Home

CALL FOR PAPERS

DATE EXTENDED UP TO 31 DECEMBER, 2010 FOR SUBMISSION OF PAPERS AND OTHER RELEVANT MATTERS

FOR

PEACE EDUCATION: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL

(Founded in 1977)

Vol. XVII, 2009-2010

Founder & Editor-in Chief

Surya Nath Prasad, Ph. D.

Former Visiting Professor

The Graduate Institute of Peace Studies

Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea

Associate Editor

Suman Shukla, Ph. D.

Associate Professor

RTM Nagpur University College of Education

Nagpur, Maharashtra, INDIA


We invite the prospective authors who are engaged in the field of peace education, peace studies and peace researches to send their articles, papers, views on the Special issue (on the theme Global Governance and Peace Education)  of our Journal Peace Education on or before 30 December, 2010 through e-mail at: peaceeducationsnp@yahoo.com or by post to: The Editor, Peace Education: An International Journal, 216, Laxminagar, NAGPUR-440 022, Maharashtra, India.

 Sub-themes of the issue of the Journal are: 1.Need of Global Governance and Peace, 2. Global Governance by Cross-national Organization and Peace, 3. Global Governance by Supra-national Organization and Peace, 4. Global Governance by Transnational Organization and Peace, 5. Peace through United Nations, 6. NGOs as Partners in Global Governance and Peace, 7. Role of Peace Education in Global Governance. However, authors are free to choose their own topics for their papers.

 Reviews of the books may also be sent. News, reports, activities, events, proposals, conferences, publications or on any other items related to peace are also welcome.

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



BRIEF OF SPEECH

PEACE EDUCATION AS SOLUTION OF TERRORISM AND OTHER FORMS OF VIOLENCE

By

Prof. Surya Nath Prasad, Ph. D.

At

The World Forum of Spiritual Culture

Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan

                                                                                     (From October 18-20, 2010)

On

October 19, 2010

 

Advice for Incorporation of Ideas in Noospheric Constitution

I, Prof. Surya Nath Prasad from India, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Peace Education: An International Journal, and Formerly President and Currently Executive Vice President, International Association of Educators for World Peace, who taught for 30 years as Assistant and Associate Professor of Education in 3different universities of India, and for one semester as Visiting Professor at The Graduate Institute of Peace Studies, Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea, would like to express my views on the topic:  Peace Education as Solution of Terrorism and other Forms of Violence keeping in my view the main theme of my speech Innovative Noo-Constitution of Integrated Manifestation of Self Culture through Peace Education for Human Survival, and in support of  Noospheric Ethical-Ecological Constitution for Mankind. Concepts and ideas stated and described views in my speech, which are relevant to the theme of the Assembly of the Forum and its Section 5, may be incorporated in the Articles of Noospheric Ethical-Ecological Constitution for Mankind, and if necessary, proper amendment in the existing Articles of the Constitution may be done.  

Miseducation and Non-education Cause the Violence

Miseducation for a few privileged well-to-do and non-education for many deprived have caused the problems of poverty, population, pollution, violence, war, terrorism, ethical crisis and ecological imbalance. Hence, in the world, there is brute culture, culture of silence or mute culture, masculine culture, sick culture, culture of war, violence and intolerance.

Man Is Missing from Us

Except education of man, we have all types of education, however for a few privileged. And these educations make a few doctors, engineers, lawyers, teachers and other professionals minus man (human), and many are deprived of these educations. In this sense, the present education destroys those to whom it reaches, it destroys those to whom is denied. We are people of different nations, faiths (religions), relations, races, but we are not man. Man (humanity) is missing from us. Hence, we are exploiting, oppressing, fighting and killing each other.

 What is Peace Education?

Peace education is education of man (humanity). It is manifestation of seeds of integral culture of body, vitality, mind, intellect and spirit. These elements constitute every man and woman without any discrimination of race, caste, creed, language, nationality and other differences. And this education would continue perpetually till the end of life of every man and woman unfolding integrally the treasure of  physical, vital, mental, intellectual and spiritual cultures within leading them to be just, peaceful and nonviolent.    

 Peace Education against All Privileges

The idea of privilege is brutal and tyrannical. No man or woman is superior to another.  No person is privileged to any one of elements - either physical or vital or mental or intellectual or spiritual – or a few or all. Hence, peace education based on five elements of man and woman is utterly against all privileges. Therefore, this peace education would consider all men and women equally endowed with these five elements to be manifested integrally.

Concept of Two-fold Peace Education

Peace education based on five elements of man and woman would be two-fold, viz., integral peace education and compensatory peace education. Integral peace education will be for coming generation, who are supposed their five elements are un-corrupt, un-crippled, raw, pure, and very prone to be unfolded. Compensatory peace education will be for today’s crippled generation. We are all crippled: some physically, some vitally, some mentally, some intellectually, some spiritually, and many are crippled in all parts of their body. Hence we all need compensatory peace education for recovery of our integral physical, vital, mental, intellectual and spiritual health.

Caution towards Prevalent Peace Education

I wish to caution the highly enlightened participants of World Forum of Spiritual Culture towards prevalent peace education as values as its contents, and methodology of teaching as indoctrination and regimentation in the courses of peace education and other educations in universities and colleges of different nation-states (though this is in a very few nations). Existing peace education may be any other type of education, but it is not in any way peace education. Avery few have access to the practiced peace education by paying very high fees, even though it fails to make them peaceful. However, it helps them in getting high salaries posts.  

A Clarion Call to Adopt Peace Education for Solution of Terrorism and Violence

I would like to give a clarion call to adopt peace education which can enable people to solve the problems of terrorism and other forms of violence, and can make them just and nonviolent. The leaders and heads of different societies and the nation-States must be aware about peace education based on five elements of man and woman to be manifested integrally till the end of their lives. Then  they will be able to solve the violence of  hunger, disease and ignorance by applying, planning and executing the distributive justice in making the resources to reach to all about 6 billion people in the world because the world has the enough resources to meet the needs of 15 billion people,

And they will also be able to solve the problems of genocide, ethnic cleansing and global terrorism by replacing retributive justice of law (which is meant for punishing offenders) with restorative justice of law, which would create a more crime free local as well as global society.    

I strongly advise the leaders and heads of terrorists and non-terrorists both (who having the same five elements to be manifested integrally) to meet for dialogue for nonviolence and peace. And for this job, I propose the name of the NGO World Forum of Spiritual Culture to take the leadership role to organize the Global Meet on the theme as cited above in near future.

Words of Gratitude and Appreciation

Last but not least, I express my sincere thanks to Prof. Liubova Gordina, Mr. T. Mukhamedzhanov, the Government of Kazakhstan and the Organizing Committee of the World Forum of Spiritual Culture for their kind invitation to me to take active part in the event of the Forum, and for taking responsibility to cover my travel and accommodation expenses for participation at the Forum. I appreciate wholeheartedly Prof. Liubov Gordina and Dr. Michail Yu Limonad for taking pain to pen Noospheric Ethical-Ecological Constitution for Mankind as co-authors.  

Thank you very much.

e-mail: dr_suryanathprasad@yahoo.co.in

Website: http://www.sites.google.com/site/peaceeducationsnp/

One who wishes to have the full text of speech of Prof. Prasad may contact him at his e-mail address.

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


PEACE EDUCATION JOURNAL

Peace education: An International Journal was founded in 1975 by Surya Nath Prasad and it got its registration in 1977 with the Registrar of Newspapers, government of India.  Its Registration Number is RN 29220/77 and ISSN is 1991-5721. The Inaugural issue of the Journal was on theme of Role of Women in Peace Education dedicated to 1975 UN International Year of Women. Every issue of the Journal is on the special theme of Peace Education. The titles of a few past issues of  Peace Education Journal are Disarmament, Education and Peace; Democracy, Education and Peace; Gandhi, Nonviolence, and Peace; Science, Religion and Peace; Justice, Law, Judiciary, Education and Peace; Utopia,/Oughtopia, Education and Peace; Foundations of Peace Education, Financing for Free Education to All to Build Non-Exploitative Society for Peace.

