Unity doesn't come from making everyone going to the same school getting the same type of education, nor learning and speaking the same language, nor having the same economical and social status, nor having the same cultural values, religion practice, personal thinking and beliefs. It is about learning to allow and respect everyone to be different from one another, to have the different qualities of names and forms, allow everyone to be learning and speaking different languages, to have different economical and social status, cultural practice and values, religious/non-religious practice, personal thinking and beliefs.
The schools with different types of medium in our multi racial country is definitely not the cause of separateness, racism, discrimination or hatred as some people might think it is.
In the school with a specific medium that emphasizes on certain traditional cultural values, language and writing gives us the opportunity to learn about the important traditional values comes from a particular cultural background, and to be able to preserve and pass on all these cultural values, language and writing to the next generations. At the same time, we are also being taught to respect other people with different languages, cultures, religious practice and ways of living, even though we don't know much about all these different qualities of names and forms that everyone has. And it's not necessarily that we have to learn and practice about other people's different types of languages, cultures, religion practice, or ways of living, for us to show respect to anyone who is different from us.
No matter how much differences there are among the different languages, cultural backgrounds or religion practices, we can have one same humanity values that is beyond all the different qualities of names and forms, which is non-discriminative love, tolerance and respect, to live in peace and harmony among all beings who are different from one another.
I had my primary education in Chinese medium and secondary education in Malay medium. My elder sister had both her primary and secondary education in English medium. My two brothers had their primary and secondary education in Malay medium. My sister and two brothers don't know much about the Chinese language and writing, but that doesn't mean that they should discriminate and hate the others who study and know about the Chinese language and writing, or vice versa.
In school and outside of school, we all have friends from different religious, racial, educational and cultural backgrounds. Within our Chinese family, we have mix marriages with Malays, Indians and Europeans. We have many mix parentage cousins.
If we don't have French friends, or Thai friends, or any other different nationalities friends, it doesn't mean that we discriminate or hate them. It is not necessarily that we must have personal friendships with all and everyone to show that we are free from discrimination and hatred. It is no matter we have personal friendships with different types of people or not, we can be friendly and open-minded towards everyone, allowing and respecting all and everyone to be who and what they are.
Even though in the Chinese medium schools, the majority of the students are Chinese, as the Chinese would like to preserve and pass on the Chinese language, writing and culture to next generations. In the Tamil medium schools, the majority of the students are Indians, as the Indians would like to preserve and pass on the Indian language, writing and culture to the next generations. And in the Malay medium schools, the majority of the students are Malays, as the Malays would like to preserve and pass on the Malay language, writing and culture. But, this doesn't mean that we (should) dislike and disrespect other different languages, writings and cultures, if we don't learn or know or practice about them. This is not a reason for anyone to have discrimination or hatred towards other races/cultures who are different from us in this country.
For example, although we don't know about some other countries, or their people, language and culture, but that can't be a reason for us to feel separateness from these countries, or to discriminate and hate their people, language and culture. We don't need to know about certain country, their history background, language, religion and culture, for us to be friendly and respect the people from that country, who are having different qualities of names and forms from us.
Our parents, our ancestor's culture, and our schools teachers (at that time) never told us or taught us to have racism, or discrimination, or hatred towards others who have different religion, race, social status, educational and cultural background from us.
Even among the same nationality, same race, same culture, same religion, speaking the same language, or having the same education, people would still have discrimination and hatred among each other. This reflects that discrimination and hatred is an issue of personal thinking and behavior (under the influence of ignorance and egoism). It is not because of the existence of different types of nationalities, races, cultures, religions, languages and educations.
Even if we get everyone to be learning the same language, same culture, same religion practice, or same educational system, but that doesn't guarantee that everyone will have the same thinking, behavior, personality, values of life existence, and will be respecting and live in harmony with each other. Again, it's about respecting all the different qualities of names and forms that everyone has, and it's not about only to have one same quality of name and form in everyone.
