1st fundamental principle of PROUT

No individual should be allowed to accumulate any physical wealth without the clear permission or approval of the collective body.

Purport: The universe is the common property of all. All people have usufructuary rights, that is, the right of enjoyment, but no one has the right to misuse this common property. Those who gather much wealth and hoard it directly curtail the happiness and convenience of others in society. Their behaviour is flagrantly anti-social. Therefore no one should be allowed to hoard wealth without the permission of society. (From Ananda Sutram, 1962)

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2nd fundamental principle of PROUT

There should be maximum utilization and rational distribution of all mundane, supramundane and spiritual potentialities of the universe.

Purport: The wealth and resources inherent in the crude, subtle and causal worlds should be developed for the welfare of all people. All resources hidden in the five fundamental factors – solid, liquid, luminous, aerial and ethereal – should be fully utilized and this endeavour will ensure the maximum development of the universe. People will have to earnestly explore land, sea and space to discover and manufacture the necessary resources. There should be rational distribution of the accumulated wealth of humanity. In other words, apart from meeting the indispensable minimum necessities of all, the necessities of meritorious people and those with special requirements must also be met. (From Ananda Sutram, 1962)

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3rd fundamental principle of PROUT

There should be maximum utilization of physical, metaphysical and spiritual potentialities of unit and collective bodies of human society.

Purport: The collective body, collective mind and collective spirit must be developed. One must not forget that collective good lies in individuals and individual good lies in collectivity. Without providing for the comfort of the individual through proper food, light, air, accommodation and medical treatment, collective good can never be accomplished. So it is with the sole intention of doing collective good that one will have to devote oneself to individual good.

The development of the collective mind is impossible without developing a proper social consciousness, encouraging a sense of social service and awakening knowledge in every individual. So, inspired with the thought of doing good to the collective mind, one has to do good to the individual mind. Absence of spirituality and spiritual morality in an individual will break the backbone of the collectivity. So for the sake of collective good one will have to awaken spirituality in individuals. One or two powerful, learned or worldly-wise people, or one or two spiritualists do not indicate advancement and progress of the whole society. The body, mind and self of every individual have the potential for limitless expansion and development. This potentiality has to be harnessed and brought to fruition. (From Ananda Sutram, 1962)

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4th fundamental principle of PROUT

There should be proper adjustment amongst these physical, metaphysical, mundane, supramundane and spiritual utilizations.

Purport: While promoting individual and collective welfare there should be proper adjustment amongst the physical, mental and spiritual spheres and the crude, subtle and causal worlds. For example, society has the responsibility of meeting the minimum necessities of every individual but if society arranges food and builds a house for everyone under the impetus of this responsibility, individual initiative becomes retarded. People will gradually become lethargic. Therefore society has to make such arrangements so that people, in exchange for their labour according to their capacity, can earn the money they require to purchase the minimum necessities. In order to raise the level of minimum necessities of people the best policy is to enhance their purchasing capacity.

The law of adjustment further stipulates that while taking services from a person who is physically, mentally and spiritually developed, society should follow a balanced policy of adjustment. If only one of these three capacities – physical, mental or spiritual – is developed in a person, society should take the one that is developed. If both physical and intellectual capacities are sufficiently developed in a person, society should adopt the policy of adjustment, which takes more intellectual service and less physical service, because intellectual power is comparatively subtle and rare. If all three capacities – physical, mental and spiritual – are found in one person, society should make greatest use of their spiritual service and least of their physical service.

The greatest service to the cause of social welfare can be rendered by those who have acquired spiritual power, and the next service by those having intellectual power. Those having physical power, though not negligible, cannot do anything by themselves. Whatever they do is done under the instructions of those with intellectual and spiritual power. Hence the responsibility of social control should not be in the hands of those who have great physical capacity, or in the hands of those endowed with courage, or in the hands of those who are intellectually developed, or in the hands of those with worldly skills. Social control should be in the hands of those who are spiritual aspirants, intelligent and brave all at the same time. (From Ananda Sutram, 1962)

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5th fundamental principle of PROUT

The method of utilization should vary in accordance with changes in time, space and person, and the utilization should be of progressive nature.

Purport: The proper use of any object changes in accordance with the changes in time, place and person. Those who cannot understand this simple reality want to cling to the skeleton of the past and are consequently rejected by contemporary, living society. Sentiments based on narrow national outlook, regional outlook or caste pride etc., tend to keep people away from rudimental facts and original ideas. Those influenced by such sentiments cannot openly accept the simple truth. Consequently they are compelled to slink away to the back stage after having done indescribable damage to their country and fellow citizens.

Changes in the use of every object inevitably occur according to changes in time, place and person. After recognizing this fact people will have to progressively utilize every object and every idea. For example, scientific research must be applied so that a person, instead of wielding one huge hammer today, will be able to wield many hammers simultaneously, using the same strength. In other words, scientific research, guided by progressive ideas, should extract greater and greater service from the same human potential. It is not a sign of progress to use outdated scientific technology in an age of developed science.

Human beings will have to bravely face whatever large and small obstacles that may arise due to the use of various resources and materials created by progressive ideas and developed technology. Human beings have to march forward to victory on the path of all-round fulfilment in life. (From Ananda Sutram, 1962)

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