Ethics Moral Values By Dr T H Chowdary

Ethics & Moral Values By Dr T. H. Chowdary Director: Center for Telecom Management and Studies Chairman: Pragna Bharati (intellect India ) Former: Chairman & Managing Director Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited & Information Technology Advisor, Government of Andhra Pradesh T: +91(40) 6667 -1191(O) 2784 -3121® F: +91 (40) 6667 -1111 hanuman. chowdary@tcs. com Talk @ ISB : Hyderabad , 17 June 2010

Satiated but not satisfied • Na Vittena tarpaneeyoh manushyah (Man is not satisfied by wealth) - Kathopanishad • “Man does not live by bread alone” -Mathew IV: 2: 4, The Bible • We have people satiated but not satisfied with all their wealth, comfort, luxury, prosperity, affluence an d opulence. • Where is the life we having lost in living Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge Where is the knowledge we have lost in information The cycles of heaven in twenty centuries Bring us further from God and nearer to the dust – TS Eliot • What is the reason? – Deficiency of ethics, morality, spirituality, humanism S 445_June 2010 2

Ethics & Morality Ethics Morality • Principles • Ethics • Moral Principles • Beliefs • Goodness, • Moral Principles • Decency, • Moral Values • Probity • Code of Conduct • Honesty • Uprightness S 445_June 2010 3

Humans are Social Beings • Part of family*, community*, society*, nation*, humanity* • Communicative, interactive , interdependent yet freedomloving. • No man island… • The severest punishment: Solitary confinement • These * can exist and prosper in peace and harmony only if Individuals have self=restraint and • Society nurtures imposes norms of conduct and punishes the deviants • Ethics & Morality govern individuals- Self –Regulation • Law & Order: External Regulation of Human Conduct S 445_June 2010 4

Loka Sangraha – Preserving the Social (cosmic)Order • Why don’t people steal, lie, molest…? – Not because of law and punishment – But because of ethics & morality • Rita and Satya • Harischandra; King Bali • The Rishi in Penance – the hunter-king-the fleeing antelope • Krishna’s conduct in the Kurukshetra War • Kurukshetra Battle - slaughter • Hiroshima Nagasaki atom-bombed S 445_June 2010 5

Divine Command or Self-culture The Ten Commandments The Bharatiya Culture 1. Do not have any other gods before me. Om Sahanaavavatu, sahanu bhunaktu Sahaveeryam Karavaavahaih Tejasvinaavadheetamastu Maa Vidvishaavahaih, Om! Shantih, shantih 2. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Yo yo yam tanum bhaktah sraddhayaa architumichati; tasya, tasyaachalaam taameva vidathamyatam 3. You shall not bow down to them or worship Parasparam bhaavayantah sreya them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, paramavaapsyatha punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me S 445_June 2010 6

Divine Command or Self-culture contd… The Ten Commandments The Bharatiya Culture 4. You shall not make wrongful use of the name Taih dattan apradaayetayah bhukti of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not stena eva sah acquit anyone who misuses his name 5. Honor your father and your mother, so that Dharmaa viruddho bhuteshu kaamo your days may be long in the land that the Lord -asmi… your God is giving you. 6. You shall not murder. Aatmaupanyena sarvatra samam pasyati Samo-ahm sarva, bhuteshu, mame dveshyo-asti, na priyah S 445_June 2010 7

Divine Command or Self-culture contd… The Ten Commandments The Bharatiya Culture 7. You shall not commit adultery 8. You shall not steal. 9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor S 445_June 2010 8

CULTURE • Is the sum total of one’s being towards himself; family; society and God • To know something of everything and everything of something • Is obedience to unenforceable laws • A gentleman/lady is one who never inflict pain upon others • We must so live as to “add to the sum total of happiness” in the society/world S 445_June 2010 9

Cultured Conduct • Modesty, Vinaya • Greeting, Poorvaabhashi. [Sumathi…. ] • Not done in public [sneezing, yawning, spitting, blowing, guffawing …. • Queuing • Not speaking on Cell-phone in lifts, waiting rooms, public places. (Smoking is injurious to public health; even passive smoking so is cell-phone talk in lifts, auditoria, Qs……) S 445_June 2010 10