Once we allow and respect all the different qualities of names and forms to be existing in this world, and not trying to interfere with one another different types of thinking, beliefs, values, practice and behavior, nor trying to change others who are different from us to be the same like us, regardless of whether we like and agree with them, or not, then we are going beyond all the qualities of names and forms, realizing the oneness or non-separateness of attributelessness, namelessness and formlessness, which is the nature in all beings of what beings really are.
My parents never went to schools, but we were taught to be kind and respect one another without discrimination, and be tolerant towards others with different skin colours, race, appearances, language spoken, thinking, beliefs, cultural or religious practice, social status, educational and cultural backgrounds. My parents gave helps to many people who needed help or assistance without any discrimination or preference of race or religion. My parents taught us that we don't have to look down on ourselves or anyone else, nor do we need to envy anyone else. Whenever they came in contact with people/beings who encountered difficulty and needed help, they gave their assistance without asking anything in return, even though they were not educated and didn't have much money.
Our school teachers (with different races and religions) and the text books in different mediums at schools (at that time) taught us to be tolerant and respect one another, and to learn how to live in harmony with other people within the family, the neighbourhood, the country, and the world, without looking down on others who are less fortunate than us, and without envy towards others who are more fortunate than us. We were taught to help each other when in difficulties. We were never taught to feel and think that we are somehow more superior than anyone, nor be arrogant, discriminating, racist, or to have hatred towards others who are different from us.
Our teachers (at that time) didn't teach us to discriminate or to hate anyone, not to our family members, our neighbours, our community, other schools students, other races, other religions, other cultures, or other nationalities, even though at schools, we learn about history, geography, science, mathematics, arts, morality and living skills in a specific language and writing. We have different types of competitions at our own school and inter schools, but we were also being taught about sportsmanship.
We don't need to be able to speak specific language or to practice other different cultures and beliefs to show kindness, friendship and respect to other people who speak that particular language, and having different cultures and beliefs. Kindness, friendship and respect is beyond languages, cultures and beliefs.
Most minds and its thinking, belief and behavior are influenced a lot by our parents, our friends, our neighbourhood, our community, our teachers, our education, our cultural values, our religion practice, our social network, our political leaders and public medias, and could be influenced by certain 'selfish people with certain ambition/agenda' and unwittingly developing discrimination and racist type of thinking and behavior, but that only happens to those who are not free from ignorance, egoism and impurities yet, who are still identifying with the mind, the thinking, the beliefs and the egoism that attached onto certain qualities of names and forms to be who we are.
If we know the truth of names and forms, if we are free from ignorance, egoism and impurities, if we let go of the identification with the mind, the thinking, the beliefs and the ego with certain qualities of names and forms, we won't be affected, nor influenced, nor determined by any ideas, thinking, belief, or manipulation, especially coming from 'selfish people with certain ambition/agenda' who intentionally want to create fear that generate discrimination, racism and hatred among one another that would benefit them to achieve their selfish ambition/agenda.
When we know the truth of names and forms - Impermanence and Selflessness, there's needless to have identification with any quality of names and forms. If there's no identification with the different qualities of names and forms, there's no separateness/discrimination between us and everyone else, even though from the appearance, we all come with different qualities of names and forms.
The untrained ignorant egoistic mind is easily being manipulated and influenced by external ideas and information, social and public medias, especially political and commercial influences. Fear is the foundation that gives rise to separateness, racism, discrimination, hatred, jealousy, animosity, self-protection, defensiveness and offensiveness in the minds.
If the mind is free from ignorance, egoism and impurities, if we know the one same nature of everyone and everything, we won't be manipulated nor influenced by any ideas, information, social and public medias, or political/commercial influences coming from anybody or any organizations, whether they are true or untrue, whether they are right or wrong.
Have peace in ourselves by allowing and respecting other beings to be different from us, and not trying to convert or make other beings to be the same like us.
There is nothing wrong with everyone having different qualities of names and forms. It is okay to be different from one another. We just need to allow and respect ourselves and others to be different from one another. Beyond all the different qualities of names and forms, all beings are 'governed' by the law of nature of impermanence and selflessness, regardless of whether under the influence of ignorance, egoism and impurities, or not.
