UNIT 1

Q1. What do you mean by values or human values?

or
What is value education? Why there is a need of value education?
or
How does value education helps in fulfilling one's aspirations?
ANS. Character oriented education that instils basic values and ethnic values in one’s psyche
is called ‘Value Based Education’. The subject that enables us to understand ‘what is valuable’
for human happiness is called value education. Value education is important to help everyone
in improving the value system that he/she holds and puts it to use. Once, one has understood
his/ her values in life he/she can examine and control the various choices he/she makes in his/
her life. Value education enables us to understand our needs and visualize our goals correctly
and also helps to remove our confusions and contradictions and bring harmony at all levels. It
also helps remove our confusions and contradictions and enables us to rightly utilize the
technological innovations.
Values form the basis for all our thoughts, behaviours and actions. Once we know what is
valuable to us, these values becomes the basis, the anchor for our actions. We also need to
understand the universality of various human values, because only then we can have a definite
and common program for value education. Then only we can be assured of a happy and
harmonious human society.

Q2. What are the basic guidelines for value education?

Ans: The subject that enables us to understand ‘what is valuable’ for human happiness is called
value education. In order to qualify for any course on value education, the following guidelines
for the content of the course are important:
• Universal: It needs to be applicable to all the human beings irrespective of cast, creed,
nationalities, religion, etc., for all times and regions.
• Rational: It has to appeal to human reasoning. It has to be amenable to reasoning and not
based on dogmas or blind beliefs.
• Natural and verifiable: It has to be naturally acceptable to the human being who goes
through the course and when we live on the basis of such values it leads to our happiness. It
needs to be experientially verifiable, and not based on dogmas, beliefs or assumptions.
• All encompassing: Value education is aimed at transforming our consciousness and living.
Hence, it needs to cover all the dimensions (thought, behaviour, work and realization) and
levels (individual, family, society, nature and existence) of human life and profession.
• Leading to harmony: The value education ultimately is targeted to promote harmony within
the individual, among human beings and with nature.

Q3. What is the need for value education?

or
Write a short note on the need for value education in today’s scenario.
Ans: The subject that enables us to understand ‘what is valuable’ for human happiness is called
value education. Need for value education is:
Ø Correct identification of our aspirations. The subject which enables us to understand
‘what is valuable’ for human happiness is called ‘value education’ (VE). Thus, VE enables us
to understand our needs and visualize our goals correctly and also indicate the direction for
their fulfilment. It also helps to remove our confusions and contradictions and bring harmony
at all levels.
Ø Understanding universal human values to fulfil our aspirations in continuity. Values
form the basis for all our thoughts, behaviours and actions. Once we know what is valuable to
us, these values becomes the basis, the anchor for our actions. We also need to understand the
universality of various human values, because only then we can have a definite and common
program for value education. Then only we can be assured of a happy and harmonious human
society.
Ø Complimentarity of values and skills. To fulfil our aspirations both values and skills are
necessary. When we identify and set the right goals and produced in right direction. This is
known as value domain, the domain of wisdom, and when we learn and practices to actualize
this goal to develop the techniques to make this happen in real life, in various dimensions of
human endeavor (struggle). This is known as domain of skills.
Ø Hence, there is an essential complementarity between values and skills for the success of
any human endeavor. For example, I want to lead a healthy life. Only wishing for good health
will not help me keep my body fit and healthy and without having understood the meaning of
health, I will not be able to choose things correctly to keep my body fit and healthy.
Ø Evaluation of our beliefs. Each one of us believes in certain things and we base our values
on these beliefs, be they false or true which may or may not be true in reality. These believes
come to us from what we read, see, hear, what our parents tells us, our friends talk about, what
the magazines talk of, what we see from TV etc. Value Education helps us to evaluate our
beliefs and assumed values.
Ø Technology and human values. The present education system has become largely skill-
based. The prime emphasis is on science and technology. However, science and technology
can only help to provide the means to achieve what is considered valuable. It is not within the
scope of science and technology to provide the competence of deciding what really is valuable.
Value Education is a crucial missing link in the present education system. Because of this
deficiency, most of our efforts may prove to be counterproductive and serious crises at the
individual, societal and environmental level are manifesting.

Q4. Values and skill complement each other. Elaborate.

or
“For success in any Human Endeavour both values and skills are required.” Explain.
or
What do you mean by values? How do they differ from skills? How are values and skills
complementary?
or
Explain how production skills and human values are complementary. Give two
examples.
Ans: Values means importance or participation and skills means qualities, training, and
capabilities. To fulfil our aspirations both values and skills are necessary. When we identify
and set the right goals and produced in right direction. This is known as value domain, the
domain of wisdom. Basically we must know what really is useful to achieve human happiness,
the happiness to all and for all the time.
And when we learn and practices to actualize this goal to develop the techniques to make this
happen in real life, in various dimensions of human endeavour (struggle). This is known as
domain of skills. Hence, there is an essential complementarity between values and skills for
the success of any human endeavour.
For example, I want to lead a healthy life. Only wishing for good health will not help me keep
my body fit and healthy and without having understood the meaning of health, I will not be
able to choose things correctly to keep my body fit and healthy. So i have to learn the skills to
achieve the goal of good health i.e. food to be consumed, the physical workout to be designed.
So without knowing the meaning of good health, health cannot be achieved and also it is
necessary to make use of the goal to achieve the goal of the goal.

Q5. Define self exploration. What is the content of self – exploration?

Ans: Self exploration is the process to find out what is valuable to me by investigating within
myself, what is right for me, true for me, has to be judged within myself. Through self
exploration we get the value of ourself. We live with different entirety (family, friends, air,
soil, water, trees, etc.) and we want to understand our relationship with all these. For this we
need to start observing inside. The main focus of self-exploration is myself - the human being.
Content of self exploration is just finding answers to the following fundamental questions of
all human beings:
1. The Desire/Goal: What is my (human) Desire/ Goal? What do I really want in life, or what
is the goal of human life?
2. Program: What is my (human) program for fulfilling the desire? How to fulfil it? What is
the program to actualize the above?
In short, the above two questions cover the whole domain of human aspirations and human
endeavor. Thus, they form the content of self- exploration.

