The teachings of Gautama Buddha will soon be included in NCERT textbooks and school curriculum as the Mahatma’s teachings are “ideas of life”, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said today. “Politics gives us resources to live life but a Mahatma like Buddha teaches us ‘why to live’ and ‘how to live’ so it is important to include him in our education system,” he said addressing the Buddha Jayanti celebrations here. The HRD Minister said he will ensure that Buddha’s teachings reached students at all levels – primary, middle and higher – so that education was achieved in a “complete sense” and not just for employment. “Teachings of Gautama Buddha are ideas of life (Jeevan ke Vichar). We will definitely include Buddha in our curriculum, as his teachings give a right direction to life,” he said. The event was organised by the Cultural Ministry, wherein eminent scholar of Buddhism S R Bhatt was felicitated.
Javadekar reiterated that giving knowledge and job skills to students was not education in itself, but just a part of it. “The real aim of education is to prepare a good human being,” he said. Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, who was also present at the event, said, “Buddha’s messages are relevant even today as they were at that time. His vision was scientific.” Union minister Kiren Rijuju said India would became a world leader if it followed teachings of Buddha. “The world looks up to India as it is Buddha’s birthplace,” he said.