If we don't want to see discrimination, racism and hatred in our society, then stop being one. Most of the time, we don't realize ourselves is also being discriminating when we criticize others for their cultural values/practice and religious/spiritual beliefs that we disagree with and dislike. If others want to be discriminating and racist, that is their freedom of thinking, action and speech.
The schools with different types of medium in our multi racial country is definitely not the cause of separateness, racism, discrimination or hatred as some people might think it is.
In the school with a specific medium that emphasizes on certain traditional cultural values, language and writing gives us the opportunity to learn about the important traditional values comes from a particular cultural background, and to be able to preserve and pass on all these cultural values, language and writing to the next generations. At the same time, we are also being taught to respect other people with different languages, cultures, religious practice and ways of living, even though we don't know much about all these different qualities of names and forms that everyone has. And it's not necessarily that we have to learn and practice about other people's different types of languages, cultures, religion practice, or ways of living, for us to show respect to anyone who is different from us.
No matter how much differences there are among the different languages, cultural backgrounds or religion practices, we can have one same humanity values that is beyond all the different qualities of names and forms, which is non-discriminative love, tolerance and respect, to live in peace and harmony among all beings who are different from one another.
I had my primary education in Chinese medium and secondary education in Malay medium. My elder sister had both her primary and secondary education in English medium. My two brothers had their primary and secondary education in Malay medium. My sister and two brothers don't know much about the Chinese language and writing, but that doesn't mean that they should discriminate and hate the others who study and know about the Chinese language and writing, or vice versa.
In school and outside of school, we all have friends from different religious, racial, educational and cultural backgrounds. Within our Chinese family, we have mix marriages with Malays, Indians and Europeans. We have many mix parentage cousins.
If we don't have French friends, or Thai friends, or any other different nationalities friends, it doesn't mean that we discriminate or hate them. It is not necessarily that we must have personal friendships with all and everyone to show that we are free from discrimination and hatred. It is no matter we have personal friendships with different types of people or not, we can be friendly and open-minded towards everyone, allowing and respecting all and everyone to be who and what they are.
Even though in the Chinese medium schools, the majority of the students are Chinese, as the Chinese would like to preserve and pass on the Chinese language, writing and culture to next generations. In the Tamil medium schools, the majority of the students are Indians, as the Indians would like to preserve and pass on the Indian language, writing and culture to the next generations. And in the Malay medium schools, the majority of the students are Malays, as the Malays would like to preserve and pass on the Malay language, writing and culture. But, this doesn't mean that we (should) dislike and disrespect other different languages, writings and cultures, if we don't learn or know or practice about them. This is not a reason for anyone to have discrimination or hatred towards other races/cultures who are different from us in this country.
For example, although we don't know about some other countries, or their people, language and culture, but that can't be a reason for us to feel separateness from these countries, or to discriminate and hate their people, language and culture. We don't need to know about certain country, their history background, language, religion and culture, for us to be friendly and respect the people from that country, who are having different qualities of names and forms from us.
Our parents, our ancestor's culture, and our schools teachers (at that time) never told us or taught us to have racism, or discrimination, or hatred towards others who have different religion, race, social status, educational and cultural background from us.
Even among the same nationality, same race, same culture, same religion, speaking the same language, or having the same education, people would still have discrimination and hatred among each other. This reflects that discrimination and hatred is an issue of personal thinking and behavior (under the influence of ignorance and egoism). It is not because of the existence of different types of nationalities, races, cultures, religions, languages and educations.
Even if we get everyone to be learning the same language, same culture, same religion practice, or same educational system, but that doesn't guarantee that everyone will have the same thinking, behavior, personality, values of life existence, and will be respecting and live in harmony with each other. Again, it's about respecting all the different qualities of names and forms that everyone has, and it's not about only to have one same quality of name and form in everyone.
Once we allow and respect all the different qualities of names and forms to be existing in this world, and not trying to interfere with one another different types of thinking, beliefs, values, practice and behavior, nor trying to change others who are different from us to be the same like us, regardless of whether we like and agree with them, or not, then we are going beyond all the qualities of names and forms, realizing the oneness or non-separateness of attributelessness, namelessness and formlessness, which is the nature in all beings of what beings really are.
