Book II Chapter I: Indeterminates, Cosmic Determinations and the Indeterminable – Synopsis

SYNOPSIS

Indeterminates, Cosmic Determinations and the Indeterminable

  • We see an Inconscience or a total Nescience at the beginning of things. The foundation of this consciousness wears the appearance of a blank. There is nothing in that original state which seems to justify the multitude of consequences(creations) that arise from it. The nature of Truth, the reason for the determinates to appear what they are is not visible to us.
  • This infinite or indeterminate Existence reveals itself as an Energy to our Science. All that we find in this universe are creations of Energy. On the original process of motion of Energy, a multitude of processes are erected. But none of them is fundamentally explicable. The formulae of Science may govern the practical how of Nature’s processes, but they do not disclose the intrinsic how or why.
  • The determined forms are numerous with innumerable variations on the substance-energy which is their base. But none of these variations is pre-determined in the nature of the general indeterminates – their base substance. For example, a principle of animal life produces an enormous variety of genus species, and individual variations, further proceeding into human life and mind and its mind-types.
  • One explanation we can possibly give is that there is a self-organising dynamic Chance which is responsible for all the phenomena in the universe. But we see an inevitable order in the universe. How can there be an order in a field of random chance?
  • Logically, then we may conclude that all these things we see around are the thoughts of an extra-cosmic Divinity with an omnipotent and omniscient Mind and Will. Yet we find in this universe unnecessary ignorance, strife and suffering by its crude meaninglessness of its laws. If we consider all these the Divine play why should the Divine introduce so many undivine elements and characters in His play? This difficulty would disappear only if we recognise the truth that the Creator is not only above the universe but also present in Its creation.
  • This implies that there must be behind the action of the material Energy of the universe, a secret involved consciousness which is cosmic and infinite. The Consciousness intends to involve itself in the material inconscience so that it may grow by evolution out of its apparent opposite.
  • The basic general or fundamental determinates we see in Nature would be the manifested forms or vehicles of the truths or powers of the Infinite. From the fundamental determinates are created the particular determinates which are the endless variations we see within the same group.
  • Energy seems to create substance. We know that Existence (Sat) is inherent in Consciousness-Force (Chit-shakti). So also substance would be inherent in Energy. Here, Energy is a manifestation of Consciousness-Force and substance a manifestation of the secret Existence.
  • We begin to understand how arrangement of design, quantity and number can be a base for manifestation of quality and property. The design, quantity and number are powers of existence-substance (Sat aspect). Quality and property are powers of the consciousness and its force (Chit-shakti aspect) that reside in the existence. In the same way infinitesimals of material character like the gene and chromosome can carry psychological elements in them.
  • In the same way we can understand why the physiological functionings of the body help to determine the mind’s psychological actions. We are endowed with a spiritual entity, an involved consciousness which is hidden within us. It is the original determinant of both our mind and body.
  • In our material world-existence the veil cast by the original Inconscience is too thick for the Mind to pierce and find proof for this invovled consciousness. Neither can we find proof in Life as it begins with a formulation in which the consciousness is still submental.
  • Our mind is a subtle substance which is thrown into forms (thoughts, concepts) by the operation of mental energy. Not all our mental determinations orginate from itself. Some come from universal plane, some from our subliminal mind, some from our higher planes of consciousness. Therefore, our mind also cannot discover the secret consciousness.
  • The Overmind carries in itself a first direct and masterful knowledge of cosmic truth. It becomes self-evident here that both the individual and cosmos come from a transcendent Reality which takes form in them. But the original question posed by the phenomenon of the universe is not solved by the Overmind knowledge. i.e. Whether the perceptions of the mental person is truly a self-expression, a self-determination originates from some truth of his own spiritual being or is it a creation presented to him by Nature or is it a play of cosmic Imagination of the Infinite imposed on the blank indeterminable pure existence?
  • In all the higher ranges of the mind including Overmind we find a recurring division of a pure silent self without feature or qualities or relations and the mighty potentiality of a determinative knowledge-power which takes shape into the forms of the universe – Nirguna Brahman and Saguna Brahman.
