Give me $1 bn, I'll give you peace: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Times of India, India
5 July 2002
REUTERS [ THURSDAY, JULY 04, 2002 9:15:25 AM ]
NEW YORK: Beatles guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi said on
Wednesday in a July 4 message to Americans nervous about
new September 11-style attacks that he could kill world
terrorism with love - but he would need $1 billion to do it.
"July 4 could be a great day for freedom," Maharishi, who
brought Transcendental Meditation to the West more than
40 years ago and is a spiritual inspiration to some 6 million
people worldwide, said in a conference call from the
Netherlands.
Maharishi said that with $1 billion he could train 40,000
expert meditators, or "Vedic Pandits", who would generate
enough good vibes to save the world. His press office said
$85 million toward that goal had already been raised.
The guru has largely shunned the public eye for the last 20
years, but is now determined to drum up support for his
concept of "Natural Law - the Constitution of the Universe."
"I am setting up groups of knowers of this total knowledge
of natural law, here, there and everywhere, particularly large
groups in India, which is the seed for total knowledge of
natural law," Maharishi said.
"I have confidence that India will be the lighthouse for total
knowledge. From there this total knowledge will radiate in
the whole family of nations ... that would generate a powerful
influence of peace that would spread throughout the whole
world and neutralise the stress, the hatred and tensions that
fuel terrorism and war today."
Maharishi also criticized the US response to terror attacks.
"Bush's war on terrorism pushes the world toward
destruction," he said. "This promotes the birth of an enemy."
Copyright Reuters.
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