Peace Education Journal is in the service of alerting public opinion and mobilizing the conscience of mankind to the cause of justice, peace, tolerance, disarmament, protection of environment and human rights, and in the light of Gandhian nonviolence and trusteeship, considering man everywhere as composed of body, vitality, mind , intellect and spirit integrally and their manifestation through perpetual integral education free of charge to all to be just to create peace, and also in the spirit of UNESCO’s Constitution and the Charter of the United Nations since its inception in 1977 by providing international platform for dialogue being distributed  free of cost throughout the world  by its founder, editor and publisher  Surya Nath Prasad.

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



SCIENCE, RELIGION AND PEACE

Science, Religion and Peace is edited by Surya Nath Prasad, Ph. D., Former Visiting Professor of Peace Studies, Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea, and  Suman Shukla, Ph. D., Associate Professor of RTM Nagpur University’s Bar. S. K. Wankhede College of Education, Nagpur. The Foreword of this book has been written by Johan Galtung, Ph. D., Professor of Peace Studies, Director, Transcend:  A Peace and Development Network, and Rector, Transcend University. This book is published by Surya Nath Prasad for International Association of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP) at 216, Laxminagar, Nagpur-440 022, Maharshtra, India.Cell phone:91- 9823134698,  e-mail: peaceeducationsnp@yahoo.com

The book Science, Religion and Peace is one of the Series in Peace Education. This book tells about the demerits and misuse of science and religion if they work separately. Science in absence of religion makes man slave of his own passions, desires, and animal nature. And religion in absence of Science makes man vulgar, mythical, dogmatic, orthodox, and superstitious. Hence mere science creates doubts, fear terror in man which disturb peace.. And only religion also leads man to regress even to acquire lower level of prosperity. This book deals also with the importance of  science and religion integrally in building and sustaining peace in individuals, nations and the world. Science trains man to deal with physical life successfully. And religion enables man to realize his spiritual self. Science and religion both are complementary to each other. Hence science and religion both are essential for the development of integral or global men and women to attain prosperity and peace for all.

The titles of the contents of the book are: Foreword: Johan Galtung, Preface: Surya Nath Prasad & Suman Shukla, Editorial: Peace through Science and Religion: Suryanath Prasad & Suman Shukla, Science, Philosophy and Religion: L. R. Shukla, Space Philisophy and Academic Revolution: Charles Mercieca,  Techno-Nemesis: The Expropriation of Education: John M. Raftery, Teaching Cultural Values: A Strategy for Peace: John W. Friesen, The Future of Religion: August Bebel, What is the Christian Position on War?: John P. Eddy,  A. Cosmology of Hope: Irving F. Laucks, Lasting Peace: R. R. Diwakar, Universal Impact of Indian Religion: Swami Sanatan Brhmachari, The Next Future in Planetary Evolution: Your Role in a Changing World: Howard John Zitko, Against the Abuse of Science: Scientists'  Voice and Appeal, World Religious Conference at Moscow: V. Lysenkov& I. Troyanovsky, Peace Education: A Deliberative Meet: Suman Shukla, Name Index and Subject Index.

The book includes the ideas of great authors of the world around including the appeals of scientists and religious workers about the necessity of integrated science and religion for creating and promoting peace on the planet earth.

This book is useful for scholars, researchers and teachers of peace studies and peace education, peace activists; scientists, religious workers and political leaders. It will suit to all libraries personal as well as institutional.  


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


 
SHANTI SHIKSHA: SIDDHANT EVAM VYAVAHAR
(PEACE EDUCATION : THEORY AND PRAXIS)
ISBN: 978-81-909478-0-0
2010
By
 Surya Nath Prasad, Ph. D.
Former Visiting Professor
The Graduate Institute of Peace Studies
Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea

Publisher

Peace Education (Publications)

 216, Laxminagar, Nagpur-442 022, Maharashtra, India

Phone & Fax: +91-712-2232523, Cell Phone: 9823134698

e-mail: peaceeducationsnp@yahoo.com

       

       The book Shanti Shiksha: Siddhant Evam Vyavahar (Peace Education: Theory and Praxis) is in Hindi, and its English  version will soon be released.   

Today peace education has become the subject of UN Policy, research and training by UNESCO, the Council of Europe and ministries of education, various universities throughout the world and a worldwide transnationally conceived and conducted NGO Global Campaign for Peace Education.

 The author accepted the need and importance of peace education not only for eradicaion of violence, war, terrorism, injustice, poverty, exploitation and diseases, but also for to be man along with to be persons of different relations, sects, languages, nations, castes, races and professions. However, bravely and thoroughly reviewing, he has denied the current concept, contents and teaching methods of peace education, and has presented its right concept, contents and methods.

The book is unique, and it provides right direction and outlook to peace education.

 The present book is the creation of the author’s experience of three decades in the field of peace education.

 Chapters in the book are : Chapter 1. Relevance of Peace Education : (a) Problems of Present Education, (b) Need and Importance of Peace Education, (c) Meaning and Aims of Peace Education; Chapter 2. Development of Peace Education : (a) Origin of Peace Education, (b) Initiators of Peace Education and their Contributions, (c) History of Peace Education, (d) Development of Peace Education in India; Chapter 3. Peace Education : Place, Institutions and Net (Websites) – (a) Place of Peace Education in Educational Institutions, (b) Peace Education Net (Websites); Chapter 4. Contents and Methods of Peace Education : (a) Contents of Peace Education, (b) Methods of Peace Education; and Chapter 5. Conclusions, Discussión and Suggestions : (a) Conclusions and Discussions, (b) Suggestions.



The book is very useful to all to be man generally, and to students, teachers, researchers and thinkers of peace education particularly. The book is the best for personal, institutional and public libraries.


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



HINDUISM AND PEACE EDUCATION

(ISBN: 978-81-909478-1-7)

2010

By

 Surya Nath Prasad, Ph. D.
Former Visiting Professor
The Graduate Institute of Peace Studies
Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea

Publisher

Peace Education (Publications)

 216, Laxminagar, Nagpur-442 022, Maharashtra, India

Phone & Fax: +91-712-2232523, Cell Phone: 9823134698

                                                                                                        e-mail: peaceeducationsnp@yahoo.com


         Hinduism, based on Vedanta (Upanishads), is a religion of perpetual verifiable truth. It   is a religion of universe and God in man (including in woman). It is a religion that claims the manifestation of perfection already exists in man and woman. Hinduism is very much peace education. Because Hinduism advocates self-education for perpetual discovery, it enables every individual man  or woman without any discrimination to manifest / to unfold / to evolve the perfection already in him or her   to be man incarnation of God, who would naturally be a peaceful creature living together peacefully on this planet earth. Thus peace education in Hiduism is perpetual education of the self, by the self and for the self resulting in sustainable peace within and outside.

         The author of the book has tried to deal with the whole concept of Hinduism and Peace  Education under the following captions: 1. What is Hinduism?,2. Impact of Hinduism on other Religions and persons of other Sects, 3. Thinkers and Practitioners of of Similar Theories and Praxis of Hinduism, 4. Hinduism in View World Thinkers, 5. Peace Education: Why?, 6. Concept of Peace in Hinduism, 7. Peace Education in Hinduism: (a) Concept of Peace Education, (b) Meaning of Peace Education, 8. No Fear of Peace Education of Hinduism for Nation-States, 9. Need of Awakening among Peoples towards Peace Education of Hinduism, Notes and References.

