The Challenge of Existentialism: A Critique of Faith-Centric Religions

Existentialism, a philosophical movement that emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries, posed a significant challenge to traditional religious frameworks that emphasize faith and belief. Rooted in the idea that existence precedes essence, existentialism questions the reliance on religious doctrines that prioritize faith over a direct engagement with reality and facts. This article explores how existentialism can be perceived as a response to what it sees as a failure of religions that prioritize faith and belief at the expense of a genuine confrontation with the complexities of human existence.

The Primacy of Existence

Existentialism, as championed by thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus, places a strong emphasis on individual existence and the responsibility that comes with it. This stands in contrast to religious traditions that often prioritize faith in a higher power or divine plan. Existentialists argue that an overemphasis on faith can lead to a detachment from the immediate reality of human experience, preventing individuals from fully engaging with the complexities and uncertainties of life.

Freedom and Responsibility

Existentialist philosophy underscores the radical freedom and responsibility of the individual. Traditional religious doctrines, which often assert a predetermined divine plan, may be seen as limiting human agency and accountability. Existentialists argue that a reliance on faith without critical engagement can result in a passive acceptance of circumstances, hindering the development of a genuine sense of responsibility for one’s choices and actions.

Authenticity vs. Dogma

Existentialism advocates for authenticity – the idea that individuals should live in accordance with their own values and beliefs rather than adhering to external dogmas. Religions that emphasize faith sometimes run the risk of promoting dogmatic adherence to prescribed beliefs, stifling individual authenticity. Existentialism suggests that a more honest and meaningful existence arises from a constant questioning of beliefs and a willingness to confront the uncertainties of life head-on.

Meaning in a Secular World

Existentialism grapples with the question of meaning in a seemingly indifferent universe. While religious traditions provide a structured framework of meaning through faith, existentialists argue for the creation of personal meaning through individual choices and experiences. The critique here is that reliance on faith may provide a comforting narrative, but it might not necessarily address the inherent existential angst that accompanies the human condition.

The Absurd and Religious Absolutism

Existentialists often confront the absurdity of life, asserting that the search for absolute meaning is futile. Religious traditions, by contrast, often claim to offer absolute truths and ultimate meaning. Existentialism challenges the idea that faith in these absolutes provides a genuine solution to the human quest for understanding and purpose, suggesting instead that meaning must be constructed within the context of individual experience.

Existentialism’s critique of religions that emphasize faith or belief can be seen as a call for a more engaged and authentic approach to human existence. While faith and belief play essential roles in many people’s lives, existentialism challenges the potential pitfalls of an uncritical reliance on these principles. It encourages individuals to confront the complexities of existence, take responsibility for their choices, and find meaning in a world that may not offer easy answers. In this way, existentialism serves as a reminder of the importance of a nuanced and thoughtful approach to the fundamental questions of human existence.

The Ripple Effect: The Absorption of Buddhist Ideology by Later Religions

Buddhism, born from the enlightened mind of Siddhartha Gautama, has exerted a profound influence on the spiritual landscape of the world. Its core tenets, centered around compassion, mindfulness, and the quest for enlightenment, have not only shaped the development of various Buddhist traditions but have also found resonance and absorption into the fabric of later religions. This article explores the ways in which the ideology of Buddhism has been assimilated by and contributed to the evolution of other major religious traditions.

Mindfulness and Meditation

Buddhism places a strong emphasis on mindfulness and meditation as tools for self-awareness and inner transformation. These practices, originally intrinsic to Buddhism, have transcended the confines of the tradition. In Christianity, for instance, contemplative prayer and monastic practices reflect a parallel commitment to cultivating a deep, meditative awareness. The Christian mystics, such as the Desert Fathers, incorporated elements of Buddhist-style meditation into their spiritual disciplines, demonstrating an absorption of Buddhist contemplative principles.

Compassion and Universal Love

The Buddhist concept of compassion (karuṇā) and loving-kindness (mettā) has significantly influenced later religions, particularly within the Abrahamic traditions. Jesus Christ’s teachings on love and forgiveness in Christianity echo the Buddhist emphasis on compassion as a transformative force. Islamic Sufism, too, with its focus on love for God and all creation, reflects a resonance with the universal love preached by Buddhism. The common thread of compassion woven through these traditions underscores the interplay of ideas across religious boundaries.