My parents never went to schools, but we were taught to be kind and respect one another without discrimination, and be tolerant towards others with different skin colours, race, appearances, language spoken, thinking, beliefs, cultural or religious practice, social status, educational and cultural backgrounds. My parents gave helps to many people who needed help or assistance without any discrimination or preference of race or religion. My parents taught us that we don't have to look down on ourselves or anyone else, nor do we need to envy anyone else. Whenever they came in contact with people/beings who encountered difficulty and needed help, they gave their assistance without asking anything in return, even though they were not educated and didn't have much money.
Our school teachers (with different races and religions) and the text books in different mediums at schools (at that time) taught us to be tolerant and respect one another, and to learn how to live in harmony with other people within the family, the neighbourhood, the country, and the world, without looking down on others who are less fortunate than us, and without envy towards others who are more fortunate than us. We were taught to help each other when in difficulties. We were never taught to feel and think that we are somehow more superior than anyone, nor be arrogant, discriminating, racist, or to have hatred towards others who are different from us.
Our teachers (at that time) didn't teach us to discriminate or to hate anyone, not to our family members, our neighbours, our community, other schools students, other races, other religions, other cultures, or other nationalities, even though at schools, we learn about history, geography, science, mathematics, arts, morality and living skills in a specific language and writing. We have different types of competitions at our own school and inter schools, but we were also being taught about sportsmanship.
We don't need to be able to speak specific language or to practice other different cultures and beliefs to show kindness, friendship and respect to other people who speak that particular language, and having different cultures and beliefs. Kindness, friendship and respect is beyond languages, cultures and beliefs.
Most minds and its thinking, belief and behavior are influenced a lot by our parents, our friends, our neighbourhood, our community, our teachers, our education, our cultural values, our religion practice, our social network, our political leaders and public medias, and could be influenced by certain 'selfish people with certain ambition/agenda' and unwittingly developing discrimination and racist type of thinking and behavior, but that only happens to those who are not free from ignorance, egoism and impurities yet, who are still identifying with the mind, the thinking, the beliefs and the egoism that attached onto certain qualities of names and forms to be who we are.
If we know the truth of names and forms, if we are free from ignorance, egoism and impurities, if we let go of the identification with the mind, the thinking, the beliefs and the ego with certain qualities of names and forms, we won't be affected, nor influenced, nor determined by any ideas, thinking, belief, or manipulation, especially coming from 'selfish people with certain ambition/agenda' who intentionally want to create fear that generate discrimination, racism and hatred among one another that would benefit them to achieve their selfish ambition/agenda.
When we know the truth of names and forms - Impermanence and Selflessness, there's needless to have identification with any quality of names and forms. If there's no identification with the different qualities of names and forms, there's no separateness/discrimination between us and everyone else, even though from the appearance, we all come with different qualities of names and forms.
The untrained ignorant egoistic mind is easily being manipulated and influenced by external ideas and information, social and public medias, especially political and commercial influences. Fear is the foundation that gives rise to separateness, racism, discrimination, hatred, jealousy, animosity, self-protection, defensiveness and offensiveness in the minds.
If the mind is free from ignorance, egoism and impurities, if we know the one same nature of everyone and everything, we won't be manipulated nor influenced by any ideas, information, social and public medias, or political/commercial influences coming from anybody or any organizations, whether they are true or untrue, whether they are right or wrong.
Have peace in ourselves by allowing and respecting other beings to be different from us, and not trying to convert or make other beings to be the same like us.
There is nothing wrong with everyone having different qualities of names and forms. It is okay to be different from one another. We just need to allow and respect ourselves and others to be different from one another. Beyond all the different qualities of names and forms, all beings are 'governed' by the law of nature of impermanence and selflessness, regardless of whether under the influence of ignorance, egoism and impurities, or not.
If we don't want to see discrimination, racism and hatred in our society, then stop being one. Most of the time, we don't realize ourselves is also being discriminating when we criticize others for their cultural values/practice and religious/spiritual beliefs that we disagree with and dislike. If others want to be discriminating and racist, that is their freedom of thinking, action and speech.
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