Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 17
Our fundamental cognition of the Absolute, our substantial spiritual experience of it is the intuition or the direct experience of an infinite and eternal Existence, an infinite and eternal Consciousness, an infinite and eternal Delight of Existence.
EXPLANATION
What would be our fundamental perception of the Divine, the Absolute? If we have a substantial spiritual experience of It, what would it be like?
It would be the intuition or the direct experience of an infinite and eternal Existence, an infinite and eternal Consciousness, an infinite and eternal Delight of Existence (Sat-chit-ananda).
In overmental and mental cognition it is possible to make discrete and even to separate this original unity into three self-existent aspects: for we can experience a pure causeless eternal Bliss so intense that we are that alone; existence, consciousness seem to be swallowed up in it, no longer ostensibly in presence; a similar experience of pure and absolute consciousness and a similar exclusive identity with it is possible, and there can be too a like identifying experience of pure and absolute existence.
EXPLANATION
How are these experiences perceived in our overmental and mental planes? We know that these three aspects of the Divine are inseparable, the triune (three-in one) original unity. But they are perceived as three self-existent aspects in our mental and overmental planes.
We can experience an intense Bliss that makes us feel we are that alone. Here existence and consciousness seem to get swallowed up in that experience. Their presence becomes invisible. We can have a similar experience of pure and absolute consciousness and we become exclusively identified with it. We can have a similar experience of pure and absolute existence and become exclusively identified with it.
But to a supermind cognition these three are always an inseparable Trinity, even though one can stand in front of the others and manifest its own spiritual determinates; for each has its primal aspects or its inherent self-formations, but all of these together are original to the triune Absolute.
EXPLANATION
How are these three aspects of the Divine perceived in Supermind? To Supermind these three would appear always as an inseparable Trinity, even though one stands out in the front of the others and manifests its own spiritual qualities.
Because, each has its primal (chief) aspects or its inherent self-formations. But all of these together are original to the triune Absolute (Sat-chit-ananda).
Love, Joy and Beauty are the fundamental determinates of the Divine Delight of Existence, and we can see at once that these are of the very stuff and nature of that Delight: they are not alien impositions on the being of the Absolute or creations supported by it but outside it; they are truths of its being, native to its consciousness, powers of its force of existence.
EXPLANATION
Love, Joy and Beauty are the fundamental determinates (outcome) of the Divine Delight of Existence. They are the very stuff and nature of that Delight. Therefore, they are not imposed from outside on the being of the Absolute. Nor are they creations supported by it but outside it. They are the truths of its being, part and parcel of its consciousness and powers of its force of existence.
So too is it with the fundamental determinates of the absolute consciousness,—knowledge and will; they are truths and powers of the original Consciousness-Force and are inherent in its very nature.
EXPLANATION
Similarly, knowledge and will are the fundamental determinates (outcome) of the absolute consciousness. They are the truths and powers of the original Consciousness-Force. They are part and parcel of its very nature.
This authenticity becomes still more evident when we regard the fundamental spiritual determinates of the absolute Existence; they are its triune powers, necessary first postulates for all its self-creation or manifestation,—Self, the Divine, the Conscious Being; Atman, Ishwara, Purusha.
EXPLANATION
Whatever be the determinates (the outcome), they are the manifestations of the aspects of the Divine. They are not illusions or qualities imposed on the Divine as perceived by the Mayavadins. This truth becomes more evident when we regard the fundamental spiritual determinates of the absolute Existence.
They are the Self, the Divine, the Conscious Being. In other words they are Atman, Ishwara, Purusha. They are the triune powers of the absolute Existence. They are necessary first postulates (claimed as true) for all its self-creation or manifestation.
PARAGRAPH 18
If we pursue the process of self-manifestation farther, we shall see that each of these aspects or powers reposes in its first action on a triad or trinity; for Knowledge inevitably takes its stand in a trinity of the Knower, the Known and Knowledge; Love finds itself in a trinity of the Lover, the Beloved and Love; Will is self-fulfilled in a trinity of the Lord of the Will, the object of the Will and the executive Force; Joy has its original and utter gladness in a trinity of the Enjoyer, the Enjoyed and the Delight that unites them; Self as inevitably appears and founds its manifestation in a trinity of Self as subject, Self as object and self-awareness holding together Self as subject-object.
EXPLANATION
We have seen in the previous paragraph that each aspect of this trinity, Existence, Consciousness and Bliss determines itself into a certain power. Delight determines itself as love, joy, consciousness as knowledge and will and Existence as the Self.
At the level where these determinations take place we can note that there is always a triad or a trinity, a three fold operation.
Knowledge takes its stand in a trinity of the Knower, the Known and Knowledge. Love finds itself in a trinity of the Lover, the Beloved and Love. Will is fulfilled in a trinity of the Lord of the Will, the object of the Will and the executive Force. Joy has its gladness in a trinity of the Enjoyer, the Enjoyed and the Delight that unites them.
Self is founded in a trinity of Self as subject, Self as object and self-awareness holding together Self as subject-object.
These and other primal powers and aspects assume their status among the fundamental spiritual self-determinations of the Infinite; all others are determinates of the fundamental spiritual determinates, significant relations, significant powers, significant forms of being, consciousness, force, delight,—energies, conditions, ways, lines of the truth-process of the Consciousness-Force of the Eternal, imperatives, possibilities, actualities of its manifestation.
EXPLANATION
These aspects assume the fundamental spiritual self-determinations of the Infinite. All other determinates arise from these fundamental spiritual determinates. It means all other qualities arise from these fundamental aspects.
They are the significant relations, significant powers, significant forms of being, consciousness, force, delight. They are the energies, conditions, ways, lines of the truth-process of the Consciousness-Force of the Eternal. They are the imperatives, possibilities, actualities of its manifestation.
In short the origin of each of the forms, movements in this universe can be traced back to the fundamental spiritual self-determinations of Sat-chit-ananda.
For example, we experience love and various other movements associated with it, we experience knowledge and various other movements associated with it, our will directs all our actions and various other movements associated with it, we experience joy and its associated movements, our awareness about self creates its associated movements.