This book is unique in the field of peace education. This is core of all educations. The ideas contained in the book will certainly provoke the thinkers and learners of existing  peace education to think freely and impartially to  dialogue, to amend,  to adopt, to follow and to practice it, and help others to know  and practice it.  

This volume is valuable for every man and woman without any discrimination to be self awakened to be man (human) for justice, peace and nonviolence.

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

     

Peace Education: An International Journal                                                                                                                                                                                Vol. XVI, 2008-2009


FORUM FOR DIALOGUE

 

HINDUISM AND PEACE EDUCATION

By

Surya Nath Prasad

 COMMENTS OF EDITORS EDWARD J. B., JING LIN AND JOHN P. MILLER, AND RESPONSES OF AUTHOR SURYA NATH PRASAD

Dr. Surya Nath Prasad, Founder and Editor of Peace Education: An International Journal, was requested by Prof. Jing Lin OF College of Education, University of Maryland, USA through her e-mail letter dated 29 December, 2007 on recommendation of Dr. Monisha Bajaj of Teachers College Columbia University, to write a Chapter on the theme Hinduism and Peace Education for the proposed book Spirituality, Religion and Peace education to be edited by her and Prof. John P. Miller Scheduled  to be published by Information Age Publishing, USA. Later, the name of Dr. Edward J. Brantmeier of School of  Education, Colorado State University was added as co-editor of the book.

The Chapter was of 19 pages in the first submission on August 15, 2008 as required limit of length of the Chapter. In second submission, it was of 28 pages due to Editor Edward ‘s requirements for the first revision of the Chapter meeting his demands to supply more information about the thinkers and their ideas cited in the Chapter as quotations by putting his 84 comments. In the third submission, the Chapter was of 40 pages because Editor Edward put 53 comments wishing from the author to have more elaboration of some ideas with more descriptions and examples in second revision of the Chapter. And at the end, the Editors of the proposed book jointly reduced with their three comments and dictated their terms to the author to amend the Chapter in third revision, if the author wishes his Chapter to be included in their proposed edited book. Finally, the author of the Chapter Hinduism and Peace Education withdrew his Chapter from the scheme of the proposed book Spirituality, Religion and Peace Education to be edited by Prof. Jing Lin, Prof. John P. Miller and Dr. Edward J. Brantmeier and to be published by Information Age Publishing with submission of his point-wise responses for their comments- cum- suggestions.

The following excerpts are the results of dialogue between editors Edward J. Brantmeier, Jing Lin and John P. Miller of the book: Spirituality, Religion and Peace Education, and author Surya Nath Prasad of the Chapter : Hinduism and Peace Education.

Ideas of the editors of the book in the form of their comments and suggestions, and the author of the Chapter in the form of his responses will certainly incite, provoke and motivate the highly enlightened readers, teachers, scholars and thinkers in peace education to express and put their ideas for and against, and also their own independent views on the relevant points for further discussion. Views of the participants expressed with their sound reasoning in this open dialogue will be published in toto in the forthcoming issues of our Journal Peace Education.

 

COMMENTS AND RESPONSES IN FIRST REVISION

 

Editor Edward Brantmeier’s Comments (dated 14 March, 2009) and author Surya Nath Prasad’s Responses (23 May, 2009 and 04 June, 2009) for the first revision of the Chapter are:

 Edward J. B. Comments

 4. HUMAN? PLEASE REWORK THIS SENTENCE FOR CLARITY...

 7. Because we are not fully human? Please clarify. Also, this sentence is not a complete sentence,    
    but a figment...                                                     

 8. Our humanity? Please consider the audience-a globally audience will read this book... some might    
     be put off by the use of “man” rather than human                                                                                                                                     

10. The condition that he set forth.... Please reword here...

 11. Because we are not fully human, ---, please reword this sentence to  include the themes in the   
      quote.

 14. Human? Again, to some Western readers, especially feminists like myself, this will be an off-
      putting word choice rather than an inclusive and inviting word choice...                                                                                                             

15. THIS IS A STRONG UNIVERSAL CLAIM GIVEN THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER  
      RELIGIONS REPRESENTED IN THIS BOOK ON SPIRITUALITY, RELIGION AND PEACE
      EDUCATION. CLAIMING THAT IT IS THE “BEST” EXCLUDES RATHER THAN CONNECTS.

      PLEASE RETHINK HOW YOU WANT THE OPENING SENTENCE TO COME OFF, GIVEN NOW
      IT IS EXCLUSIONARY RATHER THAN INVITING THE READER, MANY OF WHICH WILL BE
      NON-HINDUS,INTO A DIALOGUE ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF THE HINDU WAY OF LIFE  
      FOR CREATING PEACE-BOTH INNER AND SOCIATAL.

 59. AGAIN I RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE FULLY HUMAN AS TO NOT BE OFFENSIVE OR  
      EXCLUSIONARY IN THE EYES OF FEMINISTS...

 69. WE’LL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE COMMON USE OF “MAN” TO CONNATE “HUMINITY.”                    
      AGAIN I ADVISE THAT YOU CHANGE THIS BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE OFF-PUTTING TO SOME
      READERS....

 76. SEE PRASAD, TAGORE USED “HUMANITY” I THINK YOU SHOULD TOO.                                                   
     

 Surya Nath Prasad Responses on the above cited comments of Edward

  The word ‘man’ has not been replaced with human. Man  means human also. But man will be man or human only after manifestation through religion or peace education. Before that, he or she merely looks like man or human. Jean Jacques Rousseau rightly observed: “Man is born free,  and  everywhere he is in shackles.” To be man, he has to  be free from the shackles. Man is the central idea of this Chapter, for Hinduism is the religion of man- making peace education. In this sense, the word ‘man’ is used as a very broad, universal  and comprehensive term as in the process of to be what the man (he or she) is. And ‘man’ does not mean male adult only, but man includes male and female both. In the above cited quote of Rousseau also, man includes male and female both. In this Chapter at page 16,  in Taittiriyopanishad, the word man is used as inclusive of male and female both when man is defined as made of five sheaths, and also at the same page, this word is used in the same sense when Saint Tulsidasa defines man, in his Ramacharitmanas, as made of five elements. In this Chapter at page 3, the word man (for male and female both) was used by the Greek philosopher while he was searching man. Jayashankar Prasad (at page 11 of this Chapter) also used the word man inclusive of male and female both.

The following named books have the word ‘man’, carrying the meaning inclusive of male and female both, in their titles:

1.    Man, The Unknown

                                   by Alexis Carrel

2.    The Spiritual Crisis of Man

                                   by Paul Brunton

3.    The Religion of Man

                                   by Rabindranath Tagore

4.    Man and Indian Societ

                                    by K. Damodaran

5.    The Concept of Man

                                     Edited by S. Radhakrishnan & P. T. Raju                       
                                                                              

In the book: The Concept of Man, there are the following Chapters in which the word ‘Man’ is used for male and female both:

 

1.    The Concept of Man in Greek Thought

                        by John  Wild

2.    The Concept of Man in Jewish Thought

                        by A. J. Heschel

3. The Concept of Man in Chinese Thought

                                 by W. T. Chan

 

4. The Concept of  Man in Indian Thought

                        by P. T. Raju

5. The Concept of Man in Christian Thought

                                 by Ernst Benz

6.    The Concept of Man in Islamic Thought

                        by Ibrahim Madkour

7.    The Concept of Man in Marxist Thought

                        by M. B. Mitin

And there are many other thinkers who used the term ‘man’ as inclusive of male and female both, and for the human also.

