Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 16
An infinite Mind of this character might possibly construct an accidental cosmos of conflicting possibilities and it might shape it into something shifting, something always transient, something ever uncertain in its drift, neither real nor unreal, possessed of no definite end or aim but only an endless succession of momentary aims leading—since there is no superior directing power of knowledge—eventually nowhither. Nihilism or Illusionism or some kindred philosophy is the only logical conclusion of such a pure noumenalism.
EXPLANATION
Sri Aurobindo described the nature of human mind in the previous paragraph: that it only reflects knowledge not its possessor, cannot exactly predict future possibility, unexpected results happen beyond what it foresees. This is the status of mind with its finite nature.
What happens if mind with this character happens to be an infinite Mind. It can only create an accidental cosmos of conflicting possibilities. Whatever may be its action, it will be temporary movement of uncertain nature. It would serve only momentary aims. It will be neither real nor unreal without any definite aim at the end. This is so because there is no superior guiding knowledge behind such movement. It would lead the cosmos to nowhere. If we consider mind the sole creator of cosmos, it would only result in world rejecting philosophies such as Nihilism (principle of Nothingness advocated by Buddhism) or Illusionism (Mayavada advocated by Monistic Adwaita).
The cosmos so constructed would be a presentation or reflection of something not itself, but always and to the end a false presentation, a distorted reflection; all cosmic existence would be a Mind struggling to work out fully its imaginations, but not succeeding, because they have no imperative basis of self-truth; overpowered and carried forward by the stream of its own past energies, it would be borne onward indeterminately for ever without issue unless or until it can either slay itself or fall into an eternal stillness. That traced to its roots is Nihilism and Illusionism and it is the only wisdom if we suppose that our human mentality or anything at all like it represents the highest cosmic force and the original conception at work in the universe.
EXPLANATION
Such a cosmos created by Mind would not be a true reflection of itself but a false presentation, a distortion. All cosmic existence would be nothing but mind struggling to work out its imaginations. Why mind does not succeed in its struggle because there is no self-guiding truth as its basis to command its actions.
In the absence of a self-guiding truth, the cosmic existence would be dominated and carried forward by its own past energies (samskaras). This would go on indeterminately and would be a movement of no consequence till everything falls into an eternal stillness (Shunya of Buddhism).
The roots of Nihilism of Buddhists and Mayawada of the Adwaita are traced to the character of cosmic existence described above. The wisdom behind such philosophies is justified only if we assume that human mentality represents the highest cosmic force and it is the original conception at work in the universe.
PARAGRAPH 17
But the moment we find in the original power of knowledge a higher force than that which is represented by our human mentality, this conception of the universe becomes insufficient and therefore invalid. It has its truth but it is not the whole truth. It is law of the immediate appearance of the universe, but not of its original truth and ultimate fact.
EXPLANATION
We have seen in the previous paragraph that if human mentality is considered the highest cosmic force then we would arrive at the conclusion that the world existence is Maya. But the moment we find that there is a higher force in the original power of knowledge than what is represented in our mentality, we would not think that the world is Maya. Our conception of the universe based on our mentality would become insufficient and therefore invalid. It has some truth but not the whole truth. Its law is based on the immediate appearance of the universe. It is not based on the original truth and the ultimate fact which is hidden behind the appearances.
For we perceive behind the action of Mind, Life and Body, something that is not embraced in the stream of Force but embraces and controls it; something that is not born into a world which it seeks to interpret, but has created in its being a world of which it has the omniscience; something that does not labour perpetually to form something else out of itself while it drifts in the overmastering surge of past energies it can no longer control, but has already in its consciousness a perfect Form of itself and is here gradually unfolding it. The world expresses a foreseen Truth, obeys a predetermining Will, realises an original formative self-vision, —it is the growing image of a divine creation.
EXPLANATION
What is the Reality behind the world? Sri Aurobindo says the world represents a foreseen Truth (Truth Consciousness). It is obeying a predetermining will. It is the growing image of a divine creation.
We live in the world of Body, Mind and Life. They are functioning under the Force of Nature – Prakriti. But there is something behind this Force which is not participating in its action and is aloof from it. Yet it governs and controls the action of the Force. Something that has created in its being a world but itself not being born in it. It is all-knowing about the world it has created. It is Truth-Consciousness.