Q6. Self exploration is a process of dialogue between ‘what you are’ and ‘what you
really want to be’. Explain and illustrate.
Ans: Self exploration is the process to find out what is valuable to me by investigating within
myself, what is right for me, true for me, has to be judged within myself. Through self
exploration we get the value of ourself. It is a process of focusing attention on ourself, our
present beliefs and aspirations vis-à-vis what we really want to be (that is to say, what is
naturally acceptable to us). If these two are the same, then there is no problem. If on
investigation we find that these two are not the same, then it means we are living with this
contradiction (of not being what we really want to be) and hence, we need to resolve this
contradiction this conflict within us. It is a process of discovering that there is something innate,
invariant and universal in all human beings. This enables us to look at our confusions and
contradictions within and resolve them by becoming aware of our natural acceptance.

Q7. How can we verify proposals on the basis of our natural acceptance? Explain with
example.
or
What do you mean by your natural acceptance? Is it innate, invariant and universal?
Explain
or
“Natural acceptance is innate, invariant and universal.” Explain this statement with an
example.
Ans: Natural acceptance implies unconditional and total acceptance of the self, people and
environment. It also refers to the absence of any exception from others. Once we fully and truly
commit ourself on the basis of natural acceptance, we feel a holistic sense of inner harmony,
tranquility and fulfillment. Actually natural acceptance is way to accept the good things
naturally. Learn everything that is good from others, but bring it in, and in our own way absorb
it; do not become others. We can easily verify proposals in the basis of characteristics of natural
acceptance mentioned below:
a) Natural acceptance does not change with time. It remains invariant with time. For
example our natural acceptance for trust and respect does not change with age.
b) It does not depend on the place. Whatever we have accepted, in our life, at any time of
our age, does not change, even if we move from one place to another one.
c) It does not depend on our beliefs or past conditionings. No matter how deep our belief
or past conditioning, as long as we ask ourselves the question sincerely, as long as we refer
deep within ourselves, the answer will always be the same.
d) This natural acceptance is ‘constantly there’, something we can refer to. Natural
acceptance is always there. Whatever we do, this natural acceptance is within us, it is telling
us what is right.
e) Natural acceptance is the same for all of us: it is part and parcel of every human
being, it is part of humanness. Though each one of us, may have different likes and dislikes
and means to live and to react etc. but if we go deep in our mind the purpose of our work,
behaviour, efforts etc. are based on common goals like need to be happy, need to be respected,
need to get prosperity. So our basic acceptance remains the same.

Q8. What is the meaning of prosperity? How can you say that you are prosperous?
Ans: The feeling of having or making available more than required physical facilities is
prosperity. Almost all of us feel that wealth alone means prosperity and try to explain this
phenomenon on this nonexistent or half fact. We are trying to achieve happiness and prosperity
by maximizing accumulation and consumption of physical facilities. It is becoming anti-
ecological and anti-people, and threatening the human survival itself. For prosperity, two things
are required-
1. Identification of the required quantity of physical facilities, and
2. Ensuring availability / production of more than required physical facilities.
We can be prosperous only if there is a limit to the need for physical facilities. If there is no
limit what so ever be the availability the feeling of prosperity cannot be assured.
Secondly, just assessing the need is not enough. We need to be able to produce or make
available more than the perceived need.

Q9. What is the difference between prosperity and wealth? What is more acceptable to
us and why?
or
What do you understand by prosperity? What is the difference between prosperity and
wealth? How are the two related?
or
What is the meaning of prosperity? How does it differ from possession of wealth?
Explain with examples.
or
Differentiate between prosperity and wealth with examples.
Ans: Prosperity is a feeling of having more than required physical facilities; it is not just
physical facilities. Almost all of us feel that wealth alone means prosperity and try to explain
this phenomenon on this nonexistent or half fact. Wealth is a physical thing. It means having
money, or having a lot of physical facilities or both. This is a very important distinction. We
mostly fail to make this distinction today. We keep working for wealth, without realizing that
the basic desire is for the feeling of prosperity, to have a feeling of having enough. Prosperity
is more acceptable to us because wealth is just a part of prosperity. We are trying to achieve
happiness and prosperity by maximizing accumulation and consumption of physical facilities.
It is becoming anti-ecological and anti-people, and threatening the human survival itself. A
person has lot of money, but does not want to share even a bit of it. The person ‘has wealth’
but feels ‘deprived’. If one felt prosperous he/she would have shared what one has, since there
is lot more than enough wealth anyway.

Q10. What is your present vision of a happy and prosperous life?

Ans: We are trying to achieve happiness and prosperity by maximizing accumulation and
consumption of physical facilities. It is becoming anti-ecological and anti-people, and
threatening the human survival itself.
Some of the consequences of such trend are summarized below:
Ø At the level of individual: rising problems of depression, psychological disorders, suicides,
stress, insecurity, etc.
Ø At the level of family: breaking of joint families, mistrust, and conflict between older and
younger generations, insecurity in relationships, divorce, dowry tortures, etc.
Ø At the level of society: growing incidence of terrorism and naxalism, rising communalism,
spreading casteism, racial and ethnic struggle, wars between nations, etc.
Ø At the level of nature: global warming, water, air, soil, noise etc. pollution, resource
depletion of minerals and mineral oils, etc.
All the problems are a direct outcome of an incorrect understanding, our wrong notion about
happiness and prosperity and their continuity – this is an issue for serious exploration.

