What is the most important subject in life?

My nine year old daughter asked, “Dad, we have so many subjects now, literacy, maths, science, social studies, music etc. What do you think is the most important subject in life?”

After a moment of pondering, I said, “My dear, the most important subject in life is the life itself – the subject of Self knowledge. But it is ironical that it is not taught in the schools or colleges.”

“Not one more subject, Dad!”, my daughter laughed away the discussion. However, it gave a point to ponder and the subject of my next blog.

There are two aspects of life – one is the outer world, which can be perceived with the help of five senses. We all live and conduct in the outer world. However, while conducting in the world, the state of our mind, the state of our inner peace, the state of our happiness, our mood, our emotions depend on the inner world – the world, which is beyond sensory perceptions. Similarly, the knowledge or the wisdom also has two aspects – the outer wisdom of the world and the spiritual wisdom of the Self- the wisdom of the inner world.

It is ironical that the contemporary man only gave importance to the outer world, while ignoring the wisdom of the inner world. That is the reason that only the subjects of the outer world are taught in the schools and colleges. After gaining knowledge of the outer world in school and colleges, most of us keep running thorough out our life without any predefined goals – in an endless, self-defeating or pointless pursuit of wealth, power and happiness. In the modern education system, there is a lot of emphasis on managing the outer world by doing MBA etc, but there is no emphasis on managing the inner world.

When I refer to the wisdom of the inner world, I mean one should try to gain a clear understanding about the doubts like who am I; what is mind; what is intellect; what is this world; is this world just an illusion created by five senses and the mind; is it possible to rise above all the sorrows of the world; can I overcome all the fears of the world including fear of death; how can I attain long lasting peace and happiness; how did the Self realized saints attained such a blissful state of mind?

While giving importance only to the outer world, even if you gain knowledge of all the subjects of the world; even if you learn all the tricks to amass plenty of wealth, fame and power, but unless and until you gain the wisdom of the inner world, you would remain restless, agitated and unfulfilled. Unless and until you begin to emphasis on the learning about managing the inner world, you would not be able to control this monkey mind, which will continue to keep you away from inner peace and inner happiness.

I am not trying to lower the importance of the worldly knowledge. As long as we live our life and conduct in the outer world, we need knowledge of the outer world also. With the help of such knowledge, man has made immense progress in the scientific arena and thereby, achieved a much more comfortable life style. However, even in the presence of luxurious lifestyle, the modern generation has remained restless, agitated and unfulfilled from within. The comforts, luxuries and pleasures of the world cannot quench the thirst for long lasting peace and happiness.

Once you begin to emphasis on the wisdom of the Self, once you begin to enjoy the company of saints, once you begin to meditate, once you begin to manage the inner world, even the worldly success will fall on your feet. A true seeker not only enjoy the inner happiness, but also gain success in every arena of life. Once you gain the wisdom of the inner world, none of the circumstances of the world can impact your inner state of peace and blissfulness. With the help of the inner wisdom, if one begins to experience the tranquility of inner peace and inner happiness, then life becomes a blissful gift of the Almighty.

If you look at the history, there are many examples. The people like Alexander , Nepoleaon , Mussolini, Hitler, many Kings and Presidents of the world, who gave importance only to the outer world, left the world in unfulfilled and agitated state of mind. Whereas, if you look at the life of Shri Krishna, Shri Rama, Gautam Budha, Sant Kabir, Meera Bai, all the Sikh Gurus and many other saints, you would find that they all remained blissful while facing the challenges of life and are remembered by millions of devotees around the would even today.