Paragraph 16 – 18

Study Notes

PARAGRAPH16

     What happens when the conscious becomes subconscious in the body or the subconscious becomes conscious? The real difference lies in the absorption of the conscious energy in part of its work, its more or less exclusive concentration. In certain forms of concentration, what we call the mentality, that is to say, the Prajnana or apprehensive consciousness almost or quite ceases to act consciously, yet the work of the body and the nerves and the sense-mind goes on unnoticed but constant and perfect; it has all become subconscious and only in one activity or chain of activities is the mind luminously active. While I write, the physical act of writing is largely or sometimes entirely done by the subconscious mind; the body makes, unconsciously as we say, certain nervous movements; the mind is awake only to the thought with which it is occupied.

EXPLANATION

     Some activities we do consciously will become subconscious. Some activities we do subconsciously will become conscious. What really happens in this process is that there is difference in the absorption of the conscious energy in part of its work, its more or less exclusive concentration.
     In certain forms of concentration, our mentality, the Prajnana or apprehensive consciousness almost ceases to act consciously. Yet the work of the body and the nerves and the sense-mind goes on unnoticed but constant and perfect. It has all become subconscious and only in one activity or chain of activities the mind is active.
     While a person writes, the physical act of writing is entirely done by the subconscious mind. The body makes unconsciously certain nervous movements. The mind is awake only to the thought that which it is occupied (The same is true with driving a car, riding a bicycle).

The whole man indeed may sink into the subconscious, yet habitual movements implying the action of mind may continue, as in many phenomena of sleep; or he may rise into the superconscient and yet be active with the subliminal mind in the body, as in certain phenomena of samadhi or Yoga trance. It is evident, then, that the difference between plant sensation and our sensation is simply that in the plant the conscious Force manifesting itself in the universe has not yet fully emerged from the sleep of Matter, from the absorption which entirely divides the worker Force from its source of work in the superconscient knowledge, and therefore does subconsciously what it will do consciously when it emerges in man from its absorption and begins to wake, though still indirectly, to its knowledge-self. It does exactly the same things, but in a different way and with a different value in terms of consciousness.

EXPLANATION

     The whole of man may sink into the subconscious. Yet the habitual movements of the mind may continue as in many phenomena of sleep. Or a person may rise into the superconscient and yet be active with the subliminal mind in the body as in certain phenomena of samadhi or trance.
     In the plant the conscious Force manifesting itself in the universe has not yet fully emerged from the sleep of Matter. It is an absorption which entirely divides the worker Force from its source of work in the superconscient knowledge. Therefore, it does subconsciously what it will do consciously when it emerges in man. In man it emerges from its absorption and begins to wake to its knowledge-self, though still indirectly. It does exactly the same things. It does with a different value in terms of consciousness.

PARAGRAPH 17

     It is becoming possible now to conceive that in the very atom there is something that becomes in us a will and a desire, there is an attraction and repulsion which, though phenomenally other, are essentially the same thing as liking and disliking in ourselves, but are, as we say, inconscient or subconscient. This essence of will and desire are evident everywhere in Nature and, though this is not yet sufficiently envisaged, they are associated with and indeed the expression of a subconscient or, if you will, inconscient or quite involved sense and intelligence which are equally pervasive. Present in every atom of Matter all this is necessarily present in every thing which is formed by the aggregation of those atoms; and they are present in the atom because they are present in the Force which builds up and constitutes the atom.

EXPLANATION

     We as human beings have in us a will and a desire. It is possible for us to conceive that there is something in the atom that becomes in us this will and desire. There is an attraction and repulsion in atom which are essentially the same thing as liking and disliking in ourselves. But, we say, they are inconscient or subconscient in atom.
     The essence of will and desire are evident everywhere in Nature. They are indeed the expression of a subconscient or inconscient or quite involved sense and intelligence. They are equally present throughout.
     They are present in every atom of Matter. Necessarily, they are present in everything which is formed by the aggregation of those atoms. They are present in the atom because, they are present in the Force which builds up and constitutes the atom.