The forms we see in this universe are gradual unfolding (expression of itself) of Truth Consciousness. They are not merely the accidental results of energy of the past actions over which it has no control.
PARAGRAPH 18
So long as we work only through the mentality governed by appearances, this something beyond and behind and yet always immanent can be only an inference or a presence vaguely felt. We perceive a law of cyclic progress and infer an ever-increasing perfection of somewhat that is somewhere foreknown. For everywhere we see Law founded in self-being and, when we penetrate within into the rationale of its process, we find that Law is the expression of an innate knowledge, a knowledge inherent in the existence which is expressing itself and implied in the force that expresses it; and Law developed by Knowledge so as to allow of progression implies a divinely seen goal towards which the motion is directed.
EXPLANATION
Why we are not able to perceive the working of the Truth-Consciousness in this world? Because we work through our mentality which is governed by the appearances. The Truth-Consciousness is something that is beyond and behind and yet present within all that are manifest in the universe. We can know it only be an inference and its presence can be felt only vaguely.
There is a law of cyclic progress operating in the universe. There is an ever-increasing movement towards perfection which is already pre-determined. There is knowledge inherent in the existence. This knowledge expresses itself as Law (like a mango seed can produce only a mango tree). This knowledge is implied in the Force that expresses it. It means, there is consciousness expressing itself as chit-shakti.
The Knowledge expresses itself as Law in order to allow of progression. This means that all motion in the universe is directed towards a divinely seen goal.
We see too that our reason seeks to emerge out of and dominate the helpless drift of our mentality and we arrive at the perception that Reason is only a messenger, a representative or a shadow of a greater consciousness beyond itself which does not need to reason because it is all and knows all that it is. And we can then pass to the inference that this source of Reason is identical with the Knowledge that acts as Law in the world. This Knowledge determines its own law sovereignly because it knows what has been, is and will be and it knows because it is eternally, and infinitely cognises itself. Being that is infinite consciousness, infinite consciousness that is omnipotent force, when it makes a world—that is to say, a harmony of itself—its object of consciousness, becomes seizable by our thought as a cosmic existence that knows its own truth and realises in forms that which it knows.
EXPLANATION
What is the role of Reason? Reason emerges in order to take control of the helpless drift of our mentality. Without reason the functioning of the mind will be disorderly. Yet, Reason is only a messenger. It is only a representative or a shadow of a greater consciousness beyond itself. This greater consciousness is all by itself and knows all that is. Hence it does not need to reason out things. Reasoning process is required only for the mind.
Then, we can infer that, the source of Reason is the same as the Knowledge which acts as Law in the world. This Knowledge determines its own law on its own right because it knows what has been, what is and what will be. It knows because it has eternal and infinite knowledge of itself.
This knowledge- Supramental Truth-Consciousness, is infinite consciousness which is omnipotent force that makes a world. The world it makes is a harmony of itself. Its object of consciousness is this created world. It can be grasped by our thought as a cosmic existence. This existence knows its own truth. That which it knows, it realises in forms. This knowledge is the Supermind which is the creator of the worlds.
PARAGRAPH 19
But it is only when we cease to reason and go deep into ourselves, into that secrecy where the activity of mind is stilled, that this other consciousness becomes really manifest to us— however imperfectly owing to our long habit of mental reaction and mental limitation. Then we can know surely in an increasing illumination that which we had uncertainly conceived by the pale and flickering light of Reason. Knowledge waits seated beyond mind and intellectual reasoning, throned in the luminous vast of illimitable self-vision.
EXPLANATION
How can we realise this Supramental consciousness? Sri Aurobindo says, we have to still the activity of mind. We should go beyond our reasoning to deeper part of ourselves. Then, this other consciousness becomes really manifest to us. Yet, we can become aware of its presence only imperfectly because of our long habit of mental reaction and mental limitation.
Then, what we had uncertainly understood by our pale and flickering light of Reason, can be known surely in an increasing light. Where is true Knowledge (Supramental) waiting? It is seated beyond mind and intellectual reasoning. It is throned in the luminous vast (full of light, contrary to mixture of light and darkness that characterises our mind) of illimitable self-vision (contrary to mind’s limited vision).