Buddhist monks enjoy Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation Programme

Perhaps Sudarsha could comment on how many precepts of Buddhism these monks are breaking! Such as worshipping Gods....

Buddhist monks enjoy Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation Programme
by Global Good News staff writer

Global Good News Translate This Article
24 January 2008

Reverend Koji Oshima, a Buddhist monk from Japan, has reported outstanding achievements from Sri Lanka and Thailand, where thousands of Buddhist monks have learned Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation Programme. Reverend Oshima commenced his great work after responding to a call from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Founder of the Global Country of World Peace, requesting monks from Japan to bring Maharishi's knowledge to the Buddhist communities of Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Korea.

Shizuo Suzuki, National Director of the Global Country of World Peace in Japan, summarized Reverend Oshima's achievements with a beautiful commentary and slide show at the World Congress of Rajas and Ministers of the Global Country of World Peace.

In March 2003, Reverend Oshima journeyed to Sri Lanka, having used his few weeks of vacation in order to fulfil Maharishi's request. He was received by a local teacher of Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation Programme, and immediately started working tirelessly to introduce Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation Programme in the nation's temples.

One of the first meetings was with a saint whom Maharishi had met years before on his visits to the country and who is now leader —Shankara— of one the three streams of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Maharishi had specifically advised Reverend Oshima that receiving the blessings of saints, senior monks, and elders of the temples would be the secret of success wherever he travelled. Wherever monks learned Transcendental Meditation, it was greatly appreciated. As one great elder commented, 'Transcendental Meditation is a wonderful meditation system', an opinion supported by a remarkable 94-year-old monk, the most venerable encountered by Dr Oshima.

Within two months, Reverend Oshima and local teachers of Transcendental Meditation had taught 500 monks from 30 temples. This figure subsequently rose to over 1000, representing approximately 3 per cent of the total population of monks in the nation, drawn from 8 per cent of its 600 temples. Applauding this news, Maharishi told them that the first step had been achieved. Within two years, Reverend Oshima and his colleagues had taught 1550 monks from 71 temples. Dr Suzuki observed that improvements in the Sri Lankan economy and reduction of crime had occurred since the project began.

On Maharishi's inspiration, Reverend Oshima travelled on to Thailand, where more than 1500 Buddhist monks have now learned the Transcendental Meditation Programme. The young Buddhist monks were thrilled by Maharishi's knowledge, and were particularly interested in the Unified Field chart, illustrating how the Unified Field of Natural Law described by modern quantum physics is experienced directly as the field of pure consciousness, the Self, during Transcendental Meditation.

In recognition of these great achievements, Reverend Oshima was honoured with the degree of Doctor of World Peace Honoris Causa, the highest degree bestowed by Maharishi University of World Peace. The text of the diploma refers to the techniques that Lord Buddha taught to experience Nirvana, and recounts how, with the long lapse of time, these techniques were lost to the world, only now being restored through Reverend Oshima's programme of teaching Transcendental Meditation, which gives the experience of transcending to Buddhist monks. In accordance with Maharishi's wishes, the Diploma was presented by the Shankara, the most senior monk in Thailand.

Dr Suzuki noted that wherever Reverend Dr Oshima goes, monks are starting the technique at one temple after another. Maharishi had commented that it is the Sattva—purity—in Reverend Dr Oshima that is responsible for his success, which has so far resulted in 3100 Buddhist monks learning Transcendental Meditation in more than 100 temples in Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Reverend Dr Oshima gave credit for the success of the project to the guidance and blessings of Maharishi, thanking him for the wonderful gifts of knowledge and enlightenment on behalf of all the Buddhist monks who have learned Transcendental Meditation. Eloquently expressing his deep respect and gratitude to Maharishi, Reverend Dr Oshima also gave special thanks to all those who have sponsored this programme and contributed to its success.

Copyright © 2008 Global Good News(sm) Service.

