Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 17
The Identical to our notions is the Immutable; it is ever the same through eternity, for if it is or becomes subject to mutation or if it admits of differences, it ceases to be identical; but what we see everywhere is an infinitely variable fundamental oneness which seems the very principle of Nature.
EXPLANATION
When we call something identical, we mean ‘the same’. This implies that it does not undergo change, Immutable. It remains the same forever. If it undergoes change or admits differences, it ceases to be identical.
But we see around us is an infinitely variable fundamental oneness. This seems to be the very principle of Nature.
The basic Force is one, but it manifests from itself innumerable forces; the basic substance is one, but it develops many different substances and millions of unlike objects; mind is one but differentiates itself into many mental states, mind-formations, thoughts, perceptions differing from each other and entering into harmony or into conflict; life is one, but the forms of life are unlike and innumerable; humanity is one in nature, but there are different race types and every individual man is himself and in some way unlike others; Nature insists on tracing lines of difference on the leaves of one tree; she drives differentiation so far that it has been found that the lines on one man’s thumb are different from the lines of every other man’s thumb so that he can be identified by that differentiation alone,—yet fundamentally all men are alike and there is no essential difference.
EXPLANATION
The basic Force is one. It manifests from itself innumerable forces. The basic substance is one. But it develops many different substances, millions of unlike objects. We find this fact revealed in atomic science also.
The mind substance is one. Yet we find many mental states, mind-formations, differing thoughts and perceptions. They enter into harmony or into conflict. Life substance is one but life forms are unlike and innumerable. Humanity is one in nature. Yet we find different race types. No two men are alike. Nature ensures difference in such a way that the lines on the leaves of one tree are not alike.
The lines on one man’s thumb is unique and different from any other man’s thumb, so much so that he can be identified by that alone. Yet fundamentally men are alike and there is no essential difference.
Oneness or sameness is everywhere, differentiation is everywhere; the indwelling Reality has built the universe on the principle of the development of one seed into a million different fashions. But this again is the logic of the Infinite; because the essence of the Reality is immutably the same, it can assume securely these innumerable differences of form and character and movement, for even if they were multiplied a trillionfold, that would not affect the underlying immutability of the eternal Identical.
EXPLANATION
Sameness is everywhere, differentiation is everywhere. The universe is built on the principle of development of one seed into a million different fashions by the indwelling Reality. This is based on the logic of the Infinite.
The essence of the Reality is immutably the same. It can assume securely these innumerable differences of form and character and movement. Because, even if the forms are multiplied a trillion fold that would not affect the underlying immutability of the eternal Identical.
Because the Self and Spirit in things and beings is one everywhere, therefore Nature can afford this luxury of infinite differentiation: if there were not this secure basis which brings it about that nothing changes yet all changes, all her workings and creations would in this play collapse into disintegration and chaos; there would be nothing to hold her disparate movements and creations together. The immutability of the Identical does not consist in a monotone of changeless sameness incapable of variation; it consists in an unchangeableness of being which is capable of endless formation of being, but which no differentiation can destroy or impair or minimise.
EXPLANATION
There is an underlying immutability behind all changes we see on the surface. This is because the Self and Spirit in things and beings is one everywhere. Therefore Nature can indulge itself in infinite differentiation. The underlying immutability of the Spirit in things provides the secure basis for the infinite variations in the manifested things in the universe.
But for this secure support, all Nature’s workings and creations would in this universal play collapse into disintegration and chaos. There would be nothing to hold together her totally different movements and creations.
An unvarying note of changeless sameness, incapable of any variation is not the essential element in the immutability of the identical. But the essential element is the unchangeableness of being which is capable of endless formation of being. No differentiation can destroy or impair or minimise the unchangeableness of being.
The Self becomes insect and bird and beast and man, but it is always the same Self through these mutations because it is the One who manifests himself infinitely in endless diversity. Our surface reason is prone to conclude that the diversity may be unreal, an appearance only, but if we look a little deeper we shall see that a real diversity brings out the real Unity, shows it as it were in its utmost capacity, reveals all that it can be and is in itself, delivers from its whiteness of hue the many tones of colour that are fused together there; Oneness finds itself infinitely in what seems to us to be a falling away from its oneness, but is really an inexhaustible diverse display of unity. This is the miracle, the Maya of the universe, yet perfectly logical, natural and a matter of course to the self-vision and self-experience of the Infinite.
EXPLANATION
The Self becomes insect and bird and beast and man. Yet it is always the same Self through these changes because it is the One who manifests himself infinitely in endless diversity.
Our surface reason concludes that the diversity may be unreal and in appearance only. It makes the distinction, the Unity being real and diversity being unreal. But, looking deeper inside, we find that a real diversity brings out the real Unity; it shows that the Unity is in its utmost capacity only in real diversity; only in diversity the Unity reveals all that it can be and is in itself. The diversity delivers from Unity’s whiteness of hue, the many tones of colour that are fused together there.
The Oneness seems to us falling away from its oneness in diversity. But it is really an inexhaustible diverse display of unity. This is the miracle, the Maya of the universe. Yet it is perfectly logical, natural and a matter of course to the self-vision and self-experience of the Infinite. That is, what is illogical and unnatural for our logical mind is perfectly logical to the Infinite.
PARAGRAPH 18
For the Maya of Brahman is at once the magic and the logic of an infinitely variable Oneness; if, indeed, there were only a rigid monotone of limited oneness and sameness, there would be no place for reason and logic, for logic consists in the right perceptions of relations: the highest work of reason is to find the one substance, the one law, the cementing latent reality connecting and unifying the many, the different, the discordant and disparate.
EXPLANATION
Maya is the creative power of Brahman. It is through this power that all creation is effectuated from One to Many. It appears as magic to our common perception. Yet it is at the same time the logic of an infinitely variable oneness. What we find in this universe is a diversity of creations. Supposing there is only limited oneness and sameness in this universe then there would be no place of reason and logic.
Logic consists in the right perceptions of relations. We construct the logic based on relations between two different things. For example it is logical to conclude that water vapour contains water based on the assumption that water on heating becomes vapour. Here water and vapour are two different states. If these two are the same then there is no need for logic to find out the relation between the two.
The truth is that there is one substance, one law, one underlying bond that connects and unifies the many, the different, the discordant and disparate. The highest work of reason is to find this hidden connecting reality.
If there is only sameness then there would be no place of reason. For example, our reason tells us that water is the underlying substance in various forms of its appearances such as snow, ice, steam, vapour etc. If there is only one form there is no need to apply our reason to find out what is common to all.
All universal existence moves between these two terms, a diversification of the One, a unification of the many and diverse, and that must be because the One and the Many are fundamental aspects of the Infinite. For what the divine Self-knowledge and All-knowledge brings out in its manifestation must be a truth of its being and the play of that truth is its Lila.
EXPLANATION
We find in this universe two terms. One is the diversification of the One. Another is the unification of the many and diverse. All universal existence moves between these two terms. This is because the One and the Many are fundamental aspects of the Infinite.
The universe is the manifestation of the Divine Reality. The divine Self-Knowledge and All-knowledge manifests the truth of its being. The play of that truth is its Lila.