Detachment and Non-Attachment

The Buddhist principle of detachment, rooted in the understanding of impermanence and the nature of suffering, has left an indelible mark on various religious and philosophical systems. Hinduism, with its diverse array of schools of thought, absorbed Buddhist ideas, including the importance of renunciation and detachment, into its own evolving framework. The Advaita Vedanta tradition, for example, integrates aspects of Buddhist non-attachment into its teachings on transcending the material world.

Emphasis on Ethical Conduct

The ethical principles outlined in Buddhism, encapsulated in concepts such as the Eightfold Path, have influenced the moral frameworks of later religions. Islam, for instance, incorporates a comprehensive ethical code within its religious teachings, emphasizing righteousness, justice, and compassion. The Ten Commandments in Judaism and Christianity similarly underscore the moral imperatives of right conduct and ethical living, aligning with the Buddhist emphasis on moral virtues.

Rejection of Ritualism

Buddhism, in its early form, challenged the ritualistic practices prevalent in contemporary Hinduism. This rejection of ritualism found echoes in later religions, particularly in the Protestant Reformation within Christianity. Figures like Martin Luther sought to strip away what they considered extraneous rituals and emphasized a direct, personal connection with God, reminiscent of the Buddhist rejection of elaborate rituals in favor of inner transformation.

Conclusion

The assimilation of Buddhist ideology into later religions highlights the dynamic nature of religious thought and the cross-pollination of ideas across cultural and geographical boundaries. As humanity continues its spiritual journey, the shared values of mindfulness, compassion, ethical conduct, and detachment serve as bridges between diverse religious traditions. The ripples of Buddhist thought have not only enriched the traditions from which they originated but have also contributed to the tapestry of global spirituality, fostering a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all religious pursuits.

The Buddha’s Eightfold Path: A Timeless Influence on Detachment and the Immaterial Nature of Life in Later Religions

The teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha, have left an indelible mark on the spiritual and philosophical landscape of humanity. Among his profound insights, the Eightfold Path stands out as a guiding light toward liberation and enlightenment. While Buddhism emerged over two millennia ago, its influence on later religions in terms of detachment and the immaterial nature of life has been both deep and enduring.

Prior to Buddha, no religions had the concept of peace, non-violence, detachment. Changing nature of world and its non-permanence is advocated by Buddha for the first time in human history. Correcting our behaviors, thoughts, emotions, speech are prescribed by Buddha for attaining enlightenment. Prior to Buddha, old religions were full of rituals, yagam, mantras, superstition, killing or scarifying animals or other living beings. Buddha changed to view of religion. His ideology of eightfold path was absorbed by later religions throughout the world in various flavors.

The Eightfold Path, a core component of Buddhist philosophy, serves as a practical guide for living a meaningful and fulfilling life. It encompasses Right Understanding, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. These eight interconnected principles provide a roadmap for individuals seeking to attain Nirvana – the ultimate state of liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Central to the Eightfold Path is the concept of detachment – the deliberate and conscious effort to distance oneself from the attachments and desires that perpetuate suffering. This idea of detachment extends beyond the superficial aspects of life and delves into the core of human existence. By cultivating Right Understanding and Right Intention, individuals are encouraged to perceive the impermanence of all things and to develop an attitude of non-attachment toward the material world.

The Buddha’s teachings on detachment and the immaterial nature of life have transcended the boundaries of Buddhism, influencing later religions and philosophies. One notable example is the impact on Hinduism, particularly through the teachings of Vedanta. The idea of transcending material desires and realizing the unity of all existence aligns closely with the Buddhist emphasis on detachment.

In addition, the influence of the Eightfold Path can be traced in various strands of Christian mysticism, where ascetic practices and contemplative prayer aim at achieving a state of union with the divine. The concept of detachment from worldly desires and the pursuit of a higher spiritual reality echoes the core principles of the Buddha’s teachings.

Islamic Sufism, with its emphasis on inner purification and detachment from worldly distractions, also reflects the influence of Buddhist thought. Sufi mystics seek a direct, personal experience of the divine, akin to the Buddhist goal of enlightenment through the Eightfold Path.

The Eightfold Path not only emphasizes detachment but also underscores the immaterial nature of life. Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration guide practitioners to cultivate a deep awareness of the present moment and develop a profound understanding of the transient and illusory nature of the material world.