Pelagianism and Catholicism

According to Catholic theology, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Transcendental Meditation program constitutes Pelagianism. Pelagius was a 4th century heretic who disbelieved in the need for the grace of God. He avowed that one could attain higher spiritual states through ones own efforts at purity. This view is not accepted in the Catholic church. Yet, essentially, this is what TM dogma teaches: you can attain higher levels of spirituality through your own efforts through meditation.

I believe that this idea of TM dogma is taken directly from one branch of Buddhism, which says that heaven can be attained essentially by meditation alone.

Catholicism believes in a person's need for the grace of God and that it is not possible to attain a great level of spiritual purity through one's own efforts alone. So, dogmatically speaking, TM doesn't mix with Catholicism. However, the technique, taken by itself may pose no conflict, except that I don't think self-induce trance, if that is what it is, done regularly would be considered healthy in any religion.
NEXT POSTAGE by Sue: Trancing Out

Off-Topic: I'm No Christian

Yesterday, Fairfield Life poster, Billy G., gave me an opportunity to answer a "criticism" that is fairly often leveled at me: That the reason I write critically about Transcendental Meditation and the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is that I am secretly a Christian. Below is a portion of our interchange that Billy G. graciously gave me permission to post here.

I doubt this will be the last time the question arises. But my answer will probably always be similar.

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "BillyG." wrote:
>
> I have a sneaking feeling that he's really pushing Jesus...could Mr. Knapp be an 'in the closet' Jesus Freak?
>

Actually, Billy G. I'm a Hindu--although I've bounced back and forth from Hinduism and Buddhism in the past. I was raised a Catholic, but left the Church in my teens. By 8th grade, I found Eastern thought much more interesting and satisfying than Christian thought.

It's always interesting to me when TM proponents suggest that I may be Christian. Doesn't TM support all religions? Why would Christianity -- even fundamental Christianity -- be an exception?

I believe it's because the first group to object to Transcendental Meditation and the Maharishi were conservative Christians. They saw the obvious conflicts between their religion and TM and SCI. And they acted on it: They attempted to have TM banned in public schools.

Despite being a devout Shaivite, I think they were right. Religion just doesn't have a place in public schools.

But I digress.

I am not a Christian. I do not accept Christ as my Lord and Savior. I have pictures and statues of Shiva, Ganesh, Buddha, and Saraswati all around me.

If you like, Billy G, I'm quite happy to post your question and my response on TM-Free Blog.

John M. Knapp, LMSW

Mantras Part 4: unstressing, feeling the body and beyond

Mantras Part 1
Mantras Part 2: Some thoughts preliminary to an examination of the mechanics of TM
Mantras Part 3: the makings of the “TM Casualties” or what colour is your cloth becoming?


There is a significant difference between what Mahesh said (“For our practice we select only the suitable mantras of personal Gods.”) and understanding the concept that some things are endowed with spiritual significance. To endow a thing with spiritual or religious significance does not change the thing in any way. What changes is attitude on the part of those who subscribe to the endowment.

Mahesh clearly endowed his actions/teachings and "vision" with spiritual and religious significance and cultured that attitude in us. Remember The Spiritual Regeneration Movement ?

Unstressing

When bizarre behaviour began to erupt at Mallorca, Mahesh called it waves of bliss. He said something good was happening. He didn’t teach that the experience was just another experience and we were to experience the feeling until it resolved itself.

From my side, I see "unstressing" as the body-mind experiencing a crisis, cognitive dissonance in opposition to which it cannot restore its integrity: body and mind feel like they are coming apart and behaviours beyond will-power or aside from what one had previously considered her/his will-power display themselves. I think that many of us accepted Mahesh in toto rather than resolve a crisis.

Feeling the Body

Many of us were there, saw it, even experienced it. The checking notes as they appear on line now (Checking Notes or General Points) give excellent if somewhat inconsistent teaching regarding untoward experiences arising in meditation. But were these "general points" in the checking notes at the time? I would very much appreciate knowing if anyone has the checking notes from Mallorca or prior to Mallorca and could tell me or preferably show me how the understanding of "feeling the body" was taught.

