Chapter 9: Nature and Space

For teacher’s reference
In the previous chapter, we saw –

• Groups of families constitute a society.
• In which, each person fulfils his/her role according to his/her usefulness.
• Humans are part of nature and they are complementary to each other.

In this chapter, we will see what all does nature comprise of other than humans. We will also draw our attention towards whether there is any other reality in existence other than the realities in nature. If yes, then what is that reality?
From the time humans have emerged on the planet, they have been using natural resources like earth, water, forest, animals, for meeting their fundamental needs. Nature’s order will be in a steady state only when these resources are used sustainably. Humans would also be able to live happily. In this chapter, we will try to understand the order of nature and its balance. We will also see that there are countless stars, planets and satellites in space. Space is called void, empty space or empty place too. All the stars, planets and satellites are in motion in space. Space is where all planets and satellites are situated. One of them is our earth.
If a word is to be given to all the soil, stones, plants, trees, animals, birds and humans seen on earth, it will be nature. Along with earth, if a word is to be given for the solar system with all its planets and satellites, other solar systems, other galaxies and space, it would be existence.
In this chapter, we will try to understand nature and space with the help of activities.

Section 1: Four orders
Activity 1.1: What all is there around us?

Section 2: Space
Activity 2.1: Space — a reality
Activity 2.2: What is space?

Section 1: Four orders

For teacher’s reference

• Everything that we observe in nature can be put into four categories.
• One category can be seen in the form of soil, stone, air, water, which is usually called non-living or material. Plants, trees, etc come in the second category. The third is of animals and birds and the fourth category is of humans.
• Only a human understands the remaining three categories and can use or misuse them.
• In this chapter, an attempt has been made to help the students understand the four categories (or orders) of nature.

Activity 1.1: What all is around us?

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective
1. Students would be able to understand that everything around us is in the form of four realities.
2. This reality can be understood in the form of four categories/orders - material order (non-living matter-soil, stone, metal, minerals, etc), plant order (plants, trees, etc), animal order (birds and animals) and human order (humans).

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Required material: Four or five paper sheets

Steps of the activity
1. Let the students sit in four or five smaller groups and give each group a page.
2. A student from each group first writes any two things visible around him/her. The next child will write another two things. In this way, each student will write two things.
3. Now, the students write any two things that they observe on the way to school. If something has already been mentioned in the list of things, it need not be repeated.
4. Now one student from each group will present this in class. (3 minutes per group)
5. During the students’ presentation, the teacher draws four columns on the board and asks the students to segregate the points in their lists based on the following:

• Column 1: Things that don't breathe
• Column 2: Things that breathe, but can't move around or change their place and are not impacted by what we say
• Column 3: Things that breathe, are impacted by what we say, can recognise and respond but can’t understand or explain things as we do
• Column 4: Things that breathe, are impacted/affected by what we say, can recognise, respond and can understand and explain things

Note: If any column remains blank, the teacher can add a couple of points from his/her own side to fill the columns.

Proposed questions for discussion
1. What name can be given to the things on the first list? (Answer: Non-living matter)
2. What name can be given to the things on the second list? (Answer: Plants and trees)
3. What name can be given to the things on the third list? (Answer: Animals and birds)
4. What name can be given to the things on the fourth list? (Answer: Humans)

In this way, we recognise nature in four forms –
The first group has all matter, and hence is called material kingdom/order.
The second group has plants and trees, and is hence called plant kingdom/order.
The third group has animals and birds, and is hence called animal kingdom/order.
The fourth group has humans who can understand and explain. This can be called humankind/human order.

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

We saw earlier that we recognise entire nature in four groups –

• The first group has all matter and is called material kingdom/order.
• The second group has plants and trees and is hence called plant kingdom/order.
• The third group has animals and birds and is hence called animal kingdom/order.
• The fourth group has humans who can understand and explain. This can be called humankind or human order.

In the following activity we will have a dialogue with the students on the unique qualities of these four orders. This will help them in understanding the four orders properly.

Steps of the activity
Students are made to sit in four groups and each group is given a page. The four groups can be called material world, plant world, animal world and human world. Each group writes the unique qualities of their assigned group name. For example, need for food and dependence on it, Respiration, usefulness for the other categories etc. (5 minutes)
(It would be helpful for the teachers to go and give some hints to each group once in a while. For example, non-living things combine and make new matter, plants and trees recognise means of nourishment from the surroundings and that gets utilised by them, animals and birds go from one place to the other for food but consume it in the form it is. Humans make their habitat more conducive for their living and work on nature to produce different things. They can use their imagination & creativity to produce a wide variety.)
1. Now each group presents for three minutes each.
2. During the students’ presentation, the teacher draws four columns on the board (1, 2, 3, 4) and writes the points in their lists according to the following –
Write the unique qualities of non-living things in Column 1.
Write the unique qualities of plants and trees in Column 2.
Write the unique qualities of animals and birds in Column 3.
Write the unique qualities of humans in Column 4.

Proposed questions for discussion:
(If students are unable to share, teachers can share some examples given under the points to take the conversation ahead.)
1. What are your thoughts about the material world? Is its interaction (conduct) with other material things or with humans definite or indefinite? Share with an example.
(For example, water always boils at 100 degrees celsius. Utensils, tools, TV etc. are made through a particular and definite process, therefore they can be made in thousands and lakhs in factories. This means there is a definite interaction/conduct in the materials being used i.e. material order. E.g: Water flows towards the slope and works on this law. Hence its conduct is definite.)
2. What are your thoughts about the conduct of the plant world? Is its conduct definite or indefinite? Share with an example.
(For example, a mango seed will always grow into a mango plant, which then becomes a tree. The fruit on this tree would also be mangoes. Green chilli is spicy. And if it's not spicy, we would say what kind of a green chilli is this?)
3. What are your thoughts about the conduct of the animal world? Is its conduct definite or indefinite? Share with an example.
(For example, Animal food and behaviour is definite. An elephant never eats meat. A lion hunts only when hungry. A species can be cruel for one and non-cruel for the other. A cat is cruel for a rat but is non-cruel for a dog. Their conduct is definite.
4. What are your thoughts about the conduct of the human world? Is its conduct definite or indefinite? Share with an example.
(For purposes of discussion the teacher can share that humans want to live with stability and definiteness. But since we are most governed by how we think, our limited understanding and our inability to recognise the principle/purpose behind our existence makes our conduct indefinite. For example, we sometimes trust ourselves and sometimes we don’t. Due to our lack of understanding we do not get the results we desire from our activities and are unable to control how we feel. Similarly we are sometimes angry and sometimes loving. We are sometimes happy and sometimes sad. All these are symptoms of indefinite conduct.
(Note: If a human becomes sensible and lives with understanding/clarity, then he/she will live with definite conduct – always trustful, always happy and always loving. He/she would be able to live in complementarity and harmony with the rest of the society and nature (orders - matter, plant and animal order).

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Section 2: Space

Through the above activity, we saw that there are things all around us such as non-living things, plants and trees, animals and birds and humans. Alongside, if we pay attention, then between two atoms, two people, two planets or satellites, there is empty space. This empty space is between all entities and within (through and through) the entities too. For example, an electron moving inside an atom is proof that even within an atom there is empty space. In this manner, in a solar system all planets rotate around their axis and also revolve around some celestial body. Hence, there is empty space even around them. In this section, we will discuss this empty space.

Activity 2.1: Space – a reality

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: To draw students’ attention towards that space is a reality.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Day 1

Note to the teacher: In the previous activity, we saw that there are four kinds of groups of entities on earth which we can classify as material world, plant world, animal world and human world. When we see the entire existence, we understand that there is one more important reality called Space. In this activity, we will talk about space.

Steps of the activity
The first discussion: Among the bottles that students bring to school, choose two bottles that look almost the same. One should be filled with water and the other should be empty. Now teachers will discuss in the following manner –
1. Both bottles weigh the same or different?
2. If the weight is different then which is heavier? The one which is empty or the one which is full? Why? Discuss.
(Answer: The bottle full of water will be heavier because water is a liquid and liquid particles have less space between them and so there are more water particles in the bottle. The bottle which is empty has air in it. Air has gases which have more space between particles and so there are less air particles in the bottle because of which it is light in weight.)
3. The distance between particles means there is no particle in between. This gap between two particles is also called Space.

The second discussion: Discuss the solar system with the students –

• What is there between the earth and moon? Empty space or something else? (Answer: Empty space)
• The earth revolves around the sun. Is there empty space in the orbit or something else? (Answer: Empty space)
• If there was no empty space in the orbit (there was either a planet or something else), would the earth be able to revolve around the sun? (In other words, the earth is able to revolve around the sun because of empty space in its orbit.)
• If we look at all the planets and stars in the sky, is there space around some planets and stars or around all of them?
• Think about this – is there empty space around stars and planets, or are the stars and planets in the empty space?

The above two discussions bring out that empty space is a reality and it is present everywhere.

Proposed questions for discussion

• Do you recall any place where there is no empty space?
• Does the chair you are sitting on have empty space or not?
• Is this chair made of particles/atoms or not?
• Is there empty space between these atoms or not?
• If there is empty space between atoms then the chair too has empty space. 