This emphasis on the immaterial nature of life has resonated in later religions that advocate for a spiritual understanding beyond the confines of the physical realm. The emphasis on meditation, prayer, and contemplation in various religious traditions reflects an aspiration to connect with the immaterial aspects of existence and attain a higher state of consciousness.

The Buddha’s Eightfold Path has proven to be a timeless and universal guide for those seeking a path of enlightenment and liberation. Its influence on later religions in terms of detachment and the immaterial nature of life underscores the profound and enduring impact of Buddhist philosophy. As humanity continues its spiritual journey, the teachings of the Buddha remain a source of inspiration for those who seek to transcend the material and discover the boundless dimensions of the immaterial realm.

Wealth Ceiling – Greed Free Society – Poverty Free Society

Excess or Greed is a crime

Need of the hour for India and World is wealth ceiling. Today’s socio-cultural-political system is allowing a single person to earn as much as possible either genuine or ingenuine ways. A person can earn as much as money, properties/realty, vehicles, jewel, invest in share markets, unlimited savings or bank balance, unlimited investments as long as he/she pays tax to the government appropriately. One can hold any amount of capital.

This unlimited hoarding of wealth in multiple aspects leading to poverty in the world. Wealth ceiling is not a recommended practice for all humanity for all the periods or time. It is a medicine for the side effects of excess practice of capitalism in current world.

There is no philosophy fits all in all the time. Wealth ceiling could not be implemented 70 years back when the human world was healing after world wars and colonization. Those time the medicine was capitalism. But today we are suffering from capitalism and globalization. Globalization was the medicine to stagnant economy of 1990s. From 2000 onwards globalization took the world economy to next level. That was a cure to the disease which world was suffering 30 years back.

Too much of anything is bad. Too much of capitalism or globalization is also bad. Now world has to distribute the wealth, resources across many people evenly as much as possible. Forcibly governments across countries have to implement wealth ceiling.

For example, an individual should not hold more than 5 lakhs rupees bank balance. If any amount deposited more than 5 lakhs, then government will take the excess amount and use it for people welfare plans. An individual should not buy property more than 3000 sqft of plot or home from realty. There should be limitation of jewels (gold/silver/platinum) allowed to posses by an individual. So 400 grams of gold is the cap. Government will confiscate more than that.

Agriculture land possession can be exception to this wealth ceiling, because large scale farming is better than small scale forming.

In terms of salary, bank balance, realty property, gold possession, share market investments there should be ceiling for an individual as how much maximum he can own.

This should be applicable to all the individuals – politicians, government employees, businessmen, industrialist, etc. Any individual tax identification number(person) should have a ceiling. Exceptions are to corporate, public limited, private limited companies based on how many employees working there and how much salary distributed.

This is will dilute the material interests of people. People will stop boasting about salary, wealth, economic status, designation, positions and etc. People will not be stressed out in job, because they know they have a salary ceiling. Businessman will not cheat or overdo the business for more profit, because, the more they earn will be confiscated by government.

There will not be political and bureaucratic scam or bribery. No use of making more money when you have a ceiling on your wealth.

There were times, when man can marry multiple wives at a time. Nowadays, this practice of polygamy is extinct. Social awareness and legal systems helped to remove polygamy from the society. Many social evils on women are eliminated from the society by government and legal system.

Excess wealth with an individual is a social disease like obesity – excess body weight.

Our society is severely affected with a disastrous hunger for wealth. Employees want more salary, businessmen want more profit, education has become a profitable business, healthcare is a profit making business, hotel, food… everything running for profit, more profit. Service is ignored, profit is focused. Need of the hour is profit ceiling.

This will change the people’s mind set towards material values. People’s belief and value system will change. Welfare governments will rise and profit making governments will disappear.

With more money, scam free honest government can provide education, shelter, healthcare, basic needs to all the people evenly.

More employment will be created instead of high earning few individuals. Jobs will be distributed as well as salary too.

We need to take the medicine of Wealth Ceiling before we die due to excess consumption of globalization and capitalization.

This is not a permanent approach towards wealth. After 50 years from now, this wealth ceiling can be abandoned. There is no rule applicable to all the time. Medicine as per disease and till we have disease. Once disease cured, stop taking medicine, live normally.

Our society is severely affected by a disease called Greed. We greed for more marks in education. We greed for more salary in employment. We greed for more profit in business. We greed for more properties, assets. We greed for more jewels. We greed for more. We greed for more material wealth. We greed for more status, we greed for more fame, we greed for more recognition, we greed for more want.

