University of Virginia Library

Desires and Fulfillment

Such luxuriance has caused
widespread resentment against
the Maharishi among India's holy
men. But his place under the pleasure
dome is still uncertain. He
does seem to approve of any action
which brings fulfillment ("if we are
given the ability to have desires,"
he says, "why should we not also
have the right to realize them?").
He rebukes religious leaders for
their attempts to control and dogmatize
experience ("Control has
been found damaging to life. It
is opposed to evolution and
change"). And a hefty chunk of
his lecture is always devoted to
reconciling spiritual with material
gain ("How is it possible for a
man not to be material; the whole
body is material").