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Clarifying The Goal of Kåñëa Conscious Training: Increasing A Student's Desire To Serve Kåñëa
Clarifying The Goal of Kåñëa Conscious Training: Increasing A Student's Desire To Serve Kåñëa
Discipline methods should be in harmony with our educational goals. And what is the
goal of gurukula education? Many devotees have proposed their own objectives. Here are
a few: to produce moral citizens, to produce "not hippies," to produce productive
members of the outside society who can maintain devotional principles, to produce book
distributors, to produce temple devotees, or to produce varëäçrama members.
To help us decide the proper goal of gurukula, let's look at the often quoted description
of gurukula training given by Närada Muni: "A student should practice completely
controlling his senses. He should be submissive and should have an attitude of firm
friendship for the spiritual master. With a great vow, the brahmacäri should live at the
gurukula, only for the benefit of the guru."(Bhäg. 7.12.1)
* * *
Our goal for gurukula training should be clear: We want our children to become trained
as pure devotees of Kåñëa and thereby end the term of their material existence by going
back home, back to Godhead.
Purport: Now, there is no ready experience in this world of a tree situated with its
branches down and its roots upward, but there is such a thing. That tree can be found
beside a reservoir of water. We can see that the trees on the bank reflect upon the water
with their branches down and roots up. In other words, the tree of this material world is
only a reflection of the real tree of the spiritual world. This reflection of the spiritual
world is situated on desire, just as a tree's reflection is situated on water. Desire is the
cause of being situated in this reflected material light.
- Bg. 15.1
As desire is the basis for being within the material world, desire is also the basis for
attaining the lotus feet of Kåñëa. Teaching, therefore, is subtle, for one cannot force
another to desire residence in Goloka Våndävana at the lotus feet of Kåñëa. Teaching
can, however, provide an atmosphere wherein students will tend to increase their desire
to become Kåñëa conscious. A general goal of gurukula training and discipline is,
therefore, to teach in such a way that our children are freely choosing to become devotees
of Kåñëa.
During each of these phases of a child's life, he should be treated differently to facilitate
his choosing Kåñëa.
But what does this mean? Should a child during these ages receive any strictures? To
what degree should parents be permissive? What is to be achieved by the child during
this stage of his life?
The basic psychological goal for a child during these years is to develop self-confidence
and a sense of security. Children, therefore, should be indulged and treated somewhat as
if they were the center of the world. During this age, parents should be permissive.
Although common sense should also be used to ensure the mental, physical, and spiritual
safety of the child, the child should nevertheless receive the full affection of his family so
that he will grow securely.
During the years from birth to age five, the physical development of the child is
dramatic. He changes from an infant capable only of eating, sleeping, and crying to an
independent individual who walks, climbs up and down stairs, runs, and plays games.
His communication ability begins with crying and smiling, progresses to monosyllabic
words, to full sentences, and then to the proper use of verbs, tenses, and plural forms.
Socially, a child progresses from attachment only to his mother, to attachment to his
father and his other family members, before he learns to make friends. By the age of five,
a child will seek his parents only when under stress.
A child during these years is egocentric. He thinks the world revolves around his needs.
And typically, after passing through this stage, a child will arrive at school in his fifth
year thinking himself a prince.
The permissiveness which was the rule during the first five years of a child's life should
be gradually transformed into discipline and respect for authority. This change must be
gradual so that the "green sapling" is bent, not broken. By the time the child is ten, he
ideally should have achieved - through a proper combination of affection, relationship,
discipline, and training - basic control over his mind and senses.
Beware of indulging a child in sensual stimulations during this period. Çréla Prabhupäda
states that to give a child sense gratification at an early age, when he is already naturally
satisfied and happy in all circumstances, is the "greatest violence."
If the child, during this period, perceives that life is meant for sensual pleasure, it will be
extremely difficult to pull back on the reins of discipline and restrict him during the
turbulent years of adolescence.
Children go through dynamic changes during these years. Intellectually, their conceptual
abilities increase; physically, they change from children to adults; and socially, the
tendency to associate with the opposite sex becomes strong. Adolescents' emotions are
often turbulent, as they acquire their own separate false ego and sense of identity. Çréla
Prabhupäda once instructed gurukula teachers to be strict with adolescents so that these
students would fear the consequences of disobedience.
yauvana: after fifteen
JAGADISA: We see that when they are given good discipline in that way, they respond
nicely.
Çréla Prabhupäda: Yes. Why should you be lenient? That is your fault. Out of "love," we
shall see our sons and disciples go to hell. That is not good; that is foolishness. But when
they are grown up, sixteen years old, they should be treated as friend. Präpte tu ñoòaçe
varñe putraà mitra-vad äcaret. Here are [Cänakya's] instructions from five to fifteen
years, all the sons and students should be kept under strict disciplinary order. If they do
not follow, they should be chastised. Then, as soon as they attain the sixteenth year, treat
them as friends. At that time, do not force, or they'll go away.
