Global Good News: Excellence in Action

Imagine an education which creates fulfilment in a student's quest for knowledge, which offers 'all knowledge in one brain' rather than 'all knowledge in one campus,' which provides Total Knowledge, complete practical knowledge, fulfilment, and enlightenment. Maharishi Vedic University, being established worldwide, offers such an education.

Vedic vs. modern education
Comparing the education of the Vedic University to any other, Maharishi, in his book entitled, Maharishi Vedic University Introduction, points out that other universities possess the ability to increase a student's thirst for knowledge and yet, the student never feels fulfilled. He writes, 'In any other university, as the student goes from class to class every year, he knows that he is gaining some new knowledge, but at the end of each year he becomes aware that a greater field of knowledge is lying ahead. In this way, every year the student grows in ignorance more than knowledge. . . .'

One may chuckle at this thought while conceding to its truth. University education may leave us with the ability to search the web or library for a desirable piece of knowledge, but complete satisfaction remains elusive and problem-free life continues to be unknown.

In a Global Press Conference on 19 January 2005, Maharishi expressed his thoughts about modern education: 'Today's education is so fragmented,' he said. 'It does not satisfy either the teacher or the student. It is a strain to the teacher; it is a strain to the students. They never become capable of handling all aspects of life in their daily activities. . . .'

He then contrasted Vedic Education to this, offering students Total Knowledge. 'The children could have the effectiveness of total Natural Law in their mind, intellect, and behaviour very naturally, and handle anything that comes in life most successfully, most easily, without strain. This should be education, and this is the education we are forwarding through Vedic Education. Total Knowledge is one word which describes the blessings of the Vedic University curriculum.'

Gaining Total Knowledge, complete knowledge
In his book on Maharishi Vedic University (MVU), Maharishi expresses the need 'for complete, practical knowledge for spontaneous right thought and action' and says that this requirement is fulfilled by MVU. He writes: 'Complete knowledge is available in the field of pure intelligence, pure consciousness, pure wakefuness—Transcendental Consciousness.

'Transcendental Meditation is the technology of consciousness to develop pure consciousness, pure intelligence—the basis of complete knowledge; that is why Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation is an integral part of the curriculum of Maharishi Vedic University.

'Complete knowledge, lively in the awareness of the student, results in all thought and action spontaneously according to Natural Law.'

Expanding upon the great significance for the student of gaining complete knowledge, Maharishi explains in his introduction to MVU that with complete knowledge lively in his awareness, the student's 'thoughts spontaneously utilize the creativity of the infinite organizing power of his own pure nature, which is on a par with the Cosmic Intelligence of the unbounded, ever-expanding universe. Vedic Education . . bestows on every individual the ability to spontaneously utilize Cosmic Intelligence in all aspects of his daily life.'

Maharishi continues in his book with the Vedic expression of this result of Total Knowledge: 'Yatinam Brahma bhavati sarathih (Rk Veda, 1.158.6). Those established in self-referral consciousness—Cosmic Intelligence—for them, Cosmic Intelligence, the Creator, Brahma, is the charioteer, the administrator, of all their actions.'

Completing the very purpose of knowledge
Educating a man to be able to spontaneously entertain Cosmic Intelligence in his thought, speech, and action completes the very purpose of knowledge, Maharishi said in the press conference. Fortunately, such an education is not difficult as Maharishi emphasized saying, '. . . Total Knowledge—listen to this—Total Knowledge is much easier to gain than fragmented knowledge.'

Then he offered an example of a gardener. 'The gardener knows that it is much easier to water all the thousands of leaves and thousands of branches and flowers in one operation at the base—from the root. To maintain the health of the tree is very easy from its base. To maintain the health of the leaves, branches, and flowers separately, and this separately, that separately—thousands of things separately—is very difficult.'

Vedic Education, by very simply establishing the individual's awareness on the level of Total Knowledge, allows him to 'handle that which handles everything' just as the gardener does by nourishing the plant from the level of the root. Such an education is supreme, not only bringing success in all all fields of action, but allowing the individual to live the result of complete, practical knowledge—the fruit of all knowledge— mistake-free, problem-free life in which one is fully supported by Natural Law.

Maharishi expressed in the press conference that the present system of education is like pennies compared to the trillions of dollars of value of Vedic Education. '. . . When we compare modern education to that [Vedic Education], we feel it is a waste of human power, a waste of human ability. Now is the time to launch upon the wholeness of education. The wholeness is so natural, so beautiful, so rewarding, so relaxing. It is bliss.'

"The potential of every student is infinite. The time of student life should serve to unfold that infinite potential so that every individual becomes a vibrant centre of Total Knowledge."—Maharishi