Agree/disagree? Discuss.

•  A pen too has empty space. Agree/disagree? Discuss.
• Our body too has empty space. Agree/disagree? Discuss.
• The terrace has empty space. Agree/disagree? Discuss.
• Think once again and share if you recall any place where there is no empty space.

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Why do our vehicles stop in a traffic jam?
2. Why are we able to drive the vehicle at a greater speed on empty roads?
3. What is the importance of empty space in both these situations? (When is empty space more and when is it less?)
4. If a vehicle is not able to go ahead, is empty space the barrier or another vehicle?
5. On the earth’s orbital path around the sun, no other planet is seen, there is just empty space. Is empty space a barrier in the revolution of planets?
6. Empty space is present between particles, between us and between planets too. Is this empty space a barrier in activities taking place in and around us?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Activity 2.2: How is space?

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: Students’ understand that there is no change in space and that space is limitless.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Day 1

Note Note for the teacher: In the last few activities, we understood earth’s four orders and recognised space as a reality. In this activity, we will try to understand that with time there are changes that take place in the four orders but there is no change in space, and it is a limitless reality. In nature we can see shape or understand size, dimensions of objects, for e.g. a very tall tree or a huge whale, a high mountain or even the sun and the moon. Their sizes and shape may vary but they have a definite boundary and it can be understood and often even be calculated by us. If we think about space, we can see that it's space in which particles and planets are present. And if we expand our imagination beyond the solar system, galaxies, universe; we can see that space is everywhere and we are unable to find a boundary or a limit to it. Thus space is limitless or boundless.

Steps of the activity

• The teacher asks the students to observe things around them for 5 minutes.
• What are the things which change (make and break, compose and decompose, form and deform, flourish and spoil, grow and disintegrate) with time? Students make a list in their notebooks. 
• Is there any one thing which does not change?
• Ask the students to share their list and write it on the board.

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Will the chair on which we are sitting form-deform or will it always remain the same? Why? [change here refers to chair’s colour fading, wood chipping, paint wearing off or chair breaking, etc]
2. Will our house form-deform with time or will it be the same? Why?
3. Will the plants and trees in the school garden always remain the same or will they change? If they will change, then what are the kinds of changes?
4. Animals and birds in the jungle will always stay the same or will there be any changes in them? If there are changes, what will they be? [change here refers to them being babies, then growing, becoming old, etc]
5. Our bodies will always remain the same or will there be changes in them? If there will be changes, what type of changes will there be?
6. Will space always be the same or will it change? If it will change, then what are the kinds of changes? (Note: Help the students realise that space does not change.)
7. Can we say that all units of the four orders change constantly while there is no change in space? Agree/disagree? Discuss.
8. Can we say that existence is the co-existence of the changing and the unchanging? Agree/disagree? Discuss.

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Steps of the activity

• The teacher asks the students to observe things around them and see things that have a limited shape (in other words, things that have a shape). Ask them to make a list of those in their notebooks.
• Is there something that does not have a shape and is limitless/unbounded? Ask the students to share their list and simultaneously write it on the board.

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Is the shape (length, width) of the chair or desk on which we are sitting limited or unlimited? (Answer: Limited)
2. Is the shape (length, width) of our house limited or unlimited? (Answer: Limited)
3. Is the shape (length, breadth) of the plants and trees in the school limited or unlimited? (Answer: Limited, despite growth, still is limited)
4. Is the shape (length, breadth) of animals and birds limited or unlimited? (Answer: Limited)
5. Is the shape (length, breadth) of our body limited or unlimited? (Answer: Limited)
6. Does space have a shape or no? (Answer: No)
7. Does space have a boundary or is limitless? (Answer: Limitless)
8. Can we say that the four orders have a shape but space does not have a shape? Agree/disagree? Discuss.
9. Can we say that existence is the co-existence of limited units (comprising the four orders) and limitless space? Agree/disagree? Discuss.
[Note: while discussing space it is important to point out that when we say space is limitless, boundless; it implies that space is formless or in other words, does not have a shape. At the same time as discussed earlier, space is also unchanging. Thus this limitless entity is boundless, formless yet unchanging i.e. not contracting or expanding. It is ‘as it is’ always.]

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

-----------------------------

• Chapter 1: Understanding Happiness
• Chapter 2: Need
• Chapter 3: Needs of the Self
• Chapter 4: Trust and Confidence
• Chapter 5: Identifying Commonness
• Chapter 6: Sensible person = happy person
• Chapter 7: Happy Family
• Chapter 8: A Happy Society
• Chapter 9: Nature and Space

Chapter 8: A Happy Society

For teacher’s reference
In the previous chapter, we saw:

• Family is a harmonious unit.
• In it, everyone recognises their role - the elder members of the family take responsibility for the security, nourishment and education of the younger ones, and the younger members live with the elders with gratitude.
• Now we will see how groups of families together form society.

How is society formed? Why is it necessary? These questions often come to our mind while the truth is: society is our need. If there is no society then the many things we claim as ours (in the public domain) – “these are made for us and we are entitled to have/use them” – won’t be available for us. How would we drink milk in the morning? Where will we get our clothes from? How will we get education? If there is no society and people are not connected, how will we move ahead?
Our imagination of a society is connected with the market today whereas the market is actually a part of society. We have assumed that we get things simply by paying for them. What we tend to forget is that many people have contributed for those things to be produced/manufactured and to reach us.
We are all connected through society. No one is alone. We are all collectively known as society. How we are as people, how sensible we are, all of this reflects on the society as a whole. Only a sensible person (a person with clarity) can constructively participate in the society and its overall order. A person may wish to participate in the order of his/her colony and another may wish to participate in the order of the country or the world.

Section 1: Why society?
Activity 1.1: Why do we need society?
Activity 1.2: Understanding society

Section 2: What kind of society?
Story 2.1: Sugar in milk
Activity 2.1: Our contribution

Section 1: Why society?

For teacher’s reference

• Everything in nature is complementary to each other, similarly people living in a harmonious society are complementary to and cooperative with each other.
• For everyone’s (i.e. society’s) progress, we need to develop the competence to cooperate with each other and work together.
• In this section, the attempt is to draw students’ attention to the fact that the space to live lies within society. They will also understand why we need society and why we should play a role in it.
• Also, their attention would be drawn to how we are all connected to each other.

Activity 1.1: Why do we need society?

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: Students have clarity on why all of us require a society.

Note for the teacher:
A collective of more than one group of families is called society where each one is engaged in a constructive role/activity, like growing food, making clothes, maintaining societal security, nurturing relationships with people as well as nature, etc. Each person’s work and behaviour in society is towards the fulfilment of definite aims. People in society have a fundamental desire for mutual affection and kindness towards one another, which helps in realising these aims.
The Living in a family, in a society, there are many needs that a person has which cannot be completed with his/her own resources and efforts, such as food, shelter, clothes, security, travel, etc. He/she needs society for this. In this activity, we will explore why we need society and have a discussion about it.

Steps of the activity
The teacher asks the students to do the following –

• Make a list of the reasons why we need to live in society?
• If our family is asked to stay in a forest or on an island alone (where no other family lives around and there is no societal/governmental order) then what are the kinds of difficulties our family will go through? List them out.
• Give five minutes for the task.
• Now ask the children to share their responses and write the list on the board.

(Expected answers: The house will not get electricity and so there will be no heater, cooler, TV, fridge etc.; there will be no hospital on falling ill; there will be fear of animals; where would the clothes come from? There would be no mobile phones and so it won’t be possible to contact each other, and so on)
The list can be classified according to the following heads –

Proposed questions for discussion:
1. One can live fearlessly when living in a society. Agree/disagree? How?
2. Learning and understanding becomes easy by living in society. Agree/disagree? How?
3. Our needs are fulfilled by living in society. Agree/disagree? How?
4. Are any points left that do not fit into the above three categories.
(Expected answer: No)

Teacher’s Note: This means that the need for society is for fearlessness, clarity and prosperity.

At Home – Observe, Inquire and Understand (for students):
Encourage the students to brainstorm and discuss the following points after class or at home with their family, relatives and friends –

• Why do we need society, can we not live in isolation?
• Do I need society or does society need me?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

The students would have discussed the aforesaid points with their family, relatives and friends and now we will discuss the following points with the students –

• Who all did you discuss with?
• How did they feel while talking to you?
• Share the main discussion points you had.
• Share some interesting responses you heard about people’s notions on society.

Write the answers given by the students on the board.

Proposed questions for discussion
1. A society cannot be imagined without humans. Agree/disagree? Discuss.
2. Is society an order (i.e. a harmonious order) or disorder? Discuss.
3. Society has an impact on people. Agree/disagree? Discuss.
4. People have an impact on society. Agree/disagree? Discuss.
5. The government is also a part of society. Agree/disagree? Discuss

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Activity 1.2: Understanding Society

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: Students have clarity on what society is and people who help us with our daily jobs (and needs) are also a part of society.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Note for the teacher: We are able to go on with our daily lives and chores because of the help and support we receive from many people in society. This activity is to help students realise that contribution and relationship with people in society.