  • If the Supreme is indeed a pure indeterminable, something which cannot fit into any aspect, then no creation is possible. 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? It must be a Power of some kind that originates from the Absolute, the sole reality.
  • Whether, is this power something other than the supreme Reality? Or is it a cosmic imagination imposed on the blank Absolute (Inderminable) as supposed by the Mayavadins? If that is so, then it contradicts the fact that there is nothing other than the absolute Parabrahman that exists.
  • 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. The term Indeterminable implies that the Absolute cannot be limited by any determination. It does not mean that the Absolute cannot determine anything out of it. The creation can happen from nothing else than itself.
  • Overmind does not give us a final and positive solution. Only in a supramental knowledge beyond we have to seek for an answer. The Supramental Truth-consciousness is at once the self-awareness of the Infinite and a power of self-determination inherent in that self-awareness. Here there is no division between the foundation and its power.
  • The Supreme Being is an infinite Power. Such a Power cannot remain in an inactive, unchanging state. Its nature being infinite it must have in it endless powers of its being and energy. The creation we see in this universe would then be a self-manifestation, an ordered deploying of the infinite possibilities. There is a supporting Truth behind every possibility that is manifested.
  • This would be the complete process of creation which we do not see in our mind. We only observe the process and from that we draw our inference. But the original Determinant or determinants ( Originators of movement) are veiled from us by our ignorance. But to the supramental Truth-Consciousness the imperatives (that which necessitate all movements) would be apparent.
  • The three aspects of the Divine, Sat-chit-ananda are perceived in Supermind as an inseparable Trinity. Love, Joy and Beauty are the fundamental determinates of the Divine Delight of Existence. They are the very stuff and nature of that Delight not imposed from outside on the being of the Absolute.
  • Knowledge and will are the fundamental determinates of the absolute consciousness. They are the truths and powers of the original Consciousness-Force.
  • The fundamental spiritual determinates of the absolute Existence are the Self, the Divine, the Conscious Being – Atman, Ishwara, Purusha. All other determinates arise from these fundamental spiritual determinates.
  • The deploying of powers and possibilities and their inherent consequences is held by the Supermind awareness in intimate oneness. Here there is no imposition of imaginations, no arbitrary creation, no division, fragmentation, irreconcilable opposition.
  • The indeterminability of the Absolute is perceived by us in negating positives like the immobile immutable Self, the Nirguna Brahman, the Eternal without qualities, the pure featureless One Existence, the Impersonal, the Silence void of activities. At the same time the Divine is the essence and source of all determinations. This is the essential dynamic side of the Divine.
  • The original freedom obtained by the realisation of the immutable aspect enables the Consciousness to create a world of determinations without being bound by it. The variety of creations we see in this world is on account of the freedom of the Infinite though it manifests through finite forms. The individual can experience the negating absolutes of the Divine aspect, yet he can participate in that dynamic liberty.
  • When the consciousness reaches the stage from which it has to move from the mental to supramental status one enters into a total Nirvana of mentality and mental ego. This is the realisation of the pure Self. This is the necessary first step.
  • From here on, one moves to that mediating eminence of the supramental consciousness. From the supramental plane we can command a view of the ascending and descending stairs of manifested existence and gain the spiritual advantage of possessing the free power of ascent and descent.
  • All aspects of omnipresent Reality have their fundamental truth in the Supreme Existence. Even the aspect or power of Inconscience corresponds to a Truth held in itself by the self-aware and all conscious Infinite. The Inconscience is the Infinity’s power of plunging the consciousness into a trance of self-involution. But all is inconceivably there. There is consciousness involved in it which is capable of manifestation.
  • It is the play of a secret all being, all-delight, all-knowledge that is evolving from Inconscient stage to more conscious stages. Yet, in this play, it observes the rules of its own self-oblivion (self- hiding), self-opposition, self-limitation. The Inconscience and Ignorance that we see at work in this material universe is not a denial of the Spirit. It is one term, one formula of the infinite and eternal Existence.
  • The 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 even in the cosmos itself to an integral self-knowledge and all-knowledge. 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.