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Continuous Issue-30 | June – July 2020

Comparative Study of Gandhi’s Vision of Education With Reference To Osho’s Vision of Education

ABSTRACT In this research paper, you will find discussion on ’s vision of education. You will also find discussion on Osho’s vision of education. And you will find comparative analysis of both visions. That is to say, in this research paper, the researcher aims to study Gandhi’s vision of education with reference to Osho’s vision of education. In this research paper, the word ‘Gandhi’ refers to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or Mahatma Gandhi. This paper contains 10 sections:

1) INTRODUCTION 2) PROBLEMS TO BE INVESTIGATED 3) HYPOTHESIS 4) INTRODUCTION OF OSHO 5) OSHO’S VISION OF EDUCATION 6) INTRODUCTION OF GANDHI 7) GANDHI’S VISION OF EDUCATION 8) COMPARATIVE STUDY 9) CONCLUSION WORKS CITED

KEY WORDS: 1) Gandhi’s vision of education 2) Osho’s vision of education 3) Basic education/ “Bunyadi shiksha” 4) Real education 5) Enlightenment 6) Inner flowering

(1) INTRODUCTION:

What is education? What is the goal of education? Which teaching method is advisable?

Such questions have haunted human race for ages. Number of scholars around the globe has attempted to answer these questions. Many educationists have given their theories. Many intellectuals have shared their visions.

In this research paper, you will find discussion on Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of education. You will also find discussion on Osho’s vision of education. And you will find comparative analysis of both visions.

That is to say, in this research paper, the researcher aims to study Gandhi’s vision of education with reference to Osho’s vision of education.

Both Gandhi and Osho belong to India. Both of them lived in 20th century.

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In this research paper, the word ‘Gandhi’ refers to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or Mahatma Gandhi.

2) PROBLEMS TO BE INVESTIGATED:

In this research paper, following problems are to be investigated:

1) What is Osho’s vision of education? 2) What is Gandhi’s vision of education? 3) What are the similarities between the two? 4) What are the differences between the two? 5) What is the outcome? (3) HYPOTHESIS:

Prior to begin the work on this research paper, following hypothesis has been formulated:

“Osho’s vision of education is different in comparison to Gandhi’s vision of education.” (4) INTRODUCTION OF OSHO (1931-1990):

Osho or Bhagwan Shree or Rajneesh was born in 1931 in Central India. (Pettinger, 2006, Osho)

He is considered to be an extra ordinary orator and spiritual master.He post graduated with philosophy from University of Sagar, MP, India. It is believed that he got spiritual enlightenment at the age of 21. He delivered number of public lectures on spiritual giants like Buddha, Mahavir, Jesus, Krishna etc. He started a new spiritual movement. Thousands of spiritual seekers from around the globe followed him. (5) OSHO’S VISION OF EDUCATION:

1) According to Osho, education is one that liberates. Real education should lead one to enlightenment/flowering of personality. Real education should lead one to happiness & peace. Real education teaches art of life. Real education is not limited to means of livelihood, in fact, it teaches life. Real education teaches how to live life. Therefore, in Osho’s opinion, students should be taught how to meditate. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 11)

2) According to Osho, real education should bring about all-round development of students: physical, mental, material and spiritual development. Unreal education teaches just livelihood—material development. Real education teaches all-round development---including spiritual development. In his opinion, without spiritual development, a student may become corrupt and dishonest in pursuit of monetary benefits. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 4)

3) According to Osho, real education should not be based on comparison between students. Comparison is unjust. Comparison gives rise to inferiority complex in students. Comparison also gives rise to stress. Every student cannot stand first. One who fails to stand first suffers from inferiority complex. In fact, every student is unique & individual. So, we should teach students to be themselves. We should help them to be themselves. No student can be like others. According to him, real education should identify and develop the inherent potential of the students. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 4 and 10)

4) According to Osho, real education should not be based on competition. Real education should not teach ambition. Competition and ambition pave the way to stress. Real education should create a non-competitive and a non-ambitious mind. Education should not teach fever of success. Education should not lead one to rat race to succeed. Rat race leads to stress & unhappiness.(Osho, n.d. Discourse 10)

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5) According to Osho, education should teach greater values. In his opinion, educated person is one who has greater values. Uneducated person is one who has inferior values. A person of inferior values tries to succeed by dishonest means. In his opinion, love is the highest value. According to him, love is not for sale. An educated person is able to love selflessly. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 11)