Steps of the activity
Teachers discuss the following with all the students –

• If we feel like eating a bhutta (roasted corn), what will we need to do?
• (Probable answer: Get it from the market)
• Where does corn come from in the market? (Probable answer: From the field)
• Who grows the corn in the field for us? (Probable answer: Farmer)
• If we have money but the farmer doesn’t grow corn, would it be available to us? (Probable answer: No)
• So do we have a relationship with the farmer who grows corn for us? (Probable answer: Yes)
• If we fall very ill, who do we go to? (Probable answer: Doctor)
• If we have the money, but there is no doctor available, will our money be able to cure us? (Probable answer: No)
• Would it be correct to say that a doctor has a role to play in our lives? (Probable answer: Yes)
• If someone plays a role in our lives, can we say that we have a relationship with that person? (The teacher can facilitate a discussion on how being related to someone means that both of us play an important role in each others’ lives. Hence, one is affected by the other. For example, we are affected if the doctor is not available and the doctor feels hurt if we are rude to him/her or don’t listen to his/her advice)
• Would it be appropriate to say that people who are farmers, doctors, mechanics, engineers, etc. are an important part of society and that we are all connected (or related) with each other?

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Make a list of the other members of the society (example, doctor, plumber, electrician, teacher, engineer, etc) who have an important place in our lives.
2. Our life is easy because of the presence of all of them. Agree/disagree? How?
3. What is the role we play in the lives of the various people who help us?
4. If people who help me are happy, I feel happy. Agree/disagree? How?

Teacher’s Note: This means that all of us have a role to play to ensure that all the members of the society are happy.

At Home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)
Encourage the students to brainstorm and discuss the following points after class or at home with their family, relatives and friends –

• Many people contribute to the smooth functioning of our daily lives. What do you think about this?
• Just having money does not ensure that we get facilities. For that, it is important to have responsible people in the society.

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

The students would have discussed the aforesaid points with their family, relatives and friends and now we will discuss the following points with them –

• Who all did you discuss with?
• How did they feel talking to you?
• Share the main discussion points you had.
• Share some interesting responses you heard about people’s notions on society.

Write the answers given by the students on the board.

Proposed questions for Discussion
1. We are dependent on society for all the facilities we require. Agree/disagree? How?
2. Should we pay attention to people who help us (engineer, mechanic, teacher, electrician, doctor, farmer, leader/politician, social worker, etc) or ignore them?
3. We will be happy if people in society are happy. Agree/disagree? How?
4. Society is constantly working towards our understanding and providing us facilities. Agree/disagree? How?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Section 2: What kind of society?

For teacher’s reference
A person’s progress is by living in society. One cannot live a happy life in isolation. One needs the cooperation and help of many people. One lives in a family with parents, siblings and other relations. Family is a space that helps a person be grounded in values, learn to live with a feeling of togetherness, strengthen one’s health, etc. A group of families forms a society and the society has a huge role to play in the development of a person - be it with respect to one’s education, health, work ethics, etc.
The identity of a healthy society is in its undividedness and togetherness. With a feeling of equality and togetherness, we recognise each other’s contribution in each other’s lives and in society. We feel grateful for other’s role and contribution and simultaneously feel a sense of responsibility to fulfill ours.
In this section, we will try to understand all of this with the help of stories and activities.

Story 2.1: Sugar in milk

Time: At least two periods or until the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: To help develop an understanding in students about living in mutuality (with reciprocity).

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Story
Many centuries ago, a small country was attacked. Due to the attack, the residents had to leave the country. They left in large numbers in their boats and reached the shore of a big country and requested refuge. The king of that country was very generous but he believed that the population of his country was already large and it won’t be able to accommodate more people.
They also didn’t understand each other’s language and so he sent a glass full of milk to the people seeking refuge. They immediately understood the message and requested for sugar. They mixed the sugar with milk and sent the glass back. Through this medium, they sent out a message to the king that they are peace-loving people who will make the land and society prosperous with their knowledge and hard work and by mixing into the existing society just the sugar melted into the milk and only made it sweeter.
The king was very impressed by their thinking. He welcomed them into the country and helped them settle into their new home. In this way, they all blended like sugar in milk in the new country and got engaged in its welfare.

Day 1

Proposed questions for Discussion
1. Has it ever happened with you that after spending time with a person your perception about him/her has changed?
2. Are people around us similar or different? In what ways are we similar?
3. On what basis do we form relationships?
4. Do we see similarities and make relationships?
5. Can we be useful to everybody? How?

At Home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)
1. Students go home and discuss with their parents about where all the various people who stay in the colony have come from. Also, have all those who have come from elsewhere, blended like sugar in milk?
2. If possible, they should also discuss who came first to the colony and who came later. Does the happiness quotient of the colony depend on who came first and who came later?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.
Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

• Have some students recall the story.
• Have them share the feedback received from their homes in small groups. Some students can then share their thoughts with the entire class.
• The remaining students can be asked to share their thoughts on the first day’s discussion questions.

Note for the teacher: The teacher takes the feedback of the previous day’s discussion and gets the students to reflect a little more on: if it matters who came first to the colony and who came later.
The teachers may give some examples of Indians living in various countries like Africa, Canada, Singapore etc. There are large settlements of Indians in those countries now. There is no corner in the world where Indians have not settled. They blended like sugar in milk with that society. In our country too, there are people from various countries of the world who’ve settled here and all of us are part of one society now.

Additional questions for Discussion

1. What is the difference between living in isolation and living with people?
2. On what basis do we consider ourselves different from the others?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Do’s and Don’ts

• Give everyone an opportunity to express themselves and listen to them patiently.
• Teachers observe whether all the students are participating in the discussion or not.
• Encourage and support the students who are hesitant to participate in the discussion.

Activity 2.1: Our Role

Time: At least two periods or until the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: To inspire students to become useful and responsible citizens and to help them realise the happiness that comes from knowing their value.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Steps of the activity

• Students divide themselves into groups of 5.
• Each group prepares a plan for their participation in improving the environment of the school. The main points can be – what, when, who, how etc. Give them 10 minutes.
• The teacher can also make a plan and share with the class.
• Each group makes a 3 minute presentation of its plan in class. Each plan receives appreciation from the teacher.

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Why should we participate in improving the environment of our school?
2. In what ways can students participate and contribute in the school?
3. If all students play a constructive role in school, what are the kinds of changes we would be able to see in the school?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Dos and Don’ts

• The plans of each group can be made on a chart paper and displayed in class or any other appropriate place in school.
• The students voluntarily taking responsibility in school are appreciated in the school assembly.
• Teachers help students implement their plans.
• If the activity cannot be completed in one period, it can be continued the next day.

-----------------------------

• Chapter 1: Understanding Happiness
• Chapter 2: Need
• Chapter 3: Needs of the Self
• Chapter 4: Trust and Confidence
• Chapter 5: Identifying Commonness
• Chapter 6: Sensible person = happy person
• Chapter 7: Happy Family
• Chapter 8: A Happy Society
• Chapter 9: Nature and Space

Chapter 7: Happy Family

For teacher’s reference
In the previous chapter, we saw –

• Only a sensible person can be happy.
• Once a person understands his/her needs in human relationships and of material, then the person becomes competent in fulfilling them.
• This clarity makes a person sensible. That is why he/she is able to be happy.
• A happy person can truly play a constructive role in the family and society.

Each person lives in a family. Most of a person’s life is spent with family and we expect deeper happiness and fulfillment from there. And thus, the space of a family and how we live in it is one of the most important aspects of our life.
Sensible parents keep an atmosphere of love and equality in the family and are competent in providing the right direction to their children. In a family, just like parents; grandparents, uncles and aunts give an atmosphere of love, guidance, education and security.
From birth itself, the parents have a special relationship with their children. From the time they are born, parents care for them and provide for all their needs and education. When parents grow old, the children look after them. In a sensible and happy family, everyone looks after each other and strives for everyone to be happy. This is the most important role of a family. All the elders of the family have understood and are able to live this. Children growing up in such families learn and understand these virtues and become competent in playing out this role themselves.
This, when continues generation after generation, is called a fulfilling relationship. There is happiness in the family when relationships are fulfilled. When they are not, the family members are unhappy and relationships are strained.
In this chapter, we will try to understand the relationships in the family.

Section 1: Family – a harmonious order
Story 1.1: The kite string
Story 1.2: A big man

Section 2: Participation in relationships
Story 2.1: Brother, not a burden
Story 2.2: All together

Section 3: Relationships in family
Activity 3.1: Recognising parent-child relationship
Activity 3.2: Recognising relationship with siblings and friends

Section 1: Family – a Harmonious Unit

For teacher’s reference
In most families, we often prioritise comforts over relationships. We tend to think that family is a space where everything should happen according to our wish, or one person's wish - but this is not the truth. Family is a space, an order where we together participate towards each other's happiness, and collectively as a unit, play our larger role in society.

Story 1.1: The kite string

Time: At least two periods or until the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: To understand through the story that relationships are not meant to be constricting, instead, living in them is our need.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Learning Objective: We are all connected to each other through different human relationships. These relationships can sometimes seem like restrictions or constraints. There are invisible ties that keep us connected and can show us the right way. Similar to a kite that can fly high only when connected to the string. If the string gets cut, the kite is not able to fly. What is important here is that if the kite string is in the hands of someone who knows how to fly well, then the sky's the limit. The kite can reach new heights. Through this story, the attempt is for students to see how relationships keep us not only connected but enable us to live better.

