Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 3
But in reality all that we call undivine can only be an action of the four divine principles themselves, such action of them as was necessary to create this universe of forms. Those forms have been created not outside but in the divine existence, conscious- force and bliss, not outside but in and as a part of the working of the divine Real-Idea. There is therefore no reason to suppose that there cannot be any real play of the higher divine consciousness in a world of forms or that forms and their immediate supports, mental consciousness, energy of vital force and formal substance, must necessarily distort that which they represent. It is possible, even probable that mind, body and life are to be found in their pure forms in the divine Truth itself, are there in fact as subordinate activities of its consciousness and part of the complete instrumentation by which the supreme Force always works.
EXPLANATION
In fact, what we call undivine in our world can only an action of the four divine principles. Such an action was necessary in the creation of world of forms. Those forms were created in the existence, consciousness and bliss and not outside of it. The divine is not extra-cosmic (Please refer – Ch XI – Delight of Existence: The Problem). Also they were created as part of the working of the divine Real-Idea (Truth-Consciousness).
Therefore we cannot conclude that there is no real play of the higher divine consciousness in a world of forms. The physical world is not forever undivine. Also there is no reason to assume that forms and their immediate supports, mental consciousness, vital energy and formal substance (matter) must necessarily distort the truth they represent.
It is quite possible that body, life and mind are to be found in their pure forms in the divine Truth itself. They are in fact subordinate activities of Truth-Consciousness itself. They are part of the complete instrumentation by which the supreme Force always works.
Mind, life and body must then be capable of divinity; their form and working in that short period out of possibly only one cycle of the terrestrial evolution which Science reveals to us, need not represent all the potential workings of these three principles in the living body. They work as they do because they are by some means separated in consciousness from the divine Truth from which they proceed. Were this separation once abrogated by the expanding energy of the Divine in humanity, their present functioning might well be converted, would indeed naturally be converted by a supreme evolution and progression into that purer working which they have in the Truth-consciousness.
EXPLANATION
Our living body consists of three principles – mind, life and body. All the three are subject to terrestrial evolution. Sri Aurobindo says this evolutionary cycle is a continuous process. Matter evolved into life. Life evolved into mind. And this is not the end. In a short period of one evolutionary cycle our mind, body and life need not represent the full potential of their workings. They may be imperfect now. But in their evolutionary journey they are moving towards perfection. The terms in which we function are only preparatory terms, formations in the midst of a process. Therefore, our body, mind and life are quite capable of divinity, if not now.
Our body, mind and life proceed from the divine Truth. By some means they are separated in consciousness from their source (Sat-chit-ananda). Hence they function in an imperfect way. But by the expanding energy of the Divine in humanity (by expansion of consciousness) this separation can be put to an end. Because it is the Divine Consciousness which is already involved is evolving. This is what Sri Aurobindo means by ‘expanding energy of the divine’. Then their present functioning can be converted by a supreme evolution and progression into the purer working which they have in the Truth-consciousness.
PARAGRAPH 4
In that case not only would it be possible to manifest and maintain the divine consciousness in the human mind and body but, even, that divine consciousness might in the end, increasing its conquests, remould mind, life and body themselves into a more perfect image of its eternal Truth and realise not only in soul but in substance its kingdom of heaven upon earth. The first of these victories, the internal, has certainly been achieved in a greater or less degree by some, perhaps by many, upon earth; the other, the external, even if never more or less realised in past aeons as a first type for future cycles and still held in the subconscious memory of the earth-nature, may yet be intended as a coming victorious achievement of God in humanity. This earthly life need not be necessarily and for ever a wheel of half-joyous half-anguished effort; attainment may also be intended and the glory and joy of God made manifest upon earth.
EXPLANATION
Therefore, it would be possible to manifest and maintain the divine consciousness in the human mind and body. Not only that, in the end, the divine consciousness might take over and remould the mind, life and body themselves into a more perfect image of its eternal Truth; it would realise its kingdom of heaven upon earth not only in soul but in matter.
The victory over soul is internal. The victory over matter is external. The internal victory has certainly been achieved in a greater or less degree by many on the earth. There are cases of persons who have pursued certain disciplines – disciplining of their ego, desire, breaking out of their limitations and achieved the inner freedom. It has been done on the individual level by individual yogis who have reached this highest level by their tapsya. But it has not meant much for the humanity. Externally, in the outer life this is yet to be achieved.
The victory over the external was more or less realised in the past as a prototype for the future and held in the subconscious memory of the earth nature. This intended victory will be a coming victorious achievement of God in humanity.
Therefore this earthly life need not be a partly joyous and partly painful effort. Life can be fulfilled on earth. Glory and joy of God would be made manifest upon earth.
PARAGRAPH 5
What Mind, Life and Body are in their supreme sources and what therefore they must be in the integral completeness of the divine manifestation when informed by the Truth and not cut off from it by the separation and the ignorance in which presently we live,—this then is the problem that we have next to consider. For there they must have already their perfection towards which we here are growing,—we who are only the first shackled movement of the Mind which is evolving in Matter, we who are not yet liberated from the conditions and effects of that involution of spirit in form, that plunge of Light into its own shadow by which the darkened material consciousness of physical Nature was created.
EXPLANATION
We have seen that the source of our Mind, Life and Body is the supreme. Therefore, we must see what our Mind, Life and Body are in their supreme sources. Also, we must see what they must be in the integral completeness of the divine manifestation; that is, what they must be in the divine life.
Presently our Body, Mind and Life are cut off and separated from the Truth. Hence we live in ignorance. In their fulfilled state they should be one with the Truth, not in separation from it.
In their source Mind, Life and Body are at their perfection. In the evolutionary journey we are growing towards that perfection. We are the restrained movement of the Mind which is evolving in Matter. We are not yet free from the conditions and effects of that involution of spirit in form. Still the spirit is imprisoned in form. The darkened material consciousness of physical Nature was created by the plunge of Light into its own shadow.
The type of all perfection towards which we grow, the terms of our highest evolution must already be held in the divine Real-Idea; they must be there formed and conscious for us to grow towards and into them: for that pre-existence in the divine knowledge is what our human mentality names and seeks as the Ideal. The Ideal is an eternal Reality which we have not yet realised in the conditions of our own being, not a non-existent which the Eternal and Divine has not yet grasped and only we imperfect beings have glimpsed and mean to create.
EXPLANATION
We know that it is the Truth-Consciousness that had created the world. The Real-Idea which is in Truth-Consciousness holds the key to the type of all perfection which we grow. It decides how our highest evolution must be. At the level of supermind, the integral completeness of our Body, Mind and Life must be already formed and conscious for us to grow towards them.
This is something already there in the divine knowledge which our human mentality seeks as the Ideal. This Ideal is an eternal Reality which we have not yet realised in the conditions of our own being. It is not a non-existent which the Eternal and the divine has not yet grasped. But that is something we as imperfect beings have only glimpsed and mean to create. (An ideal is not something built by the human mind; an ideal is a formation of a prior truth which constantly calls for human effort to approximate to it – Shri M.P.Pandit – Talks on The Life Divine, p.115).