- Conversation with teachers in Dallas, July, 1975
* * *
This does not imply that at sixteen a child magically is on a par with all adults, parents,
and teachers, and that no adult can instruct, order, or advise. It simply means that a
grown-up child's false ego must be considered. Because of this, if force is applied
without consent, he will rebel.
* * *
But by the time a child is sixteen, he is free to make independent choices and can no
longer be forced. Of course, as Çréla Prabhupäda says, "Who is independent? Is there
anyone independent? Nobody is independent. To think of independence is mäyä." Still, at
this time, a sixteen-year-old will demand that his personal commitment to Kåñëa
consciousness dictate the extent of his spiritual activities. He will not allow an external
authority to override his "independence" and "freedom." An intelligent and pious youth
will surrender to Kåñëa conscious authority, but his surrender will be of his own volition
rather than imposed by the authority.
Our task, then, is to help a child journey from the age of five to the age of sixteen and at
the end choose Kåñëa. The proof of having successfully trained a youth is that he will
freely choose to advance in Kåñëa consciousness. This must be firmly established within
his consciousness by his sixteenth year. And as the five-year-old grows up, time - like the
sand running through an hourglass - is running out. Teachers, in all their dealings with
their students, should keep in mind that they have eleven short years to complete this
transition.
Thus knowing oneself to be transcendental to the material senses, mind and intelligence,
O mighty-armed Arjuna, one should steady the mind by deliberate spiritual intelligence
[Kåñëa consciousness] and thus - by spiritual strength - conquer this insatiable enemy
known as lust.
- Bg. 3.43
* * *
How to Do It?
How can we help a child increase his Kåñëa conscious realizations to the point where, by
the time he is sixteen, he freely chooses Kåñëa? What can a teacher do to guide his
students in that direction? We certainly cannot force the child to "freely choose Kåñëa."
Be Kåñëa conscious
1. Teachers should be sincere, happy, and satisfied in their own Kåñëa
consciousness.
If a devotee is shaky in his Kåñëa consciousness, how can he teach the children? Unless
he is firmly convinced about Kåñëa consciousness, I don't think the children will learn
properly from such a person.
- Letter to Satsvarüpa däsa, February 16, 1972
2. Teachers should be deep and knowledgeable.
In teaching the children, refer very carefully to my books. Teach the qualities of a
brähmaëa mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita. These qualities will naturally develop if the
teachers give the process purely. The information is in my books.
- Letter to Hiranyagarbha däsa, August 19, 1974
3. Teachers should be good examples of all that they wish their students to be. Çréla
Prabhupäda wrote in 1969, "You are right to say that setting a good example for the boys
is the best precept. Example is better than precept. Exemplary character depends on
strictly following the four principles. This will conquer the whole world."
4. Teachers should preach to their students! Be convinced and let the students know
the purpose of gurukula education.
The ultimate goal of teaching is to train the students to conquer the repetition of birth and
death. The teacher must be able to educate the student to this understanding. That is
perfect teaching. No one wants to die, but he has no education how to become free from
the punishment of death. Kåñëa consciousness stops this nuisance business, repetition of
birth and death. Big scientists discover so many wonderful things, but they cannot
discover anything to stop their own deaths. All big scientists die. We shall also die, but
after this death, we shall not accept another material body. That means, no more death.
This is the last death. This is our teaching. That should be impressed upon the students,
and the teachers must know it. Then education will be successful.
Conversation with gurukula teachers in Dallas, July, 1975
Know that it is usually one person who will make the difference for each child's
survival
One must fix his faith staunchly in the bona fide guru. If one accepts and follows a bona
fide guru, his life is successful. Gurukula teaches one to become very, very faithful, one
hundred percent faithful, to the bona fide guru.
- Conversation with disciples, New Mäyäpura, July, 1976
Once, on the Hyderabad farm during a morning walk, Çréla Prabhupäda was asked
whether a particular mantra could be chanted within the temple. Çréla Prabhupäda's reply
was that there was nothing wrong with the mantra, but our principle should be to not
change anything. Yet, on another occasion, while he was taking his massage in
Melbourne during 1975, I heard Çréla Prabhupäda explain the reason for his success in
preaching in the West as allowing women to live within the temples of the Kåñëa
consciousness movement. He then laughed and said that his Godbrothers criticized him
for the change, but that they were unsuccessful. "And the only time they have some
attendance is during parikramäs on Gaura Pürnimä in Mäyäpura. And who attends?
Women. Old widows in white." He laughed. "And because I made this adjustment,"
Çréla Prabhupäda continued, "I was successful."
