Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 6
It is possible to escape from the problem otherwise; for, admitting always the essential Presence, we can endeavour to justify the divinity of the manifestation by correcting the human view of perfection or putting it aside as a too limited mental standard. We may say that not only is the Spirit in things absolutely perfect and divine, but each thing also is relatively perfect and divine in itself, in its expression of what it has to express of the possibilities of existence, in its assumption of its proper place in the complete manifestation.
EXPLANATION
There is also another way to escape from this problem of seeing the world as undivine. Instead of an exclusive concentration on the inner Presence thereby excluding the discordant externality as a falsehood we may take a different view. We can always admit the essential Presence. Yet we can justify the divinity of the manifestation by correcting the human view of perfection. Our view of perfection is based on a too limited mental standard and therefore it has to be kept aside.
The Spirit in things is absolutely perfect and divine. We may take a view that each thing also is relatively perfect and divine in itself; each thing is perfect in its expression of what it has to express of the possibilities of existence; each thing is perfect in its assumption of its proper place in the complete manifestation.
Each thing is divine in itself because each is a fact and idea of the divine being, knowledge and will fulfilling itself infallibly in accordance with the law of that particular manifestation. Each being is possessed of the knowledge, the force, the measure and kind of delight of existence precisely proper to its own nature; each works in the gradations of experience decreed by a secret inherent will, a native law, an intrinsic power of the self, an occult significance.
EXPLANATION
We say each thing is divine in itself because each is a fact and idea of the divine being, knowledge and will. Each idea, knowledge, will fulfils itself without mistake in accordance with the law of that particular manifestation.
Each being is possessed of the knowledge, the force, the measure and kind of delight of existence precisely proper to its own nature. Each works in gradations of experience determined by a secret inherent will, a native law, an intrinsic power of the self, an occult significance.
It is thus perfect in the relation of its phenomena to the law of its being; for all are in harmony with that, spring out of it, adapt themselves to its purpose according to the infallibility of the divine Will and Knowledge at work within the creature. It is perfect and divine also in relation to the whole, in its proper place in the whole; to that totality it is necessary and in it it fulfils a part by which the perfection actual and progressive of the universal harmony, the adaptation of all in it to its whole purpose and its whole sense is helped and completed.
EXPLANATION
We may say that each is thus perfect in the relation of its phenomena to the law of its being. Because all are in harmony with that, all arise out of it. There is an unerring divine Will and Knowedge at work within each creature and all adapt themselves to its purpose.
Each thing in its relation to the whole is perfect and divine. Each thing is necessary to that totality; each fulfils a part by which the perfection of the universal harmony (both actual and progressive) is made possible; there is adaptation of all constituent elements in each to its whole purpose and its whole sense.
If to us things appear undivine, if we hasten to condemn this or that phenomenon as inconsistent with the nature of a divine being, it is because we are ignorant of the sense and purpose of the Divine in the world in its entirety. Because we see only parts and fragments, we judge of each by itself as if it were the whole, judge also the external phenomena without knowing their secret sense; but by doing so we vitiate our valuation of things, put on it the stamp of an initial and fundamental error. Perfection cannot reside in the thing in its separateness, for that separateness is an illusion; perfection is the perfection of the total divine harmony.
EXPLANATION
But from our human point of view things appear undivine. Therefore, we are in a hurry to condemn this or that phenomenon as contrary to the nature of a divine being. This is because we are ignorant of the sense and purpose of the Divine in the world in its totality.
We see only parts and fragments. We judge each by itself mistaking it for the whole. We judge the external phenomena without knowing their secret sense. By doing so we make our valuation of things defective. We put on it the stamp of an initial and fundamental error.
We see things in their separateness. In separateness there cannot be perfection. Because that separation is an illusion. Perfection implies the perfection of the total divine harmony.
