Title of : Universal Human Values-II Course Code : 21UHS324C

Course
Credits : 1 Lecture : 01
Hours/Week
Total Lecture : 15 Tutorial Hours : 00
Hours
CIE Marks : 50 SEE Marks : 50
Semester : III Year : Second Year
Course Objectives:

1 To help the students appreciate the essential complementarily between 'VALUES' and
'SKILLS' to ensure sustained happiness and prosperity which are the core aspirations
of all human beings.

2 To facilitate the development of a Holistic perspective among students towards life and
profession as well as towards happiness and prosperity based on a correct
understanding of the Human reality and the rest of existence. Such a holistic
perspective forms the basis of Universal Human Values and movement towards value-
based living in a natural way.

3 To high light plausible implications of such a Holistic understanding interims of ethical

human conduct, trustful and mutually fulfilling human behaviour and mutually
enriching interaction with Nature.

4 Development of commitment and courage to act.

2
Basic Human Aspirations
and their Fulfilment
 From the previous session: Human Goal = Happiness & Prosperity
(1) Our basic aspiration (human goal) is very clear – the destination is fixed
(2) We know our current state (right evaluation)
(1)-Basic
(3) We plan steps that connect and lead to
Aspiration
the fulfillment of basic aspiration
– direction is definite
t o g
n
i hin ing
r e et eth Fulfilling
lo m
e xp so om hing life
c an oing me s met t 
o r
w e g, d eco o s ef fo
o w kin o b t/d o f To BE always
N in t t ge n
T h e c o t i o happy and
•
x p ct t re c
• E p e D i prosperous
Ex )-
• (3 Our basic aspiration is definite
It does not keep changing
(It seems to be the same
(2)-Current State
for all human beings)

4
 Introduction
In the previous session, we saw that our basic aspirations are happiness(सुख) and
prosperity(समृद्धि).
The home assignment was to check if this is true for you.
We also asked you to write down your perspective about happiness and about prosperity..

In this session we want to explore into two questions:

• Are happiness and prosperity our basic aspirations?
• What is needed to fulfil these aspirations(चाहना)?

Through this exploration, we will also see what this UHV-I course is about. It will help to answer
questions like:
• What is the content of UHV?
• What is the process of UHV?
• Why are we doing this course (UHV-I)?
• Will it really help me in fulfilling my aspirations?
• Will it really help me in addressing to my concerns?

5
 We will Explore on our Own Right: The Process of Exploration

Whatever is said is a Proposal (Do not assume it to be true or false)

Verify it on Your Own Right – on the basis of our Natural Acceptance

It is a process of Dialogue
A dialogue between me and you, to start with
It soon becomes a dialogue within your own self
between what you are and what you really want to be (your
natural acceptance)
The purpose of this program is to initiate this internal dialogue

More 6
 Aspiration

Do we want to be happy?

Do we want to be prosperous?

Do we want the continuity of happiness and

prosperity?

7
 Aspiration, What We Want to Be State of Being, What We Are

Do we want to be happy? Are we happy?

Do we want to be prosperous? Are we prosperous?

Do we want the continuity of happiness and Is there continuity of our

prosperity? happiness and prosperity?

Why this gap?

-between our aspiration and our state of being
-between what we really want to be and what we are

What are we doing to fill this gap? Is it getting filled up or getting wider?

We will explore into this 8

 Aspiration Effort

Do we want to be happy? Is our effort:

– For continuity of happiness
Do we want to be prosperous? and prosperity?
(Studying hard) only for
Do we want the continuity of happiness and earning money, ensuring
prosperity? physical facility and its
accumulation ?

Have we assumed that happiness and prosperity will be ensured

when we have enough physical facility?

What effort are we making, other than accumulation of physical facility?

9
 Physical Facility is Necessary…but!
When an animal has lack of physical facility it becomes uncomfortable, when it gets physical
facility it becomes comfortable
eg. When a cow gets a stomach-full of grass, it becomes comfortable, sits and chews the cud

When a human being has lack of physical facility, he becomes uncomfortable and unhappy
But once he gets the physical facility, he forgets about it and starts thinking about hundred other
things

Lets see if we know how many pairs of clothes we have

If there were a shortage of clothes it would be a problem for us, but now that we have clothes, we
may not even know how many we have… (and yet we may keep collecting more and more…)

10
 Something more is required.. (over and above physical facility)

Physical facility is necessary for human being

but

something more is also required....