Here are some examples of my ideas about specific gurukula contravenables and
incontravenables:
Incontravenable
showing respect
Students must show respect to their teachers. If teachers are properly performing their
service, they will naturally command respect from students. Students naturally respect
those from whom they receive something worthwhile.
focusing on the goal
The goal of life is clear: to detach ourselves from the body, to develop necessary
character and scriptural knowledge, and ultimately to go back home, back to Godhead.
avoiding prohibitions
There are prohibitions against certain activities that are highly contaminated by mäyä.
Association with the opposite sex is one example. Television is another. Reading
mundane fiction is still another.
Contravenable
discipline methods
There is no one correct way, and different individual teachers will discover success on
different discipline paths. The proof of the method will be the rectification, respect, and
increased enthusiasm of the child.
Contemporary teaching theory is often split into two groups: progressive and traditional.
These two parties often debate whether teaching should be student-centered or teacher-
centered. Here, in a somewhat oversimplified form, are some major differences between
the two schools of thought.
Kåñëa-Centered Education
We propose a Kåñëa-centered educational system based on the gurukula model given by
Çréla Prabhupäda. This system unifies the truths on both sides of the progressive-
traditionalist debate: the respect for the individual and emphasis on relationship from the
progressive side, and the establishment of the goal of Kåñëa consciousness and respect
for pure authority from the traditional side.
In Kåñëa-centered teaching, the teacher is not forced to act on one side of the spectrum
or the other. He feels himself a servant of both Kåñëa and his students. By his teaching
he creates an atmosphere in which the students are most likely to choose Kåñëa.
A Kåñëa-centered teacher understands that he cannot force his students to become Kåñëa
conscious, and yet he knows that Kåñëa consciousness is the only worthwhile
achievement for his students. He is, therefore, neither sentimentally soft nor overly strict.
* * *
The hawks and the doves. For as long as I can remember, teachers have taken opposite
sides of the great discipline debate. As we have explained, some teachers claim the pre-
eminent need for relationship, understanding, respect, tolerance, and patience, stressing
that a teacher must wait for the natural, inner growth of a child's Kåñëa consciousness.
Others see the value of austerity, obedience, stricture, character-training, and force - not
in a heartless sense - but with the compassionate knowledge that the children, even if
unwilling and unappreciative at present, will receive real training. Later, as the children
look back upon their school days, they will understand the affection of their teachers.
From one end of the scale to the other, individual teachers "choose" their stance and
attempt to train their dependents. Is one attitude and it's attendant activities correct and
the other incorrect? Is there one way?
To better understand the answer to this question, let us examine the most commonly used
discipline techniques.
* * *
Interactionalists believe that a person develops by interacting with the world. Students
should thus obtain varied opportunities to make rational decisions based on a constant
give-and-take with others.
* * *
One can view the differences in stance by examining the degree of power each strategy
relegates to the teacher and the student.
Progressive-humanists use minimal teacher power. Such teachers use empathic glances
and reflective questions. They emotionally and socially support the child, and are
accepting and tolerant of his misbehavior. Thus they attempt to maximize the chances of
the child working through his own misbehavior.
Interactionalist teachers move in boldly and then draw attention to misbehavior through
non-directive statements, directive statements, and questions. The interactionalist works
with his student to find a solution for the inappropriate behavior. Interactionalists employ
some of the techniques of both the humanists and the authoritarians, but they are wary of
any complete control of behavior by either student or teacher.
Keep in mind that students are individual souls who are situated in a specific place at a
specific time in their sojourn through their karma. One technique will not work for all
students, nor will the same technique work for one student all the time.
Know your objective and choose a teaching stance and techniques which suit your
purpose. An expert teacher is like a master physician who diagnoses his patient's
problem, then prescribes the right medicines and therapies from what he has available.
Keep in mind that teachers are individuals with their own tendency towards a teaching
style. Generally, a teacher will lean towards the style by which he himself most easily
learns. Thus all teachers will favor one end of the discipline spectrum over another. But,
the wider the variety of discipline techniques and stances a teacher can adapt, the wider
the variety of individual students he is able to shelter.
A particulary expert teacher - one who has earned genuine respect and affection from his
students - will be effective in whatever stance he takes. Do not, however, expect such
expertise to develop overnight.
Rather, a teacher should study his students' needs, prescribe accordingly, and use
whichever technique works. Handle every student's problem individually. Observing the
following steps will help when dealing with a discipline problem:
1. Check the available information on the child and the nature of his problem.
2. Check the above results with the three alternative stances of dealing with a child.
3. Match each stance with the problem situation. Attempt to predict the outcome and
consequences from adopting a specific stance.
4. Choose the stance that appears most useful in achieving your discipline goals.
5. Apply it and keep track of the results. Think of the particular stance you have
chosen as a temporary stage of action. Plan further steps, changing the basic stance if
needed, in leading the child to Kåñëa consciousness.
* * *
In summary, keep in mind the following when deciding how to discipline a student: