

I am a student of botany; I am not a student of literature. But I love language anyway. I am not playing games of vocabulary. The Creator manifest is creation, while the creation unmanifest is the Creator. Therefore, education deals with creation, while Educare deals with the Creator.

education divides--educare unifies

Education divides. Physics, chemistry, biology, bioengineering, biostatistics, physics, engineering, and medicine—all these are divisions. Education is specialisation, fragmentation, expertise, analysis, super-specialisation. It is thesis and antithesis: you say something, the other fellow says, “Stop speaking!” Thesis and antithesis—contradiction—are the hallmarks of education.

Educare, on the other hand, focuses on synthesis, amalgamation, confederation, and combination. It is unifying. That’s what Educare is.

education depends on the art of communication

Education depends on the art of communication. Some teachers speak nicely with melodious, musical, sweet voices, in beautiful English with good intonation, good accent, good diction, and good pronunciation—that is the art of communication. Some teachers have beautiful, perfect writing on the chalkboard.

Let me share a joke here: three ladies were arguing. One lady said, “You know my husband writes letters in such a way that it looks like typeface; his writing competes with printed letters.”

The second lady said, “He is writing personal letters, not printing newspapers! (Laughter) My husband writes in such a way that only I can read his writing!”

The third lady said, “Oh be quiet! You think your husband is great? My husband writes best. He writes in such a way that he himself cannot understand!” (Laughter)

Therefore, reading and writing are communication skills in the field of education.

educare is communion

In Educare, however, there is no need to talk. Go to Baba and sit in front of Him; He need not talk. He will just look at you: your doubts are gone, your worries and troubles are gone. Income tax doesn’t come into your mind. Return reservations and confirmations don’t trouble you. You forget your blood pressure and your children’s problems for the time being. You are not mindful of tonight’s dinner menu. This is all because of communion.

Educare is communion, not communication. Communication is verbal, oral, written, and read. Communion, on the other hand, is love-to-love, or heart-to-heart.

For example, newly married couples don’t give lectures to each other. (Laughter) They don’t need any microphones or loudspeakers. No! He simply looks at her and she looks at him—volumes and volumes are communicated! (Laughter)

So the point is that communion does not need verbal communication. A mother looks at her child, the child looks at her mother—that is communion. Or a father looks at his children, a grandmother looks at her grandchild—that is communion. Unspoken, unwritten, sentimental love-to-love, heart-to-heart is communion. This is all Educare.

education is based on facts--educare is truth

Education is based on facts. “Today it’s quite hot. Yesterday was quite nice. Today I am wearing an ash-coloured suit, while last night I wore blue.” These facts keep changing, like temperature or pressure changes. This is what we call satyam, or facts.

But Educare speaks of the changeless, rtham. Rtham is changeless truth or righteousness. So Educare is Truth, while education is factual.

in education, everything has a name and form

In education, everything has a name and form. We deal with objects, personalities, or things, all of which have a name and form. But Educare deals with that which is beyond name and form. Nameless, formless, without attributes—nirakara, nirguna, niranjana, sathya, nithya, mukthaswarupam—that’s all Educare. That is Divinity.

in education you have preference—EDUCARE IS CHOICELESS AWARENESS

Further, in education you have preference. A simple example: during the tea-break someone asked me, “Mr Anil Kumar, would you like coffee or tea?”

I may say, “Well… I prefer coffee.” This implies, ‘Please don’t force me to take tea.’

But if only tea is available and someone asks, “Anil Kumar, would you like to have some tea?” I do not have a choice!

On the one hand, there is preference, while on the other hand, no choice.

Preference is the way of education. For example, “I want to study biology,” “I want to study accounts,” “I want to study mathematics,” or “I want to study literature.” “I want to be a good student of music and dance.” These are all preferences.

However, Educare is choiceless awareness. Education is based on preferences, while Educare is choiceless awareness.

Education is existence--Educare is essence

You know I speak of so many things. I speak of this hotel with its wonderful chandeliers and lights. I speak of this existence. That which you see is existence, or education.