Story
One day Manjeet was learning to fly a kite from his father at their house terrace. Manjeet’s father took the kite to a certain height and then gave the string to Manjeet to handle. Soon, his kite was flying in the open sky. Manjeet asked his father, “Don’t you feel the kite wants to free itself and fly higher in the sky, but the string that we hold stops it from flying that high. If we leave the string, it will fly higher.” Then Manjeet asked his father if they should cut its string.
His father, without saying anything, cut the string and set the kite free. The kite began to fly higher and Manjeet felt very happy. But in a short while, the kite started falling and landed on the terrace of a house. Manjeet was surprised to see this. His father put his hand gently on Manjeet’s shoulder and smiled and said, “I knew that if I cut the string, the kite would fall. It is by being tied with the string that the kite gets the right direction and it can fly high.
Manjeet was surprised and asked him, “If you knew then why did you cut the string when I asked you to?” His father said, “I wanted you to learn something from this kite.” Manjeet asked what his lesson was. His father said, “Our family and relationships tie us like this string. When we move ahead, fly high, then these relationships when required, give us room (like the kite string is let loose sometimes) and when required to pull us, they do so, to ensure that we don’t lose track. We can fly high and be successful in the open sky of this world only by being attached to our family ties. They give us the right direction.

Day 1

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Elders in the family often correct and guide their children. Why do they do this? What do you feel they get by doing this?
2. Can you recall an incident when a member of your family told you to do something which you did not like then, but later you realised what they said was right?
3. In order to have the right direction and progress in life, the ties of family relationships are important. Agree/Disagree? Why?

At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students):

• Students should try and understand by talking to their parents or elder siblings that when they were children, they too sometimes find their parents’ behaviour restricting like the kite string?
• Did they also think that once freed from the string, we will fly higher?
• Also try to ask them what they think about the same things today.
• Students should also pay attention to: when did someone try to explain something to them and who was that person? How are they related to you? How much happiness does that relationship give to you?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

• Have some students recall the story.
• Have them share the feedback received from their homes in small groups.
• The first day’s discussion questions can be used again for the remaining students.

Additional questions for discussion
1. Share one incident when your dear ones told you the right thing due to which you could save yourself from taking the wrong path.
2. Are such relationships that stop us time and again from doing the wrong thing and encourage us amid disappointment, important for everyone?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Story 1.2: A big man

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: To help students develop respect for parents and also to ensure that they think before they assume anything about anyone.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Story
In a family, the parents were working hard to educate their child but their child would always look at the things his wealthier friends had, such as expensive mobile phones, watches etc. and would get annoyed with his parents. Once he got obsessed with the thought of buying a motorbike. The parents did not have money for it. When his father said no, the boy got very angry and decided to leave his house. He was so angry that he wore his father’s shoes instead of his own. He was thinking in his mind that he would walk out now and would return only when he became a big man. “If they can’t even buy me a bike, why do they dream of making me an engineer,” he thought.
He picked up his father’s wallet, which his father would not allow anyone to touch. He thought the wallet would have money and his accounts diary. He would then get to know where all his father had saved money.
As soon as he came on the road outside his lane, he felt something was hurting inside the shoes. He felt the pain but kept moving ahead in anger. When he reached a little ahead, he felt his foot was wet. There was water on the road. When he lifted his leg and saw, the sole of the shoe was broken and the nail was hurting as well. Anyhow, he reached the bus stop limping. When there was no bus that came to the stop for long, he thought he should open the wallet and check what’s inside. He opened the wallet and found a slip inside which read, “Borrowed Rs. 10,000 for mobile.” He remembered that the previous month his father had got him a mobile by borrowing money from someone.
He saw another folded paper inside the wallet. It had a chit from his father’s office hobby day programme. His father had written his hobby – wearing good shoes. He looked at this father's shoes which he was wearing and felt sad. He remembered that for the past four months his mother would tell his father on his salary day to buy new shoes. His father would laugh it off saying his shoes would last another six months. “Now I understand how long they would last,” the boy thought to himself.
He opened a third chit from the wallet. On that, there was an ad which read, “Buy a new bike by exchanging old scooter.” As soon as he read this, his mind was baffled. “This means that Papa will exchange his scooter to buy me . . . ,” he thought as he ran towards his house. He didn’t find his father nor the scooter at home. He understood everything and went running to the nearby motorbike agency. He saw his father there; he ran and hugged him. His father’s shoulder was wet with the boy’s tears. He told his father, “I don’t want a motorbike. Please get new shoes for yourself. I do want to be a big man, but like you.”

Day 1

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Have you got influenced by someone and demanded something from your parents? Share with an example.
2. Are expensive mobile phones, watches, cycles etc. important to get success in life? Why?
3. Why do parents want to educate their children despite facing hardships?
4. Have you ever sat and discussed with your parents how much they spend on their own needs from their income? If yes, then why? If no, then why not?

At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for the students)

• Students should discuss the story at home and understand the thoughts and views of their family members. They should also discuss the above questions with them.
• Students should have a discussion with their parents about how they organise money for running their house and fulfilling their (students) educational needs or demands. What are their parents income and financial responsibilities?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

• Have some students recall the story.
• The first day’s discussion questions can be used again for recall.
• Have them share the feedback received from their homes in small groups. Some students can share their thoughts with the entire class.

Additional questions for discussion
1. Has it ever happened that you made an assumption about someone without knowing the whole thing and then later you realised that your assumption was wrong.
2. Who is a ‘big man’ according to you and why?
3. In what way will you become big, and how?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

  

Section 2: Participation in relationships

For teacher’s reference

• We are constantly trying to fulfill the relationship we have with another person. This is our natural desire.
• We can observe relationships at the level of family and friends, and at the level of society (colleagues, co-workers, etc). We naturally want all our relationships to be fulfilling. Fulfillment comes from participation. That is, to contribute to each others’ growth, ensure steadiness of feelings and keep helping the other as per the needs of the person and situations. This participation is our role and responsibility (in our relationships). Trying to escape this role is a sign of running away from our responsibilities.
• Being able to participate with a sense of responsibility is what fulfilling relationships is all about. In other words, this participation or role is our fulfillment in relationships.

Story 2.1: Brother, not a burden

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: To encourage students to trust family relationships and inspire them to fulfill them.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Story
Two friends met each other suddenly one day. They asked each other about their well being. The first friend said everything was going well. The other friend was a little upset. He shared that the previous year his father had passed away, after which the burden of his younger brother’s education came on his head. Rest everything else was fine. Then they saw a girl, aged nine or 10, carrying her younger brother on her shoulders and climbing uphill. She was sweating profusely but kept climbing.
When she was passing by the friends they sympathetically said, “Beta, you are sweating. You must be tired of your brother's burden on your back. Let us help you by carrying him for a while. You’ll get some rest.” The little girl looked at the two friends and said, “What are you saying, Uncle? It must be a burden for you? For me, he is my younger brother, not a burden.”
When they heard her answer, the two friends realised how they were talking of their family a while back. The girl understands her relationship with her brother and can't imagine him as a burden. The second friend realised his wrong feeling towards his brother. A little girl made him understand that a brother is a brother, not a burden.

Day 1

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Which of your relationships do you not consider to be a burden? Why?
2. Why don’t the relationships you mentioned above (i.e. the ones you have accepted) seem like a burden to you?
3. What is the difference between burden and responsibility?
4. What is the difference between - maintaining a relationship while considering it to be a burden and maintaining one where it is considered to be a responsibility?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

• Have some students recall the story.
• The first day’s questions for discussion can be used again for recall.
• Have them share the feedback received from their homes in small groups. Some students can share their thoughts with the entire class.

Additional questions for discussion
1. How can you bring harmony in family relationships? Give examples from your life. (If students don’t give a clear answer then some possible answers can be – looking after the other, holding conversations, spending happy time together etc.)
2. What responsibilities do you take care of in your family and why?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Do’s and Don’ts

• Give everyone an opportunity to express themselves and listen to them patiently.
• Make sure that all the students participate in the discussion.
• Encourage and support the students who are hesitant to participate in the discussion.

Story 2.2: All together

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: To help students understand the importance of living together with a feeling of oneness (i.e. feeling united) in a family.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Direction of Discussion (For Teachers): Staying together and being able to function collectively as a family requires a feeling of oneness. Oneness means being able to see how all of us desire to live together, take care of each other and be happy. Drawing our attention towards these intrinsic desires, will allow us to live with this feeling of oneness or in other words, togetherness. Similarly, if we are able to live with this feeling of oneness in our society, country and planet; then life will be devoid of unhappiness.
Living with a feeling of oneness beyond the family will inculcate a feeling of undividedness with the entire world, which will bring about immense strength and happiness in every individual.

