Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 22 Contd..,
It would be a temporary phenomenon, not the cause and essence of cosmic existence; its inevitable consummation would be a return of the spirit, not out of the cosmos to a sole supracosmic self-awareness, but even in the cosmos itself to an integral self-knowledge and all-knowledge.
EXPLANATION
Based on this truth, we can see that ignorance would be a temporary phenomenon. It would not be the cause and essence of cosmic existence. Its inevitable fulfilment would be a return of the spirit. It would not be a return of the spirit out of the cosmos to a sole supracosmic self-awareness. But it would be a return even in the cosmos itself to an integral self-knowledge and all-knowledge.
PARAGRAPH 23
It might be objected that the supramental cognition is, after all, not the final truth of things. Beyond the supramental plane of consciousness which is an intermediate step from overmind and mind to the complete experience of Sachchidananda, are the greatest heights of the manifested Spirit: here surely existence would not at all be based on the determination of the One in multiplicity, it would manifest solely and simply a pure identity in oneness.
EXPLANATION
We have seen that the Supremind keeps always and in every status or condition the spiritual realisation of the Unity of all; even within the completest grasp of each thing the intimate presence of that unity is there.
But still, one may argue that the supramental awareness is after all, not the final truth of things. The supramental plane of consciousness as we know, is an intermediate step from overmind and mind to the complete experience of Sachchidananda.
Beyond this supramental plane are present the greatest heights of manifested Spirit. Here existence would not be based on determination of One in multiplicity as we see in this manifested world. It would manifest solely and simply a pure identity in oneness.
But the supramental truth-consciousness would not be absent from these planes, for it is an inherent power of Sachchidananda: the difference would be that the determinations would not be demarcations, they would be plastic, interfused, each a boundless finite. For there all is in each and each is in all radically and integrally,—there would be to the utmost a fundamental awareness of identity, a mutual inclusion and interpenetration of consciousness: knowledge as we envisage it would not exist, because it would not be needed, since all would be direct action of consciousness in being itself, identical, intimate, intrinsically self-aware and all-aware.
EXPLANATION
The supramental truth-consciousness is an inherent power of Sachchidananda. Therefore it would not be absent from these planes. In the highest planes, the determinations (the finite forms manifested out of Infinite) would not be demarcations (i.e. separated by boundaries). They would be plastic, interfused, each a boundless finite. Whereas, in the physical plane we see all forms exist within demarcations.
In these highest planes, all is in each and each is in all radically and integrally. To the utmost there would be a fundamental awareness of identity, a mutual inclusion and interpenetration of consciousness. Knowledge would not exist as it is not needed. There is no trifurcation of knower, the known, knowledge. Because all would be direct action of consciousness in being itself, identical, intimate, intrinsically self-aware and all-aware.
But still relations of consciousness, relations of mutual delight of existence, relations of self-power of being with self-power of being would not be excluded; these highest spiritual planes would not be a field of blank indeterminability, a vacancy of pure existence.
EXPLANATION
Still the relations of consciousness (Chit), relations of mutual delight of existence (Ananda), relations of self-power of being (Chit-shakti) with self-power of being would be present. These highest spiritual planes would not be a field of blank indeterminability. Not would it be a vacancy of pure existence.
PARAGRAPH 24
It might be said again that, even so, in Sachchidananda itself at least, above all worlds of manifestation, there could be nothing but the self-awareness of pure existence and consciousness and a pure delight of existence. Or, indeed, this triune being itself might well be only a trinity of original spiritual self-determinations of the Infinite; these too, like all determinations, would cease to exist in the ineffable Absolute.
EXPLANATION
Sachchidananda is above all worlds of manifestation. Therefore one may say that there could be nothing but the self-awareness of pure existence and consciousness and a pure delight of existence in Sachchidananda itself.
Or one may say that, this Sachchidananda itself might well be only a trinity of original spiritual self-determinations of the Infinite (This is contrary to the earlier fact we have seen that, Love, Joy, Beauty, Knowledge, Will, Self, Iswara and Purusha are the original spiritual self-determinations of Sachchidananda); these too, like all determinations would cease to exist in the ineffable absolute.
But our position is that these must be inherent truths of the supreme being; their utmost reality must be pre-existent in the Absolute even if they are ineffably other there than what they are in the spiritual mind’s highest possible experience. The Absolute is not a mystery of infinite blankness nor a supreme sum of negations; nothing can manifest that is not justified by some self-power of the original and omnipresent Reality.
EXPLANATION
But Sri Aurobindo says, we have taken a position that these (Sat-chit-ananda) must be inherent truths of the supreme being. They may be beyond all description, different from what they are in the spiritual mind’s highest possible experience. Yet, their utmost reality must be pre-existent in the Absolute.
Sri Aurobindo concludes this chapter by stating that the Absolute is not a mystery of infinite blankness. Not is It a supreme sum of negations. Nothing can manifest that is not justified by some self-power of the original and omnipresent Reality.