But if you speak of the electricity, if you speak of the mind—the cause behind this beautiful building—that is the essence. Education is based on existence, while Educare is based on essence.

For instance, I may say, “He is beautiful, a handsome personality, quite tall and good-looking!”

Then I speak of life. Life is more important. If I say, “He is very beautiful, but he is no more.” What am I going to do with that?

In some shops, you may see plastic dolls that are more beautiful than most of the women we meet. (Laughter) But that doesn’t mean I’m going to shake hands with those dolls! They have no essence of life. (Laughter) Existence is there, but there is no essence. So existence is education, while essence is Educare.

education requires intelligence--educare is intuition

Education requires intelligence. To understand and remember what I say, to remember what you read, or to recall the right information at the time of an examination requires intelligence. Intelligence is the essential qualification, prerequisite, or precursor for education.

Educare is different. Newton was walking along and saw an apple fall. Only then came the laws of gravity! Archimedes was having a bath and that led to the invention of the law of density. Mendel was walking to the church and saw some flowers, and postulated Mendel’s Laws.

I also walk, but I have not put forward any laws! (Laughter) I see so many fruits falling, but I am not postulating laws. Maybe I will fall! (Laughter)

How could they do it? They had no laboratory, no teacher, no test tube, nothing. It was all intuition. So intuition is Educare, while private tuition is education! (Laughter)

Education is in the head, Educare is in the heart. A man without a head is okay, but without a heart he is no more! So Educare, or the heart, is most important.

educare deals with culture

Civilisation changes. Cooking on charcoal has been replaced by gas stoves. Telegrams have been replaced by email. Civilisation keeps changing. But Educare deals with culture. Culture is very important because culture is sustenance and maintenance. It is values, education in human values. That’s Educare.

education LEADS TO chaos—EDUCARE LEADS TO COSMOS

Now, I say education takes you to chaos. For example, if you work continuously in a lab, at some point you will not know what you are mixing. You no longer know what you are doing.

Or if you go to a temple, one priest may tell you, “God has a form,” while another may say, “God has no form.” One says, “He has a name,” while another says, “He has no name.” One says, “Do puja,” but another says, “Do meditation.” Let me be away from both of you!

So education will take you to chaos and confusion. Chaos is the result of education, but cosmos is a result of Educare. The cosmic effect is the result of Educare.

education is the tree--educare is the seed

Education is the building that you see, while Educare is the foundation. The stronger the foundation, the more long-lasting the mansion built over it will be.

Education is the tree, while Educare is the seed. Without a seed, no tree can grow.

One may be an expert in education, like Hiranyakashipu, the raakshasa or demon king. But Prahalada represents Educare. Prahalada knew the essence of life.

Ravana had ten heads. What does this mean? Four post-graduate degrees plus six PhD degrees—that equals ten heads! That’s education. On the other hand, Rama had Educare. Educare is different.

In one of the Upanishads, there is a conversation between the god of death, Yama Dharma Raja, and Nachiketha. It’s in the Kathopanishad. Nachiketha represents Educare, while Yama Dharma Raja relates to and symbolises education.

And finally, the Divine master Adi Shankara passed on education to his disciples, who followed scrupulously and enjoyed the benefits and fruits of that. Adi Shankar represents education, but his disciple, Padmapada, represents Educare.

My friends, I have noted a few points on Educare. Being a teacher, teaching is my life. Sharing knowledge is a blissful experience. Talking to people whom I have never met before is my sole interest. To spread the Sai message is my life breath. The day when I cannot speak, the day when I cannot share, the day when I am not prepared to acquire knowledge—God forbid!—that is the end of life.

Therefore, while talking to you, while going all over the world wherever I am invited, I am thankful to Him for giving me the opportunity to share the little knowledge, the few glimpses of wisdom, which I have acquired in the Divine presence of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

Anil Kumar is what he is today because of Educare. Sri Sathya Sai Baba is Educare, while Anil Kumar is education! Thank you! (Applause)