Story
A man had four sons who would constantly fight with each other. The man would try to make them understand but they wouldn’t understand anything. When he couldn’t make them understand by talking to them, he decided to experiment and get a solution to this problem.
One day he told his sons to bring him a bundle of sticks. When they got him that bundle, he gave each son the bundle turn by turn and asked them to break it. One by one, each son applied their full strength but were unsuccessful. Then the man opened the bundle and separated the sticks and gave the sticks to the sons to break. Now, they could break the sticks easily.
Now the man said, “Sons, if you live together and stay united to help each other, even in dire circumstances you would be strong like this bundle. If you are divided, you can feel isolated and anyone can cause harm to you.”

Day 1

Proposed questions for discussion
1. When do families break – when there is no money or when there’s no unity?
2. Even if a school cricket team or music team has the most talented students, can it win without unity?
3. Has it ever happened with you that you could not work together and you had to bear the loss caused by that? Explain with an example and also share the outcome.
4. When have you seen work happening smoothly because of unity and togetherness in the family? Share with an example.

At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)

• Students should discuss the story at home and understand the thoughts and views of their family members. They should also discuss the above questions with their family members.
• Students should compile examples from their neighbourhood where they can find the importance of living with unity. They should discuss this with their family as well.

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

• Have some students recall the story.
• The first day’s discussion questions can be used again for the remaining students.
• Have them share the feedback received from their homes in small groups. Some students can share their thoughts with the entire class.

Additional questions for discussion
1. How do you work collectively in school? And are you successful at it?
2. Share any work you did collectively in your neighbourhood.
3. According to you, why are people unable to live unitedly even though they know that unity is helpful for everyone?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

  

Section 3: Relationships in family

For teacher’s reference
A human being is always living in relationships. Be it when one is in the mother’s womb, or in a parent’s lap, one is in a relationship. A sensible person understands the purpose of (that is, the expectation in) each relationship. For example, a mother understands her purpose as a mother in taking care of her child - be it an infant, adolescent or youth. Similarly, a father is able to recognise his purpose for nurturing his child. A child experiences the nurturing and protection of his/her parents and experiences a feeling of gratitude towards them. In this section, we will try to understand the purpose of some of our relationships - in other words, the inherent expectations or feelings in them. These inherent expectations are expectations of value fulfillment. These expectations are recognised by a sensible person and fulfilled by them in his/her relationships.

Activity 3.1: Recognising parent-child relationship

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning Objective:
1. Students explore what a parent-child relationship entails.
2. Understand the complementarity of feelings of the parent-child relationship.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Day 1

Steps of the activity
Divide the students into 4-5 groups. Write the following four questions on a slip and give it to each group. Ask them to discuss among themselves and note the main points on the slip –
1. What are your expectations from your parents? Share examples.
2. What are your expectations from your mother? Give examples.
3. What are your expectations from your father? Give examples.
4. What are your parents’ expectations from you?
5. Are these expectations of material things only or are also of feelings? Give examples of some feelings. (Clue: Love, Affection, Care etc.)

After the discussion, each group shares their points (3 mins each).

Proposed questions for discussion

• Are the above expectations (the ones that students have written) always met - or not? Discuss.
• Does the family member who’s not able to meet the expectation lack intention (does not want to fulfil) or competence (is unable to do it)? Discuss.
• Do your parents want you to be self-reliant when you grow up or want you to continue to be dependent on them? Do all parents desire the same?
• Do you want to be self-reliant when you grow up or be dependent on your parents? Do the students think alike on this or differ?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

1. Students make a list of the things their parents do for them and present it in class.
2. Discuss the feelings of ‘Care’ and ‘Guidance’ which parents express:
(Care: The feeling of responsibility of nutrition and protection (physical growth) of one’s child.
Guidance: The feeling of responsibility to ensure a child’s emotional, psychological and intellectual growth.)

• Which relationships are similar to the one with parents? Discuss.
• Discuss the feeling of gratitude with the child.

(Gratitude is a feeling towards a person(s) who has contributed to our understanding (growth) and prosperity. We tend to express gratitude with an expression of gentleness and humility)

Proposed questions for discussion
1. How do you see your parents’ feeling of Care and Guidance towards you?
2. What do your parents do to ensure you are healthy?
3. What all do your parents do to make you sensible and responsible?
4. What responsibilities do you feel you have towards your parents?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Activity 3.2: Recognising relationship with siblings and friends

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective:
1. The students will be able to understand the value of Trust and Respect between siblings.
2. The students will understand the value of Complementarity amongst friends.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Note for the teacher: In a family, the relationship between siblings is discussed from childhood. It is also a custom to often address girls/boys as sisters/brothers whether in the family or the neighbourhood. Addressing someone as a brother/sister is also the beginning of a relationship. In order to understand the relationship beyond addressal, we need to understand the purpose of relationships. The purpose is defined by the role (participation) we have in our relationships like the one of mutual growth between brothers, sisters, friends.
This purpose defines the expectations that we have from our relationships. Our expectations are of values that we want to feel and exhibit in relationships. For example, care, affection, etc. In this activity, we will try to recognise the expectations (i.e. values) that exist in relationships between siblings and between friends.

Steps of the activity
Divide the students into 4-5 groups and write the following questions on the board or a chit and give each group 5 minutes to discuss.
1. Whom do we recognise as our brothers/sisters?
2. What are our exspectations from our siblings? Give examples.
3. Are these expectations of just things/objects or feelings too? Give examples.
4. Do we have these expectations from our friends too?

Now one student from each group presents their thoughts in 3 minutes.

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Are the above expectations (written by the students on the chit) always met or not? Discuss.
2. Does the member who is not able to meet them lack intention or competence to fulfil the task? Discuss.
3. If your sibling does help you but without a feeling of respect, how would you feel? If it has ever happened, share an example.
4. If your friends share something of theirs with you- like a book, something to play with etc. but also taunts that you don’t own that thing, how will you feel? If it has ever happened, explain with an example.
5. Have you ever not trusted or respected your siblings or friends or taunted them over something? Share the incident.
6. Everybody needs trust and respect or just you? If everybody needs it, then what things should you keep in mind to live in togetherness?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

-----------------------------

• Chapter 1: Understanding Happiness
• Chapter 2: Need
• Chapter 3: Needs of the Self
• Chapter 4: Trust and Confidence
• Chapter 5: Identifying Commonness
• Chapter 6: Sensible person = happy person
• Chapter 7: Happy Family
• Chapter 8: A Happy Society
• Chapter 9: Nature and Space

Chapter 6: Sensible person = happy person

For teacher reference
In the previous chapter, we saw –

• We all have uniqueness and commonness.
• Our uniqueness helps us in recognising each other.
• We all have commonness which are the basis of our mutual relationships.
• We all have physical and emotional needs that are met with sensibility.

In this chapter, we will discuss understanding of our needs and living with that understanding; in addition, we will see how understanding leads to happiness and a sensible person is a happy person. We can also say, living with understanding is living with happiness. Understanding is happiness. A person having this understanding is being called a sensible person here. We all want happiness. We live in this existence. The more we understand this existence, the happier we are. Understanding = knowing whatever exists in this existence, as it exists; without any doubt, illusion or misunderstanding. When we do not have this understanding, we are misled, because of which we make mistakes and problems also occur. This becomes the reason for our unhappiness.

Section 1: What is understanding?
Activity 1.1: Who is considered sensible?
Story 1.1: Socrates’ three questions

Section 2: Being sensible, systematic and participating in the larger order
Activity 2.1: Role of a sensible person in the larger order
Story 2.1: Three perspectives of three labourers

Section 3: What is prosperity?
Activity 3.1: Richness, Poverty and Prosperity

Section 4: The way the mind works / Happy mind(me)
Story 4.1: Serene water
Activity 4.1: The perils of anger
Story 4.2: Who’s speaking? 

Section 1: What is understanding?

For teacher’s reference
Understanding is a continuously helpful aspect of life. Our living is meaningful when we live with understanding because a lack of understanding creates problems. Understanding is the balance that is required in relationships. Whether it is a family matter, societal or governmental, understanding is required everywhere.
In this section, we will discuss understanding.

Activity 1.1: Who is considered sensible?

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: Students will understand who is known as a sensible person and what are his/her qualities.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Note for the teacher: Discuss the given questions with each student as much as possible and help them in expressing their thoughts. Try that each child seeks to find answers within. When they find answers within, the ensuing discussion would be well understood by them. The answers received from the students through this process may be briefly written on the board so that the entire class can reflect on the answers together.

Before the session gets over, ask the students the following –
We might have our reasons for considering someone sensible or not, but scientifically speaking, the following five points determine a person’s sensibility-
1. Trust on oneself
2. Healthy body
3. Healthy relationships
4. Prosperity in family
5. Participation in the larger order
Tell the students that these points would be taken up one by one and put before them through the means of various stories and activities. Encourage them to reflect on these points.

Day 1

Steps of the activity
Teachers are requested to discuss with all the students in class.

Our notions about being sensible -

• We all want to be sensible. Agree/disagree? Discuss.
• We all want our family members, relatives, friends and acquaintances to recognise us as a sensible person. Agree/disagree? Discuss.
• How do we feel when we gauge someone is questioning or doubting our understanding? Good or bad? Give reasons.