Q11. What do the abbreviations given as SVDD, SSDD and SSSS signify?
Ans: To achieve our basic aspirations we need to work for right understanding as the base on
which we can work for relationship and then physical facilities. Today we are not working
according to this that why we can see that there are two kind of people in the world:
1. Those that do not have physical facilities/ wealth and feel unhappy and deprived. i.e.
SVDD: Sadhan Viheen Dukhi Daridra – Materially Deficient, Unhappy and Deprived.
2. Those that have physical facilities/ wealth and feel unhappy and deprived. i.e. SSDD:
Sadhan Sampann Dukhi Daridra – Materially Affluent, Unhappy and Deprived. But these are
states we don’t want to be in. We want to move from this to third category i.e.
3. Having physical facilities and feeling happy and prosperous i.e. SSSS: Sadhan Sampann
Sukhi Samriddha – Materially Adequate, Happy and Prosperous.
Presently, as we look around, we find most of the people in the above two categories called
SVD and SSDD, while the natural acceptance of all human beings is to be in the category of
SSSS.

Q12. “Physical facilities are necessary and complete for animals, while they are
necessary but not complete for humans.” Comment.
or
Explain how physical facilities are necessary but not complete for humans while they
are complete for animals.
 or
Physical facilities are necessary but not complete for human being. Do you agree with
this statement? Support your answer with reasons and examples.
Ans: Physical facilities are necessary and complete for animals, while they are necessary but
not complete for humans. It is easy to verify.

For Animals: Animals need physical things to survive, mainly to take care of their body. For
example; cow will look for food when it is hungry. Once it gets the grass or fodder. It eats it,
sits around to chew at leisure. Hence, we can say that as long as animals have physical things,
they are largely fine. They don’t desire other things like knowledge or a peaceful animal society
or getting a good MBA.
For Humans: While physical facilities are necessary for human beings, they are not complete
by themselves to fulfill our needs. Our needs are more than just physical facilities. We all have
other needs, other plans, perhaps we think of going to a movie or reading a book, or go to
college, or watch some TV, or spend time with family and friends….. this list is endless. Thus
it is easy to see that while physical facilities are necessary for us human beings, they are not
complete by themselves to fulfill our needs.
Hence we can say that for animals – “Physical facilities are necessary and complete.”
For humans “Physical facilities are necessary but not complete.”

Q 13. What are the requirements to fulfil basic human aspirations?

or
What is the program to fulfil the basic human aspirations? Explain
or
Explain the basic requirements to fulfil human aspirations. Give the correct priority
among them.
or
Three things are needed in order to fulfill basic human aspirations–right understanding,
right relationships and physical facilities. Explain meaning of each one of these.
Ans: Our basic aspirations are happiness (mutual fulfilment) and prosperity (mutual
prosperity). Happiness is ensured by the relationships with other human beings and prosperity
is ensured by working on physical facilities.
Right Understanding: This refers to higher order human skills – the need to learn and utilize
our intelligence most effectively.
Good Relationships: This refers to the interpersonal relationships that a person builds in his
or her life – at home, at the workplace and in society.
Physical Facilities: This includes the physiological needs of individuals and indicates the
necessities as well as the comforts of life. It means the feeling of having or being able to have
more physical facilities than is needed.

In order to resolve the issues in human relationships, we need to understand them first, and this
would come from ‘right understanding of relationship’. Similarly in order to be prosperous
and to enrich nature, we need to have the ‘right understanding’. The ‘right understanding’ will
enable us to work out our requirements for physical facilities and hence correctly distinguish
the difference between wealth and prosperity. With nature as well, we need to understand the
harmony in nature, and how we can complement this harmony.

Q 14. What do you mean by animal and human consciousness? Explain with the help of
a diagram.
or
Distinguish between ‘human consciousness’ and ‘animal consciousness’. How “shiksha
and
sanskar” are helpful in raising man to “human consciousness” level.
or
What is the difference between animal consciousness and human consciousness? How
does the transformation take place in a human being?
Ans: Giving all priorities to physical facilities only, or to live solely on the basis of physical
facilities, may be termed as ‘Animal Consciousness’. Living with all three: Right
understanding, Relationship and Physical facilities is called ‘Human Consciousness’.
From the diagram we can say that:
• For animal, physical facility is necessary as well as complete – whereas for human beings it
is necessary but not complete.
• Working only for physical facilities is living with Animal Consciousness.
• Working for right understanding as the first priority followed by relationship and physical
facilities implies living with Human Consciousness.
• There is a need for transformation from Animal Consciousness to Human Consciousness.
It can be accomplished only by working for right understanding as the first priority.
• This transformation from Animal Consciousness to Human Consciousness forms the basis
for human values and values based living.
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 the four levels of living. This dimension of society works to ensure ‘right
understanding’ and ‘right feelings’ in individual. Or all-encompassing solution called
samadhan in every individual and ensures that our succeeding generation have both the content
and the environment available to work towards achieving their goal of continuous happiness
and prosperity.

Q15. There are many problems manifest today at the level of individual, family, society
and the nature. Identify some of these problems humans suffer from.
Ans: Today we are generally trying to achieve happiness and prosperity by maximizing
accumulation and consumption of physical facilities. This effort is giving rise to many
problems manifest today at the level of individual, family, society and the nature. These
problems are:
• At the level of individual– Rising problems of depression, anxiety, suicides, stress,
insecurity, increasing health problems, lack of confidence and conviction etc.
• At the level of family– Breaking up of joint families, mistrust and disharmony in
relationships, divorce, generation gap, dowry deaths, neglect of older people etc.
• At the level of society– Growing incidences of terrorism, violence, communalism, racial and
ethnic struggle, corruption, adulteration, sex-crimes exploitation, wars between nations,
proliferation of lethal weapons etc.
• At the level of nature– Global warming, weather imbalances, depletion of mineral and
energy resources, deforestation, soil degradation etc.
All the problems are a direct outcome of an incorrect understanding, our wrong notion about
happiness and prosperity and their continuity.