11
 To find out what else is required (over and above physical facility)
Check: Is the unhappiness with in us and in our families
 More due to lack of physical facility or
 More due to lack of fulfillment in relationship?

How much time and effort are we investing:

 For physical facility
 For fulfillment in relationship

The unhappiness is more due to lack of fulfillment in relationship

Most of the time and effort is spent for physical facility

12
 For Human Being, Relationship is also Necessary
For human being physical facility is necessary but relationship is also necessary

On examining carefully, we find that this is a fundamental difference between animals and
human being

Physical facility is necessary for animals and necessary for human being also
However,
For animals physical facility is necessary as well as adequate
For human being physical facility is necessary but not adequate

13
 In Addition to Physical Facility, Relationship is Necessary

For human beings physical facility is necessary but relationship is also necessary

For animals:
necessary & largely
adequate
RELATIONSHIP PHYSICAL FACILITY i’kq ds fy,
vko’;d
laca/k lqfo/kk ,oa iw.kZ

with human being With nature For human beings:

necessary but not
adequate
ekuo ds fy,
vko’;d
ijarq iw.kZ ugha

14
 Although we have Recognised the need for Relationship…
We do get into arguments, opposition and fights… even in the family, with close friends, with
colleagues at work… in the marketplace…

Every time we have a fight, we want to resolve it…

We say sorry, patch up and promise not to fight in future but…

Even though we don’t want to, a fight does take place once again
(we want the other to improve… and the other wants us to improve…)

Is this happening?
Are incidences of reaction… not speaking to the other… arguments… debates… divorce…
increasing or decreasing?
Explore your close relationships – in the family, with friends, in the workplace, in the society

In spite of our acceptance for relationship, why is it happening?

15
 Right Understanding is also Essential for Human Being

For fulfilment in relationship, it is necessary to have right understanding about

relationship

i.e. Right understanding is also necessary for human being

16
Right Understanding is also Essential for Human Being

RIGHT UNDERSTANDING
in the self

For animals:
necessary & largely
RELATIONSHIP PHYSICAL FACILITY adequate
with human
being with rest of nature For human beings:
necessary but not
adequate
Are all 3 required? Is something redundant? Is anything more required?
Are we working on all 3?
If all 3 are required, what would be the priority*?
*Working on the high priority makes it easier to deal with the lower priority
17
Priority: Right Understanding, Relationship & Physical Facility

1
RIGHT UNDERSTANDING
in the self

2 3 For animals:
necessary & largely
Feeling
- Trust
RELATIONSHIP PHYSICAL FACILITY adequate
- Respect with human
-…
being with rest of nature For human beings:
necessary but not
adequate

18
Requirement to fulfill Basic Aspiration
Desirable State
= fulfilling life
1
RIGHT UNDERSTANDING If we are living with
all three
in the self (right understanding,
relationship and
physical facility, in
that priority order)
2 3 then we are living
with continuous
RELATIONSHIP
Feeling
PHYSICAL FACILITY happiness
- Trust
- Respect
with human Human being can be
-… being with rest of nature fulfilled
(be happy and
prosperous)
on the basis of these
three

MUTUAL HAPPINESS MUTUAL PROSPERITY

20
Current State
If our living is only for
physical facility, then we
? are living with animal
RIGHT UNDERSTANDING consciousness
in the self
Animals live only for
physical facility and can
be fulfilled by that

? 1 Human being can not

RELATIONSHIP PHYSICAL FACILITY
be fulfilled on the basis
with human of physical facility alone
being with rest of nature

Current State –
Where we are
UNHAPPINESS DEPRIVATION
Making others Unhappy Exploiting and
Depriving others
22
Desirable state – Living in Harmony – Program to Fulfill Basic Human Aspiration