Our notions about others’ sensibility –

• We expect others to be sensible. Agree/disagree? Discuss.
• We all want our family members, our relatives, friends and acquaintances to behave sensibly. Agree/disagree? Discuss.
• If someone does not behave sensibly with us, how do we feel? Good or bad? Give reasons.

(Note: Teachers are requested to discuss these questions in detail. Further into the chapters we will discuss more about being a sensible person and so it is important that students understand their own thoughts about sensibility and understanding. This would help them in proceeding ahead scientifically.

Proposed questions for discussion

• Whom do you consider a sensible person?
• Is sensibility an outcome of age? Agree/disagree? Discuss. (Possible direction of the discussion: Does it not happen that a person is very young and is still very sensible and someone else is much older and yet not sensible. In this way, decide the direction of the following questions.)
• Does education ensure sensibility? Agree/disagree? Discuss.
• Does living in a city ensure sensibility? Agree/disagree? Discuss.
• Does being a man ensure sensibility? Agree/disagree? Discuss.
• Does wearing good clothes ensure sensibility? Agree/disagree? Discuss.
• Does holding a significant post ensure sensibility? Agree/disagree? Discuss.
• Does having more money ensure sensibility? Agree/disagree? Discuss.
• What are the characteristics of a sensible person? (Try to let the students come to the following aspects on their own. In case they are not able to understand try to explain to them in the following manner –

A sensible person is able to clearly see the physical and mental differences in his/her needs. He/she is able to understand happiness and comfort clearly. If a person is sensible, he/she will be useful for the family, society and country, and find solutions in adverse circumstances. He/she won’t get angry easily, will not be disappointed with himself/herself, will not upset others, will not be scared or insecure.

• What is the contribution of a sensible person to his/her family?
• (Clue: A sensible person will be able to meet the needs of the family and will create an atmosphere of harmony because of which there would be no discord and the family will move towards progress. The person would also help other family members in becoming sensible.)
• What is the contribution of a sensible person in society? (He/she would be able to live without fights, violence, hatred, crime, exploitation and would inspire others too to live peacefully.)
• What is the contribution of a sensible person to nature? (He/she would refrain from polluting the environment, dirtying it, misusing facilities and wasting things.)

At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)
Encourage the students to discuss the following points at home –

• What do they understand by trust in oneself?
• What is their point of view on a healthy body?
• What do they understand by healthy relationships?
• What do they feel about prosperity in the family and particularly the word prosperity?
• What do they understand by participation in the larger order?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class by mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

The students would have discussed the aforesaid points at home. We will now discuss the following –

• Who all did you discuss with?
• How did they feel talking to you?
• What were the answers received?

Write the answers given by the students on the board.

Proposed questions for discussion

• Think and share what do you now understand by trust in yourself?
• How does sensibility help in keeping the body healthy?
• In harmonious relationships, does understanding play a bigger role or money? Discuss.
• Only when we are sensible will we be able to participate in the larger order. How? Discuss.

Note for teacher: It is clear when I understand myself, I have trust within and am able to use my body and mind effectively. With this, the body stays healthy and the mind is happy. When a relationship is understood, money becomes secondary. But where there is no understanding and hence no trust in a relationship, money becomes primary.

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.  

Story 1.1: Socrates’ three questions

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: To encourage students to speak meaningfully and sensibly.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Direction of Discussion (For Teachers): In our daily life, what are the topics of discussion in our leisure conversations, and what is its use? Most people talk about the shortcomings of others. If a person becomes habitual of such conversations, his personality becomes negative. Those who are negative are always complaining, stay unhappy and others get distant from them gradually.
Our conversations impact our life hugely. When we discuss the good qualities of others, we progress, and when we discuss their shortcomings, we regress.
Through the questions in this story, we will aim to encourage the students to engage in positive and useful conversation.

Story
In ancient Greece, there lived the famed philosopher called Socrates. He was very learned and polite. Once, he was passing by a market when he met a person known to him. The person started telling him, “Do you know what your friend was saying about you yesterday?”
Socrates stopped that person in between and said, “Before you tell me what my friend was saying about me, please answer three short questions of mine.” The person, a bit surprised now, said, “Three short questions?”
Socrates said, “Yes. Three short questions.”
“The first is that whatever you are going to tell me, are you sure about its accuracy?”
The man replied, “No, I just heard it from someone.”
Socrates said, “No problem. This means that you are not sure what you’re going to say is accurate or not. Now, answer my second question. Whatever you are going to tell me, does it have significance?” The man immediately said, “No.”
Socrates said, “Alright. Now answer my last question. Whatever you are going to tell me, is it useful for me?” The man said, “No, there appears to be nothing of use for you in what the person said.” Then Socrates said, “A thing which is heard from others, does not hold significance and is not useful to me — what is the use of hearing it?”

Day 1

Proposed questions for discussion
1. In our daily life, do we decide to have conversations based on these three questions? Discuss.
2. Many of our conversations are not in accordance with the three questions of Socrates. Why do we still indulge in them?
3. Give an example of a recent conversation you were a part of, which was not in accordance with the three questions of Socrates.

At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)

• Students should discuss the story at home and understand the thoughts and views of their family members.
• Students should discuss the habits they want to give up with their friends.

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class by mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

• Have some students repeat the story.
• Some other students can share their storytelling experiences at home in small groups. Some of them can share it with the entire class.
• The first day’s discussion questions can be used again for the remaining students.

Additional questions for discussion
1. If we always take care of these three elements in our conversation, what impact would this have? How would our friends/family members benefit from it?
2. When we discuss the qualities of others, we progress, and when we discuss their shortcomings, we regress. Agree/Disagree? Discuss.

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Section 2: Being sensible, systematic and participating in the larger order

For teacher’s reference
Being sensible means to live without a feeling of stress, understanding systems and orders larger than us (e.g, family, society, political system, legal system, etc) and fulfilling our roles in those. For example, a healthy body has lakhs of cells that are playing their own individual roles. Some unite in functioning as the liver, some other unite and function as the heart and some become the stomach. All these cells are playing their role in maintaining the body. Similarly, each sensible person plays a role in his/her family so that the family can play its role in the bigger order of the society/nation. A sensible person is full of trust and accepts that the order is bigger than the individual. His/her viewpoint is also centred round the larger order. This is his/her biggest happiness.

Activity 2.1: Role of a sensible person in the larger order

Time: At least two periods or until the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: Understanding how a sensible person can play a role in the larger order.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Note for the teacher: Everyone wants orderliness and harmony in society. However, not having an understanding of what it means is a problem for participating in its orderliness. Everyone wants systems (that comprise a society) to function well. If we talk about the education system - only 10% of school students are able to come to the college level. And then there are lots of children in India who are not even able to come to the school level. Hence, there are just about 7% of students who are able to come to the college level. This indicates the need for people to understand the system, its needs and participate in fulfilling those.
A harmonious society will ensure education to all children. A harmonious society will provide work and business to all. A pollution-free environment would be available to all in a harmonious society. We all need these without exception. We all want to live in such a harmonious society. If one is participating in society today to enable a harmonious society, it is evidence of being a sensible person. A person not being able to participate in society to enable orderliness is a problem.

Day 1

Steps of the activity:
The teacher may conduct a discussion on the following points:

Discussion on the cleanliness order in school:

• What is meant by the cleanliness order in school? (Possible answers: corridor, classroom or playground to be free of garbage, toilets to be clean, etc.)
• Who all are responsible for the cleanliness order in school?
• Who all are responsible for the cleanliness disorder in school? (not using the flush in toilets, littering, defacing walls, etc.)
• Water disorder?

What is order? Let us discuss:

• We often hear that the order of things has been disturbed? That things need to be put back in order? What is the meaning of the word ‘order’? Discuss.
• Who are the people responsible to maintain order in your house? Make a list.
• Make a list of people responsible for maintaining order in your neighbourhood.
• Do these people who maintain order have any special ability? Discuss.

Proposed questions for discussion
1. What are you able to understand by a person’s participation in the larger order? Discuss. (For example, cleanliness order, maintenance of public property etc.)
2. Why is a person unable to correctly participate in the larger order? Discuss. (Clue: Because of lack of understanding and attention to the order.)
3. What role can a sensible person play in the order? Discuss and list it out. (Clue : will not pollute public property and spaces etc.)
4. A sensible person only can participate in the larger order. Agree/disagree? Discuss.

At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)
Encourage the students to discuss the following points at home –

• What did they understand by order or harmony?
• Is a healthy body also an order or harmony?
• What is the meaning of an order or harmony in the family?
• What is the meaning of an order or harmony in nature?
• What do they understand by playing a role in the order?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

The students would have discussed the aforesaid points at home. We will now discuss the following –

• Who all did you discuss with?
• How did they find your questions?
• What were the answers you received?

Write the answers given by the students on the board.

