Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 15
But if the supreme Absolute is indeed a pure Indeterminable, then no creation, no manifestation, no universe is possible. And yet the universe exists. What then is it that creates this contradiction, is able to effect the impossible, bring this insoluble riddle of self-division into existence? A Power of some kind it must be, and since the Absolute is the sole reality, the one origin of all things, this Power must proceed from it, must have some relation with it, a connection, a dependence.
EXPLANATION
We have seen in the previous paragraph that the Divine, the Supreme is an original indeterminable Mystery. If it is indeed a pure indeterminable, something which cannot fit into any aspect, then no creation is possible. There cannot be any manifestation or this Universe. But we find the Universe really existing.
Now we find a contradiction here. On one hand we find an indeterminable Absolute and on the other hand we find the cosmic determinations. What then is it that creates this contradiction, producing the impossible? We find the puzzle of indivisible Divine subjecting Himself to a divisible existence.
It must be a Power of some kind. The Absolute is the sole reality, the one origin of things. Therefore, this power must originate from it. It must have a connection with it or dependence on it.
For if it is quite other than the supreme Reality, a cosmic Imagination imposing its determinations on the eternal blank of the Indeterminable, then the sole existence of an absolute Parabrahman is no longer admissible; there is then a dualism at the source of things— not substantially different from the Sankhya dualism of Soul and Nature.
EXPLANATION
Now the question arises, whether this power is something other than the supreme Reality. Or is it a cosmic imagination imposed on the blank Absolute (Interminable) as supposed by the Mayavadins?
If that is so, then we cannot take a stand that there is nothing other than the absolute Parabrahman that exists (or All is Brahman). We cannot conceive of Brahman and something Not-Brahman existing side by side. Accepting such a view would lead to dualism at the source of things like Purusha and Prakriti of Sankhya philosophy.
If it is a Power, the sole Power indeed, of the Absolute, we have this logical impossibility that the existence of the Supreme Being and the Power of his existence are entirely opposite to each other, two supreme contradictories; for Brahman is free from all possibility of relations and determinations, but Maya is a creative Imagination imposing these very things upon It, an originator of relations and determinations of which Brahman must necessarily be the supporter and witness,—to the logical reason an inadmissible formula.
EXPLANATION
It is the power of the Absolute that effects creations from the Indeterminable Absolute. Therefore, the existence of the Supreme Being and the power of his existence opposing each other is a logical impossibility. They will be supreme contradictories. In other words the creations cannot be other than the Supreme Being.
Brahman is free from all possibility of relations and determinations. It is Absolute. Maya (as conceived by the Mayavadins) is a creative imagination imposing these very things upon Brahman. It is the originator of relations and determinations. Here it is assumed that Brahman must necessarily be the supporter and witness to these relations imposed upon It. Sri Aurobindo says, such a view is an inadmissible formula to the logical reason.
If it is accepted, it can only be as a suprarational mystery, something neither real nor unreal, inexplicable in its nature, anirvacaniya. But the difficulties are so great that it can be accepted only if it imposes itself irresistibly as the inevitable ultimate, the end and summit of metaphysical inquiry and spiritual experience. For even if all things are illusory creations, they must have at least a subjective existence and they can exist nowhere except in the consciousness of the Sole Existence; they are then subjective determinations of the Indeterminable.
EXPLANATION
Sri Aurobindo says, if we accept the Mayavadin’s view it can only be as a suprarational mystery. It is something which is neither real nor unreal. It is something which is inexplicable in its nature, anirvacaniya (which cannot be described in words).
The difficulties we face in bridging the gulf between the Absolute, the Indeterminable and the cosmic determinations, the creations are so great. Therefore, we can accept the Mayavadic view only if it imposes itself irresistibly as the inevitable ultimate; only if it proves to be the end and summit of metaphysical inquiry and spiritual experience.
Supposing we accept that all things in this universe are illusory creations. Then, they must have at least a subjective experience, like we are having the subjective experience of our dreams in our consciousness. They can exist nowhere except in the consciousness of the Sole Existence, the Brahman. (Because, for Mayavadins, Brahman alone is real, all else is Maya). To experience the dreams, there has to be a dreamer. They are the subjective determinations (unlike the objective, created physical universe) of the Indeterminable.
If, on the contrary, the determinations of this Power are real creations, out of what are they determined, what is their substance? It is not possible that they are made out of a Nothing, a Non-Existence other than the Absolute; for that will erect a new dualism, a great positive Zero over against the greater indeterminable x we have supposed to be the one Reality. It is evident therefore that the Reality cannot be a rigid Indeterminable. Whatever is created must be of it and in it, and what is of the substance of the utterly Real must itself be real: a vast baseless negation of reality purporting to be real cannot be the sole outcome of the eternal Truth, the Infinite Existence.
EXPLANATION
On the contrary, let us suppose that the determinations of this Power are real creations. Then, there must be something, out of which they are determined. What is their substance?
All creations cannot be made out of a Nothing. They cannot be made out of a Non-Existence other than the Absolute. If that is so, it will erect a new dualism. That is, we would have a great positive Zero over against the greater indeterminable x which we have assumed as the one Reality.
Therefore, Sri Aurobindo concludes that the Reality cannot be a rigid Indeterminable. Whatever is created in the universe must be made of it and in it. As it is made out of the substance of the utterly Real, it must also be real.
Mayavadins contend that the physical universe and all things in it, though appear to be real, are in fact a negation of reality, an illusion. Sri Aurobindo says that such a vast baseless negation of reality cannot be the sole outcome of the eternal Truth, the Infinite Existence.
It is perfectly understandable that the Absolute is and must be indeterminable in the sense that it cannot be limited by any determination or any sum of possible determinations, but not in the sense that it is incapable of self-determination. The Supreme Existence cannot be incapable of creating true self-determinations of its being, incapable of upholding a real self-creation or manifestation in its self-existent infinite.
EXPLANATION
Sri Aurobindo clarifies that when we say the Absolute is indeterminable it must be understood in the right perspective. It means that the Absolute cannot be limited by any determination. Or it cannot be limited by any sum of possible determinations. It does not mean that the Absolute cannot determine anything out of it.
The Supreme Existence contains in it infinite possibilities. Therefore it cannot be incapable of creating true self-determinations of its being. It is capable of infinite creations of its being. It has the capacity for manifestation in its self-existent infinite.