The purpose of both the objective and subjective approach to gaining knowledge is to enable one to live fullness of life.

Two approaches to gaining complete and reliable knowledge
by Global Good News staff writer
26 August 2009

Addressing the First International Symposium on the Science of Creative Intelligence on 26 July 1971, at Amherst, in Massachusetts, United States, Maharishi said that science is universal. 

‘The terms “Eastern science” and “Western science” simply denote different approaches to the object of enquiry, different approaches to knowing and to living the reality of life,’ he said. 

He explained that Western science is the investigation of reality through a purely objective approach while Eastern science is the subjective investigation into the nature of consciousness, the field of pure subjectivity, in order to systemically gain the knowledge of the whole creation and live fulfilment of life. 

‘Both approaches to knowledge are systematic and flawless because each remains purely within its own channel of investigation,’ Maharishi continued. ‘The purpose of both these aspects of science is to enable one to live fullness of life.’ 

Western science rejects any trace of subjectivity on the path of investigation because the observer’s state of awareness differs according to the condition of his nervous system, and when this changing subjective element is involved in perception, perception will never be reliable. 

The subjective approach to knowledge aspires to create a state of consciousness that does not change. ‘On the basis of this steady, non-changing value of consciousness—pure consciousness—the observer’s perception and evaluation of reality is always reliable,’ Maharishi said. 

‘Through the Eastern approach to knowledge it is possible for every man to be a scientist, a knower of truth, by developing that non-changing state of consciousness as a permanent reality.’ 

Maharishi explained that when awareness is permanently established in pure consciousness, only the truth will dawn in one’s consciousness. ‘This state of consciousness is called Ritam bhara pragya, ‘that intelligence which knows only the truth,’ he said. 

The advantage of gaining this level of Ritam bhara pragya is that simply by thought one can cognize the object one wants to cognize and can influence it in order to derive maximum value from it. 

‘The form of any object is contained within the name,’ Maharishi explained. ‘The name has all the impulses that are present in the form. This correspondence between name and form is found in the words of the Veda.
 
‘The Veda is the cognition of the truths of Nature, including all relative values and the absolute value. The Veda is cognized by that level of consciousness which accepts only the truth—Ritam bhara pragya.’ 

During the practice of Transcendental Meditation, as the awareness goes from the gross thinking level to finer thinking levels and then to the transcendent, the experience of Ritam bhara pragya can occur on the finest thinking level, very close to the transcendent. 

‘In this experience one feels "I know everything,"' Maharishi said. ‘As the practice advances the experience of Ritam bhara pragya becomes permanently established. 

‘When one’s awareness is established on this level it is possible to produce specific impulses, or sounds, in order to produce any desired influence on an object. This level of consciousness has control over the whole field of objectivity. By developing this ability to produce effects in creation according to one’s desire, one gains mastery over Nature.’ 

Maharishi said that there are innumerable layers of objective existence, and different Laws of Nature govern life on different levels of creation. By gaining familiarity with the Laws of Nature through objective science, it is possible to produce specific effects at any particular level of objective existence. 

Similarly, through the subjective approach, it is possible to station one’s awareness at any level of objective existence and produce the desired results. 

‘The structure of life at the basis of creation has a value that is both subjective and subjective. This level, from where the whole creation is structured, is the level of pure existence, which gives rise to objective creation, and intelligence, or consciousness, which structures the subjective aspect of life. 

‘Whether we investigate into the objective value of existence or the subjective value of consciousness, it is the perfection of human understanding that brings to knowledge the ultimate reality from both angles.’ 

Excellence in Action will feature a second article from this talk of Maharishi’s on 26 July 1971, in which he speaks further about the structure of name and form in Vedic knowledge. 

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