Proposed questions for discussion
1. What would you do to keep your body in order (in harmony)?
2. How do you (or can you) participate in the family order? (Clue: Refraining from upsetting and worrying parents, refraining from fighting, speaking to parents with affection, sharing their lives, taking decisions based on the financial situation of the family, aiming to strengthen the family finances in future etc.)
3. How do you (or can you) participate in the societal order? (Clue: Increasing mutual respect, removing hatred, contributing towards people’s material and emotional needs by production or service, keeping cleanliness, following traffic rules etc.)
Note:
a. Discuss one’s participation in production or services in detail. Examples of production can be farming, making cloth, mobiles, fans, cars etc.
b. Services can be in the form of a teacher, doctor, nurse, engineer, electrician, driver, labourer, lawyer, manager, businessman, journalist, tailor, plumber, security guard, cleaner, government official, politician etc. (Also discuss if presently, everyone is a part of the order or of disorder.)
4. What role can you play to maintain the order of nature? (Clue: Not harming plants and trees, growing them, not wasting water, food items and electricity. Understanding need and not getting into the rat race of accumulation.)

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Note for the teacher

• Human body is in order (or harmony) when it is healthy. To keep it healthy, it is important to take care of its nutrition and exercise, and this is one’s participation in its order.
• A family is in order (or harmony) when there are values (trust, respect, gratitude, etc.) in relationships. One can participate in it by expanding one’s understanding.
• A society is in order (or harmony) when it is free of exploitation, crime and battles. One can participate in it by expanding one’s understanding.
• Nature is in order (or harmony) by balance. One can participate in it by expanding one’s understanding.

Story 2.1: Three labourers, three perspectives

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: To make it clear that we are not happy or unhappy by doing something, but our happiness or its absence depends on our feeling while doing that work.

Start the class by mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Direction of discussion (For Teachers)
We are not happy or unhappy by doing something, it depends on our state of mind while doing it. In other words, an understanding of the purpose of the work and its role in the larger order gives us happiness.

Story
Three labourers were working at the site of an under-construction school. A passer-by asked one of them, “What are you doing?” The disgruntled labourer replies, “I am breaking stones.” In reality, he was breaking stones mentally too and so he was unhappy.
The passer-by went to the other labourer and repeated the question. The labourer was not unhappy, he was balanced, neither sad nor happy. He said, “I am earning my bread.” In reality, he was working to earn, so his face wore a neutral expression.
The passer-by went to the third labourer and asked him the same question. The labourer was joyous. He was singing while breaking those stones. He paused and said, “I’m building a temple of education. Children will come to study here.” His eyes were shining as he spoke.
These are the three ways to work in life. The first is to do it like a burden and remain unhappy. The second is to work like a machine to earn bread and the third is to derive happiness from the joy our work will bring to others.
Life’s joy is in perspective. It comes from within and not externally.

Day 1

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Who was the happiest among the three labourers? Why?
2. The first labourer had no interest in his work and even if he got paid without working, he would continue to be sad as he will find another reason for staying sad. Agree/disagree? Discuss.
3. If you get all comforts (such as TV, AC, food, bed etc.) sitting at home but are told you cannot ever leave the room, how would you feel? Would you be happy or unhappy? Why? Discuss.
4. If the third labourer was given a meaningless job (like take ten chairs from one room to another, then bring them back - keep repeating this from morning to evening), would he still be as happy ? Discuss.
5. Discuss useful work. For example, in this story, making a school is a meaningful work and the third labourer is considering his work as a part of this meaningful work and so is happy. Give examples of other useful work like cleaning, distributing mid-day meals, studying, cooking etc.
(Note: If required, mention that the work that enables upkeep of the order or strengthens the order, is being called meaningful.)

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

• Have some students repeat the story.
• The first day’s discussion questions can be used again for rethinking.
• Some other students can share their storytelling experiences at home in small groups. Some of them can share with the entire class.

Additional questions for discussion
1. Have you observed either of your parents do the same work with different feelings at different times?
2. Have you been in a situation when at different times you’ve felt differently doing the same work? Share with an example.
3. Will you get happiness by working with happiness or will receive happiness by doing that work? (Give an example from your life about the work you do with happiness and the work where you feel you will get happiness by doing it.)
(Note: Being happy means understanding the value of the work you’re doing. When we are clear about why we are doing something and what role it plays in the larger order, we are happy.) 4. The work that you feel will give you happiness by doing, can it also be done with happiness? Explain with examples. (If the students find it difficult to find examples, the teacher may start like this – we plan to go out with friends and eat ice cream so we feel that we will feel happy on eating ice cream. But it is also possible that we are anyway happy with friends – whether or not we eat the ice cream. Another example can be when our friend bought a new pair of shoes and is happy because of that. We didn’t buy shoes for ourselves because we didn’t need them, but we are still happy.

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Dos and Don’ts

• Give everyone an opportunity to express themselves and listen to them patiently.
• Make sure that all the students participate in the discussion.
• Encourage and support the students who are hesitant to participate in the discussion.

  Section 3: What is prosperity?

For teacher’s reference

• Our mental state is important to evaluate how prosperous we feel or not.
• A person living a stress-free life is better off than the one who may be rich but always stressed.
• Stress, tension, pressure, frustration, anger, irritability, intolerance and impatience are feelings that despite monetary gain give mental impoverishment.
• Prosperity is a state of mind. It can be seen as the ‘absence of the feeling of lack’ or, the feeling of having enough (for the family) and more (to be able to participate with and in society). It ensures we recognise the things we need (and by how much) and work towards them and spend our remaining time in developing our understanding and in turn our happiness quotient.

This activity is aimed at understanding this concept.

Activity 3.1: Richness, Poverty and Prosperity

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: To enable students to understand the meaning of prosperity = the absence of a feeling of lack or, a feeling of having enough and more.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Note for teacher: Absence of the feeling of lack is called prosperity, which means, if we have more physical facilities than we need and we also feel that way, then we can consider ourselves prosperous. We want to discover ourselves like this. With the change in our mindset, our life will change.

Steps of the activity
The teacher may draw the following charts on the board and fill them with the help of the students.
(Note: It would be enough to draw just one table in class. Here multiple tables are given for understanding.)

Lack of things/facilities	Feeling the lack of things/facilities	Name of the state of mind

Ask the students about people who lack facilities and feel that lack and put a tick (✓) accordingly.

Lack of things/facilities	Feeling the lack of things/facilities	Name of the state of mind
✓	✓

There are some people who do not lack facilities but feel the lack of facilities.

Lack of things/facilities	Feeling the lack of things/facilities	Name of the state of mind
X	✓

We all expect to not lack facilities and not feel their lack either.

Lack of things/facilities	Feeling the lack of things/facilities	Name of the state of mind
✕	✕

What would be the name of these three conditions?

Lack of things/facilities	Feeling the lack of things/facilities	Name of the state of mind
✓	✓	Poverty
✕	✓	Richness
✕	✕	Prosperity

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Do you want to be rich or prosperous?
2. What do you understand by prosperity?
3. Whom do you find prosperous around you? Who and how?
4. Who was prosperous in the ‘Three labourers, three perspectives’ story?
5. Prosperity is only about facilities or is it also about mentality?
6. What should a prosperous person have? Only money or only understanding or both?
7. How much money can make a person feel prosperous?
8. What is the way to a person’s prosperity? (Probable answer: understanding of needs, getting the competence to meet them, using one’s competence positively and gathering resources to meet one’s needs and having a little more than that so as to fulfil social responsibilities.)
9. It is important to be sensible in order to be prosperous. What do you understand by this?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

  Section 4: The Way the Mind Works / Happy Mind (Self)

For teacher’s reference

• A person’s specialty is not because of their hands, feet, face or other physical features or by the things they possess, it is because of their mind which has the capability to understand.
• It is important for us to know how our mind works. It is not only interesting but essential for our development.
• It has become important to know about the mind because its lack of understanding can create a lot of problems. For example, if we are travelling to some place, we research about it in advance. Similarly, to go ahead in this journey of life, it would be right to understand the mind and its functioning.

In this section, we will have a discussion on this.

Story 4.1: Serene water

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: To help students identify the importance of having patience and a peaceful mind.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Direction of Discussion (For Teachers): No difficult situation lasts in nature. For example, we cannot be continuously angry for long. We want to consistently keep our mind peaceful. We can make appropriate decisions only in a peaceful state of mind.
In difficult or adverse circumstances, our mind gets distracted and the decision taken as part of that reaction is usually not right. Later, we often regret the decision. Therefore, if we process the situation with a quiet mind (without distraction) and then take a decision, we will not regret it.

Story
A hermit and his student were going somewhere. After walking for long, they felt thirsty and sat under a tree to take a break.
The student went to fetch water from a small river close by. There, he noticed some animals who’d just crossed the river, leaving the water dirty. As they had run across, the water had got muddy and the rotten twigs and leaves had come to the surface. Because of the dirt, the student returned without water and told his teacher that the water of that river was not clean for consumption, he’d have to go uphill to fetch it. His teacher told him, “It would take longer to go uphill and fetch water. Go to the same spot again and fetch water.”
The student went but returned empty-handed once again. The water was still dirty. But, his teacher sent him again to the same spot. When the student went there a third time, he was astonished. The water of the river was absolutely clean and sparkling. The mud had settled and the water had become gentle. The student returned with water this time.
He asked his teacher, “How did you know that this time the water would surely be clean?” The teacher told him, “There is no difficult situation that lasts in nature. This also happens with our mind. When any incident or thought bothers it, the upheaval lasts for a while like it did in the river. But if we are peaceful and patient, we can find a solution and it all settles down.”