 Edward J. B. Comments

 13. To grow? May be to educate humans to their fullest potential?

16. Very nice… how much will you get into the origins of Hinduism as peace education-an 
      examination of the peace education in the Vedas and Upanishads would be most excellent…

     SO YOU ARE VALIDATING THE IMPORTANCE OF HINDUISM "FROM WESTERN PERSPECTIVES, OK....

19. CAPITAL “C”

      WHY IS THIS CATHOLIC MINDED? I DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT PART OF THE QUOTE…

 21. SO MUCH OF THESE QUOTES CELEBRATE THE GREATNESS OF HINDUISM… HOW DO
      THEY CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR THESIS ABOUT THE APPROACH OF HINDUISM AS
      INHERENTLY PEACE EDUCATION? THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE CLEAR SOMEWHERE IN
      THIS STRING OF QUOTES….

 25. AGAIN, HOW DO THESE QUOTES LEAD BACK TO THE CENTRAL POINT OF THIS
       CHAPTER.... PLEASE INTERPRET THE QUOTES FOR YOUR GLOBAL READERS AND ALSO
       SUMMARIZE THE MAJOR THEMES FROM THE QUOTE. HOW DO THOSE THEMES LINK
       BACK TO THE MAJOR THESIS OF THE CHAPTER?      

 26.  HOW DOES THIS CONNECT TO HINDUISM, SPIRITUALITY AND PEACE EDUCATION?   

 

28. VERY INTERESTING AND TRULY SO MANY HAVE BEEN INFLUENCE.BUT WHY AND HOW?
      A LIST AGAIN ESTABLISHES THE GREATNESS OF HINDUISM, YET IT DOES NOT CONVEY
      WHY IS IT A GREAT RELIGION OF PEACE EDUCATION …. SO I’M MAKING COMMON
      COMMENTS HERE FOR OVERALL REVISIONS…

32. VALIDATE PLEASE.

      SO FAR, THIS CHAPTER READS AS HINDUISM IS A GREAT RELIGION THAT INFLUENCED
      THE BEST OF THE WORLD…… IT DOESN’T CONNECT TO THE CFNTRAL THEME OF THE
      BOOK ABOUT RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY AND PEACE EDUCATION-MAY BE IMPLICITLY,
      BUT THAT HAS TO BE MADE EXPLICIT FOR YOUR GLOBAL READERSHIP…   

 33. NOW WE GET TO PEACE, GREAT.

 34. THIS SECTION ON COUNTING THE AMOUNT OF TIMES SHANTI USED IN VARIOUS TEXTS
       IS INTERESTING. YET IT READS RATHER CHOPPY AND DISCONNECTED…PLEASE FIX…

 36. The format of these quotes is unclear… Please re-arrange for better readability.

      ALSO EXPLAIN HOW THEY ARE LINKED TO PEACE AND PEACE EDUCATION…

 45. HOW IS THE FOUNDATION OF HINDUISM (VEDAS) LINKED TO THE UPANISHADS? ARE
      THE UPANISHADS THE COMPLETION OF THE VEDAS-AND BOTH SERVE AS THE
      FOUNDATION OF HINDUISM? PLEASE REWORD THIS LAST SENTENCE FOR YOUR
      GLOBAL READERSHIP.....

 49. HOW WILL THIS UNIVERSAL CLAIM FIT INTO A BOOK WITH CHAPTER ON JUDAISM,
      ISLAM, CHRISTIANITY, BUDDHISM, ETC....

 51. I NEED TO LOOK UP THIS WORD... TO THE UNAWARE REDER, I WOULD THINK IT WAS A    
      REFERENCE TO CATHOLISM-A DENOMINATION OF CHRISTIANITY....

53. OK...SO I DO NOT KNOW THE DERIVATION MEANING OF THE WORD....HOWEVER COULD  
      YOU CHOSE ANOTHER WORD BECAUSE OTHER CHRISTIANS AND WESTERNERS WHO
      READ THIS BOOK WILL BE CONFUSED.

      AUDIENCE IS VERY IMPORTANT IN WRITING BECAUSE WRITING IS A COMMUNAL ACT OF
      KNOWLEDGE SHARING VIA DIALOGUE.

54. BY SAYING ANY “TRUE” RELIGION. YOU MIGHT EXCLUDE OTHER RELIGIONS THAT WILL
      BE PART OF THE THIS BOOK....

60. LOT OF IDEAS.... SEPARATE INTO SEPARATE SENTENCES FOR CLARITY.. I THINK YOU
      ARE SAYING THAT EDUATION AT PRESENT PREPARES PEOPLE FOR THE WORLD OF
      WORK, NOT FOR SELF-KNOWLEDGE  THAT WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD ONE TO SUPREME
      BLISS AND PEACE-WHICH WILL IN TURN  BENEFIT SOCIETY AS A WHOLE...

62. EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF KNOWING ALL ELEMENTS OF THE OUTER WORLDS WITHOUT
      SELF-KNOWLEDGE....CNNECTS TO A QUOTE IN THE BHAGWAD GITA...   

63. YES, YES, THIS IS THE HEART OF THE CONNECTION OF HINDUISM AND PEACE
       EDUCATION, NO, PRASAD?  

       Arming himself with a disciplined

       Seeing everything with an equal eye,

       He sees the self in all creatures in the self

       (Bhaghavad Gita, p.67, Verse 29)

 64. PRASAD, THIS IS THE TITLE OF MY CHAPTER CONTRIBUTION TO THIS BOOK,

      “Self” Re-Education for Globalizing Teachers: Gandhi, Deep Ecology, & Multicultural 
      Peace Education

      THAT’S REALLY GREAT!

65. WHAT DOES SELF-REALIZATION LEAD TO?

73. ATOMIZED INDIVIDUAL RATHER THAN REMAINING UNDIFFERENTIATED TOTALITY...

80.  I NEED TO FIND THE DEEPER MEANING OF THIS WORD (catholic) PRASAD....

82. YES NATIONS ARE UN-REALIZED, NO?

83. HMM.....SO YOU ARE TRYING TO SPREAD HINDUISM, OR THE UNIVERSAL MESSAGES
      WITHIN? THE MESSAGES WILL CARRY, THE SPREADING OF HINDUISM WILL BE
      BLOCKED BECAUSE OF PEOPLE’S CLINGING TO THEIR OWN RELIGIONS AND VIEWS OF
      THE WORLD–SO AGAIN, PLEASE BE CAREFUL ABOUT SPREADING HINDUISM AND NOT
      THE MESSAGE IT CONTAINS –I HOPE I MAKE SENSE HERE....

 

Surya Nath Prasad Responses of on the above cited Comments of Edward

13. To grow (means to manifest) itself is complete concept, in this sense man (he or
      she) is inherently able to grow. Man is himself like a seed to grow fully.  Nobody
      can teach him or her except he himself or she herself.

16. Thanks for your nice comments. Hinduism of Vedanta   stands for its own merit
      of universality (catholicity). Western thinkers validate their knowledge discovered
      after verification of the truth of Vedantic Hinduism. And then they appreciated it.

19. Capital ‘C’ is not needed in the word catholic, because here the word catholic
      has not been used as cult or sect, but it has been used as carrying the meaning
      of ‘universal’. Catholic minded means universal-minded/global-minded. Catholic
      means universal/covering a wide range also, not only a cult of Christianity.

21. It has been made clear how the different quotes help in explaining Hinduism as
      inherently peace education, though not directly with its name, but with its full
      description. As per your advice, it has been done so well.  Please go through my
      concluding presentation( also cited below as ready reference) in the particular  
      sections of the Chapter where views of great thinkers like Besant, Annie,  
      Toynbee, A. J., Renou, Louis,  and Monier-Williams  are quoted at pages 32-34.  