Endeavour and Unattachement • Uddhareth aatmanaa, naatmanamava sadayet! (one should uplift oneself up; not degenerte/ degrade oneself) • Yallabhase vittam tena vinodaya chittam (Entitlement, employment, entrepreneurship) • Competitive politics destroying values of work, thrift, sharing, caring and wealth creation - various “welfare” schemes S 445_June 2010 11

Robinhood Socialism “You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money. You cannot keep out trouble by spending more than you earn. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them What they could do for themselves. ” - Abraham Lincoln (Source: Freedom First, May 1989) S 445_June 2010 12

Unprincipled Politics w/o Principles Politics without principles Wealth without work Commerce without morality Knowledge without character Pleasure without conscience Science without humanity religion without sacrifice are sins verily - Mahatma Gandhi S 445_June 2010 13

Qualities that Uplift Degrade Abhaya, Jnaana, Damah, Daya, Raaga, Asooya, Dwesha, Kaama, gambling, Swaadhyaayah, Aarjavam, Ahimsa, Satya, (yudhisthira), Hunting, drinking, Dambha, Akrodha, Tyaga, Saanti, Samathva, Darpa, covetousness, greed, Apaisunan, Hree ( modestry), Kshama accumulation, Indulgence (sex, attachment)…. S 445_June 2010 14

Sins & Virtues Who determines what • Time, place &context • Bhisma in Santiparva The King, Ruler, leaders, the dominant minority of intellectuals… Eg: Adultery: stoning to death –Jesus • Paschattapa: Reparations: Germany of France, USSR, Israel (Dalits, Muslims) • In Gratitude- Macaulay & Indian Penal Code • Inequality& Excellence – can they co-exist • Competition and Equality - can they co-exist S 445_June 2010 15

Sins & Virtues contd. . • Is Ahimsa always a virtue? What happens to Dharma, Loka Samgraha, collateral damage ( terrorism , aggression) • Hiroshima/Nagasaki ; * Iran/Iraq Vs Israel • Soft speech – non-hurting –Japanese never say “no” –Chinese- keep face –Arab – (especially the desert Arab) Partakes • Contrast: Duryodhana, Karna, Palestinian Hamas, Hizbullah, Iran’s Ahmedenejadi (denies holocaust) • Modesty: Immodesty –Kasturbhai Lalbhai –Duryodhana’s Schoba yatra S 445_June 2010 16

Sins & Virtues contd. . • Power & Arrogance & Covetousness –Power & Morality-Pitirim Sorokin –Parricide, fratricide (Medieval Muslim rule in India) –Imperial fascist “democrats” – Stalin, Mao, Gandhiji, Hitler, Saddam Hussain; –The “secular” “social Justice” “inclusive growth” –wallahs –Power Corrupts – Absolute Power Corrupts –Absolutely S 445_June 2010 17

Ethics & Morality in Public Life Corporate Businesses • Can gentlemen be in politics? • What do “socialism”, ‘secularism” , “democracy, manifesto, welfare, “minority”, “social justice”, backwardness” , “service to poor” • Human rights ( to terrorists, zihadis, rapists; “transparency” • “empowerment (before enlightenment) • A “poor” servant of the poor increasing wealth by Rs. 550 mln in one year • Another pretender to father’s eminence and service to the poor having a 20 times increase in income (declared) S 445_June 2010 18

Values in Corporate Governance • • • OYT deposits for Telephone Tatkal passports & rail reservations Building & Layout Regularization Schemes Triple entry book-keeping Enron, Satyam. . How about Booking deposits for some cars? S 445_June 2010 19