Day 1

Proposed questions for discussion
1. When your mind is disturbed because of anger or sadness, the decision you take at that time is usually right or wrong? Why?
2. What is the difference in the decisions made with a peaceful mind and when the mind is distracted? Give an example each for both situations.

At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)

• Students should discuss the story at home and understand the thoughts and views of their family members.
• Students should be aware of their thoughts and decisions when the mind is disturbed so that they can share their experiences with honesty.

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

• Have some students recall the story. You may adopt various ways for helping the students recall, such as getting one of them to narrate the story, role-play, pairing the students and letting them tell each other etc.
• Have them share the feedback received from their homes in small groups. Some students can share their thoughts with the entire class.
• The first day’s discussion questions can be used again for the remaining students.

Additional questions for discussion
1. What did you lose when you took an impulsive decision? Share with an example from your life.
2. Share another incident from your life about how an impulsive decision you took was not acceptable to you yourself? After thinking about the incident with a peaceful mind, what decision do you think would have been right?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Activity 4.1: The Perils of Anger

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: To encourage students to recognise anger as an incompetence and to be aware of their beliefs.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Note for the teacher
Our decisions are always based on our beliefs and we don’t even realise the things we do not understand properly but believe to be true. For example, we usually say it is natural to get angry. Through this activity, we will try to gauge if anger is natural or unnatural?
What should be the basis of deciding if a thing is natural or unnatural? Largely, what is natural is what is constant and acceptable to all and happens organically without effort. Anger is neither acceptable to the one getting angry nor is acceptable to the one who is the object of anger. It may appear that it happens on its own, but if observed deeply, usually anger is not something that happens organically but something which is shown in front of a weaker person. We often express anger when we are unable to accept or handle a situation or lack the competence to work on something under pressure. Hence, anger is not a person’s nature. It is a display of one’s incompetence. So, in such a situation, some people get angry while the competent ones handle the situation with their sensibility without getting angry.
A person’s nature is to be happy. Everyone wants happiness and it is possible to be continuously happy but due to lack of sensibility and competence, people have not been able to find their basic nature of being happy always.

Day 1

Steps of the activity

• Divide the class into the following three groups and the students can join a group based on their belief.
• Group 1: Agree Group – This group will consist of students who believe that anger is natural.
• Group 2: Disagree Group – This group will consist of students who believe that anger is unnatural.
• Group 3: Unsure Group – This group will consist of students who are not able to decide whether anger is natural or unnatural.
• Students may gather in their groups and discuss their points of view according to the group they have joined for 5-7 minutes. One student should write the arguments emerging from the discussion in a notebook. If a group has more number of students, then sub-groups may be formed and discussion carried out.
• After the said time limit is over, each group may present their arguments for 2-3 minutes each.
• The teacher draws three columns on the board and writes the main arguments from each group in their respective columns.
• After all the presentations are over, if a student wants to change their group based on the arguments that come forth, they may be given a chance to do so.

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Have you ever thought deeply about something and changed your belief later? Share with an example from your life.
2. What is the role of our beliefs in our lives? (Answer: Our thoughts, behaviour and efforts are based on our beliefs.)

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

The teacher may ask the students to gather in their respective groups based on the previous activity. Each group should turn-by-turn answer the following questions. Get various students from each group to answer these questions in one or two words.

Group 1
1. Can our nature be something we don’t like?
2. Is anger acceptable to the person with whom we are getting angry?
3. Do we feel angry when we are unable to do some work or do we feel angry when doing something right?
4. Is it possible to constantly be in a state of anger?
5. Do we feel angry when we are unable to handle a situation or do we feel angry when we have the trust within to handle it?

Group 2
1. When we are angry, are we normal or abnormal?
2. Does anger make us healthy or unhealthy?
3. Do we get angry with a weaker person or with a person stronger than us?
4. Is anger towards a weaker person an expression of our weakness or our strength?
5. If we get something done by getting angry, will we gain respect?

Group 3
1. Are the people who get work done by expressing anger considered good or the people who get work done by helping others understand considered good?
2. Are we able to accomplish a task with anger, or with sensibility and competence?
3. Would one’s competence increase with anger or, with understanding?
4. Can the work done with anger be done with explanation?
5. Is it right to get work done by spoiling relationships?

Note: After more clarity that comes as an outcome of the questions, give students another chance to change their groups and help them observe that by discussing a topic in detail if beliefs that are not right change.

Proposed questions for discussion
1. What would you want when you make a mistake – would you want to be scolded and insulted or would you want to be explained to patiently? Why would you want this?
2. When we ourselves do not want to be the victim of anyone’s anger then why do we get angry with others?
3. Does everyone get equally angry in a similar situation?
4. Is anger natural or a display of our incompetence? How?

At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)
Ask the students to undertake a survey. Each student should ask at least 10 people to answer the following questions and note down their answers. Remember that a person should not be included in the survey twice.
1. Is anger natural or unnatural?
2. Do you believe that it is right to get angry sometimes when others make mistakes? Yes/no?
3. Do you also believe this for yourself that you should be scolded at and insulted when you make a mistake? Yes/no?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 3

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

• For the purpose of discussing the activity done at home, divide the students into groups of 10 each.
• Each group should compile the answers of 100 people (10 surveys x10 students) included in their survey and present in class.
• Teachers should compile all the group surveys with the help of group leaders and share the statistics with the class.

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Do the laws of nature change or are they the same always? For example, the law of gravity.
2. Are the laws of nature universal and apply to everyone or vary from person to person?
3. Even then, why do people not have the same belief in one law? (Answer: By not recognising the law the way it is.)
4. What would you do to avoid getting angry?
5. Are getting scared, scaring someone or getting angry, signs of weakness and lack of competence or not?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Note for Teacher: Anger is a display of one’s incompetence. (Put up this statement in the class so that the students who get angry may look at it time and again.)

Story 4.2: Who is speaking?

Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.

Learning objective: To make the students realise the difference between knowing and believing.

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

Direction of Discussion (For Teachers)
Often we believe things we have heard and consider the information received from various mediums to be understanding or knowledge. We believe a lot of things to be true without actually knowing them. But we do not trust them completely as they could either be right or wrong.
Once we evaluate and process information we have come to believe and tested it out in our living, that lived experience gives us the confidence to adopt it as a part of our life. When information that is right and complete, it becomes a part of our behaviour and living, then it is called ‘understanding’. Similarly, recognising the facts the way they are on the basis of proof (which comes from lived experience) is called ‘knowing’.
Through this story, the students would be encouraged to not just ‘believe’ things they hear but try to ‘know’ them/understand them through evaluation.

Story
A youth in his quest for knowledge went to stay in an ashram. After 15 days, the youth got bored and felt there was nothing new he could learn there. He felt that the old guru at the ashram repeats the same things every day as a pattern. He got bored listening to them again and again. He decided that the next morning, he would leave the ashram.
That night, he saw a new young monk who’d come to the ashram. After dinner, at a meeting with all the students of the ashram, the new monk spoke about very detailed and subtle elements of knowledge. The young man was impressed by the conversation and thought to himself, “How knowledgeable and informed this person is.” Even the guru was astonished. At that time, the new monk asked the guru, “How did you find my discourse?”
The guru smiled and said, “Beta, I was waiting to listen to you for long but you have not said anything till now.” The new monk got angry and said, “Probably, you cannot hear. I have been speaking constantly for the past two hours.”
The guru said, “The texts within you were speaking, your beliefs were speaking, but you didn’t speak at all. Some words were being repeated within you like an instrument. There was nothing you lived or knew. First, learn to analyse that information and believe yourself, feel and know from your experience. When it will become what you have known, I will say you are speaking.” On listening to this, the young man started thinking to which level are his beliefs known by him? Is he also considering things he has just heard as knowledge?

Day 1

Proposed questions for discussion
1. Has it ever happened that we repeat things we’ve read or heard without understanding them?
2. When in class, do we believe subject knowledge without knowing and testing?
3. What should be done to understand subjects instead of just believing them?

At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)

• Students should discuss the story at home and understand the thoughts and views of their family members.
• Students should be asked to be aware of their thoughts and feelings so that their experiences can be shared honestly.

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

Day 2

Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.

• Get some students to repeat the story.
• Some other students can share their storytelling experiences at home in small groups. Some of them can share it with the entire class.
• The first day’s discussion questions can be used again for the remaining students.

Additional questions for discussion
1. We sometimes see and hear that some people who may not be able to read or write have the capability to discover new things. Do you know such people? Where does this ability come from? Discuss.
2. Trust comes by recognising something and believing it, not without recognising and believing it. How? Share with an example.
3. Share with an example from your life what things you trust and what you believe but do not trust?

Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.

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• Chapter 1: Understanding Happiness
• Chapter 2: Need
• Chapter 3: Needs of the Self
• Chapter 4: Trust and Confidence
• Chapter 5: Identifying Commonness
• Chapter 6: Sensible person = happy person
• Chapter 7: Happy Family
• Chapter 8: A Happy Society
• Chapter 9: Nature and Space