Consciousness-Based Education - Maharishi University of ...

consciousness-based education and governmentexperience of pure consciousness is increasingly integrated into dailylife. Maharishi (1978, 1986a) has demonstrated that each branch of theVedic literature contains systematic knowledge of these higher statesof consciousness as well as specific technologies for developing them.Maharishi (1978, 1986a) has brought to light many of these technologiesin his Vedic Science, including, most fundamentally, his TranscendentalMeditation and TM-Sidhi programs whose practice has beenshown to systematically develop higher states of consciousness.On the basis of the knowledge and technologies brought to light fromthe Vedic literature in his Vedic Science, Maharishi (1991) has created acomprehensive program for reconstructing human life on earth. For individuals,the implementation of these programs can quickly give rise tothe highest state of consciousness, which Maharishi (1978) terms enlightenment.For society, Maharishi’s programs can create an ideal structurecomposed of enlightened individuals, who spontaneously act in accordwith natural law and thus continuously enhance the evolution of the entireenvironment. Such a perfected state of collective life is described in theVedic literature, and Maharishi (1991) terms it Heaven on Earth.In the vast body of the Vedic literature, Maharishi has given theBhagavad-Gītā a place of special importance with regard to the knowledgeand technologies for perfecting individual and collective life.Introducing his commentary on the Bhagavad-Gītā he explains:The Bhagavad-Gītā presents the science of life and the art of living. Itteaches how to be, how to think and how to do. Its technique of glorifyingevery aspect of life through contact with inner Being is like wateringthe root and making the whole tree green. It surpasses any practicalwisdom of life ever cherished by human society. (Maharishi MaheshYogi, 1967, p. 19)The term “Being” here signifies the field of pure consciousnessreferred to above. Maharishi (1963) explains that it is a field of pureexistence, hence a field of Being (pp. 26–30).The Bhagavad-Gītā has immense practical value, Maharishi (1980)points out, because of the comprehensive range of knowledge it presents;its knowledge is, in essence, that which is found in the Vedic literatureas a whole. Thus, the Bhagavad-Gītā provides knowledge ofthe complete range of natural law; and this knowledge is competent to102