6) According to Osho, adolescent students have so much additional energy. They don’t know what to do with this additional energy. This energy can be used for creation or destruction. In his opinion, in real education, students’ energy should be channelized in the right way. Osho recommends that there should be provision for outdoor games & dance classes in our timetable. Through games and dance performances students can channelize their additional energy. Students should not be forced to sit within four walls for six hours at a stretch. Students should be allowed to play and dance. In his opinion, those students who are allowed to play will not be destructive. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 25)

7) According to Osho, real education attempts to develop intelligence in students. Unreal education develops only memory power. In his opinion, intelligence is more important than memory. A person who has good memory power may not be intelligent. A person who has good memory power may fail in real life. Only intelligence can help students solve problems in life. On the other hand, an intelligent person may not have good memory power. But that is acceptable. In modern world, functions of memory can be done by computers. So, development of intelligence should be the focus of real education. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 26)

8) According to Osho, we should not impose discipline on our students. We should love our students. We should give them freedom. We should pray for their well-being. This love and freedom will give rise to self-discipline in students. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 4)

9) According to Osho, real education is future-oriented, whereas unreal education is past oriented. We should prepare students for future. In his opinion, we should not impose past knowledge onto the students. Past knowledge is of no use in present time. Past knowledge means outdated knowledge. We should give them updated knowledge. We should teach them the skill of life-long learning. In fact, in his opinion, education is a continuous process. Real education does not end with degree, it begins with degree. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 25)

10) According to Osho, we should not impose ideals, blind faiths, and beliefs on students. Instead, we should try to develop their thinking capacity. We should try to create scientific thinking in our students. We should encourage them to doubt. Doubt is the method of science. We should not give them readymade answers. Instead, we should give them questions. We should ask them to solve questions in their own way. Even if they commit mistake, it is pardonable. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 24)

11) According to Osho, teacher’s role is very crucial in education. According to Osho, teachers should continuously update themselves in terms of knowledge. In the age of technology, students may have more knowledge than teacher. So, teacher should be very very humble towards the students. A true teacher honestly admits his ignorance. In his opinion, a true teacher is a rebel. He doesn’t allow himself to be exploited by politicians. A true teacher is able to love his students unconditionally. A true teacher gives freedom to his students. In his opinion, a good teacher doesn’t give readymade answers, instead, he gives questions. He invites students to solve the questions. A good teacher doesn’t impose blind faith to his students. A good teacher teaches students how to doubt. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 4)

12) Osho believes in co-education. In his opinion, in co-education system, students learn how to deal with students of opposite gender. It can teach them an important lesson for life.

[Note: Points given in this section are based on Osho’s discourses titled as “SHIKSHA ME KRANTI” (REVOLUTION IN EDUCATION)]

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(6) INTRODUCTION OF GANDHI (1869-1948):

Mahatma Gandhi was a prominent Indian political leader who was a leading figure in the campaign for Indian independence. He employed non-violent principles and peaceful disobedience as a means to achieve his goal. He was assassinated in 1948, shortly after achieving his life goal of Indian independence. In India, he is known as ‘Father of the Nation’. (Pettinger, 2006, Gandhi)

(7) GANDHI’S VISION OF EDUCATION:

1) Free of cost mandatory education: Gandhiji was in favour of free compulsory universal primary education. In his opinion, children between age 7 to 14 should be given free education. It should be compulsory for all children of this age group to get education. (Shawal, n.d.)

2) Craft as a means to education: In his opinion, education should be given through various handicrafts. Handicraft is the means to develop mind and soul of children. However, handicrafts should not be taught mechanically, but scientifically. The craft should aim at developing intellect of students. By teaching craft, his objective was not to produce craftsmen but to use craft for educative purposes. The brain must be educated through the hand. (Shawal, n.d.)

