The Art of Living —The Practical University

*Living life is an art* says Sadguru Shri Wamanrao Pai.

But then the question arises — in which university is this art taught?

In truth, there is no separate university for this art.

The art of living cannot be formally taught or handed over; it has to be absorbed.

*An art cannot be taught. It has to be caught.*

The foundation of this art is awareness.

When our five senses are truly awakened, the university of life opens automatically.

Eyes are not just for looking, they teach us to truly see.

Ears do not just catch sounds, they cultivate deep listening.

Touch is not just to sense, it gives warmth of experience.

Taste does not stay only on the tongue, it teaches gratitude.

Smell does not just create recognition, it knocks on the doors of memory.

Sadguru gives a beautiful definition of education:

*Education is learning every single moment.*

So how does one learn moment to moment?

To learn moment to moment means:

Looking at life as a student,

And reading every experience

as a textbook.

For that, one must stay awake, observe carefully, and listen attentively — in every single moment.

If we want to master this art of living, we must learn to see gurus even in everyday people around us.

Take, for example, the common pani puri vendor at a street corner.

In the evening rush, his stall is surrounded by customers.

One wants extra sweet water, another wants it less spicy, another wants it very spicy; everyone’s preference is different.

One is on his second puri, another asks for a second plate. One is paying, while another demands a masala puri.

The vendor manages all this at once — smoothly, smiling, effortlessly.

Look at his management:

• Real-time queue mapping

• Turn sequencing

• Customization memory

• Inventory management

• Micro-economics

• Operational logistics

• Instant correction under pressure

• Customer experience design

He has no mobile app, no management degree.

But his awareness, experience, and focus make him a genius of practical management.

*Mumbai’s Dabbawalas — A Global Ideal*

Another shining example is Mumbai’s famous dabbawalas.

Every day, millions of tiffins reach the right person, at the right place, at the right time.

Their accuracy is so astonishing that global research institutions have studied their system.

Their error rate is — 1 in 16 million transactions.

Hearing this, researchers from England, America, and across the world visited Mumbai.

They have no expensive software, no MBA degrees, no big offices.

But they have:

• Rigorous time discipline

• A simple yet effective coding system

• A spirit of teamwork

• And above all — responsibility and awareness

For this, they even earned Six Sigma certification.

The accuracy that multinational companies dream about, these so-called “uneducated” dabbawalas achieve every single day.

*The Real School of Business*

For a businessperson, knowledge of trade and skill is not enough.

They need to absorb multi-dimensional wisdom:

• Accounts — managing money

• Communication — polite, clear, winning words

• Public relations — building trust and connections

• Legal awareness — understanding rules and laws

• Language skills — conversing in many dialects

• Spiritual discipline — staying calm, smiling, and composed in any situation

All this is something even highly educated professionals often struggle with.

Yet, a small shopkeeper, a pani puri vendor, or a dabbawala handles it with ease.

Because their schools are different — their school is life and lived experience.

*Ignorant or Wise?*

We often label the pani puri vendor, farmer, or laborer as “illiterate.”

But who is truly ignorant?

The farmer can look at the sky and predict if it will rain today.

That is knowledge born of experience.

We may have degrees, but can we be that precise?

This brings to mind the story of the boatman and the scholar.

The scholar asked the boatman: “Do you know the Vedas?”

The boatman replied, “No.”

The scholar said, “Then half your life is wasted.”

Later, when a storm came and the boat began to sink, the boatman asked:

“Sir, do you know how to swim?”

The scholar replied, “No.”

The boatman said: “Then your whole life is wasted.”

This story, like the examples of the pani puri vendor and the dabbawalas, teaches us:

Education is not only book knowledge.

Education is learning through awareness and experience.

And that’s why Sadguru says:

*He who learns from others’ experiences is truly wise.*

Life is our real school.

Practical living is our classroom.

Experience is our teacher.

And awareness is the true exam.

*Life itself is the university,*

The senses are its gateways,

Learning moment to moment is the real degree.

The pani puri vendor, the dabbawalas, the farmer, the boatman —

They may not be university professors,

But they are surely masters of the art of living.

So —

Open your eyes, truly see.

Turn your ears, truly listen.

Be present in the moment, stay aware.

And keep learning every single moment.

A reflection on the effort of moment-to-moment learning:

*Jayant Joshi*