That Force is fundamentally the Chit-Tapas or Chit-Shakti of the Vedanta, consciousness-force, inherent conscious force of conscious-being, which manifests itself as nervous energy full of submental sensation in the plant, as desire-sense and desire-will in the primary animal forms, as self-conscious sense and force in the developing animal, as mental will and knowledge topping all the rest in man. Life is a scale of the universal Energy in which the transition from inconscience to consciousness is managed; it is an intermediary power of it latent or submerged in Matter, delivered by its own force into submental being, delivered finally by the emergence of Mind into the full possibility of its dynamis.

EXPLANATION

     The will and desire are present in the Force that constitutes the atoms. What is this Force? This Force is basically the Chit-Tapas or Chit-Shakti of the Vedanta, the consciousness-force. It is the inherent (inborn) conscious force of conscious-being. It manifests itself as nervous energy full of submental sensation in the plant. It manifests itself as desire-sense and desire-will in the primary animal forms. It manifests itself as mental will and knowledge topping all the rest in man.
     Life is a scale of universal Energy. In this scale the transition from inconscience to consciousness is managed. An intermediary power of Life is latent or submerged in Matter. It is delivered by its own force into submental being (plants). It is finally delivered by the emergence of Mind with all its potential possibilities.

PARAGRAPH 18

     Apart from all other considerations, this conclusion imposes itself as a logical necessity if we observe even the surface process of the emergence in the light of the evolutionary theme. It is self-evident that Life in the plant, even if otherwise organised than in the animal, is yet the same power, marked by birth and growth and death, propagation by the seed, death by decay or malady or violence, maintenance by indrawing of nourishing elements from without, dependence on light and heat, productiveness and sterility, even states of sleep and waking, energy and depression of life-dynamism, passage from infancy to maturity and age; the plant contains, moreover, the essences of the force of life and is therefore the natural food of animal existences. If it is conceded that it has a nervous system and reactions to stimuli, a beginning or undercurrent of submental or purely vital sensations, the identity becomes closer; but still it remains evidently a stage of life evolution intermediate between animal existence and “inanimate” Matter.

EXPLANATION

     Life is present in all levels is the conclusion we come to, as a logical necessity. It is evident if we observe the surface process of the emergence of life in the light of evolutionary theme.
     The Life in the plant is differently organised than in animal. Yet it is the same power characterised by birth, growth and death. It is propagated by seed. The death of plant comes by decay or physical harm done to it. It maintains itself by getting nourishments from outside, depending on light and heat. It has capacity for productiveness and sometimes it does not produce. It has states of sleep and waking. It shows vitality of life and sometimes it has depressed life activity. It passes through infancy to maturity and age. As the plant contains the essence of life force it becomes the natural food for animal existence.
     The identity between the animal and the plant becomes closer if we consider it has a nervous system and its responses to stimuli. This is the beginning of submental or purely vital sensations.
     Yet it remains an intermediary stage in evolution between the animal existence and the inanimate matter.

This is precisely what must be expected if Life is a force evolving out of Matter and culminating in Mind, and, if it is that, then we are bound to suppose that it is already there in Matter itself submerged or latent in the material subconsciousness or inconscience. For from where else can it emerge? Evolution of Life in matter supposes a previous involution of it there, unless we suppose it to be a new creation magically and unaccountably introduced into Nature. If it is that, it must either be a creation out of nothing or a result of material operations which is not accounted for by anything in the operations themselves or by any element in them which is of a kindred nature; or, conceivably, it may be a descent from above, from some supraphysical plane above the material universe.

