KVE301/KVE401 Universal Human Values and Professional Ethics

Chapter 9: Harmony in the Society – from Family to World Family Order

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Appendix

Programs needed to achieve the Comprehensive Human Goal: the Five Dimensions of Human Endeavor

The five dimensions of human endeavor are:

    1. Education – Right Living (Siksha – Sanskar)
    2. Health – Self Regulation (Swasthya – Sanyam)
    3. Justice – Preservation (Nyay – Suraksha)
    4. Production – Work (Utpadan – Kriya)
    5. Exchange – Storage (Vinimaya – Kosh)
DigitalG1 Program to achieve comprehensive human goal

1. Education – Right Living (Siksha – Sanskar)

The content of education is the understanding of harmony at all the four levels of our existence – from myself to the entire existence.

Right living or Sanskar refers to the ability to live in harmony at all four levels of living. Thus,

Education: to understand hormony at all four levels of living.
Right living: commitment and preparedness to live in harmony at all four levels of living.

We have to ensure the availability and continuity of education – right living in our society. This dimension of society works to ensure ‘right understanding’ and ‘right feelings’.

2. Health – Self Regulation (Swasthya – Sanyam)

Sanyam refers to a feeling of responsibility for nurturing, protecting, and rightly utilizing the body.

When the body is fit to act according to the needs of the self (‘I’), and, there is harmony among the parts of the body, it is referred to as health or Swasthya.

Sanyam (or self–regulation) is the basis of Swasthya.

3. Justice – Preservation (Nyay – Suraksha)

Justice (Nyay) refers to harmony in the relationship between human beings, while preservation (Suraksha) refers to harmony in the relationship between human beings and the rest of nature.

Justice: ‘Human-Human relation’ – its recognition, fulfillment, evaluation – leading to mutual Happiness.
Preservation: ‘Human-Rest of nature relation’ – its recognition, fulfillment, evaluation – leading to mutual Prosperity. – Enrichment, Protection, Right Utilization of nature.

Justice

We say there is justice in a relationship when there is mutual fulfillment i.e. both individuals are satisfied: which means the values are rightly recognized, fulfilled, rightly evaluated, and mutual happiness is ensured. Mutual happiness is the goal in the relationship and each one of us has a responsibility in ensuring continuity of justice or Nyaya in our society.

Preservation

Besides human-human relationships, we also have to work to ensure that our relationship with the rest of nature is mutually enriching for humanity as well as for nature. This dimension of our society works to ensure ‘Suraksha’. This involves ensuring the following three aspects –

    1. Enrichment (I cultivate wheat; this enriches wheat as the quantity grows)
    2. Protection (I protect it so that it is fit to eat)
    3. Right utilization (I use it for nurturing the body and do not let it get wasted).
DigitalG1 Preservation (Suraksha)

4. Production – Work (Utpadan – Karya)

Work refers to the physical efforts made by humans on the rest of nature, while production refers to the output / physical product that is obtained through these efforts.

What to produce?

The decision of what to produce depends on the right identification of needs. For this, we have to identify the physical needs of the body, i.e. what is needed for the nourishment, protection, and right utilization of the body. When we look into this, we can see that there is a need for food, clothing, shelter, and various kinds of instruments (ex: means of transport, communication, remote viewing of images, etc.) for the right utilization of the body.

How to produce?

When we come to the question of how to produce, we are referring to the technology or systems we use for production. On the understanding of harmony at all the levels of our living, it becomes evident that there is an inherent balance, a harmony in nature. So, it is only natural that any production system we design or implement is within the framework that is present in nature, i.e. it does not violate the framework/harmony in nature. When we look at the way in which nature is organized, the following becomes apparent:

    1. The systems in nature are cyclic i.e. they are not open-ended.
    2. The systems in nature are mutually fulfilling or mutually enriching.

Thus the way to produce is: Through the cyclical (Avartansheel) process, in harmony with nature.

    1. It has to be cyclic
    2. It has to ensure that every unit is enriched
DigitalG1 Mutually Enriching, Cyclic Process (Avartansheel Process)

In nature, there are four different kinds of entities. One kind of entity includes materials such as air, water, soil, metals, and non-metals, etc. The other kind has plants, herbs, etc. The other kind of the third kind has animals and birds, and the fourth kind includes human beings. When you look at their interrelationship, you find that the materials, plants, and animals are enriching for the other entities including human beings.

If only we understand the process in nature, we can design our production systems through the application of science and technology in such a way that this mutual fulfillment is better ensured, rather than disturbing it.

5. Exchange – Storage (Vinimaya – Kosh)

Exchange (Vinimaya) refers to the exchange of physical facilities between the members of the society, while storage (Kosh) refers to the storage of physical facilities that are left after fulfilling the needs of the family. It is important to note that exchange and storage are done for mutual fulfillment and not for the madness of profit or exploitation or hoarding.

Exchange

Exchanging of produce for mutual fulfillment. (With a view of mutual fulfillment, not MADNESS of profit)

Storage

Storing of produce after fulfillment of needs. (With a view of right utilization in future, not HOARDING)

We can now see how these five dimensions of humanistic society are able to ensure the human goal:

Having the process of education and right living leads to the right understanding in the individual.

Education – Right livingleads toRight Understanding

Having the program for health and Sanyam leads to well being of the body, and identification of the need for physical facilities which along with production ensures the feeling of prosperity in the family.

Health – Self Regulationleads toProsperity

Ensuring justice in the relationship, or mutual fulfillment in the relationship on the basis of values like Trust, Respect, etc. leads to fearlessness in society, while Suraksha of nature – via enrichment, protection, and right utilization leads to co-existence in nature.

Justice – Preservationleads toFearlessness and Co-existence

Production and work are for physical facilities, and this leads to a feeling of prosperity in the family. Production is done in harmony with nature, and hence, this also leads to co-existence with nature.

Production – Workleads toProsperity and Co-existence

When we store and exchange for mutual fulfillment and not for exploitation, then it leads to fearlessness (trust) in society.

Exchange – Storageleads toProsperity and Fearlessness

Summarized by – Dr. Niyati Garg

Please Share:
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp
Telegram
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Reddit
Tumblr
Email
Print

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top
Scroll to Top