Wealth ceiling is a right medicine to cure this Greed for More.

The current socio-political-economic system is allowing individual wealth hoarding without limits even genuinely. It is accepting the greed legally. As on date, greed/excess is not a crime, might be sin, but not a crime as per current legal system. The system has to change and stop wealth hoarding without limits and enforce limiting on greed or excess.

Dynamic Definition to Material Life

If any philosophy, ideology, concept, formula give definite state or priciples to life then it will fail at some point.

No formula or philosophy or no rule fits all or suitable for all the situations.

Life is dynamic, changing from time to time and from person to person and from being to being.

Life cannot be approached with definite or rigidly structured rule or philosophy.

A dynamic definition is required to approach material life.

Practical Spirituality for Materialistic Man

Practical Spirituality for Materialistic Man

Too much of anything gives problem. No much of anything gives problem. We need to maintain a balance between too much and no much to be peaceful and balanced.

Balancing in all the needs of life and wants of life is important for a man of material life. Health, wealth, fame, recognition, importance, ego, pleasures, pains, success, failure, etc all are needed in proper dosage to be happy and stable in material life. Neither in excess nor in scarcity – balanced fulfillment of all is required to have a satisfied life.

If you are leading a material life, too much of spirituality is bad. It affects your material life. If you like or can not avoid material life, then do not involve in spirituality too much. Like pickle to curd rice ratio, keep spirituality a bit low and fulfill your materialistic demands. Distribute your efforts/time 80℅ for material life and 20℅ for spiritual life.

Identify what you want and where are you in the life and channelize your energy/efforts accordingly.

If you are into earning money, getting married, having children, bringing up children, then you need to address all the ingredients of material life.

Going to temple or your worshipping place, reading/reciting your religion’s holy books, doing prayer for material gains, doing charity, remembering God or Divine force if possible, avoid committing sins if possible, forgive other’s mistakes as well as your mistakes, pray good luck to all your loved ones as well as your hatred ones, watch your thoughts, emotions, feelings, actions, speech if possible, but do not control them (you can not control them, let it be) – are your spiritual involvements. Rest you have to focus on your material life.

Mukti, samadhi, enlightenment, awakening, realizing brahman or aatma, mystical experience beyond mind, etc. are not for you if you are into material life. They are for a person who is into 100℅ spiritual life and completely detached from material life and have no commitments in material life.

There are yogic practices, breathing techniques, watching breath, strict religious process, narcotic intakes to break the crust of I or melt the crust of I to connect with Divine energy. These practices completely removes all the delusions we have, these delusions are propelling our life. If you get rid of these delusions, you will experience true nature of You, but it is not the scope or objective of family man. As a materialistic man, you do not try anything like these. You just live with the crust of I, do not break it. Live with your delusions, do not erase your delusions. It is difficult for an uprooted tree to grow again. Don’t uproot. Just undergo and experience both good and bad of life without resistance like a tree which experiences all weathers and seasons patiently.

Aging and experience will give you wisdom. Wisdom will give detachment to life, detachment from what is You gradually, yes Gradually. No sudden spikes of wisdom for family man. Wisdom will gradually dilutes your delusions. What state is attained by ardent yogic practices, that state you will gradually reach through aging, experience, wisdom. Aging, experience, wisdom is the path for family man, not yogic practices.

If you seek advice for your materialistic life problem, then get advice from an experienced person from materialistic life or atleast who is wearing your similar shoes. Do not seek advice from spiritual person for your materialistic life problems. Your material life is immaterial to spiritual person. His/her advice will not solve your problems. Be aware from whom you need to get advice. Sharing, lamenting are different from getting advice. You can share your grievance to some one you trust. But, you cannot get advice from anybody, especially from a spiritual person for your materialistic problems.

As a materialistic man/woman, you live with your fears and live with your desires. You pray for your fears and pray for your desires. Divine energy wants you to live like a human, that is why it has given you a chance to born as human. So, live, experience, die as a man/woman. Cosmic energy wants to experience, how it is to be you, so be you.

Enlightened Idiots

If you attain wisdom or enlightened, please keep quiet. Do not announce to others that you are awaken or enlightened. Please, do not start discoursing your blissful experience to others. Do not write books about your journey from ignorance to enlightenment. Your announcement, discourse, writings will not help others even little bit.

People around you, will mock behind you. People think you are mentally sick. An experience beyond words, can not be explained in words. If you try to explain your experience in words, it will confuse others.