                    Thinkers of the world have appreciated Hinduism not for it contains good ideas, but it has
                    the thoughts to be tested to discover the pre-exited knowledge within each and everyone,  
                   though  in many times, it may be in contrast to the existing or the past-discovered   
                  knowledge(in the field of science, religion, philosophy, and other disciplines). And for this
                  contradiction, Hinduism of Vedanta does not punish for the discovery of new truth, but
                  appreciates and encourages for this by giving proper recognition through acceptance,
                  because Hinduism considers discovery of new truth as the realization of higher truth from    
                  the journey through the lower truth. And this process of uncovering the pre-existed
                  knowledge is the dynamic side of Hinduism based on Vedanta i.e. Peace Education.
                  Though the thinkers, whose views on Hinduism are expressed, did not use the word
                  ‘peace education’ for Hinduism, they put all the description of peace education in
                  appreciating and describing Hinduism as non-exclusive, universal/global/catholic religion
                   suitable to all diverse human  beings for integration in their human personality to be global
                 man of peace and non-violence. (Prasad, 2009, p. 34)

25. It has been done.  Please go through my interpretation especially the particular
      section at page 20 of the last two paras of the section. It has been done very  
      nicely, which is cited here for the readers for their ready reference:

                    Even today, in every religion, we find giving blessings at the time of birth and marriage  
                    anniversaries, and at every occasion of happiness. People express their good wishes at
                    every occasion of happiness. Also at the time of sorrow, we pray for grant of courage  
                    and strength to bear the loss. Even in our daily life, we give good wishes to each other
                      saying, ‘good morning’, ‘good day’, ‘good afternoon’, ‘good night’. Perhaps, these would
                    be the reasons for the great philosopher and one of the peace initiators Immanuel Kant 

                    to believe in goodwill and to say: “Goodwill is the only good that is good without
                    qualification”. Kant, 2002, p. 1)

                    The ideas contained in the quotes are for health, happiness, wealth, goodwill, long life,
                    well-being and peace for all. Fulfilment of these needs is peace, and denial of needs is   
                    violence. The ways through which, these needs are fulfilled, is peace education, which is     
                    dynamic side of universal religion i.e. Vedantic Hinduism. Thus all quotes are linked with
                    peace and peace education. (Prasad, 2009)

26. Under the tenets of Hinduism, the persons of other sects, who experimented the     
      truth, practiced it and realized it, may be called Hindus.  They were contributors
      of Hinduism enriching it, believers in spirituality and practitioners of peace
      education, because they were trained and skilled in education of their selves for
      their manifestation. In this sense, the great persons, who were influenced by
      Hinduism, have better connection to Hinduism, spirituality and peace education.
      Please refer to my interpretation at page 19, particularly the last para of this
      section.

28. The reply, for why and how so many persons have been influenced by Hinduism,
      requires so many pages to write on each person, which will not be possible for a
      Chapter of a book. If why and how are explained and the greatness of Hinduism
      is established even though its greatness, as you think, does not convey why is it  
      a great religion of peace education. For the influence of Hinduism on the great
      persons of the world conveys Hinduism as a great religion of peace education,
      please refer my interpretation cited in the last para of the Sub-section 6 of this
      Chapter. However, the interpretation is quoted here for the readers:

             The great thinkers of the world, who were influenced by Hinduism, manifested their
             selves through discoveries in their writings. And their discoveries of knowledge are   
            due to their perpetual learning of their selves. In this sense, they practiced peace
            education (of Vedantic Hinduism of self education), unknowingly as a term, through
           the use of knowledge about their selves, which helped them in the realization of their
           selves leading them to be peaceful and non-violent for themselves and others.

 32. Without knowing the basics of Hinduism how can one draw the conclusion that it
      leads to the theme of the book: Spirituality, Religion and Peace Education. The
      concept of peace found in Hinduism can make better connection with spirituality
      and peace education. Prayers in Vedas of Hinduism have good thoughts
      including the idea of peace. However, good thoughts in prayers have the effects
      of three, means a prayer is three-in-one. Good thoughts in prayer can preserve,
      maintain peace, prevent from the disturbances of peace and cure if peace is
      disturbed.  Because these all are the attributes of religion and peace, and this
      connect very much to the theme of the book Spirituality, Religion and Peace

   
Education.

33. To get peace through prayer (through goodwill) or through the religion by way of
      perpetual knowledge and practice of the self for discovery / manifestation is the
      product. Hence it cannot be taught, it is self-realization. Thus Vedantic religion or
      prayer is peace education.

34. All goodwill prayers are the attributes of peace and peace education. Each
      prayer leads to peace, hence all   attributes of peace are very much connected
      with peace and peace education.

36. The format of the quotes is the copy taken from the book The Calls of Vedas
      written by Prof. Abinash Chandra Bose, Ph. D. in English, a renowned thinker of
      Vedas, and this book was published by Bharati Vidya Bhavan , Bombay,  a very
      popular publisher of oriental literature and studies. We cannot interfere with the  
      quotes of the other authors, or even in their format they adopted.

      The ideas contained in the quotes are for health, happiness, wealth, goodwill,   
      long life, well-being and peace for all. Fulfilment of these needs is peace, and
      denial of these needs is violence. The ways through which these needs are
      satisfied is peace education, which is the dynamic side of universal religion.      
      Hence all quotes are linked with peace and peace education
.

 45. Link between Vedas and Upanishads has been explained in this section (Sub-
      section-3.What is Hinduism?, at page 5, 6, and 7). Please go through them, and
      be clear how Vedas and Upanishads are so related.

        The following excerpts are from the pages as cited above for the readers to refer:

                    Thus Vedas are the foundations of Hinduism. They are fountain-heads of Hinduism. ...
                    Vedas are creations of the ancient Indian sages who expressed their intuitive spiritual
                    experiences in the Upanishads. Upanishads – the ending parts of the Vedas – are truly
                    the basis of Hinduism. ...The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas
                    therefore they are called Vedant, the last phase of the Vedic revelation. ... Upanishads
                    come at the end of the Vedas and hence the teachings they embody are known as the
                    Vedanta. ...        

                    The Vedanta, which means Upanishads, does not believe in a book, a person and a   
                    personal God. There is no sect, no creed, no caste in Vedanta. According to Vedanta,
                    we are all God, incarnations of God. In its view, the man’s very self is God.

 49. Universal claim of Hinduism is of its own quality of universality because it
       believes God in every man (male or female) to realize this true divine nature.
       Hence Hinduism is everywhere, it is in all, and for all. To be more clear about
       the universal nature of Hinduism, you may read deeply the ideas of Swami
       Vivekananda (page 8 of this Chapter) expressed at the Parliament of religions in
       1893, at Chicago, USA, and views of other world thinkers on Hinduism cited in
       this Chapter. Don’t fear, there would be no clash with the tenets of other sects
       like Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, etc.

 51. 53. 80. :

       Here the word ‘catholicity’ means universality. It has not been used as a        
       deomination of Christianity. And this word was used by a great saint philosopher  
      Swami Vivekananda in 1893 at the Parliament of Religions at Chicago in  
      America. The word ‘catholic’ as universal, and especially for Indian religions, was  
       used by world renowned historian Arnold J. Toynbee also (see at page 21of this
      Chapter).

      Also kindly refer to the following:

      1. Catholic means universal (also, with other
          meaning
, p135). Bulcke, Father Camil (2005). An 
          English-Hindi Dictionary
. Ranchi: Catholic Press.   
  

      2. Catholic means universal (also, with other 
          meaning
, p128).Thompson, D. (2000). The Pocket Oxford    Dictionary. New   
          Delhi (YMCA Library Building): The Oxford University Press.


