Each student—through the daily practice of Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation—directly experiences all levels of life, from the surface to the greatest depths, and then the very purpose of each discipline and education as a whole will be fulfiled.

Whatever your field of study, enjoy fulfilment
by Global Good News staff writer
5 January 2009

Have you thought about the purpose of your education? Is is to gather as much information as possible? Or is it to create the ability to maintain one's life through getting a job? Or is there some more significant, deeper purpose?

In his book, Science of Being and Art of Living, Maharishi discusses these questions, considers the underlying aim of the different disciplines, and offers a solution to bring each discipline and education as a whole to fulfilment by developing the full potential of every student.

Maharishi expresses the great goal of education saying that 'Education aims at culturing the mind of a man to enable him to accomplish all he would like to accomplish in the great field of life.'

Students, upon graduation, should be 'well-grown in the fuller values of life, developed in higher consciousness and understanding.' In order to achieve this, 'the subjects taught,' Maharishi says, 'should be such that they bring home to the students the full scope of life. Whatever subject they choose should contain within it the view of a full life, a complete perspective of the full values of life and living.'

A look at a few traditional areas of study clearly reveals that while they all have as their aim fulfilment for both the individual and society, the disciplines, as taught today, do not realize their purpose.

After viewing three subjects from the vantage point of their goal and whether or not they reach it, a look beyond standard education will offer a means to allow the different disciplines and education itself to actually achieve their purpose on every level.

Satisfying human wants—the aim of economics

Consider economics. In Science of Being and Art of
Living, Maharishi defines economics as 'the science of production, distribution, and consumption of scarce resources to satisfy human wants'. Yet, he points out, that while a state of material abundance may be achieved in a man's life, whether or not such wealth will satisfy the man is questionable since many who possess affluence are lacking in contentment.

As the aim of economics, to satisfy human wants, remains unfilled in the absence of inner happiness, economics must, to fulfill its purpose, expand its scope beyond outer abundance to also embrace inner affluence.

Organization in society—political science
A similar situation is seen in the area of political science. Again in Science of Being and Art of Living, Maharishi states: 'The purpose of the study of political science is to learn how to better organize human beings for greater peace and happiness in their lives.'  He notes, however, that comparative study of political constitutions and systems of government does not improve the student as an individual.

Because the individual is the basis of society, unless he improves, greater peace and happiness will not exist in the society, nation, or the world and, in Maharishi's words, 'the very purpose of political science will be defeated.'  Political science must, therefore, include development of inner peace and happiness on the level of the individual to achieve its goal.

That which is valued in life as learned in the humanities

A  look at one more area of academics, the humanities, offers a slightly different angle on the theme at hand—bringing fulfilment to education and to life itself.

The humanities seek to bring satisfaction to life by considering what man has held, and should hold, as valuable in the various aspects of life. Maharishi points out that unless knowledge is given of the Absolute, the underlying, unchanging basis of life upon which all relative values depend, the study of the humanities remains groundless.

Instead of giving the student 'strong convictions of life and its higher purposes,' the humanities enervate or weaken the student and leave him feeling that, as everything is relative and ephemeral, it is not worthwhile.

In his discussion on the humanities, Maharishi adds that 'philosophy does aim at the study of the Absolute. But the fact remains that without the direct experience of the nature of the Absolute [unchanging basis of life], it remains inconceivable by the fields of logic and discrimination.'

Beyond standard education to fulfilment—a simple formula
Thus, it is clear that subjects, as taught today, are incomplete. While each discipline embraces, in its own way, the lofty aim of bringing happiness, satisfaction, higher values, and fulfilment to the individual and society, this goal has not been achieved.

Maharishi offers a simple solution: The student should study each subject on all levels. He must not only learn about the surface values of life, but dive beyond the limits of the gross, relative values to the unchanging, Absolute value of life, the very foundation of each discipline, sought by philosophers. For this, the curriculum of each discipline must include the study of the Absolute and, very significantly, its direct experience through Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation Programme.

'Without meditation, the mind will never experience the finer realms of relative existence, and will never know the nature of the Absolute. . .'  With Transcendental Meditation, the student will directly experience all levels of life, from the surface to its greatest depths, and the very purpose of each discipline and education as a whole will be fulfilled.

The student will achieve inner contentment, naturally resulting in right thinking, proper values, greater love and harmony, and greater  efficiency. He will grow to the highest level of fulfilment in life.

Maharishi writes, 'The study of the Absolute will reveal to the students the great and hidden values of life lying beyond the obvious phenomenal phase of existence and will bring to them a deeper sense of existence, a broader vision of life and the unfathomable field of wisdom. It also will reveal to them the possibilities of living values of life much greater and higher than those found on the level of relative existence.

If the technique of Transcendental Meditation is practised, along with the  study of the Absolute, the purpose of education would really be served. The system of education would thus be complete in the true sense of the word.'

Note from the editor: All quotations are from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's book, Science of Being and Art of Living.

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