Q16. Critically examine the prevailing notions of happiness in the society and their
consequences.
or
What is prosperity? Is it different from happiness?
or
What are the basic human aspirations? Explain.
or
What is the outcome when we try to identify relationship based on the exchange of
physical facilities?
Ans: Happiness may be defined as being in harmony/synergy in the state/ situation that I live
in. “A state or situation in which I live, if there is harmony in it then I like to be in that state /
situation. The state of liking is happiness.” Whereas, prosperity is the “feeling of having or
making available more than required physical facilities”.
In the current scenario, we are generally trying to achieve happiness and prosperity by
maximizing accumulation and consumption of physical facilities. This is an attempt to achieve
happiness through pleasant sensory interactions. The physical facilities are not seen in terms of
fulfilling bodily needs but as a means of maximizing happiness.
This has resulted in wrong assessment of wants for physical facilities as being unlimited. But
this pursuit is self-defeating. Neither can we hope to achieve continuous happiness through
sensory interactions nor can we have prosperity, as it amounts to trying to fulfil unlimited wants
through limited resources. This effort is engendering problems at all the levels. It is becoming
anti-ecological and anti-people, and threatening the human survival itself. Some of the
consequences of such a trend are summarized below:
1. At the level of the individual – Rising problems of depression, psychological disorders,
suicides, stress, insecurity, psycho-somatic diseases, loneliness etc.
2. At the level of the family – Breaking of joint families, mistrust, conflict between older
and younger generations, insecurity in relationships, divorce, dowry tortures, family feuds,
wasteful expenditure in family functions etc.
3. At the level of the Society – Growing incidences of terrorism and naxalism, rising
communalism, spreading casteism, racial and ethnic struggle, wars between nations, attempts
of genocide, fear of nuclear and genetic warfare, etc.
4. At the level of nature – Global warming, water, air, soil, noise, etc. pollution, resource
depletion of minerals and mineral oils, sizeable deforestations, loss of fertility of soil.
It therefore, calls for an urgent need for human beings to correctly understand happiness and
prosperity as well as the sustainable way to achieve these.

UNIT 2

Q1. What do you mean by Sukh and Suvidha?

or
Distinguish between Sukh and Suvidha in detail taking needs of yourself as an example.
Ans: Sukh is a holistic and all encompassing state of the mind that creates inner harmony. Sukh
is also called as happiness. Suvidha implies that it is looking for physical comforts and all the
sources of attaining such comforts. When our body gets used to a certain level of comfort then
we will only feel comfortable at that level e.g. comfort in fan, cooler or air conditioner.
Different people have a different perception of suvidha and will seek a corresponding level of
suvidha according to their perceptions.
By nature man is fond of comfort and happiness so he goes on making desires and ambitions
one after the other to enjoy more in life. To lead a comfortable life he also accumulates many
facilities, so that his life may become full of comfort and happiness. Sukh depends upon our
thinking, so many times we are surrounded by materialistic possessions but we feel unsatisfied.
People think that their happiness depends upon suvidha (facilities) but is it not so; happiness
depends upon our thinking or our mental satisfaction.
Q2. The needs of the body are quantitative. Illustrate.
or
When we try to achieve continuity of happiness through sensation by perpetuating
contact with suvidha, the following pattern results: Necessary and tasteful Þunnecessary
but tasteful Þ unnecessary and tasteless Þ intolerable. Do you agree with this statement?
Support your answer with arguments.
Ans: Needs of body are physical facilities. Physical facilities are needed for the body in a
limited quantity. When we try and exceed these limits, it becomes troublesome for us after
some time. Let’s take the example of eating. As far as, physical facilities (say rasgulla) go, they
are necessary in the beginning, but if we keep consuming, it becomes intolerable with the
passage of time. This applies to every physical facility. We can only think of having unlimited
physical facilities, but if we try and consume, or have too much of physical facilities, it only
ends up becoming a problem for us. When we try to perpetuate physical facilities, the following
pattern results. With time it successively changes from:
Necessary and tasteful
¯
Unnecessary but tasty Þ
¯
Unnecessary and tasteless Þ
¯
Intolerable!

Q3. Distinguish between the needs of the Self and the needs of the Body.
or
‘The need for physical facilities is temporary’ – explain the meaning of this statement
with any two examples.
or
Differentiate between the needs of self and the needs of body.
Ans: The human being is the co-existence of ‘I’ and the body, and there is exchange of
information between the two. We can make this distinction between the self and the body in
terms of the needs as shown in the table below:
I Body
Needs Needs are …. Trust, Respect…. Food, Clothing…
Happiness (sukh) Physical Facilities (suvidha)
In time needs are… Continuous Temporary
In quantity, needs Qualitative Quantitative (limited in
are... quantity)
Needs are fulfilled Right understanding and Food, clothing, etc.
by….. right
Feelings

1. Needs are ….The needs of the body like food for nourishment clothes for protection, and
instruments to ensure right utilization can be categorized as being ‘physical’ in nature, or also
called ‘physical facilities’ (suvidha) whereas the need of I is essentially to live in a state of
continuous happiness (sukh). The needs of the body are physical in nature, whereas the needs
of the self (‘I’) are not physical in nature – like trust, respect, happiness etc.
2. In time, needs are… The needs of ‘I’ are continuous in time, unlike the need of the body,
which is temporary in time. We want happiness continuously. We also want the feeling of
respect continuously and so also acceptance in relationship. If we talk about food, clothing,
shelter, or instruments, these are needed only for some amount of time, or we can say that the
need for physical facilities of the body is temporary in time- it is not continuous.
3. In quality, needs are….. Physical facilities are needed for the body in a limited quantity.
When we try and exceed these limits, it becomes troublesome for us after some time. Let’s take
the example of eating. As far as, physical facilities (say rasgulla) go, they are necessary in the
beginning, but if we keep consuming, it becomes intolerable with the passage of time. This
applies to every physical facility. We can only think of having unlimited physical facilities, but
if we try and consume, or have too much of physical facilities, it only ends up becoming a
problem for us. Whereas the needs of ‘I’ are qualitative (they are not quantifiable), but we also
want them continuously. Our feelings are qualitative. Either they are or they are not. Ex.
Happiness is qualitative. Either we are feeling happy or we are not. Also if a feeling is not
naturally acceptable; we do not want it even for a single moment. If acceptable, we want it
continuously.
4. Needs are fulfilled by….The need of the self (‘I’), for happiness (sukh) is ensured by
right understanding and right feelings, while the need of the body, for physical facilities
(suvidha), is ensured by appropriate physico-chemical things.

