Book – II Chapter – III : The Eternal and the Individual- Para 23

Study Notes

PARAGRAPH 23

     We see then that there are three terms of the one existence transcendent, universal and individual, and that each of these always contains secretly or overtly the two others. The Transcendent possesses itself always and controls the other two as the basis of its own temporal possibilities; that is the Divine, the eternal all-possessing God-consciousness, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, which informs, embraces, governs all existences.

EXPLANATION

     We have seen that the transcendent and the cosmic, the individual and the universal, each is the other as well as itself and neither can be entirely known without the other. The transcendent, the universal and the individual are the three terms of the one existence.
     The Transcendent possesses itself always and controls the cosmic and the individual. This it does as the basis of its own manifestation in Time. This means that the Divine, the eternal all-possessing God-consciousness, omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent which informs, embraces, governs all existences.

The human being is here on earth the highest power of the third term, the individual, for he alone can work out at its critical turning-point that movement of self-manifestation which appears to us as the involution and evolution of the divine consciousness between the two terms of the Ignorance and the Knowledge.

EXPLANATION

     The human being represents on earth the highest power of the third term, the individual. There is a movement of self-manifestation which appears to us as the involution and evolution of the divine consciousness; involution into Ignorance and evolution towards the Knowledge. It is the Man who alone can work out at its critical turning-point that movement of self-manifestation. He is the crucial link between the Ignorance and the Knowledge.

The power of the individual to possess in his consciousness by self-knowledge his unity with the Transcendent and the universal, with the One Being and all beings and to live in that knowledge and transform his life by it, is that which makes the working out of the divine self-manifestation through the individual possible; and the arrival of the individual—not in one but in all—at the divine life is the sole conceivable object of the movement.

EXPLANATION

     The individual has the power to possess in his consciousness by self-knowledge (knowledge of his true self) his unity with the Transcendent and the universal, with the One Being and all beings.
     It is this capacity of the individual which makes the working out of the divine self-manifestation through him possible. It is the arrival of the individual, not in one but in all, at the divine life is the only conceivable object of the movement.

The existence of the individual is not an error in some self of the Absolute which that self afterwards discovers; for it is impossible that the absolute self-awareness or anything that is one with it should be ignorant of its own truth and its own capacities and betrayed by that ignorance either into a false idea of itself which it has to correct or an impracticable venture which it has to renounce.

EXPLANATION

     The existence of the individual is not an error in some self of the Absolute. It is not something which that self discovers as error afterwards. Because it is impossible that the absolute self-awareness should be ignorant of its own truth and its own capacities. It cannot be betrayed into a false idea of itself which it has to correct. Nor its ignorance can lead it to an impracticable venture (of creating an individual) which it has to give up.

Neither is the individual existence a subordinate circumstance in a divine play or Lila, a play which consists in a continual revolution through unending cycles of pleasure and suffering without any higher hope in the Lila itself or any issue from it except the occasional escape of a few from time to time out of their bondage to this ignorance. We might be compelled to hold that ruthless and disastrous view of God’s workings if man had no power of self-transcendence or no power of transforming by self-knowledge the conditions of the play nearer and nearer to the truth of the divine Delight.

EXPLANATION

     Also we must know that the individual existence is not a subordinate circumstance in a divine play or Lila. If we take it as a play, it consists in a continual revolution through unending cycles of pleasure and suffering without any higher hope in the Lila itself. Such being the state only a few could escape occasionally from their bondage to this ignorance.
     We cannot hold that ruthless and disastrous view of God’s workings. Because man has the power of self-transcendence (going beyond his limitations). He has the power of transforming by self-knowledge the conditions of the play nearer and nearer to the truth of the divine Delight.

In that power lies the justification of individual existence; the individual and the universal unfolding in themselves the divine light, power, joy of transcendent Sachchidananda always manifest above them, always secret behind their surface appearances, this is the hidden intention, the ultimate significance of the divine play, the Lila.

EXPLANATION

     The justification of individual existence lies in man’s power of self-transcendence and in his power to transform the conditions of his existence. The individual and the universal unfold in themselves the divine light, power, joy of transcendent Sachchidananda always manifests above them; it is always secret behind their surface appearances. This is the hidden intention, the ultimate significance of the divine play, the Lila.

But it is in themselves, in their transformation but also their persistence and perfect relations, not in their self-annihilation that that must be unfolded. Otherwise there would be no reason for their ever having existed; the possibility of the Divine’s unfolding in the individual is the secret of the enigma; his presence there and this intention of self-unfolding are the key to the world of Knowledge-Ignorance.

EXPLANATION

     It is in the individual and in the universe themselves, in their transformation but also their persistence and perfect relations the ultimate purpose of the divine play must be fulfilled. It cannot be done by the individual dissolving himself or by the universe dissolving itself.
     Otherwise there would be no reason for the existence of the individual and the universe. The possibility of the Divine’s unfolding in the individual is the secret of the problem. The presence of the individual and the intention of divine-unfolding are the key to the world of Knowledge-Ignorance.

                                                          Prayers and Meditations
                                                                                                                              The Mother

August 29, 1914

     WHAT would be the use of man if he were not created to throw a bridge between That which is eternally but is unmanifested and that which is manifested, between all the transcendences and splendours of the divine life and all the dark and sorrowful ignorance of the material world? Man is the link betweenWhat must be and what is; he is the footbridge thrown across the abyss, he is the great cross-shaped X, the quaternary connecting link. His true domicile, the effective seat of his consciousness should be in the intermediary world at the meeting-point of the four arms of the cross, just where all the infinitude of the Unthinkable comes to take a precise form so that it may be projected into the innumerable manifestation. . . .
     That centre is a place of supreme love, of perfect consciousness, of pure and total knowledge. There establish, O Lord, those who can, who must and truly want to serve Thee, so that Thy work may be accomplished, the bridge definitively established, and Thy forces poured unwearyingly over the world.