The Bhagavad-Gita: A Case Study in Vedic Psychology - Maharishi ...

MODERN SCIENCE AND VEDIC SCIENCE
consciousness as an experience of inner contentment that is most charming or fulfilling.
Maharishi offers the Vedic technology he has brought to light in the Transcendental
Meditation (TM) technique as the systematic means to gain the experience of transcendental
consciousness and develop higher states of consciousness outlined by the
Bhagavad-Gita. Maharishi (1967) describes his Transcendental Meditation technique
"as turning the attention inwards towards the subtler levels of a thought until the mind
transcends the experience of the subtlest state of the thought and arrives at the source of
thought" (p. 470)—that is, pure consciousness. Because "subtler" or less excited states
of awareness are more fulfilling or charming, Maharishi also notes that this process is
effortless: once given the proper direction, the attention automatically progresses to subtler
levels until the experience of transcendental or pure consciousness is gained. The
Transcendental Meditation technique thus differs from any technique of concentration,
which attempts to use effort to quiet mental activity.
This description is found in Lord Krishna's characterization of the Self as a state of
awareness without mental activity, "beyond the intellect" (III. 43). Moreover, the effortlessness
of Transcendental Meditation is expressed in Lord Krishna's description of Yog
as involving "no effort" and "no obstacle" (II. 40). Finally, Lord Krishna's assertion that
the Self is characterized by "contentment" (III. 17; VI. 20) describes clearly the mechanics
of the Transcendental Meditation technique as outlined above.
The Bhagavad-Gita also describes the fundamental principle of the Maharishi
Sidhi program. Maharishi translates Lord Krishna's words in the following way:
"Curving onto my own nature, I create again and again" (IX. 8). This principle of creation
from the field of pure consciousness, and the mechanics of the TM-Sidhi program,
are discussed in Gelderloos and Berg (1989). Maharishi (1986a) also comments on a
later verse of the Bhagavad-Gita (IX. 10), in which Lord Krishn expresses the process
by which the field of pure consciousness gives rise to the creative process in nature, yet
remains the non-changing basis of all change:
"Under my presidency, my nature creates again and again." That means, "I remain uninvolved."
The self-referral intelligence at the unmanifest basis of creation remains uninvolved
in the creative process, but the creative process owes its emergence and draws its
vitality from that self-referral performance of pure intelligence. (p. 30)
TM-
Please refer to Dillbeck (1988) for a further description of this creative process found in
Maharishi Vedic Psychology.
In summary, Lord Krishn declares to Arjun that there is a field of pure consciousness
which is without diversity or change. It is described as one's own "Self," experienced
when the mind settles to its most silent state of awareness. Lord Krishn indicates that
this state is not usually experienced because desire directs attention outward to the
objects of the senses. However, given the proper procedure, pure consciousness is easily
and effortlessly experienced because it provides experience of joy and contentment
greater than that given by sensory pleasure. Finally, Lord Krishn affirms that suffering
is ended when the experience of pure consciousness is permanently established. This
occurs in the development of higher states of consciousness, or enlightenment.
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