Q4. Do you think that human beings are sum-total of sentiments and physical aspects the
‘self’ and the ‘body’? Explain your answer using examples.
or
“Human being is more than just the body” – Explain.

Ans: There is the familiar shape and structure of a human being that is immediately apparent
to us and we imagine someone with similar human body-like features. But in addition to the
body, there is also the aliveness of the person – the entity that keeps the body ‘alive’ and makes
it operate in various ways.
We perceive this aliveness in the activities demonstrated by the person like their seeing, talking,
listening, walking, and eating, etc. This aliveness is called Jivana. Thus, a human being is
coexistence of the body and jivan. This jivan refers to itself as ‘I’ (self). Thus we say “I am so
and so” or “I feel tired” or “I am happy” and not “my body is happy”. This I or self is also
called ‘consciousness’ and is the sentient constitute of the human being.
The human being is the sum total of sentiments and physical aspect, the self (‘I’) and the body,
and there is exchange of information between the two, i.e. ‘I’ and body exist together and are
related. There is a flow of information from ‘I’ to the body and from body to the ‘I’. We can
make this distinction between the self and the body in three ways in terms of the needs,
activities and the types of these two entities.
All the needs of I, say respect, trust, etc., can be called as Happiness (such), while the needs of
body are physical facilities (suvidha) like food. The two things are qualitatively different. There
is no relevance of quantity for the needs of I as it is qualitative, while the needs of body are
quantitative, and they are limited in quantity.
The activities of ‘I’ are activities like, desire, thinking, selection, while the activities of body
are activities like eating, breathing etc.
The mode of interaction of ‘I’ includes knowing, assuming, recognizing and fulfilment. The
fulfilment depends on recognition depends on assumptions and assumptions depends on
knowing or not knowing (beliefs). If assuming is based on knowledge, then recognition will be
correct and fulfilment will be correct. If assuming is not based on knowledge, then things may
go wrong. The mode of interaction of body is only recognizing and fulfilling. Self is a conscious
entity and the body is a material entity, or physicochemical in nature.
To conclude we can say that the human being can be understood in terms of a co-existence of
two entirely distinct entities, namely sentient ‘I’ and material body. Their needs and activities
are quite different and have to be understood accordingly. But these two constituents of human
being are to act in close synergy with each other.

Q5. ‘Human being is co-existence of the Self and the Body’ – elaborate on this
statement.
or
‘Human being is the co-existence of the Self and the Body’ – Explain this statement
taking yourself as an example.
Ans: The human being is the co-existence of ‘I’ and the body, and there is exchange of
information between the two, i.e. ‘I’ and body exist together and are related. There is a flow of
information from ‘I’ to the body and from body to the ‘I’. We can make this distinction between
the self and the body in three ways in terms of the needs, activities and the types of these two
entities. All the needs of I, say respect, trust, etc., can be called as Happiness (such), while the
needs of body are physical facilities (suvidha) like food. The two things are qualitatively
different. There is no relevance of quantity for the needs of I as it is qualitative, while the needs
of body are quantitative, and they are limited in quantity.
The activities of ‘I’ are activities like, desire, thinking, selection, while the activities of body
are activities like eating, breathing etc. The mode of interaction of ‘I’ includes knowing,
assuming, recognizing and fulfilment. The fulfilment depends on recognition depends on
assumptions and assumptions depends on knowing or not knowing (beliefs). If assuming is
based on knowledge, then recognition will be correct and fulfilment will be correct. If assuming
is not based on knowledge, then things may go wrong. The mode of interaction of body is only
recognizing and fulfilling. Self is a conscious entity and the body is a material entity, or physic-
chemical in nature. Thus we can say:

To conclude we can say that the human being can be understood in terms of a co-existence of
two entirely distinct entities, namely sentient ‘I’ and material body. Their needs and activities
are quite different and have to be understood accordingly. But these two constituents of human
being are to act in close synergy with each other.
Q6. Explain with examples where activities involves both body and 'I'
or
Differentiate between the activities of knowing, assuming, recognizing and fulfilling with
the help of an example.
or
Explain the activities of knowing, assuming, recognizing and fulfillment with one
examples.

or
Differentiate between the activities of the self and the body on any two grounds.
or
Can the activities of the self be distinctly understood from the activities of the body? Name
any three activities and elaborate.