PROGRAM:
Understanding
Understanding Harmony
Harmony:
1 - Harmony in Human Being
RIGHT UNDERSTANDING
- Harmony in Family
in the self - Harmony in Society
- Harmony in
Nature/Existence
VALUES
Living in Harmony
2 3
RELATIONSHIP all 4 levels:
PHYSICAL FACILITY - Individual
with human - Family
being with rest of nature - Society
- Nature/Existence
SKILLS
Living in Harmony Living in Harmony
with human being with rest of nature

MUTUAL HAPPINESS MUTUAL PROSPERITY

23
Happiness and Prosperity (a proposal)

Happiness = To be in a state of Harmony

Unhappiness = To be forced to be in a state of Contradiction

Prosperity – The feeling of having more than required Physical

Facility

A prosperous person thinks of right utilisation, nurturing the other

“ deprived “ “ “ accumulation, exploiting “ “

24
Transformation = Holistic Development

ss
re
og
Pr
n&
io
at
rmo
sf
an
Tr
25
 Purpose of this Course (UHV-I)
To develop a holistic perspective

Which includes all aspects of our real life:

- Ourself
- Our family, friends, classmates, seniors, teachers… (Human Relationships)
- Our society (social systems)
- Our natural environment

In other words, a holistic perspective means understanding harmony:

- Harmony in Human Being
- Harmony in Family
- Harmony in Society
- Harmony in Nature/Existence

26
Lecture 1
Understanding Value Education
Value
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

What is valuable
The chalk writes on the blackboard in the classroom?
or
The chalk scratches the blackboard in the classroom?

What is valuable = value

The context is always the larger order

Value of a unit is definite

The value of a unit is also referred to as its role

Thus, the role of chalk is to write on the blackboard
28
Human Value
Value / role of a human being is its participation in the larger order
E.g. My participation in the family defines my value in the family
What is valuable for you?
feeling of respect or feeling of disrespect?
I feel happy when I have a feeling of respect
The other feels happy when I express respect to him/her

Living in accordance with human values leads to mutual happiness*

My happiness
Happiness of the other human being

*i.e. in the case of human-human interaction

In the case of human-rest of nature interaction, living in accordance with human values leads to
mutual prosperity
29
Human Values, Role of Human Being in the Larger Order

Individual
I have a role within myself
(eg. ensuring happiness in the self and
health in the body)

Family
I have a role in my family
(eg. ensuring feeling of relationship and
prosperity)

Society
I have a role in the society
(eg. to participate in social systems for
ensuring justice, peace and harmony)

Nature/Existence
I have a role in nature/existence
(eg. mutual fulfilment with rest of nature)
31
Deciding Our Values
Do you want to be able to decide on your own right?
or
Do you want somebody else to decide for you?
(this somebody may be a group of people, it may be the society or the education system, etc.)

If you are not able to decide on your own right then:

1. Someone else is deciding what is valuable and what is not valuable for you
2. Unconsciously you keep accepting those things as values
3. You get busy with how to implement them, how to realize them, materialize them

32
Values Decided by the Other
Eg. In a professional college, many first-year students start to use foul language within a very
short time

They are made to assume that this sort of language is one of the indicators of their freedom, of
their own progress to adulthood… and they may adopt it as a new value

Similarly, with sleeping late and getting up late… and so many things

Did they decide it for themselves?

Did it just happen “unconsciously”, without being aware of it?
Is it worth for them? Is it fulfilling for them?
Is it fulfilling for others (like their family members)?

So, if we are unable to decide on our own right, we are programmed by the other; our values are
decided by someone else…

33
Deciding Human Values on Our Own Right
Would we decide on the basis of whatever we like, whatever we believe?
If we decide in this manner, human values will be different for different people

Or is there some definite, existential basis, something we can understand, something we can be
assured about, something that ensures mutual fulfilment in living?
If this is the case, then there is a possibility that human values are universal, they are the same
for all of us

Value education is about exploring into this possibility

34
Should Education help You to Develop Holistically?
Understanding What to do, Values Value Education
Learning How to do, Skills Skill Development
Doing Skills guided by Values Practice

The problems around you are more due to lack of skills?

or more due to lack of values?

Are both, values and skills, required?

Both are required; Values and skills are complementary to each other

If both are required, then what is the priority?

