Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 7
But the being and action of the Infinite must not be therefore regarded as if it were a magic void of all reason; there is, on the contrary, a greater reason in all the operations of the Infinite, but it is not a mental or intellectual, it is a spiritual and supramental reason: there is a logic in it, because there are relations and connections infallibly seen and executed; what is magic to our finite reason is the logic of the Infinite. It is a greater reason, a greater logic because it is more vast, subtle, complex in its operations: it comprehends all the data which our observation fails to seize, it deduces from them results which neither our deduction nor induction can anticipate, because our conclusions and inferences have a meagre foundation and are fallible and brittle.
EXPLANATION
Therefore, the being and action of the Infinite must not be regarded as magic without any reason. On the contrary, there is greater reason in all the operations of the Infinite. But it is not a mental or intellectual reason. It is a spiritual and supramental reason. There are relations and connections seen and executed without mistake. Therefore, there is logic in it. What is magic to our finite reason is the logic of the Infinite.
Because it is more vast, subtle, complex in its operations, it is a greater reason, a greater logic. Our observation is limited. Therefore, it fails to seize all data. But the supramental reason comprehends all data which our observation fails to seize.
It deduces from them results which neither our deduction nor our inference can anticipate. Because our conclusions and inferences have a meagre foundation. They are prone to mistakes and feeble.
If we observe a happening, we judge and explain it from the result and from a glimpse of its most external constituents, circumstances or causes; but each happening is the outcome of a complex nexus of forces which we do not and cannot observe, because all forces are to us invisible,—but they are not invisible to the spiritual vision of the Infinite: some of them are actualities working to produce or occasion a new actuality, some are possibles that are near to the pre-existent actuals and in a way included in their aggregate; but there can intervene always new possibilities that suddenly become dynamic potentials and add themselves to the nexus, and behind all are imperatives or an imperative which these possibilities are labouring to actualise.
EXPLANATION
We observe an event happening in this world. We judge and explain the event from the result i.e. favourable or unfavourable. We do this by looking at its most external constituents, circumstances and causes. But each happening is the outcome of a complex network of forces which we do not and cannot observe. Because all forces are invisible to us though they are visible to the spiritual vision of the Infinite.
Some of them are actualities (realities) working out to produce or occasion a new actuality. For example, the subjection of our country to a foreign rule in the end brought about the unification of various states & kingdoms under the banner of one Nation. Like this there is an occult reason behind all that happens in the universe which is not apparently known to us.
Some are possibles that are near to the pre-existent actuals. For example the possibilities of a divine being is already there in man, who still exists as man only. But all possibilities are included in the aggregate scheme of things i.e. in the totality of things.
There can also be intervention of new possibilities. They suddenly become dynamic potentials and add themselves to the nexus. For example there was descent of Supramental Light in 1956 which paved the way for the Supramental consciousness becoming active in the earth atmosphere.
Behind the working of all these forces there are imperatives. That is, there is something behind these workings that determines or necessitates outcome. These possibilities are labouring to realise the imperatives behind all actions. This means, the results of all that happen in the universe are already willed by an overseeing Power.
Moreover, out of the same nexus of forces different results are possible; what will come out of them is determined by a sanction which was no doubt waiting and ready all the time but seems to come in rapidly to intervene and alter everything, a decisive divine imperative.
EXPLANATION
Moreover, out of the same nexus of forces different results are possible. The result is determined by a Divine sanction. This sanction was no doubt waiting all the time but it intervenes rapidly and alters everything. This is a decisive divine imperative. For example Sri Aurobindo’s involvement in the freedom struggle, his imprisonment and his future emergence as a national leader was the logical course of events that should have happened. But there was a sudden Divine intervention which put an end to his political life and marked the beginning of his yogic life.
All this our reason cannot grasp because it is the instrument of an ignorance with a very limited vision and a small stock of accumulated and not always very certain or reliable knowledge and because too it has no means of direct awareness; for this is the difference between intuition and intellect, that intuition is born of a direct awareness while intellect is an indirect action of a knowledge which constructs itself with difficulty out of the unknown from signs and indications and gathered data.
EXPLANATION
Our reason cannot grasp the working of the complex network of forces. Because it is the instrument of an ignorance with a very limited vision. It has a small stock of accumulated knowledge. But it is not always very certain and reliable knowledge. Our reason has no means of direct awareness.
This is the difference between intuition and intellect. Intuition is born of a direct awareness whereas the intellect is an indirect action of knowledge. This indirect knowledge constructs itself with difficulty out of the unknown from signs and indications and gathered data. Therefore it is always prone to inaccuracy.
But what is not evident to our reason and senses, is self-evident to the Infinite Consciousness, and, if there is a Will of the Infinite, it must be a Will that acts in this full knowledge and is the perfect spontaneous result of a total self-evidence. It is neither a hampered evolutionary Force bound by what it has evolved nor an imaginative Will acting in the void upon a free caprice; it is the truth of the Infinite affirming itself in the determinations of the finite.
EXPLANATION
What is not evident to our reason and senses is self-evident to the Infinite Consciousness. The Will of the Infinite must be a Will that acts in this full knowledge and is the perfect spontaneous result of a total self-evidence.
It is not an evolutionary Force restricted by what it has evolved. Nor is it an imaginative Will acting in a void in an unpredictable manner. It is the truth of the Infinite (Truth-Consciousness) affirming itself in the determinations of the finite.
PARAGRAPH 8
It is evident that such a Consciousness and Will need not act in harmony with the conclusions of our limited reason or according to a procedure familiar to it and approved of by our constructed notions or in subjection to an ethical reason working for a limited and fragmentary good; it might and does admit things deemed by our reason irrational and unethical because that was necessary for the final and total Good and for the working out of a cosmic purpose.
EXPLANATION
We have seen that there is a Consciousness and Will behind all actions in the universe. It is the Consciousness and Will of the Infinite. Therefore, it need not act in harmony with the conclusions of our limited reason. Nor will it act according to a procedure familiar to our reason. It need not conform to our constructed notions and subject itself to our ethical reason working for a limited and fragmentary good.
Rather it might and does admit things which are considered by our reason irrational and unethical. Because that was necessary for the final and total Good and for the working out of a cosmic purpose.
What seems to us irrational or reprehensible in relation to a partial set of facts, motives, desiderata might be perfectly rational and approvable in relation to a much vaster motive and totality of data and desiderata. Reason with its partial vision sets up constructed conclusions which it strives to turn into general rules of knowledge and action and it compels into its rule by some mental device or gets rid of what does not suit with it: an infinite Consciousness would have no such rules, it would have instead large intrinsic truths governing automatically conclusion and result, but adapting them differently and spontaneously to a different total of circumstances, so that by this pliability and free adaptation it might seem to the narrower faculty to have no standards whatever.
EXPLANATION
On what basis do we consider something irrational or condemnable? It is based on a partial set of facts, motives and requisites. But they might be perfectly rational and approvable in relation to a much vaster motive and totality of data and requisites.
Our reason with its partial vision sets up constructed conclusions. It turns them into general rules of knowledge and action. It then compels into its rule by some mental device. It gets rid of whatever does not conform to it.
An infinite Consciousness would have no such rules. Instead, it would have large intrinsic truths governing automatically conclusion and result. But it adapts them differently and spontaneously to a different total circumstances. We have a narrower mental faculty. Therefore, this pliability and free adaptability of the infinite Consciousness might seem to our mind to have no standards whatsoever. It might seem to be rather erratic to our mind.