Ans: If we look at the variety of activities that we are engaged in commonly – we see that we
can put them in three categories:
1. Activities that are going on in the self
2. Activities that are going on in the body
3. Activities involving both the self and the body
Knowing, assuming, recognizing and fulfilling are the activities involving both the self and the
body.
1. Activities of recognizing and fulfilling in the body: Apart from the activities of Breathing,
Heartbeat, Digestion etc., the activities of the body can also be understood as recognition and
fulfilment. In fact, the mutual interaction between any two material entities can be understood
as recognition and fulfilment of their relationship. For example when we are thirsty and drink
water, the body absorbs the water to the extent needed and uses for the nourishment of the
various organs. Here, body recognizes its relation with water and fulfils it.
Recognizing ® Fulfilling
2. Activities of knowing, assuming, recognizing and fulfilling in the self (‘I’): When it
comes to self (jivan or ‘I’), which is a conscious entity; in addition to ‘recognizing and
fulfilling’, there is also the activity of assuming and that of knowing. In fact, recognizing and
fulfilling in case of human beings will depend upon knowing and/or assuming.
a. We assume – We all make assumptions and our response (recognition and fulfilment) is
dependent on the assumption. For ex.: If I see a snake and assumed it to be a rope, I shall
respond differently to it, than if I take it to be a snake itself. We call this activity ‘assuming or
mannana’.
b. We recognize – We all recognize things today, we recognize a variety of things. Like, we
recognize water, our parents, friends, etc. We call this activity ‘recognizing or pahachaanana’.
The recognizing in ‘I’ depends on assuming.
c. We fulfil –The response that follows recognition is called the activity of ‘fulfilling or nirvaha
karna’. The fulfilment depends on the recognition. For ex.: Once we recognize water, we take
it.
Taken together we can write it as (in I):
Assuming ® Recognizing ® Fulfilling
There is another activity that exists in us (in ‘I’). This activity is called ‘knowing’. Knowing
means we have the right understanding – the understanding of harmony at all levels of our
living. When we have the right understanding, when we have the knowledge of reality, it is
definite, and then assuming becomes according to the knowing, and hence recognizing and
fulfilling becomes definite, or according to knowing. Until then, it is subject to beliefs and
assumptions, and this keeps changing. When we list these down:

I Body
Activities Activities are ….. Desiring, thinking etc. Breathing, heart-beat, etc.
Knowing, assuming, Recognizing, fulfilling
recognizing, fulfilling

Q7. What is pre-conditioning? What is their source?

or
What is the meaning of desire? How do we verify whether our desires are coming from
sensations or preconditioning or natural acceptance?
or
How human mind gets influenced or conditioned?

Ans: Preconditioning means we have assumed something about our desires on the basis of
prevailing notion about it. They comes from what we read, see hear, what our parents tell us,
our friends talk about what the magazines talk of, what we see on the TV etc. We have not self-
verified the desires in our own right. As a result, we are not clear about what we will get out of
fulfilment of that desire. The problem with that is, unless we verify our desires, we may not
even know whether they are our. We may end up spending an entire lifetime accumulating
desires that are not ours, and in running about trying to fulfil them.

Q8 How do we go into conflicts when our activities are not guided by our natural
acceptance?
or
Explain how pre conditioning can lead to unhappiness.
Discuss the problems that are created by having desire, thoughts and expectation on the
basis of preconditioning.
or
How do sensations and pre-conditionings influence our imagination? Give two examples
of each.

Ans: When our activities are not guided by our natural acceptance, then they are guided by
preconditioning and sensations. Preconditioning means we have assumed something about our
desires on the basis of prevailing notion about it. We have not verified the desires in our own
right. As a result, we are not clear about what we will get out of fulfilment of that desire. What
is the issue with that? Unless we verify our desires, we may not even know whether they are
our! We may end up spending an entire lifetime accumulating desires that are not our, and in
running about trying to fulfil them!
Sensation is a perception associated with stimulation of a sense organ or with a specific body
condition: the sensation of heat; a visual sensation.
We go into conflicts when our activities are not guided by our natural acceptance:
A. Conflicts and contradictions in ‘I’ as a result of pre-conditioned desire
We have not verified the desires, thoughts and expectations in us on the basis of our own natural
acceptance. As a result, these desires, thoughts and selections are in conflicts. Since the desires
are in conflict, the thoughts they give rise to, are also in conflict and in turn, the selection from
the thoughts are also in conflicts. This conflict affects us in different manners:
1. Wavering aspirations: Our goals keep shifting as the inputs from the outside also keep
changing. Our desires thus keep shifting, because their source is outside and these
preconditioned desires may come from what we read, see, hear, from media, friends, society,
etc. hence, we are always wavering in what we want; we are not able to be certain about it.
2. Lack of confidence: Since our desires are shaky, we are not sure about them. As a result,
we lack self confidence, in the true sense. Our confidence seems relative i.e. we keep
comparing ourselves with others in order to feel confident.
3. Unhappiness/conflicts: Since our desires, thoughts and expectations are in conflict, it
becomes the cause for our unhappiness, leading to stress and tension. Such desires will also be
in conflict with our natural acceptance
4. Lack of qualitative improvement in us: We focus largely on fulfilling the needs of the
body. As a result, we live with a sense of lack of fulfilment. We are doing many things,
accumulating a lot, progressing on paper, but we don’t feel that we have improved, that we
have become better. It seems that only the things around us are changing!
a) State of resignation: Because we do not understand ourselves properly and have
contradictions within, we slowly start getting disillusioned (pleasant but mistaken beliefs). We
feel that there are no solutions to these issues, and end up in a state of resignation.
B. Short lived nature of pleasure from sensations: The pleasure obtained from sensations is
short-lived. We have so much dependent on sensations that instead of giving us some sensory
pleasure, it becomes the source for our happiness. This can be understood as follows:
The external object is temporary in nature the contact of the external object with the body is
temporary in nature. The sensation from the body to ‘I’ is temporary. And at last the taste of
the sensation from the body in ‘I’ is also temporary. Therefore, if the source for our happiness
is temporary by definition, then our need for continuous happiness will never be fulfilled.
Hence, any sensation we have from the body can’t be the source for our lasting happiness.
To sum up, if our desires, thoughts and expectations are based on pre-conditionings, we are
generally in a state of great confusion. This leads to confusion, unhappiness, conflict and stress.
We have lack of clarity about the self, relationships, society, nature and existence. We have
lack of confidence. We have a feeling of being unfulfilled, unsettled. We operate largely on the
basis of the environment, driven from the outside – either from sensations, or based on pre-
conditionings.