Values (what to do) first, then skills (how to do), but both are required

What is the state in present-day education?

Education has become skill-biased
(there is a need to make appropriate changes)
35
Guidelines for Value Education
- Universal
The content needs to be universal – applicable to all human beings and be true at all times, all
places
It should not depend on sect, creed, nationality, race, gender, etc.

- Rational
It must be amenable to logical reasoning
It should not be based on blind beliefs

- Verifiable
The student should be able to verify the values on one’s own right
Should not be asked to believe just because it is stated in the course

- Leading to Harmony
Values have to enable us to live in peace and harmony within our own self as well as with
others (human being and rest of nature)
36
Content of Value Education
Holistic, All Encompassing

Covers all levels of living:

1. Individual (human being)
2. Family
3. Society
4. Nature/Existence

Eg. As a Family, Society – we want Fearlessness / Trust

NOT fear (due to mistrust / opposition)

41
Four Dimensions of a Human Being

1. Understanding

Proposal 2. Thought

3. Behaviour 4. Work/Participation in
the larger order
42
Process of Value Education
Whatever is said is a Proposal (Do not assume it to be true or false)
Verify it on Your Own Right – on the basis of our Natural Acceptance

It is a process of Dialogue
A dialogue between me and you, to start with
It soon becomes a dialogue within your own self
between what you are and what you really want to be (your
natural acceptance)

The purpose of this course is to initiate this internal dialogue,

to help you to be self-referential, self-confident

Is this process naturally acceptable to you?

Is the purpose of this course valuable for you?
More 45
In this course, we will explore…

What is my
role (value) in
the family? What is my
role (value) in
Who am I? the society?
What is my
role (value) What is my
with my Body? purpose? What
is my role
(value) with What is my role
myself? (value) in
Nature/existence?

46
Self-exploration as the Process
for Value Education
Process
Whatever is said is a Proposal (Do not assume it to be true or false)
Verify it on Your Own Right – on the basis of our Natural Acceptance

It is a process of Dialogue
A dialogue between me and you, to start with
It soon becomes a dialogue within your own self
between what you are and what you really want to be (your
natural acceptance)
The purpose of this Class is to initiate/strengthen this internal dialogue

More 48
The Dialogue Within

e h a ve to
1. W n a tu ral What I Really Want to Be
ov er our e Always
d is c
p tan c My Natural Acceptance
a cce
ant to
Relationship
e w e w My Intention
(wher ach)
re

e h a ve to These are in These are in

3. W s dialog
th i Contradiction

Dialogue
ensure nsure Harmony
an d e
o n y within
harm te o ur Unhappiness Happiness
u a
(eval - v is our
sv is - à
desire cceptance)
la
natura

v e to find What I am
ha
2. We at I am My Desire, Thought, Sometimes Sometimes
out wh are now)
e re we Expectation… Opposition Relationship
(w h
My Competence

50
Self-exploration, Self-investigation
1. Content of Self Exploration:
a. Desire - Aim, Objective, Purpose Happiness, Prosperity
What do I want to achieve?
Continuity

b. Program – Process of achieving the desire, action

How do I achieve it ?

2. Process of Self Exploration

a. Whatever is stated is a Proposal
Do not assume it to be true/ false
Verify it on your own right
b. Self-verification

54
Content of Self-exploration
Desire-
1. Happiness
2. Prosperity
3. The continuity of Happiness and Prosperity

Let us find out:

1. Do we desire for Happiness?
2. Do we desire for Prosperity?
3. Do we desire for the continuity of both (happiness & prosperity)?
4. If continuity of happiness and prosperity is ensured then what else would you desire?

Our desires are not unlimited or indefinite

Our basic aspiration is for happiness, prosperity and its continuity

55
Process of Self-verification
Whatever is stated is a Proposal (Do not assume it to be true/ false)
Verify it on your own right

Proposal
1 Verify 2 Experiential Validation
on the basis Live according to it
Of
your 2a 2b
Natural
Acceptance Behaviour with Work with
Human Beings Rest of Nature

Mutual Happiness Mutual Prosperity

Which
Which process
process is
is Naturally
Naturally Acceptable
Acceptable to
to you?
you?