I only remember a conversation with Jerry Jarvis, prior to Mallora. He said that 'it' probably shouldn't be called feeling the body but should be called continuing. At the time, however, this concept seemed a very minor consideration.

I do not ever recall any time when Mahesh explained "feeling the body" as anything integral or as a necessary element to know or practise with as part of long periods of rounding. I can recall no mention of feeling-the-body as a "stitch in time". Regarding the horrendous freak-out that was Mallorca and (to a lesser extent) Fiuggi, apparently very few if any others remembered or knew or thought about this, either.

Beyond

I knew that I was really seeking something.

In a story Ramakrishna* told, he said that the seeker is like a thief in the night, he slips into the darkened house, touches this and that always muttering not the gold, not the gold. But when his hand feels the gold, he knows, he grasps it and is immediately gone into the night.

In some way, I knew I was in the darkened house of ignorance and TM really had the feel of gold. Maybe it might have been just that; but much later I discovered that Mahesh was corrupted by his own greed and narcissism subsequently corrupting not only what he had purloined from his tradition and teacher, but those he taught as well. This is my perception to this day, based upon my interaction with Mahesh and observing his interaction with others.

But just because I had been hoodwinked by a charlatan whose motives I felt were highly suspicious, I did not cease seeking. I kept looking for the gold and now I feel I have found that gold and have been examining it in the broad daylight, questioning practitioners and teachers alike, watching, observing, certainly looking for the behaviours and attitudes with which TM allowed me to be familiar. I am also looking at criteria such as Lifton’s to see if I am being cheated. I wish I could have done this from the beginning with TM.

I have continued the search that began in the spring of 1964. I can only conclude at this time that there is much more to life than TM. There is more than imagining that if you believe something good is happening long enough something good will happen. There is more to life than imagining you have been spiritually endowed by using the suitable mantras for personal gods.

I am a Buddhist presently practicing in the Thai Forest Tradition of Theravada Buddhism. I have no intention of suggesting that this is better than or superior to what Mahesh or Guru Dev is teaching/taught. However, if you are or feel you might be or might have been a TM casualty, you might want to look at “feeling the body” as explained in the Buddhist teachings.

If, and only if after considerable reflection on your part you feel that this is a step, endeavour or exercise you feel confident in making read through The Anapanasati Sutta – A Practical Guide to Mindfulness of Breathing and Tranquil Wisdom and/or The Satipatthana Sutta.

I am suggesting nothing easy. But, if you will, notice that the teaching begins with following the breath and letting mind and body become calm. Do you remember from the checking procedure how, before any mention of mantra, after opening and closing the eyes, you felt some quiet and calm, just naturally?

Did you realize anything or ever think about this?

You already knew how to be calm and quiet. It is my opinion that Mahesh’s teachings beyond establishing this insight is nothing more than a distraction from that calm and quiet, sidestepping the only meaningful reality, your own innate, knowable reality.

How can there possibly be any other basis for happiness in the world than knowing your own specific reality?

Cultivating this calm-and-quiet is the object of the Anapanasati Sutta. The method and teaching above (A Practical Guide) has been extremely helpful for me and I feel that if it is only read as an explanation it is helpful to understand the concept of mindfulness in the Buddhist tradition.

Further, in the The Satipatthana Sutta, we read how the Buddha established mindfulness in four REALITIES, the primary four realities of the individual, the person, YOU.

The first foundation is, basically, feeling the body, getting settled in and comfortable with your own physical reality just as it is. Little by little, as the impediments to mindfulness come up, they are skillfully abandoned.

I want to leave off with the advice of Padmasambhava**, an 8th century CE Tibetan teacher, who summarized his advice on spiritual development like this:

As for the innermost advice: no matter what kind of disturbing emotion you feel, look into the emotion and it tracelessly subsides. The disturbing emotion is thus naturally freed. This is simple to practice.

This is for me the gold and legitimate teachers share this innermost advice but do not sell it.

_____________
* Ramakrishna late 19th Century Indian saint living in the Bengal
** Padmasambhava’s Advice from the Lotus-Born (‘Pointing the Staff at the Old Man’)