Q9. “I am the seer, doer and enjoyer. The body is my instrument” – Explain.
or
How self enjoys the activities of the body?

Ans: There is a relation between the self and body that body act as an instrument of self.
Whatever self thinks body performs it physically. Body does not decide itself. We can verify
this by the following discussion.
I am the seer: When we are reading a book or listening, when someone is explaining something
to us, when we are watching a scenery or when we are thinking – we are engaged in the
activities of ‘seeing’ or understanding. Now when we see some nice scenery we say ‘I am
seeing’ that means our self ‘I’ see via the eyes, the eyes don’t see, they are just instruments,
that unable me to see something outside. Different images are formed in the eyes every time,
but it is I who is able to relate it to the meaning of that image every time. Similarly, I can see
inside ‘in me’ also – without the eyes. For example I can see that I am getting angry. In this
case I understand or know or am aware that I am getting angry. When I see outside the body
works as an instrument.
I am the doer: once I have seen/ understood something, I am the one who decides what to do
or not to do. I am the doer. For example, when I see the scenery I am the one who decide to
take a picture of the scenery. I use my hands to pick camera and click a picture. The hands in
the body are thus used as an instrument. In this way I work with my hands and legs.
I am the enjoyer: I saw the scenery and I took the picture. I am the seer and doer so far. When
I see the picture I like it. I am the one that enjoys it. Thus there is a continuity of being the seer,
doer and enjoyer. Similarly when I eat, I am the one that gets the taste – from the tongue.

Q10. Explain with examples the various activities in the self 'I'.
or
Briefly explain the activities of Desire, Thought and Expectation in the self with an
example.

Ans: The self is conscious in nature while the body is physico-chemical in nature. The
interaction between the ‘I’ and the body is in the form of exchange of information. So the focus
of attention is on two categories of attributes of the self, namely, the powers of the self and the
corresponding activities as the manifest outcomes of these powers.
1. Power: This means the basic capacity in the self (‘I’). They are: desires, thoughts and
expectations.
2. Activities: The activities are: imaging, analyzing, and selecting/tasting. The activity of
analyzing means breaking down the image into various parts or to open it up. Selecting/tasting
is with the expectation of fulfilling our desires with the expectation of happiness. The activity
of selecting/tasting is the basic level via which the self interacts with the body.
A simple example to understand these activities is a follow:
Ø We may have desire to have respect by being the owner of a big house. This is in the form
of imaging – we have an image in us of fulfillment of this need for respect via a house.
Ø Based on this desire, we start working out the details of the house. Ex no. of rooms, storey’s,
on which floor in will stay. The image of wanting respect from the house is split into many
parts – this is called analyzing. The activity of analyzing means breaking down the image into
various parts.
Ø Now that we have worked out the details of the house, we go about choosing the size, colour
etc. of the room. This is called selecting / tasting.

Q11. What do you mean by right utilization of the body?

Ans: Normally we tend to believe that the body is an instrument for sensory enjoyment, which
is not correct. We also happen to our body to exploit other human beings or rest of the nature,
which is also not right utilization. Body is the instrument of the self and the body needs to be
given nutrition, protection and utilized to work as an efficient and effective tool for the right
purpose. This utilization is termed as right utilization. In other words, employing our body as
an instrument for sensory enjoyment, and to exploit other human beings or rest of the nature is
not the right utilization. On the contrary utilizing our body for right behaviour and work is
actually the right utilization of the body.

Q12 What are the programs for ensuring the health of the body? Explain.
or
Suggest programs to ensure proper functioning of your body. Can we sustain them
without right understanding?

Ans: Our present lifestyle and conditionings are not very conductive to keep the body fit and
therefore it is important to understand sanyama and swasthya correctly and maintain proper
harmony with the body. As a proposal, we need to work for the following few things
1. To understand and live with sanyama.
2. To understand the self organization of the body and ensure health of the body.
1. Understanding and Living with Sanyama: Sanyama implies that the self takes the
responsibility for proper nurturing, and right utilization of the body. For this it is essential to
understand the functioning of the body instrument. It is also essential to understand that this
instrument has a limited life span and undergoes a pattern of growth and decay. The interaction
of the self with the body has to be in consonance with the above objectives which are achieved
through sanyama.
2. Understanding the self organization of the body and ensure health of the body:
a. Nurturing of the Body: Proper Food, Air, Water, Etc.: In the process of selecting
food for the body, I need to make out the elements which make a complete food so that it gives
required nutrients and energy to the body. On the basis of understanding of the harmony of the
self with the body, it can be said that the food needs to be eaten only when we feel hungry. The
choice of the food has to be such that it is easily digestible and the food needs to be taken with
proper posture of the body and in right quantity.
b. Protection of the Body: The second issue is the protection of the body. The clothes we
choose for protection need to be such that they ensure proper interaction of the body with the
environment. The right amount of exposure of the body to the air, water, and sun is required to
ensure its proper functioning.
c. Right Utilization of the Body (Sadupayoga): Right utilization of the body as an
instrument necessitates understanding the purpose for which this instrument is to be used.
Normally, we tend to believe that the body is an instrument for sensory enjoyment, which is
not correct. We also happen to use our body to exploit other human beings or rest of the nature
which is not right utilization. It is important to realize that the human body is an instrument to
facilitate right understanding and its actualization in life.

