Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 11 Contd…,
In order to discover the secret of Consciousness it would have to know itself and determine the reality of its own being and process; but as in animal life the emerging Consciousness is involved in vital action and movement, so in the human being mind-consciousness is involved in its own whirl of thoughts, an activity in which it is carried on without rest and in which its very reasonings and speculations are determined in their tendency, trend, conditions by its own temperament, mental turn, past formation and line of energy, inclination, preference, an inborn natural selection,—we do not freely determine our thinking according to the truth of things, it is determined for us by our nature.
EXPLANATION
What is the goal set before the mind? Mind has to discover the secret Consciousness within. In order to do so it has to know itself and determine the reality of its own being and process.
In animal life the emerging consciousness is involved in vital action and movement. Likewise in human beings mind-consciousness is involved in its own whirl of thoughts. It is carried on in thinking activity without rest.
In its thought activity its very reasonings and speculations are determined. The mind-consciousness has its own temperament, mental turn, past formation and line of energy, inclination, preference, an inborn natural selection. We do not freely determine our thinking according to the truth of things. It is determined for us by our nature.
We can indeed stand back with a certain detachment and observe the workings of the mental Energy in us; but it is still only its process that we see and not any original source of our mental determinations: we can build theories and hypotheses of the process of Mind, but a veil is still there over the inner secret of ourselves, our consciousness, our total nature.
EXPLANATION
It is possible to stand back and observe the workings of the mental Energy in us with detachment. But it is still only its process that we see. We do not see any original source of our mental determinations.
We can build theories and hypotheses of the process of Mind. But there still a veil is there over the inner secret of ourselves, our consciousness, our total nature.
PARAGRAPH 12
It is only when we follow the yogic process of quieting the mind itself that a profounder result of our self-observation becomes possible. For first we discover that mind is a subtle substance, a general determinate—or generic indeterminate— which mental energy when it operates throws into forms or particular determinations of itself, thoughts, concepts, percepts, mental sentiments, activities of will and reactions of feeling, but which, when the energy is quiescent, can live either in an inert torpor or in an immobile silence and peace of self-existence.
EXPLANATION
We have seen in the previous paragraph that we can only observe the working of the mental energy in us and we do not see any original source of our mental determinations. Only by the yogic process of quieting the mind that a profounder result of our self-observation becomes possible.
First we discover that the mind is a subtle substance. It is a general determinate or generic indeterminate. This subtle substance is thrown into forms by the operation of mental energy. It is thrown into particular determinations of itself, thoughts, concepts, percepts (sensory impressions), mental sentiments, activities of will and reactions of feeling.
When the mental energy is quiescent (dormant), the mental substance can live either in an inert torpor (inactivity) or in an immobile silence and peace of self-existence.
Next we see that the determinations of our mind do not all proceed from itself; for waves and currents of mental energy enter into it from outside: these take form in it or appear already formed from some universal Mind or from other minds and are accepted by us as our own thinking. We can perceive also an occult or subliminal mind in ourselves from which thoughts and perceptions and will-impulses and mental feelings arise; we can perceive too higher planes of consciousness from which a superior mind energy works through us or upon us.
EXPLANATION
We have seen that the determinations of our mental substance are given forms by the mental energy in the forms of thoughts, feelings etc. Not all these determinations proceed from itself. Because waves and currents of mental energy enter into it from outside. These take form in our mental substance. Or they appear already formed from the universal Mind or from other minds. Yet they are accepted by us as our own thinking.
There is an occult or subliminal mind in ourselves. From here also thoughts and perceptions and will-impulses and mental feelings arise. There are also higher planes of consciousness from which a superior mind energy works through us or upon us.
Finally we discover that that which observes all this is a mental being supporting the mind substance and mind energy; without this presence, their upholder and source of sanctions, they could not exist or operate. This mental being or Purusha first appears as a silent witness and, if that were all, we would have to accept the determinations of mind as a phenomenal activity imposed upon the being by Nature, by Prakriti, or else as a creation presented to it by Prakriti, a world of thought which Nature constructs and offers to the observing Purusha.
EXPLANATION
There is an observer that observes all our mental activities. It is the mental being supporting the mind substance and mind energy. It is their upholder and source of sanctions. Without this presence they could not exist or operate.
This mental being or Purusha first appears as a silent witness. If it is only a silent witness, then we would have to accept the determinations of mind as a phenomenal activity (external activity); something imposed upon mental being (mental Purusha) by Nature, by Prakriti. Or else we have to accept it as a creation presented to it by Prakriti. It is a world of thought constructed by Nature (Prakriti) and offered to the observing Purusha.
But afterwards we find that the Purusha, the mental being, can depart from its posture of a silent or accepting Witness; it can become the source of reactions, accept, reject, even rule and regulate, become the giver of the command, the knower. A knowledge also arises that this mind-substance manifests the mental being, is its own expressive substance and the mental energy is its own consciousness-force, so that it is reasonable to conclude that all mind determinations arise from the being of the Purusha.
EXPLANATION
The Purusha, the mental being need not always be a silent or accepting witness. It can become the source of reactions. It can accept, reject, even rule and regulate the determinations of mind. As the knower, it can become the giver of the command.
We arrive at the knowledge that the mind-substance manifests the mental being (as the material substance manifests the Existence, the Sat). The mind-substance is the mental being’s own expressive substance. Mental energy is its own consciousness-force. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that all mind-determinations arise from the mental being or Purusha. They are not impositions by Prakriti.