First of all, try to understand, what people want. What is the desire. People are interested to listen about what they want, and what they like. Those who are interested in cricket, will read about cricket, watch cricket, discuss cricket with like minded people. If you are not interested in cricket, then any engagement with cricket will irritate you.

If someone aspires to pass Civil Service exam, then they will study, speak, discuss, read, analyze, and ponder over subjects to pass civil service exam.

Oh Enlightened idiots, if you talk about spirituality to people whose desire, want, interest are in some other thing, then they will get irritated with your talking or discourse.

By and large, do not push/pressure spirituality to everybody. You are enlightened, it does not mean that everybody want to be enlightened, not everybody seek wisdom. Somebody wants money, somebody wants status, somebody wants jewels, somebody wants fame…etc. If you discourse spirituality to everybody irrespective of their wants, then you will be considered as boring person. Soon, people will avoid you.

Many middle age and old people have an inclination towards spirituality. They are not actually interested in spirituality or wisdom or enlightenment or mukti, They have problems and pains in their material life. They are trying to find a solution to their problems from spirituality. What they want is solution to their problem, not enlightenment or awakening or wisdom. Don’t misunderstand that they are spiritual seekers and do not start discoursing as how to become enlightenment to them.

Enlightenment is nothing but a stone getting awareness as it is a stone. What will be the change physically or externally to the “Awakened Stone”? it still remains a stone. That’s it.

If you are enlightened or awakened or in bliss, then why are you involved in this material life. Why are you attached to worldly/material values. Abandoned your worldly identities, disappear from “your world”, beg for food alone. Do not worry about others, people will get, what they want, when they are ready as per divine chaos. You don’t need to feed spirituality to others. Don’t give me beautiful cloths, when I am in hunger. Give me food, that’s what I want, not spirituality. Spirituality is not the want or desire of everybody.

Decades ago, wherever we go, there will be a MLM person enticing you to become his/her downline. Now, wherever we go, some enlightened person, start discoursing how to become enlightened, without even knowing whether we really want it or not.

We are into Enlightenment Torture nowadays.

Spiritual Life Vs Materialistic Life – relation

How spirituality related to materialistic life? Spirituality has no impact on materialistic life and materialistic life has no impact of spirituality. A spiritually enlightened man can be either rich or poor. Enlightenment does not decide your materialistic wealth. Rich or poor life, does not enlightened you. Enlightenment decides your feelings, emotions to the events, happening in material life. It does not control events happening in material life.

Material life has it’s own rules and measurements unique to person to person by divine chaos, which are completely not related to spirituality. If you want to study well, you have to read, memorize, write, practice repeatedly to score good marks. If you are enlightened or worshipper or go to temple or meditate or do prayers, which will not guarantee that you will score good marks in your school or college or competitive exams.

Being wealthy, healthy, respectful, proud is entirely related to material life. You cannot claim respect from others in material life because you are spiritually enlightened. Material world has its own value system and measurement as how to respect or treat a person based on wealth and productivity. If you demand respect from material world, you have to fulfill what material world is expecting. If you want to travel in first class in train, then you should be in a position to pay(money) for first class ticket. Which means you should have enough money or earn enough money to buy first class ticket. No compromise.

Becoming enlightened or not is the only choice given to human. Rest, everything is determined subjectively by person to person. There are rules and there are exceptions. No theory fits for all in materialistic world.

A poor man can be enlightened, and a rich man can be enlightened. A poor man need not be enlightened, and rich man need not be enlightened. Enlightened has no relation with wealth or any materialistic resources.

If you want materialistic benefits, then you have to provide what it wants, be adhere to it’s process. Fifty Fifty. To achieve anything in materialistic life, your effort is 50% and divine chaos favoring to you is 50%. To pass you need 70% from both your effort and fate.

Your effort and your fate, decides how you live in materialistic life. But your spiritual life is 100% your choice. You can choose to be enlightened or not. If you are enlightened, it influence your feelings and emotions to events in materialistic life. It does not control happenings in materialistic life.

You need to put your effort to achieve anything in materialistic world provided you have God’s blessings(fate) for the same. You are working in a company. You want to be well paid. To be well paid, two things need to be good. One – you have to perform well, you have to contribute. Second – your company has to perform well in the industry or market. Both are tandem, complementing each other. You are performing well, but your company is not performing the business well, then you will not be paid. Your company is performing it’s business well, but you are not performing well, then you will not be paid. Both you and your company are not performing well respectively, then you will not be paid. In order to be paid well, both you and your company have to perform well. Tandem.