A
A process
process of
of self-exploration,
self-exploration, self-verification
self-verification on
on your
your own
own right,
right, leading
leading to
to understanding
understanding inin yourself
yourself
RIGHT or
or
A
A process
process of
of do’s
do’s &
UNDERSTANDING
& don’ts,
don’ts, in
in which
which you
you assume
assume what
what isis said,
said, without
without verification
verification
56
Sum Up- Self-exploration
Content of self-exploration = Basic human desire
= Happiness, prosperity  continuity

Process of self-exploration
= Self-investigation, self-verification

It is a process of
living in harmony within,
living in harmony with others…
and ultimately,
living in harmony with the entire existence

The Purpose of this workshop/course is to initiate/strengthen self-exploration in you

57
Happiness and Prosperity
– Current Scenario
Continuous Happiness – Basic Aspiration of every Human Being
Every human being aspires for continuous happiness

The program for it depends on whatever s/he has understood or assumed about it
e.g. big house, lots of money… tasty food, loud music, fast car… attention, name, fame…

Keeps shifting from one program to another when the program is not successful
e.g. not getting attention of spouse… shift to watching TV… add tasty food… smoking, drinking...
Indulgence… renunciation…

59
Some Prevailing Notions related to Happiness
 I will be bored of happiness if I am always happy
 I will grow only if I am unhappy. If I become happy, my growth will stop
 I need to be unhappy to recognize that I am happy
 We think of others only when we are unhappy. Thus it is important/useful to be unhappy so that
one can help others
 Happiness and unhappiness go together, they cannot be separated
 Yes, I want happiness. But my desiring does not guarantee it. So, why to talk of desire?
 My happiness depends on the others. What can I do about it
 We do not want happiness for ourselves – but we want to make others happy (while we stay
unhappy)
 Happiness is a small thing. We have higher aspirations – like contentment, peace, bliss etc.
 Do not bother me with happiness. I have to live and deal with things in my real life.

60
Some Prevailing Notions of Happiness – Excitement not Happiness
Owning / accumulating physical facility
Physical facility is required, but it alone does not suffice for human being
Dependence on physical facility, can’t be continuous

Pleasure (from favourable sensation)

Sound, Touch, Form, Taste, Smell – Through the Body
Tasty-Necessary  Tasty-Unnecessary  Tasteless-Unnecessary  Intolerable
Dependence on sensation, can’t be continuous

Attention, appreciation… (favourable feelings) from others

Dependence on the other, can’t be continuous

Sometimes “happiness”, excitement…

Sometimes “unhappiness”, depression…
61
Some Prevailing Notions about Escaping from Unhappiness, Depression
Over eating
Over sleeping
…
Gutka (Doma)
Alcohol
Drugs
…
Violence
…
Suicide

62
Excitement and Escape – Not Happiness

Temporary

Consciousness
Excitement

Animal
Temporary
Escape from
Unhappiness

63
 Continuous

Consciousness
happiness

Human
Realised
(Dorji)

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Transformation / Development -----------------------------------------

Temporary
excitement

Animal Consciousness
Recovering
Addict

Temporary
escape from
unhappiness

Addict
65
Sources of Happiness
1. Right Understanding
Harmony at all levels of being
Human Being, Family, Society, Nature/Existence
– in Self (I) Definite completion point, Continuity is possible,
Self-organization (Swatantrata)
2. Right Feeling Trust, Respect, Affection, Care, Guidance,
Reverence, Glory, Gratitude, Love
– in Self (I) Definite completion point, Continuity is possible,
Self-organization (Swatantrata)
– From Other Temporary, Dependence on Other,
No completion point, Continuity not possible
3. Sensation, PF Sound, Touch, Form, Taste, Smell
– Through Body Temporary, Dependence on Body & Other,
No completion point, Continuity not possible
Tasty-Necessary  Tasty-Unnecessary  Tasteless-Unnecessary  Intolerable

66
Some Prevailing Notions related to Prosperity
 Accumulation of Wealth = Prosperity?

 The richer you are, the more prosperous you are, i.e. the more you have accumulated, the
more prosperous you are.

67
Thank you
Q&A

68