Global Good News: Excellence in Action

On 18 August 2004, during Maharishi's Global Press Conference, Raja John Hagelin, Minister of Science and Technology of the Global Country of World Peace, asked Maharishi a question from the press about whether there is one crucial point of philosophy or methodology that distinguishes Maharishi's schools from all other schools in the world? What would it take to practically bring these unique features of Maharishi's Vedic Education into any school?'

Maharishi commented that this was a very beautiful question, and 'the answer is: Total Knowledge will be given in Vedic Universities. Veda means Total Knowledge—Total Knowledge for everyone. We are able to really proclaim that because this is the proper system of gaining knowledge.'

Maharishi explained that there are two approaches to knowledge. He said that one way is to give Total Knowledge first, and then, as constituents of that, to elaborate on different fields of knowledge. This is one approach.

The other approach is: 'Don't tell him what Total Knowledge is. Lead him from one area to another area to another area. How many areas you can lead him to? You would never reach the totality by reaching one or two areas. This is the fragmented approach to knowledge,' Maharishi said, 'which is the situation with the present system of education. Physics, chemistry, physiology—so many different subjects—one would never get onto Total Knowledge.'

He then explained that in the Vedic approach, Total Knowledge is given first, in one syllable. 'In one syllable A [the first letter of Rk Veda], Total Knowledge is given out,' Maharishi said. 'Then, as different constituents of that Total Knowledge, instructions are given for engineering, medicine, architecture, agriculture, for this and for that. But the Total Knowledge is given first.'

'From where does this come? This comes from the very natural system of the evolution of a seed. There is hollowness inside a seed. If you give him the knowledge of the seed, then you say, "Now this is the seed of a mango, or seed of an apple, or whatever, and see how it sprouts, and how it grows: it becomes a branch, a leaf, a flower, and a fruit which is bitter first and then sweet later, and then again it becomes a seed."

'So you have given the knowledge of the whole tree when you have given him the knowledge of the seed. Otherwise, you give him the knowledge of the leaf, you give him the knowledge of the flower, you give him the knowledge of this branch, you give the knowledge of this or that—but you never give him the basic value of the leaf and the basic value of the flower.

'What is the basic value of the seed? The sap. And the sap comes from that hollowness.'

The Vedic system of teaching is that Total Knowledge is given first. Then as constituents of that Total Knowledge, the perspective of different areas of knowledge is given.

'This is what makes a man a custodian of Total Knowledge,' Maharishi continued. 'The proof of it comes when his thoughts are so knowledgeable that total Natural Law guides his thought. And when total Natural Law supports the thought, then infinite energy and intelligence propel the thought for action and the fruit of action. Immediately, the thought is materialized—so no hard work is necessary to actualize one's intention.'

This is the ability that the Vedic University brings to every student by giving him Total Knowledge.

The present system of education is 'like the blind leading the blind,' Maharishi said. 'No professor today can claim that he has Total Knowledge. When the teacher doesn't have Total Knowledge, what is going to be the fate of the student? So the whole thing is very unfinished, to say the least of it.

'But it doesn't matter, a lack of light is natural in the night, in this Vedic time period of Kali Yuga [an age of darkness and 'ignorance']. But now…. in these forty, fifty years, a few people have started to practise this thing [Transcendental Meditation]. Now the time has come to open the gate to everyone, and this is what we are going to do.'

"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