PARAGRAPH 7
All this may be true up to a certain point and so far as it goes; but this also is a solution incomplete by itself and it cannot give us an entire satisfaction. It takes insufficient account of the human consciousness and the human view from which we have to start; it does not give us the vision of the harmony it alleges, and so it cannot meet our demand or convince, but only contradicts by a cold intellectual conception our acute human sense of the reality of evil and imperfection; it gives too no lead to the psychic element in our nature, the soul’s aspiration towards light and truth and towards a spiritual conquest, a victory over imperfection and evil.
EXPLANATION
All the above facts we have seen may be true up to a certain point. But this is also a solution incomplete by itself. It cannot give us the complete satisfaction we seek. Though it alleges human view as a too limited mental standard, it does not take sufficient account of the human consciousness and the human view from which we have to start. It does not give us the vision of the harmony.
Therefore it cannot meet our demand or convince. It only contradicts our acute human sense of the reality of evil and imperfection by a cold intellectual conception. It does not show us the way to the psychic element in our nature.It does not lead us to the soul’s aspiration towards light and truth and towards spiritual conquest, a victory over imperfection and evil.
(We were speaking of an approach which considers that things are all right in the scheme of Providence, everything is as it should be and we should not have too limited an outlook but rather recognise that everything is all right on the whole. Sri Aurobindo points out that while this approach is satisfactory as far as it goes, still we tolerate things as they are because of the promise or a certain implied assurance that things will be one day completely different. So the justification to accept things as they are is the expectation that they will be what they must be. When we consider the fact that all here is a dynamic movement, nothing is static, it gives a different perspective and present imperfections are seen to be an early disguise of the Divine Reality – Shri M.P.Pandit: Talks on the Life Divine: Vol 2: p.45, Dipti Publications)
By itself, this view of things amounts to little more than the facile dogma which tells us that all that is is right, because all is perfectly decreed by the divine Wisdom. It supplies us with nothing better than a complacent intellectual and philosophic optimism: no light is turned on the disconcerting facts of pain, suffering and discord to which our human consciousness bears constant and troubling witness; at most there is a suggestion that in the divine reason of things there is a key to these things to which we have no access.
EXPLANATION
By itself this view of things is nothing more than a superficial set of beliefs. It says that all that is in the world is right because all is perfectly determined by the divine Wisdom. It gives us nothing better than a complacent intellectual and philosophical optimism.
There is no light thrown on the disturbing facts of pain, suffering and discord that are constantly witnessed by human consciousness. We find only a suggestion that in the divine reason of things there is a key to these things to which we have no access.
This is not a sufficient answer to our discontent and our aspiration which, however ignorant in their reactions, however mixed their mental motives, must correspond to a divine reality deeper down in our being. A Divine Whole that is perfect by reason of the imperfection of its parts, runs the risk of itself being only perfect in imperfection, because it fulfils entirely some stage in an unaccomplished purpose; it is then a present but not an ultimate Totality.
EXPLANATION
We, humans, have our discontent and our aspirations. They are ignorant in their reactions and their mental motives are mixed. However, they must correspond to a divine reality deeper down in our being.
We may take a view that each thing in this world, however imperfect it may be, is in its place in the Whole. It implies a Divine Whole that is perfect by reason of the imperfection in the parts. If that is so, it would be perfect only in imperfection (perfect imperfection). Because it fulfils entirely some stage in an unaccomplished purpose. It would then be present as a Totality but not an ultimate Totality.
To it we could apply the Greek saying, Theos ouk estin alla gignetai, the Divine is not yet in being, but is becoming. The true Divine would then be secret within us and perhaps supreme above us; to find the Divine within us and above us would be the real solution, to become perfect as That is perfect, to attain liberation by likeness to it or by attaining to the law of its nature, sadrsya, sadharmya.
EXPLANATION
Sri Aurobindo quotes the Greek saying- (meaning in English), “God is not, but is becoming; the Divine is not in being but in becoming.”*
The true Divine would then be secret within us and perhaps supreme above us. The real solution would be to find the Divine within us and above us. We should become perfect as That is perfect. We should attain liberation by likeness to it or by attaining to the law of its nature, sadrsya (likeness to the Divine)*, sadharmya (becoming of one law of being and action with the Divine)*
(* Ref: Glossary of terms used by Sri Aurobindo)