3) Self-dependant aspect of education: Gandhiji was of the firm opinion that education must be self-supporting. Due to lack of money, children’s education cannot be compromised. He believed that education can be made self- supporting through handicrafts. In his opinion, revenue can be generated by selling the handicraft products made by students. Teachers’ salaries can be paid in this way. He believed that we should not depend on government for financial support. He believed that in a third-world country like India, handicraft selling is the best way to be self-supportive in education. (Shawal, n.d.) 4) First language as the medium of instruction: Gandhi believed that mother tongue or first language must be the medium of instruction in education. First language should be studied both as a subject and a medium of instruction as well. He opposed English (foreign language) as a medium of instruction. In his view, in first language, a child can understand more clearly. Conceptual clarity can be easily developed by first language as medium of instruction. It develops clarity of thinking and receptivity of new ideas. (Shawal, n.d.) 5) Non-violence & co-operative living: Gandhi wanted to create a non-violent individual who is free from communal hatred. He believed in co-operative living. A unique feature of Gandhi’s educational philosophy was the application of the principle of non-violence in the training of the child as a prospective citizen of the world. The scheme of Basic Education (Buniyadi Shiksha) is imbued with the cardinal creed of non-violence and idea of co-operative living. It is based on truth and non-violence in individual and collective life. In his view, untruth and violence lead to bondage and can have no place in education. (Shawal, n.d.) 6) Importance of manual labour: Gandhi emphasized on dignity of manual labour through active participation in productive work. He believed that manual labour is not at all disgraceful it rather enlarges the heart and enriches the personality. Manual labour keeps one occupied in the work. (Shawal, n.d.)

7) Practice is more important than theory: In Gandhi’s view, practice is more important than theory. Basic Education is based on the principle of activity cantering round a productive and useful craft. It is activity-centred education. Here the child is not a passive recipient of knowledge but active participant in the learning process.

It fosters learning by doing. Gandhi had realistic and pragmatic view of education. Gandhi laid stress on imparting knowledge and acquisition of productive efficiency and practical skills through a craft.

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He followed the principle of practice preceding theory. In his opinion, most of the time in the time- table should be given to acquisition of practical skills and productive efficiency. (Shawal, n.d.) 8) Social awareness and service: Another important aspect of the educational philosophy of Gandhi is service and development of social awareness. Service includes love for the motherland. He was of the opinion that the end of all education should be service. Social awareness and responsibility can be developed through the involvement of students in programmes of community service. Gandhi had a synthetic view of life, education and culture. He synthesised all the three basic philosophies of education into his philosophy of education — Naturalism, Idealism and Pragmatism. Like a Naturalist, Gandhi emphasised self-discipline among children. Discipline, he believed, should not be imposed from without. There should be an inner urge of the individual to obey the laws and regulations prescribed by the community or society. He believed in the inherent goodness of the child’s nature. Gandhi was an idealist too. He had a profound faith in God or the Universal Spirit, which permeates everything. God-realisation, in his view, should be the ultimate goal of life. God can be realised only through Truth and Non-violence. He emphasised harmonious development of personality — spiritual, intellectual, moral and physical.

He was also a pragmatist in the true sense of the term. Gandhiji wanted his school to be a ‘doing’ and ‘thinking’ school. He emphasised on both theory and practice. But the latter was emphasised more. His educational philosophy was based on activity principle. He reconciled the practical and the spiritual values. Learning by experience was the chief motive behind his craft-centred education. He wanted that all instruction should be carried on through concrete life situations and in relation to a productive and useful craft. (Shawal, n.d.)

(8) COMPARATIVE STUDY Comparing Gandhi’s vision with reference to Osho’s vision of education, following points are to be considered: 1) Both Osho and Gandhi believe that discipline should not be imposed, it should arise from within. According to Gandhi, there should be an inner urge of the individual to obey the laws and regulations prescribed by the community or society. (Shawal, n.d.) According to Osho, we should make students free, we should love students unconditionally. We should make them think. Discipline would arise out of this love, freedom and thinking. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 4)

2) Both Gandhi and Osho believe that the goal of education should be all-round development of the student: physical, intellectual, moral, spiritual development. According to both, goal of education should be to develop hidden potential of students. (Shawal, n.d. and Osho, n.d. Discourse 4)

3) According to Gandhi, education should be given through handicrafts and manual labour. (Shawal, 8 Main Tenets) On the other hand, Osho says there should be provision for outdoor games and dance performances in our time table. According to Osho, students’ additional energy can be channelized by games/dance performances. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 25)