Finally • Ethics & morality to be cultivated, ingrained from childhood • Exemplified by parent’s conduct • Learnt from the great literatures of the world – in India –The Upandishads, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavatha, Bhatrihari; Katha Saritsagara, Neeti Satakas • Criticism/ self criticism – introspection • Cultivation of : Asteya, Aparigraha, Indriya Nigraha, work as a fulfillment of one-self; samatva (equanimity) • Remembering: Isaavaasyamidam Sarvam yatkincha jagatyam jagat Tena tyakena bhujithaah Maa gridhah kasysuwiddhanam S 445_June 2010 20

Quotable Quotes S 445_June 2010 21

He that is first. . . “ In every field of human endeavour, he that is first must perpetually live in the white light of publicity. Whether the leadership be vested in a man or manufactured product, emulation or envy are ever at work. In art, in literature, in music, in industry, the reward and punishment are always the same. The reward is widespread recognition; the punishment, fierce denial and destruction. If the leader truly leads, he remains-the leader…That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the calmour or denial. That which deserves to live, lives. ” (from an advertisement of Cadillac motor car company on January 2 nd, 1915) S 445_June 2010 22

Vision • One man with conviction is the majority • Life’s battles are often won not by those who are strong but by those who think they can. – Hannibal [30, 000 against 150, 000] – Churchill’s Battle of Britain S 445_June 2010 23

Wealth accumulates …. Men decay…. Ill fares the land to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay, Prices and lords may flourish or fade, A breath can make them as a breath has made, But a bold peasantry, their country’s pride When once destroyed can never be supplied - Goldsmith in Deserted village. ‘I want an India where the peasants are not beguiled or intimidated into giving up their lands for Mr. Nehru to build castles in thin air through co-operative farming…” 24 --Rajaji S 445_June 2010

Bhagawadgita defines the good and moral on the one hand the evil and immoral on the other hand ( 16 th chapter) Abhayam satva samshuddhir Jnana yoga vyavasthitih Danam damascha yegnachya Swadhyaayastapa arjavam (fearlessness, purity of mind, wise apportionment of knowledge and concentration, charity, self-control and sacrifice, study of the scriptures, austerity and uprightness) S 445_June 2010 25

Ahimsa satyam akrodhas Tyagah, santir apaisunam Daya bhuteshu aloluptam mardavam hrir achapalam [non –violence, truth , freedom from anger, renunciation, tranquility, aversion to fault finding, compassion to living beings, freedom from covetousness, genteelness, modesty and steadiness (absence of fickleness)] S 445_June 2010 26

Tejah kshama dhrithi saucham Adroho naatimaanita Bhavanti sampadam daiveem Abhijatasya Bharatha (vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, freedom from malice and excessive pride - these are the endowments of him who is born with the divine nature) S 445_June 2010 27

Chintaam aparimeyamcha Pralayanthaam upasrithah Kamopabhoga paramaa Yetavat ithi nischitah ( obsessed with innumerable cares which would end only with death, looking upon the gratification of desire as their highest aim, assured that this is all) S 445_June 2010 28

Aasaapaasa sathairbadthah Kama krodha parayanaah eehante kamobhogardham Anyayena ardha sanchayan ( bound by hundreds of ties of desire, given over to lust and anger, they strive to amass hoards of wealth by unjust means for the gratification of their desires) S 445_June 2010 29

Idamadya mayalabdham Imam prapsye manoradham Idam asthi adamapime Bhavishyathi punardhanam [ this today had been gained by me, this desire I shall attain, this is mine and this wealth also shall be mine (in future)] S 445_June 2010 30

Asau maya hatah satrur Hanishyecha aparan api Eeswaro aham, bhogi Siddho aham balavan sukhi ( this foes is slain by me and others also I shall slay. I am the lord, I am the enjoyer, I am successful mighty and happy) S 445_June 2010 31

Aadhyo abhijanavan asmi Ko anyo asti sadruso maya Yekshye, dasyami, modishya Ithi agnana vimohitaah (I am rich and well born. Who is there like unto me ? I shall sacrifice, I shall give , I shall rejoice. Thus they are deluded by ignorance) S 445_June 2010 32

DHANYAWAD THANK YOU S 445_June 2010 33