Q13. What is sanyam? How is it necessary in ensuring svasthya?

or
Define Sanyam and Swasthya. How are they helpful in keeping harmony between self
and body.
Ans: Sanyama means the feeling of responsibility in the self (I) for nurturing, protection and
right utilization of the body. Self-control or sanyama is the control of the mind and its desires,
urges, emotions and delusions. It is controlling the outgoing tendencies of the mind and the
senses and bringing them back to our self within. Swasthya is the condition of the body where
every part of the body is performing its expected function. The word swasthya literally means
being anchored to the self, being in close harmony with the self. In other words, swasthya, in
Sanskrit means self– dependence (swa = your own). Also, embedded in its meaning are health,
sound state, comfort and satisfaction. So we can say that sanyam ensures swasthya.
With right understanding, I get self-organized and take care of the body properly. With lack of
right understanding, I am able to do it and the body becomes unhealthy. With right
understanding and right feelings, the body gets favorably affected. For example; when I am
happy, the temperature and pressure in the body are normal, when I am angry or tense, they get
upset. It means if I am in disharmony, say in anger or stress or despair, it immediately starts
affecting the body adversely. There are many diseases of the body that are caused due to
disharmony in ‘I’. These are called psychosomatic disease, such as asthma, allergies, migraine,
diabetes, hypertension etc. so we can say that sanyam has a strong effect on swasthya.

Q14. What is the responsibility of the self towards the body? How is it fulfilled?
or
Suggest any two programs that you can undertake to improve the health of your body.
or
How does the feeling of sanyam ensure health of the body? List two programs of
sanyam.
or
Explain the relation between the self and the body. What is the responsibility of the self
towards the body?
or
What do you mean by Sanyam? How does it ensure harmony with the body? Explain.

Ans: The self has the responsibility for nurturing, protection and right utilization of the body.
For this self has to follow some programs. We need to work to understand the self organization
of the body and ensure health of the body.
Nurturing of the Body:
Proper Food, Air, Water, Etc.: In the process of selecting food for the body, I need to make
out the elements which make a complete food so that it gives required nutrients and energy to
the body. On the basis of understanding of the harmony of the self with the body, it can be said
that the food needs to be eaten only when we feel hungry. The choice of the food has to be such
that it is easily digestible and the food needs to be taken with proper posture of the body and in
right quantity.
Protection of the Body:
The second issue is the protection of the body. The clothes we choose for protection need to be
such that they ensure proper interaction of the body with the environment. The right amount of
exposure of the body to the air, water, and sun is required to ensure its proper functioning. To
ensure the heath of the Body, we need to take care of the following- i) Ahar-Vihar, ii) Shram-
Vyayam, iii) Asana-Pranayam and iv) Aushadhi-Chikitsa. We have already discussed about
Ahar (Food), let us now discuss about the others:
1) Proper upkeep (Vihar) of the Body: When we work, the Body gets tired. When we take
rest, the Body becomes fit to work. But again, there is a limit to the amount of work and rest
we need. We also need to ensure proper time, posture and ways to work and to rest. We need
to provide hygienic conditions for proper functioning of the Body. These issues are included
in the upkeep of the Body.
2) Labour: Labour is another requirement. It means employing the body physically for
production and maintenance of physical facilities. The labour we do helps each part of the Body
to function properly.
3) Physical Exercises: We are aware of physical exercises. While doing labour, some parts
of the Body may get stressed much while others may not get employed to that extent. With
exercises, we can employ all the parts of the Body in the desired way.
4) Asan-Pranayam: This is another way to keep the Body function properly. In Asanas,
we give the body proper postures by sitting or lying, and in Pranayam, we ensure reguation of
the breathing
5) Treatment of the body: When the Body gets hurt, or is in disorder by either misuse or
because of the adversities of the environment etc., there is a natural tendency of the Body to
heal and come back to its desired state of health. We only need to facilitate this process, and
not suppress it. Thus, when unpleasant sensations come from the Body indicating disorder,
they are to be properly interpreted and attended to.
With all the care we take, the body may require treatment at times. There are several approaches
to ensure this. It may be that just by going without food for some time, the Body gets cured.
Right choice for food may also help. The treatment of the Body can be done by proper
exposures of the Body to air, water or sun too. Use of herbs or medicines may also serve the
purpose. Here one thing to understand is that, the system of the body works in a self-organized
way and I only need to facilitate the self-organization of the body by arranging for material
things. One thing to take care about is that while curing the Body of one problem, we need to
choose ways which do not give rise to other problems.
Right utilization of the body (Sadupyog): Right utilization of the Body as an instrument
necessitates understanding the purpose for which this instrument is to be used. Normally we
tend to believe that the Body is an instrument for sensory enjoyment, which is not correct. We
also happen to use our Body to exploit other human beings or rest of the nature which is also
not right utilization. It is important to realize that the human body is an instrument to facilitate
right understanding and its actualization in life. This is an important issue. I need to ensure that
I use my Body for right behaviour and work. When I do so, it has favourable effects on the
Body. On the other hand, if I use it for acting in opposition with other human beings or nature,
like quarrelling, fighting, hitting, it has adverse effects on the Body. I also need to arrange for
equipments/ instruments for right utilization of the body. They increase the efficiency and
capacity of the body.

Q15. In what way can we say that the human body is a self organized unit?
Ans: The human body is a self organized and highly sophisticated mechanism. The body is
made up of several organs and glands and the different parts of the body keep working in a
close co-ordination. All the activities keep the body fit for the use of ‘I’ (self or jivana) so that
‘I’ and the body may work in synergy as a human being. The silent aspects of this harmony
b/w ‘I’ and the body are:-
1. The body acts according to the needs of I.
2. There is harmony among the parts of the body.
3. What our body follow only by the permission of I.
4. There is a strong coupling b/w I and the body. If I am in disharmony e.g. in anger or stress
or despair. It immediately starts affecting the body adversely.
5. There are many diseases of the body that are caused or accentuated due to disharmony in
I. These are called psychosomatic diseases such as asthma, migraine, hyper-tension etc. On the
other hand, when there is a strong disturbance in the body manifesting in the form of severe
pain, it distracts I from its normal functions.
6. I have the feeling of sanyama for the body and the body has swasthya. Sanyama is basic
to swasthya