      3. Catholic is an adjective derived from the Greek adjective 
          Katholikos meaning universal (p.1). Wikipedia, the free
          encyclopedia (2009). Modified May 30,2009, from
          
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic

 Thus Hinduism based on Vedanta is not a communal religion. This truth has been confirmed with the views of renowned personalities of the world also. Please refer the views of thinkers in this regard cited in this Chapter.

Do not think that the readers and the audience are ignorant people, and we are the only knowledgeable persons, sometimes they know better than us. Thus nobody can teach anybody. But we all learn from each other.

 54. The words ‘any true’ have been excluded and the word ‘universal’ has been put
      before the word religion, because Hinduism has been considered as universal
      religion by many thinkers of home and abroad. And Hinduism gives recognition
      of any religion as universal beyond time and space, which based on the
      knowledge of the self for discovery and manifestation through perpetual test and
      retest of the truth already discovered.

     And the fact is that the title of the book is not only Religion and Peace Education,
     but Spirituality, Religion and Peace Education. The religion of church, temple and   
     mosque is the result of spirituality of the great personalities. Lord Sri Krishna,
     Jesus Christ, Gautama Buddha, Prophet Mohammed were highly spiritual   
     persons, and through the knowledge of their selves and practice of spirituality
     they were realized masters. In spirituality, one needs not to go to a mosque,  
     temple or a church in search of God. Spirituality is all about the spirit existing
     within every human being, who is abode of God, and through the knowledge of
     the self or spirit he or she is able to manifest the God within. And this is the
     religion of Vedantic Hinduism based on spirituality.

60. Correct. So this peace education should be core curriculum in all educations, and
      it should continue beyond campus education till the end of life of the every
      person.

62. Here one may trace the genesis of the concept of peace education to know the
      self what it is and how it can be unfolded or realized.

      The period of Gita (200 BCE) is much later than the period of Upanishads (700
      BCE), and even Buddhism (500). Gita is also revival of Upanishads and some
      reformation of Buddhism.                     

63. O yes, this is the heart of the connection of Hinduism as peace education. Here I
      divided this section in two parts: (a) roots of the concept of peace education, and
      (b) the genesis of the meaning of peace education 

      Again the quote which you cited from Gita has its source in Upanishads. Kindly  
      refer to the following verse of the Upanishad:

                 Of a certainty the man who can see all creatures in himself, himself in all creatures, knows
                 no sorrow. Isa Upanishad (In The Ten principal Upanishads, 1937, p. 15).

     And now compare with the verse of Bhagavad Gita, which you have cited in your  
     comment.

64. The title of your Chapter is excellent.  But why only teachers, basically we are all   
      global. According to Chhandogya  Upanishad, man is able to declare: “I, indeed,
      am this whole world”. And the great global teacher of the world Socrates
      declared, “I am not a citizen of Athens, or Greece but a citizen of the world.”
      Therefore let all be aware to be global through to be-global teachers.

65. Self-realization, which means manifestation of the self through discovery of
      knowledge, leads to fulfilment i.e. peace-individual as well as global. Peace 
      within each individual leads to global peace.

73. However, the atomized individual is full because he is the manifestation of full.
      The Isa Upanishad embodies in its very opening verse the central theme of all
      the Upanishads, namely, the spiritual unity and solidarity of all existence. This
      Upanishad insists on the unity and reality of all the manifestation of the absolute.
      There is a verse in it – “That is full, this is full. This fullness has been projected
      from that fullness. When this fullness merges in that fullness, all that remains in
      full. Om, Peace! Peace! Peace!

 80. In this regard of the word ‘catholic’, kindly refer to my response for your comment
      51 and 53.

 82. Certainly nation states are unaware about this peace education of man-making.
      They are fearful with the prevailing present peace education which directly
      affects their system of governance, not the people, who are the living parts of the
      system.

 83. To say about the son is right, about its mother is not. Highlight the son, hide the
      mother. It is not proper. If I say about the messages, people would like to know
      their origin or the source of the messages. Let the people know the truth of every
      religion. 

      However, I am not spreading Hinduism, but my effort is to explain what Hinduism   
      truly stands for, especially Vedantic  Hinduism. Vedantic Hinduism, which is
      peace education being the study of the self/manifestation of the self/self-     
       realization, is non-creedal, non-ceremonial, and non-believer of  the authority of       
      any book, any person and alone truth


     Even Buddhism, which is revival of Vedantic Hinduism (Upanishads), also does
     not believe in the authority of any book, any person, and alone truth. Buddha
     himself once said to his disciples:

         Never accept any truth because it is written in a great book.  Never accept any truth
        because it is said by a great man. Never accept the truth even because it is said by me
        (Buddha). Accept the truth only when your own self considers it true
. (Prasad, 2009)

                    …the Upanishads are a great source of strength. Therein lies power to invigorate the
                     whole world. They call with trumpet voice upon the weak, the miserable, the
                     downtrodden of all the race to stand on their own feet and be free; freedom, physical
                     freedom, mental freedom and spiritual freedom are the watchwords of the
                     Upanishads…. (Prasad, 2009)

Thus Vedantic Hinduism being non-creedal declaration is not a new religion. It is not confined to any time and place.  It is everywhere, only point is to be conscious of it. Hence the whole world, including India-the place of its origin, needs to be aware about this religion.  Vedantic Hinduism and its messages cannot be separated.

 

COMMENTS AND RESPONSES IN SECOND REVISION


Editor Edward Brantmeier’s Comments (dated 11June, 2009) and author Surya Nath Prasad’s Responses (dated11 July, 2009) for the second revision of the Chapter are:

 Edward J. B. Comment

 At page 4 in the second revision of the Chapter, Editor Edward deleted the words “some vitally”.

 Surya Nath Prasad Response

 At page 4 below, the words ‘some vitally’should not be deleted. These are related to vital energy, and here due to lack of this energy an individual may be handicapped vitally, and may suffer from the diseases of gas, acidity and cough. And the word ‘vitality’ is one of the basic elements of man. For details, please refer to Endnote 4.

 Here also the matters written under Endnotes 4 are cited below for ready reference

 4. Vitality, which is one of the five elements which constitute the man in view of Taittiriyopanishd (1965, p.146), is to be manifested. Vitality (prana) is vital energy. It is vital force, which is Brahman (God). The material body is produced by the vital force which is higher category. In absence of Prana, says Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (2004) Anna (food) decays (V. 12. 1, pp.420-426). Chhandogya Upanishad (2007) also states that without Life this will die (VI. 11. 3, p. 462). Vitality is only superfine ether (akasa). It is electricity, it is magnetism. It is thrown out by the brain as thought. Everything is prana (vitality). It is vitality (prana) that is moving every part of the body, becoming the different forces. Normal breathing and breathing in exercises are the rhythmic action of the vitality (prana). According to Chhandogya Upanishad (2007), “Prana (Vitality) is indeed the eldest and the best (of the organs)” (p. 329), because the vital force develops the embryo from the very beginning, and other organs begin to function only after the vital force does so (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, 2004, 6. 1, p. 441). One may refer to this Upanishad (pp.445-453) to know more about the superiority of the vital force. (Prasad, 2009)

 Edward  J. B. Comment

 6. Edward asked me “to explain what the Gita to your non-Hindu audience
    members....” on the following remarks of Huxley quoted by me:

 

Aldous Huxley about Gita describe the philosophy of Vedanta as “one of the clearest and most comprehensive summaries of the Perennial philosophy ever to have been made. Hence, its enduring value, [is] not only for Indians, but for all mankind” (Prasad,2009)

 Surya Nath Prasad Response

 6. The message of  Gita to all including non-Hindu audience is: They should work
    constantly. They should work, but they should not be attached; they should not be
    caught. They should reserve unto themselves the power of detaching themselves
    from everything, however beloved, however much the soul might yearn for it,
    however great the pangs of misery they feel if they are going to leave it whenever  
    they want. 

