Dharmik Shikshan - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text "Dharmik Shikshan" by Sukhlal Sanghavi:

The article "Dharmik Shikshan" (Religious Education) by Sukhlal Sanghavi argues for the importance and necessary reform of religious education, particularly within the Jain community, but with broader applicability to all religious education systems. The author asserts that religious education is indeed a distinct and valuable branch of knowledge, containing matters of interest, depth, and the potential to satisfy humanity's intellectual hunger.

Sanghavi identifies four primary reasons why the question of whether religious education should be provided in institutions like hostels arises:

Narrowness of Vision (દૃષ્ટિનું સંકુચિતપણુ): Religious education, especially within sects like the Digambara Jains, often presents its own scriptures as the ultimate, all-knowing truth, dismissing any differing views from other scriptures as incomprehensible or incomplete. If other scriptures hold similar views, they are considered to have borrowed from Jain texts. This narrow perspective, instilled by teachers, leads students who later become more thoughtful to reject religious education as futile when they encounter alternative viewpoints or new discoveries.
Suppression of Intellectual Freedom and Reason (બુદ્ધિસ્વાતંત્ર્ય અને તર્ક ઉપર અંકુશ): Religious educational institutions often stifle intellectual freedom and reasoning, which are considered the essence of humanity. For example, when students question fantastical descriptions (like oceans of milk and ghee or mountains of gold) or the absence of certain historical figures in Jain texts, they are told that their intellect is limited and they must simply have faith. Questions about apparent contradictions, such as how elaborate worship or even accidental violence in the name of protecting holy sites aligns with the Jain principles of renunciation and non-violence, are dismissed. Those who dare to reason are often labeled as atheists or foolish, leading them to later reject the religious education they received.
Control Over Knowledge and Neglect of New Thought (જ્ઞાન ઉપર અંકુશ અર્થાત્ નવી વિચારધારા અને શાધ તરક દુર્લક્ષ): Religious education tends to ignore or disregard any intellectual developments or discoveries made by others in the same field, whether from the time of ancient authorities or from the present day. This creates a disconnect for students when they later encounter new knowledge. The author notes that students who feel constrained by this intellectual control often express regret for their religious education.
Flawed Teaching Style (શૈલી દોષ): A significant flaw lies in the prevalent teaching method of rote memorization without understanding. While students might find it amusing to memorize, it blunts their thinking and imaginative abilities. Lack of understanding makes the subject uninteresting, and the memorized words are eventually forgotten. Later in life, when these students value critical thinking and practicality, they might curse their religious teachers. The author also criticizes the practice in some religious schools of prohibiting students from reading or engaging with the works of influential thinkers like Mahatma Gandhi simply because they are not Jain religious texts, highlighting a deep-seated aversion to anything outside their prescribed literature.

Despite these criticisms, Sanghavi believes that old beliefs, traditions, and ancient experiences within religious education are valuable and worth knowing up to a certain extent and from a particular perspective. He argues against discarding them entirely due to minor flaws (like the presence of chaff or dirt in grain). Just as the sun and eyes are used to purify grain, intellect and patience are tools to discern merits and demerits and remove flaws. The opposition to religious education, he suggests, proves the need to address the shortcomings that lead to disinterest among educated individuals.

The author then proposes how religious education should be imparted to make it engaging and avoid future regret:

Broadness of Vision (દૃષ્ટિની ઉદારતા): Teach that the ideas presented in religious education are not the absolute final word, but rather one perspective among many, representing the beliefs of scholars from specific eras and traditions. This broadens the student's understanding and allows for respectful consideration of other viewpoints, leading to a balanced understanding of different philosophies on a given topic. This openness allows students to explore texts beyond their immediate tradition.
Full Freedom for Intellectual Freedom and Reasoning (બુદ્ધિવાતંત્ર્ય અને તર્કશક્તિને સંપૂર્ણ છૂટ): Religion is not a trivial matter; it's a path to human betterment. Therefore, intellectual freedom and reasoning should be maximally encouraged. Just as nurturing a child's physical development leads to strength, allowing intellectual freedom in religion fosters growth and interest. While some initial wavering might occur, it ultimately leads to reform and enrichment, as religion is a boundless and living entity. This process will refine religious beliefs and subjects through discussion and critical examination, ultimately clarifying their essence without fear of questioning truth.
Unrestricted Curiosity (જિજ્ઞાસા નિરંકુશ): Foster a strong desire in students to acquire as much knowledge as possible on any subject. Teachers should strive to satisfy this curiosity by breaking free from temporal and geographical limitations when selecting study materials. This will encourage comparative study, maintain student interest, and expand their intellectual horizons.
Change in Teaching Style (શૈલીનું પરિવર્તન): Replace rote memorization with understanding and imagination. This will make religious education attractive without the need for external incentives. In essence, religious education should be imparted with a broad vision, a comparative methodology, and with a focus on developing understanding and imaginative faculties.

Finally, Sanghavi asserts that religious education should be optional (મરજિયાત). The reasons for this are:

Teacher Accountability: To prevent empty classrooms, teachers will be compelled to make their teaching highly engaging and interesting, as their reputation will depend on student attendance.
Teacher Development: This necessity will push teachers to read and think more, understand students' minds, and adapt their teaching to foster interest. This will lead to more mature and impactful teachers, a contrast to the superficiality often seen in compulsory systems.
Avoidance of Negative Associations: Compulsory education can lead to boredom and lasting dislike. Optional religious education avoids this, and its positive outcomes are far more valuable than those of compulsory systems.

The author concludes by stating that even when teaching about conduct, the principles of broadness, comparison, and fostering understanding and imagination should be applied to make it engaging for students. He mentions "Paryushan Parva Vyakhyane" (Sermons during the Paryushan festival) as a context where these principles could be applied.