4) According to Gandhi, social service should be one of the objectives of education. Students should be able to do social service. (Shawal, n.d.)However, Osho doesn’t believe in social service. According to Osho, we should create spiritual awareness among students through . We should develop their conscience. And out of that inner flowering whatever is right will follow. According to Osho, we should not impose any ideal (like social service) on students. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 24)

5) According to Gandhi, primary education should be free and compulsory for all children. (Shawal, n.d.) Osho doesn’t believe in compulsion. However, he also gives utmost importance to primary education. In Osho’s opinion, most intelligent teachers should be recruited in primary school so that students’ hidden potential can be identified and developed to the fullest. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 26)

6) Both Gandhi and Osho believe that teacher’s role is very crucial in the development of students. According to Gandhi, a teacher should have a clean character so that he can be a role model for the learners. According to Osho, teachers should continuously update themselves in terms of 5 | P a g e

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knowledge. According to Osho, teacher should be very very humble towards the students. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 4)

7) Osho is all for co-education. He believes that co-education should be practised from primary to higher education. However, Gandhi believes that co-education is not good for high school students. However, he believes that co-education can be allowed at primary school level & at higher education level. (Chamyal, 2017, pp. 311-318)

8) According to Gandhi, one of the goals of education should be to create non-violent individuals who are free from communal hatred. (Shawal, n.d.) Osho also believes that the goal of education should be to create individuals of higher values. According to Osho, love is the highest value. An educated person is able to love selflessly. Osho also believes that non-violence cannot be achieved until and unless our education is based on competition. In his opinion, it is competition which makes one violent. So competition should be removed from education. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 10)

9) According to Gandhi, practice is more important than theory. (Shawal, n.d.) According to Osho, intelligence is more important than memory. In his opinion, the goal of education should be to develop intelligence, and not just rot learners. In this way, Gandhi and Osho have, in a way, similar opinion because theory leads to development of memory power while practice leads to development of intelligence. (Osho, n.d. Discourse 26)

(9) CONCLUSION:

Testing of Hypothesis: I. “Osho’s vision of education is different in comparison to Gandhi’s vision of education.” This hypothesis is partially correct. There are differences as well as similarities.

II. Thus, Gandhi and Osho have unique visions of education. There are some similarities. There are some differences.

III. Synthesis of Gandhi & Osho’s ideas can probably create a new education system. CITED REFERNECES

I. Chamyal, Davendra Singh. (2017). “A study based on Mahatma Gandhi’s life philosophy, educational philosophyand importance of his educational thoughts in modern era”. International Journal of Advanced Educational Research. (Vol. 2, Issue 6) pp-311-318. http://www.educationjournal.org/archives/2017/vol2/issue6/2-6-137

II. Osho. (n.d.)“Discourse 4” “Shiksha Me Kranti”. Osho World. ,https://www.oshoworld.com/discourses/audio_hindi.asp?album_id=141

III. ------. (n.d.)“Discourse 10” “Shiksha Me Kranti”. Osho World. ,https://www.oshoworld.com/discourses/audio_hindi.asp?album_i d=141

IV. ------. (n.d.) “Discourse 11” “Shiksha Me Kranti”. Osho World. ,https://www.oshoworld.com/discourses/audio_hindi.asp?album_id=141

V. -----. (n.d.)“Discourse 24” “Shiksha Me Kranti”. Osho World. ,https://www.oshoworld.com/discourses/audio_hindi.asp?album_id=141

VI. ------. (n.d.) “Discourse 25” “Shiksha Me Kranti”. Osho World. ,https://www.oshoworld.com/discourses/audio_hindi.asp?album_id=141

VII. ------. (n.d.)“Discourse 26” “Shiksha Me Kranti”. Osho World. ,https://www.oshoworld.com/discourses/audio_hindi.asp?album_id=141

VIII. Pettinger, Tejawan. (2006). “Biography of Mahatma Gandhi”. Biography Online, ,https://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/indian/gandhi.html

IX. ------. (2006). “Osho Biography”. Biography online, ,https://www.biographyonline.net/spiritual/osho.html

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X. Shawal, Malik.(n.d.) 8 Main Tenets of Gandhiji’s educational philosophy. Your Article Library.,http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/mahatma-gandhi/philosophy- mahatma-gandhi/8- main-tenets-of-gandhijis-educational-philosophy/69131

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Purohit Brijeshkumar Ashokkumar Research Scholar English Literature

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