 Edward J. B. Comments

 20. Again, I still recommend that you change all the uses of man to human—it makes  
      more sense to me…. To be fully human is the goal of Hinduisum…

 Surya Nath Prasad Response

 20.  It is not proper to replace the word ‘man’ to ‘human’ here because God is not
      only in human, but also in inhuman and anti-human. Man is the common word for
       all these three types of man.

 Edward J. B. Comment

 23. You may consider using little self and big Self in this chapter—this is done by
      other authors writing of Hinduism…The big Self is the Brahman and atman
      realized as one…., the little self has the latent potential for realization of
      oneness…

 Surya Nath Prasad Response

 23. There is no dualism in Hinduism based on Vedatant even in the use of capital
      letter ‘S’ and small letter ‘s’ in the words ‘Self’ and ‘self’ for God and man
      respectively.

 Edward J. B. Comment

 30. You quote Swami Vivekananda multiple times in this chapter..   Does this
      represent all of Hinduism?  For example, there’s no mention of Swami
      Bhaktivedanta and the multiple paths of the Hinduism toward oneess and
      moksha.  There is not mention of the—path of meditation, path of knowledge,
      path of devotion, and path of service are just four paths---you may consider
      highlighting how Hinduisum naturally embraces diversity via an approach that is
      inclusive of the multiple ways---Saivites, Shaktas, Vaishavites, etc…..

 Surya Nath Prasad Response

 30. In the chapter, I have  used Hinduism in a very specific term as Hinduism based
      on Vedanta (Upanishads), and Swami Vivekananda was a great thinker and
      practitioner of Vedantic philosophy of Hinduism. Hence his ideas have been
      quoted many times.

      Kindly refer to your previous Comment [EJB45], through which you wished to
      know the link between Vedas and Upanishads, and I properly replied your query.
      You may refer also to my corresponding response in this regard.

      Here again I tell you that Vedas are the foundations of Hinduism. The Vedas are
      classified into the following paths: The Path of Devotion, The Path of Mysticism,   
      The Path of Splendour, The Path of Action and The Path of Knowledge.  These
      are the classifications of verses of Vedas. The Vedanta (Upanishads) is the
      knowledge and action parts of Vedas, which has been taken into the
      consideration and interpretation of Hinduism and Peace Education. Besides this,
      selected verses in prayers cited under the heading: Concept of Peace in
      Hinduism in the chapter are included from all the paths of Vedas.

      Other scriptures are acceptable when they are in agreement with the Vedanta
      (Upanishads), and are to be set aside when they contradict the Vedanta
      (Upanishads). They (other scriptures of Hinduism) have only a derivative validity.
      For a clear and full discussion of the topic see
:ankara’s commentary on the
      Vedanta-Sutras, II. i. 1.

     You have mentioned three sects of Hinduism: Saivism, Saktism and
     Vaishnavism.. These sects base their doctrines and dogmas on the Agamas.
      Agamas is the one of the six classifications of Hindu scriptures. Though they do
      not derive their authority from the Vedas they are not antagonistic to the teaching
      of Vedas. Chapter is pin-pointed to Vedantic Hinduism and Peace education.

 Edward J. B. Comment

36. whole sentence reads quite roughly.  Please try again and make it clear for the
       This reader….

 

       Reading the below cited text written by me at page 23 of the Chapter, Editor Edward made the  above stated remarks:

 Like the concept of peace education which has its roots in Chhandogya Upanishad, one may get the clues of its meaning in Taittiriya Upanishad (another scripture of Hinduism), a composition of its period is the same as Chhandogya Upanishad, i.e. before mid-first millennium B.C.E.  and in Ramacharitmanas of Saint Tulsidas-1532-1623, where we find the meaning of the self or the man, which helps us to define peace education in true sense. (Prasad, 2009)

 Surya Nath Prasad Response

 36. Please refer to the succeeding lines, which make very clear that every individual
       has five selves, viz. physical, vital, mental, intellectual and spiritual, or every
       man is made of these five elements (body, vitality, mind, intellect and spirit), and
       the process of  their integral manifestation is peace education. 

 Edward J. B. Comment

 37. What is meant about vitality here?  Please clarify…. For your international
       
audience…..

 Surya Nath Prasad Response

  37. Please see the Endnote 4 for clarification of the word 'vitality'.

 Edward J. B. COMMENT

 38. Vitality translated as prana—ok. So vitality is the intelligent energy of the body, it
      
is life energy—be clear…..

 Surya Nath Prasad Response

 38.  Vitality is prana in  Sanscrit.. It is not intelligent energy, but it is vital energy, it is
       vital force. When it is in abeyance, it lives in akasa (ether). When it diversifies, it
       manifests as various forces like gravitation, centrifugal forces etc. Again, please
       refer to the Endnote 4 to be clear.

 Edward J. B. Comment

 51. this shouldn’t be a separate section, but integrated somewhere or deleted  
      altogehther…

 Surya Nath Prasad Resonse

51. Try to know the present place of exiting peace education in educational
       institutions of the nation-states in the world, and reasons of very less numbers of
       peace education institutions and less number of courses on peace education.

        Here in this regard, I have cited the names of peace education thinkers whose
       findings of their studies enlighten us. One may refer to their studies, statements
       and reports for details. 

       However, this needs to be a separate section to make aware to the global
       audience about the present exiting state of peace education in different parts of
       the world, because peace education is a man-making education. Hence
       everyone must have access to it in the environment of violence throughout the     
       world. 

 Edward J. B. Comment

 52.  so the last message you want to send to the reader is the need to spread
       Hinduism or consciousness of it everywhere?   Hmm…. Is that what you want
       the reader to leave your chapter with? 

 Surya Nath Prasad Response

 52. There is no intention to spread the message of Hinduism.  But to make peoples
       aware about the good ideas and their practice inherent in Vedantic Hinduism
       helpful to enabling all mankind to know and manifest their self to be human
       towards themselves and others for peace and non-violence is the main purpose.

        We should not crucify the ideas merely for their roots in any particular religion.
       Let the people including enlightened readers to know the good elements in all
       religions of the world for unfolding the best within them to be human to build

       non-oppressive, non-exploitative and non-violent local as well as global society.

 

COMMENTS FOR THIRD REVISION AND RESPONES ON THEM


Comments of Editors Jing Lin, Edward J. Brantmeier and Jack Miller (dated 31July, 2009) for the third revision of the Chapter and Responses of author Surya Nath Prasad (dated 20 August, 2009) on their comments are:

 Editors Jing Lin, Edward J. B. and Jack Miller Comments

 From: Jing Lin

To: suryanath prasad

Cc: Jing Lin ; Edward.Brantmeier@ColoState.EDU ; jmiller@oise.utoronto.ca

Sent: Friday, July 31, 2009 8:53 AM

Subject: Suggestions for Revision of Your Chapter

 Dear Dr. Surya Prasad:

 We hope you are having a good summer.

 Yes we received your chapter and the three co-editors of the book on Spirituality, Religion and Peace Education recently held a meeting. We went over and discussed your chapter. While we felt that your chapter has great insights toward peace education from a Hinduist perspective, there are some suggestions that we strongly hope you will take into consideration if you are willing to revise the chapter again to be included in the book.

 The first suggestion is to remove the repeated use of "man" as representing both man and woman. Although you hint that you mean "man" to be the humanity, it reads as highly patriarchal or paternal. It leaves the readers a strong impression of women being secondary or as non-beings. Further, it is a scholarly norm now that research publications adopt gender sensitive and equitable language.

 The second suggestion is to be more inclusive in the language while you are discussing the role of Hinduism. Currently, many wordings or quotes leave the impression that Hinduism is the only religion, or the ultimate truth. Please revise accordingly.

