Transcendental Consciousness, the foundation of education
by Global Good News staff writer
13 October 2008

Speaking on 5 July 1977, in Seelisberg, Switzerland, Maharishi said that 'what is important in the field of education is the value of discrimination, the intellect. The supreme value of intellect is gained when awareness transcends the field of distinction and experiences the unified field of consciousness in which the intellect is fully wake in itself. In this state the intellect is able to distinguish the two values of knower and known within one unified wholeness of consciousness.

'The knowledge of Para, Transcendental Consciousness, is the foundation of education, because knowledge of the Absolute is basic to the knowledge of any field of the relative. The whole Vedic Literature sings the glory of Para, which is pure knowledge, the pure potentiality of all possibilities.'

Maharishi then quoted a verse from Rk Veda, which says 'Richo Ak-kshare parame vyoman', which means 'In the transcendental, immortal field of Ak-kshara [the collapse of Totality, 'A', to a point 'Ka'], all the expressions of perfect knowledge, the hymns of the Veda, are structured.'

'From that value of consciousness, the impulses of Creative Intelligence come out to express the totality of knowledge on which education must be based,' Maharishi said.

In the Bhagavad-Gita, one of the books in the Vedic Literature, the Absolute—the totality of knowledge—speaks its own glory. This knowledge of the Absolute is the same expression of knowledge as found in the Richa, the transcendental fluctuations of consciousness expressed in the Rk Veda.

'The Vedic system of education includes the study of the Brahm Sutra to enable one to realize all the different values in creation as the expressions of the transcendental wholeness of consciousness, the Self,' Maharishi continued.

'By establishing Para, the Absolute, in one's awareness, the awareness becomes so unbounded that perception and action are no longer able to localize awareness. In this state every action becomes a means of enjoying one's own unboundedness.'

Transcendental Meditation brings the mind to unbounded awareness, and the Transcendental Meditation Sidhi Programme cultures the ability to act in the field of Para. Acting from the level of Para, unbounded awareness, one enlivens all possibilities and becomes capable of achieving anything.

'Every word is the expression of Para,' Maharishi said. 'When an individual is educated to project speech from the level of Para, the total value of possibilities lying within the range of each word will be actualized.

'Speech from the level of Para, the field of infinite correlation, enjoys a frictionless flow which conveys the totality of the speaker's intention and is received by the listener without distortion.

'The law of speech expressed by the Vedic Seer Manu is Satyam bruyat priyam bruyat (Manu Smriti, 2.161), ''Speak the truth that is sweet.'' This law of speech is fulfilled when the fluctuations of speech are created from the field of the Absolute—the field of truth, where sweetness is maximum, because this field is bliss. Speech from the level of bliss consciousness is revitalizing to the speaker and nourishing to the hearer.'

The key to develop successful leadership in the student is to enliven Para in his awareness. Every educated man should be a leader of his community, the leader of Nature, the master of creation. All the Laws of Nature follow the thought, speech, and action of such an enlightened individual.

'It is the flow of speech from the teacher to the student that cultures the student and instills knowledge in him,' Maharishi continued. 'When the teacher is functioning from the level of infinite correlation, he possesses that skill of speech whereby his expressions convey the totality of his intention.

'In education, the 'principle of the highest first' is to deliver unbounded awareness to the student to unfold in him the knowledge that his speech is rooted in the unboundedness of the whole cosmos, the field of Para.

'The Upanishad [one aspect of the Vedic Literature] describes the Atma, the Self, as infinite silence, non-dual, pure potentiality, the field of unboundedness, Transcendental Consciousness. This field of Para, the Self, is the foundation of all knowledge.'

The theme of Vedic Education, stated in the Bhagavad-Gita, is to open one's awareness to the unbounded value of Para in order to raise the suffering individual to the height of supreme happiness, the field of all possibilities. This is the means to put an end to all suffering, which results from a limited vision of life.

'The technique of Transcendental Meditation, which has emerged from the Bhagavad-Gita, requires nothing other than the mind itself to establish the awareness in the field of all possibilities,' Maharishi said. 'The natural tendency of the mind to settled down to its infinite potential is the foundation of education.

'The enlightened teacher makes knowledge a living reality in the daily life of his students. No matter what a teacher teaches, he guides the student to live the knowledge in all activity and behaviour.

'Comprehensive education based on Para expands the foundations of education to encompass the whole society and environment. Such an education includes all values: the student, the teachers, the relationship of the teacher and student, and the relationship of the student with his environment.

'The responsibility of the educational system is to awaken the student to the infinite potential of knowledge within himself and to culture the student's awareness so that every impulse of his awareness, arising from the home of all the Laws of Nature, is supported by all the Laws of Nature.

'The foundation of ancient and modern education is the same: Kasminnu bhagavo vigyate sarvam idam vigyatam bhavatiti, "Know that, by knowing which nothing else remains to be known." One little formula can be expanded to give knowledge of the whole universe.'

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