To be rich in material life, you need not be spiritually rich. To be spiritually rich, you need not be wealthy. This applies to health too.

True God’s grace, God’s blessings

We pray for God’s blessing to have good things and good experience and good feeling in life. We seek God’s blessings to be happy in this life. What is true blessings? Here is my hypothesis.

When somebody have a narrow escape in a road accident, we usually say it is because of God’s grace he or she escaped.

Here is a use case. Mr. Muthu is a 55 year old man. He has wife, daughter, and son. Muthu met an accident in road while going to office. He narrowly escaped from the accident with slight bruises.

His wife, family members said that he is alive, not died in accident due to God’s grace, he is Blessed.

After one month from the accident, Muthu’s daughter eloped with her lover. Muthu gone into deep agony. While searching his daughter, his son met accident and his son broke his leg and hospitalised.

Now, how Muthu is feeling. Does he think that God saved him from the accident to have and undergo bitter experience now. Does he feel that it is because of God’s grace he escaped from accident one month back?

His feeling now will be that he should have died in accident one month back so that he will not face the current problems – daughter’s elopement and son’s accident.

So Muthu’s escape from accident is a blessing or curse from God or Satan. Who saved Muthu from fatal accident? God or Satan?

When God terminate somebody’s life, we don’t know whether the death is a blessing or curse. When God saves somebody from death, we don’t know whether it is a blessing or curse.

End of wordly life means end of both pleasure and pain from this worldly life. Who knows whether you escaped from pain or pleasure or both.

Death is a true blessing which put an end to the never ending sufferings in materialistic life. Extension of life is a curse which continues the suffering of this worldly life.

Major religions of humanity believe that this worldly life is immaterial and it is a preparation phase for after life. Death takes the spirit back from earthly life and sends the spirit to after life. So true believers of the major religions should long for death, seek God’grace to die and enter into everlasting next life.

Do you seek “true blessing” from God?

Hindu philosophy and it’s various sub sects believe that once you complete experiencing your karma both good and bad, your life will be terminated. Your next life will be based on both remaining karma and new karma added.

Abrahamic religions believe that once you are thoroughly tested through good and bad by God, and the testing is over, your life will be terminated. Based on your testing result, you will be judged and your everlasting after life is decided – heaven or hell.

Both Hindu religion(s) and Abrahamic religions believe this worldly life is the preparation phase for after life. Rules and regulations to pass the test is already prescribed. You have to adhere and follow the rules to pass the test or add good karma.

Whatever religion you may follow and believe – will you seek God’s true blessing?

Education, Degree, Certifications Vs Experience

What is the value of education, degree, certifications when compared to Experience. Which is more important?

Education or degree will get you an entry into a job or profession. How you will progress in the job or profession is not decided by your degree. It is your personal learning, hard work, dedication, God’s blessings should favor you to be successful in your job or profession.

Once you sail through in your job or profession, then years passing, and you gain experience. Experience gives you salary hike, recognition, and confidence. Now there are two candidates – one with degree and other with experience. Recruiter prefers candidate with experience.

Now another scenario , three candidates – Candidate A with degree, and B with experience, and C with both degree and experience. Now recruiter will prefer candidate C with both degree and experience.

Education/degree is like 0000 (zeros). Some number(experience) has to prefix the zeros to have value 1000. Education backed by Experience is more valuable than experience or education alone.

Education for clearing UPSC/competitive exams will not help in succeeding in career. Studying will help you to pass the competitive exam and get you job, but in order to work and engage in profession, it will be different learning and skill set.

Here is the order of precedents :

Education + Experience = more valuable

Experience = valuable

Education = no value

When we compare driving a car, here is an example – You learn where is the steering, clutch, break, accelerator, horn, indicator switches, etc. Now you have education about car. But you have not driven the car in real time. You have degree – you know where and how to use steering, clutch, break, accelerator, you know their uses. But you have not taken the car out in streets/traffics/road/highway. You will experience how it is to drive the car in real time. Without knowing how to use the tools, you can not drive the car. But knowing the tools alone will not make you a driver.

Knowing the tools of car is like Education – having a degree, driving the car in real time is like gaining Experience.

Experience matters with educational foundation.