 Thirdly, all the other chapters for the book are within the range of 30 pages (references included), hence we suggest you trim down the chapter to 30 pages. One possible way to do this is to reduce the amount of quotes (including poems) and to be more focused on peace education from a Hinduist perspective.

 We hope you will find our suggestions reasonable. We wish you will revise the chapter taking our suggestions seriously. Can you return the revised chapter in three weeks?

 Best wishes

 Jing Lin, Ed Brantmeier and Jack Miller


  Author Surya Nath Prasad Responses

 Re: Suggestions for Revision of Your Chapter

From: surynathprasad <peaceeducationsnp@yahoo.com>

To: Jing Lin jinglin@umd.edu

Cc: Edward.Brantmeier@ColoState.EDU; jmiller@oise.utoronto.ca; Jing Lin jinglin@umd.edu

 Sent: Thu, 20 August, 2009 8:13:58 P.M.





Dear Prof. Lin, Miller and Edward,

Kindly refer to your letter dated 31 July 2009 regarding your 3 suggestions for revision in my chapter Hinduism and Peace Education.

1.       Regarding your first suggestion, please refer again my Responses for the Edward’s Comments 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 59, 69, and 76 sent on 04 June 2009. You are very much aware through my responses how the different thinkers use ‘man’ as the common word for male and female in their ideas and even in the titles of their books. Besides these thinkers, when Confucius says man is basically good, Bible teaches man is created in the image of God, Georges Lapassade (1963)says man is born ‘prematurely’, UNESCO’S Learning to Be (1973) observes man as biologically unfinished and is obliged to learn unceasingly in order to survive and evolve, and Erich Fromm (1973) considers man who can never cease to ‘enter life’ is to be born in human form, they all also mean ‘man’ as male and female both.

But you editors have your own meaning for the word ‘man’ i.e. male only, disregarding the meaning of man means human beings (male and female both) as considered by different thinkers, and cited in dictionaries and encyclopedias. And you, as editors, dictate the author to remove the repeated use of ‘man’ in his chapter.

2.       Concerning your second suggestion, the whole Hinduism is very vast. Recently Sri Ramkrishna Math, Bangalore has published Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism in three volumes, Dr. Kane edited History of Religion (particularly History of Hinduism) in five volumes, and many pages have been written on Hinduism by different thinkers of India and abroad.  But the author (myself) has been throughout more specific about Hinduism, and more particular about Vedantic Hinduism.  Wordings and quotes of world thinkers cited by the author (me) in the chapter are for the validation about the Hinduism, not to say Hinduism is the only religion or it is not to say, it is the ultimate truth, as you think, because Hinduism believes in perpetual discovery of new truth.

But you ask me to revise what? Do you want deletion of the quotes which say about the facts of Hinduism? Because in the first revision you asked the author of the chapter to change the word ‘catholic’ from the quotes of world renowned thinkers Arnold J. Toynbee and Swami Vivekananda , which was not proper. Here again you editors know only one meaning of the word ‘catholic’ i.e. a branch of Christianity, while they use the word ‘catholic’ as universal. Please refer to my Response of your Comment 19 sent on 04 June 2009.    

 The author of the chapter thinks that the editors of the chapters are not very clear about the meaning of creed and religion.

 3.       About your third suggestion, the first text of the chapter was of 19 pages with references sent on 15 August 2008; in first revision, it was of 27 pages; and in second revision, it was of 40 pages. You editors are the reason for increase in number of pages in the chapter. You asked the author to write about the thinkers whose quotes are cited in the chapter, even though some of them are highly renowned, Nobel Laureate and well- known persons. Even description of some concepts and words was given on your command. Please refer to my Response of your Comments 
23 sent on 04 June 2009. You asked the author also to write about the thinkers, whose quotes were cited, about why and how so many people have been influenced by Hinduism. And the author told you that this would require still more pages which is not proper for a chapter in the book. Please refer to my Response of your Comment 28 sent on 04 June 2009 in this regard. You editors are responsible for increase in number of pages in the chapter, please refer to your Comments 6, 18, 19, 30, and 34 for second revision, which I (the author) sent you by incorporating the matters on your suggestions on July 11, 2009. And now, you jointly dictate the author to trim down the chapter to 30 pages. Really, it is strange how you are very self-contradictory in your own suggestions.  

 In view of the author, the editors should be well-versed in the concept and meaning of the words and ideas of the author whose works are under their editing. No doubt, the editors must have their own ideas, but they should not try to impose their ideas on the author, and force him to speak and write their ideas (editors’ ideas) in his (author's) chapter.  As an author, the editor should have his own distinctive writing style. But as an editor, the editor needs to perfectly match the author’s writing style. In essence, when the editor is editing the chapter of an author, he needs to pretend he is the author and communicates using his or her (author’s) voice and style.

In the present case, the editors fail to do this job, hence I, as a contributor of a chapter on the theme- Hinduism and Peace Education, withdraw myself  from the scheme of the book Spirituality, Religion and Peace Education edited by Prof. Jing Lin, Edward Brantmeier and Jack Miller to be published by Information Age Publishing. And the editors should not use or include the text of the chapter of mine as cited above either in the part or in full or in any form in the book or anywhere.

With thanks and best wishes,

Surya Nath Prasad





 AN ANNOUNCEMENT

 

Hinduism and Peace Education written by Surya Nath Prasad is being published by Peace Education (Publications), Nagpur, India in the book form (ISBN: 978-81-909478-1-7). Pages are more than 100 in the book. Contents in the book are: 1.What Is Hinduism? 2.Hinduism in View of World Thinkers, 3.Impact of Hinduism on other Religions and Persons of other Sects, 4.Thinkers and Practitioners of Similar Theories and Praxis of Hinduism, 5.Peace Education: Why? 6. Concept of Peace in Hinduism, 7.Peace Education in Hinduism: (a) Concept of Peace Education, (b) Meaning of Peace Education, 8.No Fear of Peace Education for Nation-States, 9. Need of Awakening among Peoples towards Peace Education, Notes, References, Selected Bibliography, and Index

Prospective readers who wish to have the copy of the book may write to: Peace Education (Publications), 216, Laxminagar-440 022,Maharashtra, India, Phone & Fax: +91-712-2232523, Cell Phone: 0-9823134698

e-mail: peaceeducationsnp@yahoomail.com


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

                                        
                          
CALL FOR PAPERS


PEACE EDUCATION: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL

(Founded in 1977)

Vol. XVII, 2009-2010


Founder & Editor-in Chief

Surya Nath Prasad, Ph. D.

Former Visiting Professor

The Graduate Institute of Peace Studies

Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea


Associate Editor

Suman Shukla, Ph. D.

Associate Professor

RTM Nagpur University College of Education

Nagpur, Maharashtra, INDIA

 

We invite the prospective authors who are engaged in the field of peace education, peace studies and peace researches to send their articles, papers, views on the Special issue (on the theme Global Governance and Peace Education)  of our Journal Peace Education on or before 30 October, 2010 through e-mail at: peaceeducationsnp@yahoo.com or by post to: The Editor, Peace Education: An International Journal, 216, Laxminagar, NAGPUR-440 022, Maharashtra, India.

 Sub-themes of the issue of the Journal are: 1.Need of Global Governance and Peace, 2. Global Governance by Cross-national Organization and Peace, 3. Global Governance by Supra-national Organization and Peace, 4. Global Governance by Transnational Organization and Peace, 5. Peace through United Nations, 6. NGOs as Partners in Global Governance and Peace, 7. Role of Peace Education in Global Governance. However, authors are free to choose their own topics for their papers.

 Reviews of the books may also be sent. News, reports, activities, events, proposals, conferences, publications or on any other items related to peace are also welcome.