Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 3
It is not possible then to limit the description of our and the world’s undivine imperfection solely to moral evil or sensational suffering; there is more in the world-enigma than their double problem,—for they are only two strong results of a common principle. It is the general principle of imperfection that we have to admit and consider. If we look closely at this general imperfection, we shall see that it consists first in a limitation in us of the divine elements which robs them of their divinity, then in a various many-branching distortion, a perversion, a contrary turn, a falsifying departure from some ideal Truth of being.
EXPLANATION
We cannot describe our and the world’s undivine imperfection solely limited to moral evil (moral because we call something evil based on our moral and ethical codes) or sensational suffering (sensational because suffering is connected to our senses and feelings). There is a common principle which is behind all the problems of the world. Evil and suffering are only two strong results of this common principle.
Instead of focussing only on evil and suffering we have to admit and consider the general principle of imperfection. Then we will see that it consists in limitation of the divine elements in us.This limitation robs them of their divinity. Also there is distortion on all sides, perversion and a contrary turn. All these lead to a falsifying deviation from some ideal Truth of being (Sat-chit-ananda).
To our minds which do not possess that Truth but can conceive it, this departure presents itself either as a state from which we have lapsed spiritually or as a possibility or promise which we cannot fulfil, cannot realise because it exists only as an ideal. There has been either a lapse of the inner spirit from a greater consciousness and knowledge, delight, love and beauty, power and capacity, harmony and good, or else there is a failure of our struggling nature, an impotence to achieve what we instinctively see to be divine and desirable.
EXPLANATION
Our mind does not possess that ideal Truth of being but it can conceive of It. Our mind knows conceptually that we are Sachchidananda at the core of our being. Therefore this departure is seen by the mind as a state from which we have fallen spiritually; or as a possibility or promise which we cannot fulfil and realise because it exists only as an ideal.
Our mind views that there has been a lapse of the inner spirit from a greater consciousness and knowledge, delight, love and beauty, power and capacity, harmony and good. Or there is a failure of our struggling nature, an incapacity to achieve what we instinctively see to be divine and desirable.
If we penetrate to the cause of the fall or the failure, we shall find that all proceeds from the one primal fact that our being, consciousness, force, experience of things represent—not in their very self, but in their surface pragmatic nature—a principle or an effective phenomenon of division or rupture in the unity of the Divine Existence. This division becomes in its inevitable practical effect a limitation of the divine consciousness and knowledge, the divine delight and beauty, the divine power and capacity, the divine harmony and good: there is a limitation of completeness and wholeness, a blindness in our vision of these things, a lameness in our following of them, in our experience of them a fragmentation, a diminution of power and intensity, a lowering of quality,— the mark of a descent from spiritual heights or else of a consciousness emerging from the insensible neutral monotone of the Inconscience; the intensities which are normal and natural on higher ranges are in us lost or toned down so as to harmonise with the blacks and greys of our material existence.
EXPLANATION
There is one main fact which is the cause of the fall or the failure. That is our being, consciousness, force, experience of things represent a principle or an effective phenomenon of division; there is a rupture in the unity of Divine Existence. This is found not in their very self, but in their surface practical nature.
In its inevitable practical effect this division becomes a limitation. There is a limitation of the divine consciousness and knowledge, the divine delight and beauty, the divine power and capacity, the divine harmony and good.
There is a limitation of completeness and wholeness, a blindness in our vision of these things, a lameness in our following them. In our experience of the above divine qualities we find a fragmentation, a diminution (reduction) of power and intensity, a lowering of quality. These things indicate a descent from spiritual heights; or they indicate a consciousness emerging from the insensible neutral monotone of the Inconscience.
These divine qualities are found in their intensities normally and naturally on higher ranges. But they are lost or toned down in us so as to harmonise with the blacks and greys of our material existence (our unenlightened, darkened parts).
There arises too by a secondary ulterior effect a perversion of these highest things; in our limited mentality unconsciousness and wrong consciousness intervene, ignorance covers our whole nature and—by the misapplication or misdirection of an imperfect will and knowledge, by automatic reactions of our diminished consciousness-force and the inept poverty of our substance—contradictions of the divine elements are formed, incapacity, inertia, falsehood, error, pain and grief,wrong-doing, discord, evil.
EXPLANATION
The division in the unity of the Divine Existence results in the limitation of the Divine qualities in us. It is followed by a secondary ulterior effect. This secondary effect causes perversion of these highest things; unconsciousness and wrong consciousness intervene in our limited mentality; ignorance covers our whole nature.
There is misapplication or misdirection of an imperfect will and knowledge; there are automatic reactions of our diminished consciousness -force and the substance that constitutes our being becomes insufficient in its capacity.
As a result of these, contradictions of the divine elements are formed. There is incapacity, inertia, falsehood, error, pain and grief, wrong-doing, discord, evil.
There is too, always, somewhere hidden in our selves, nursed in our recesses, even when not overtly felt in the conscious nature, even when rejected by the parts of us which these things torture, an attachment to this experience of division, a clinging to the divided way of being which prevents the excision of these unhappinesses or their rejection and removal. For since the principle of Consciousness-Force and Ananda is at the root of all manifestation, nothing can endure if it has not a will in our nature, a sanction of the Purusha, a sustained pleasure in some part of the being, even though it be a secret or a perverse pleasure, to keep it in continuance.
EXPLANATION
We find that there is an attachment to this experience of division, a clinging to the divided way of being. This attachment is somewhere hidden in ourselves, nursed in our secret parts. Though it may not be overtly felt in the conscious nature and is rejected by the parts suffered by them, they are still nurtured in our hidden selves. This prevents the removal of these unhappiness or their rejection.
The principle of Consciousness-Force and Ananda is at the root of all manifestation. Therefore, these negative elements cannot sustain themselves for long. But what prolongs their continuance in us is a will in our nature, a sanction of the Purusha, a sustained pleasure (a secret or pervert pleasure) in some part of the being. Sri Aurobindo says as long as there is a hidden consent in our secret parts these undivine elements will continue their presence.