EXPLANATION

     This is how Life as a force operates evolving out of Matter and ending in Mind. If that is the case, we are bound to assume that Life is already there in Matter itself. It is submerged or latent in the material subconsciousness or inconscience.
     Sri Aurobindo says from where else life can emerge than from Matter. This means there is a previous involution of Life in Matter if it is a chain in the process of evolution.
     We cannot think that Life is a new creation magically introduced into the Nature in an inexplicable manner. If we think so, it must be either a creation out of nothing or a result of material operations which do not explain themselves anything or by elements of similar nature in them. Or Life might have descended from above from supraphysical plane.

The two first suppositions can be dismissed as arbitrary conceptions; the last explanation is possible and it is quite conceivable and in the occult view of things true that a pressure from some plane of Life above the material universe has assisted the emergence of life here. But this does not exclude the origin of life from Matter itself as a primary and necessary movement; for the existence of a Life-world or Life-plane above the material does not of itself lead to the emergence of Life in matter unless that Life-plane exists as a formative stage in a descent of Being through several grades or powers of itself into the Inconscience with the result of an involution of itself with all these powers in Matter for a later evolution and emergence.

EXPLANATION

     The assumptions that Life is a magical appearance into Nature or it is a result of mysterious material operations can be dismissed as arbitrary (without any reason) conceptions. The explanation that Life may be descended from above is possible and conceivable.
     In the occult view of things, it is true that a pressure from plane of Life above the material universe has assisted that emergence of life here. But it does not exclude origin of life from Matter as a primary and necessary movement. Because, the existence of a Life-world or Life-plane above the material world does not of its own lead to the emergence of Life in matter. This can happen only if the Life-plane exists as a formative stage in a descent of Being into several grades of itself into the level of inconscience. This results in an involution of life with all these powers in Matter for a later evolution and emergence.

Whether signs of this submerged life are discoverable, unorganised yet or rudimentary, in material things or there are no such signs, because this involved Life is in a full sleep, is not a question of capital importance. The material Energy that aggregates, forms and disaggregates *4 is the same Power in another grade of itself as that Life-Energy which expresses itself in birth, growth and death, just as by its doing of the works of Intelligence in a somnambulist subconscience it betrays itself as the same Power that in yet another grade attains the status of Mind; its very character shows that it contains in itself, though not yet in their characteristic organisation or process, the yet undelivered powers of Mind and Life.

EXPLANATION

     The signs of this submerged life in matter may be discoverable. Or it may not be discoverable because it is not yet organised or rudimentary. Or it may not show any signs because this involved Life is in a full sleep. These things are not of much importance.
     The material energy that aggregates (grouping into a cluster), forms and disaggregates (separating into parts) is the same Power in another grade of itself as Life-Energy which expresses itself in birth, growth and death.
     In Matter the Life-Energy does the works of Intelligence in a subconscious sleep-action. Yet it shows itself as the same Power that in another grade attains the status of Mind. This Power in its very character shows that it contains in itself the powers of Mind and Life which are not yet delivered. These powers may not be yet in their characteristic organisation or process.

Foot Note:

*4 Birth, growth and death of life are in their outward aspect the same process of aggregation, formation and disaggregation, though more than that in their inner process and significance. Even the ensoulment of the body by the psychic being follows, if the occult view of these things is correct, a similar outward process, for the soul as nucleus draws to itself for birth and aggregates the elements of its mental, vital and physical sheaths and their contents, increases these formations in life, and in its departing drops and disaggregates again these aggregates, drawing back into itself its inner powers, till in rebirth it repeats the original process.

EXPLANATION

     The process of birth, growth and death of life in man is outwardly the same as aggregation, formation and disaggregation of material Energy. Yet it is something more than that in their inner process and significance.
     The psychic being taking up a body has a similar outward process. The soul as a nucleus draws to itself and groups around itself, the elements of its mental, vital and physical sheaths and their contents. It increases these formations in life.
     When the soul leaves the body, it drops and disaggregates these formed elements. It draws back into itself its inner powers till in the next birth it repeats the original process.

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