Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 7
But why this phenomenal and pragmatic division of an indivisible Existence? It is because Mind has to carry the principle of multiplicity to its extreme potential which can only be done by separativeness and division. To do that it must, precipitating itself into Life to create forms for the Multiple, give to the universal principle of Being the appearance of a gross and material substance instead of a pure or subtle substance. It must, that is to say, give it the appearance of substance which offers itself to the contact of Mind as stable thing or object in an abiding multiplicity of objects and not of substance which offers itself to the contact of pure consciousness as something of its own eternal pure existence and reality or to subtle sense as a principle of plastic form freely expressive of the conscious being.
EXPLANATION
We know that the Existence (Sat) is one and indivisible. Why then, it should appear divided in this phenomenal and practical world? Existence, which is One, when manifests itself in the world, creates multiplicity of itself (Because the One enjoys seeing itself as Many). Mind has to carry the principle of multiplicity to its extreme potential. This can be done only by separativeness and division. When oneness is there appearance of multiplicity is not possible.
Therefore, there is involution of Mind into Life to create forms for the Multiple; it makes the universal principle of Being (Existence or Sat) appear as gross and material substance (which can be Many) instead of a pure and subtle substance (which can be One). In this process it gives the subtle principle to appear as stable substance which can be contacted by Mind. It creates the multiplicity of relatively long-lasting objects in gross forms.
Naturally, such a (gross) substance appears not in contact with pure consciousness; not something of its own pure existence and reality. It does not appear plastic to subtle sense that can express the conscious being (Sat). At the physical level substance takes gross form. At the mental and vital levels substance takes the subtle form.
The contact of mind with its objects creates what we call sense, but here it has to be an obscure externalised sense which must be assured of the reality of what it contacts. The descent of pure substance into material substance follows, then, inevitably on the descent of Sachchidananda through supermind into mind and life. It is a necessary result of the will to make multiplicity of being and an awareness of things from separate centres of consciousness the first method of this lower experience of existence.
EXPLANATION
Our mind establishes contacts with the external objects and this creates the sense. We have sense of seeing, touching etc. Senses are instruments of knowledge at our level. Our senses are external and many times they do not convey the truth of things. Senses are obscure at the physical level and at subtle physical and above they become pure. Yet our sense can work only when it is assured of the reality of its contacts. For example, unless we physically see an object, we do not accept its reality.
When Sachchidananda descends through supermind into mind and life, there is a descent of pure(subtle) substance (Sat) into material substance. Why should this happen? It is a necessary result of the will (of Sachchidananda) to make One manifest as Many. With multiplicity multiple centres of being (One Being) are created. There is need to make an awareness of things from separate centres of consciousness. For example, while men appear as many individuals, each individual is a separate centre of consciousness. This awareness by each individual centre is the first method of this lower experience of existence.
If we go back to the spiritual basis of things, substance in its utter purity resolves itself into pure conscious being, self-existent, inherently self-aware by identity, but not yet turning its consciousness upon itself as object. Supermind preserves this self-awareness by identity as its substance of self-knowledge and its light of self-creation, but for that creation presents Being to itself as the subject-object one and multiple of its own active consciousness. Being as object is held there in a supreme knowledge which can, by comprehension, see it both as an object of cognition within itself and subjectively as itself, but can also and simultaneously, by apprehension, project it as an object (or objects) of cognition within the circumference of its consciousness, not other than itself, part of its being, but a part (or parts) put away from itself,—that is to say, from the centre of vision in which Being concentrates itself as the Knower, Witness or Purusha.
EXPLANATION
What is the spiritual basis of things? Substance in its utter purity is represented by pure conscious being (Sat-Chit). It is self-existent (It is absolute-existence by itself-uncreated) inherently self-aware by identity. It is fully aware of itself. It sees everything as itself; there is nothing which is other than itself. In other words, it does not turn its consciousness upon itself as object. For example, there is division within ourselves; we witness something happening within us as subject-object. It is not so at the level of Sachchidananda.
Supermind has this self-awareness by identity as its substance of self-knowledge and its light (power) of self-creation. We know that Sachchidananda which is One creates the Many in the world through Supermind. In this process of creation, Supermind presents the Being (Sat) to itself as subject-object one. The multiple of its own active consciousness is presented to the Being. Let us imagine the sea. Waves are multiple forms of sea on its surface, presented to itself.
We have seen in the second status of Supermind that in its apprehending consciousness, it is aware of Oneness and Multiplicity within itself at the same time. Being (Sat) as subject is present. At the same time Being as object is held there in a supreme knowledge. By comprehending knowledge (all-encompassing knowledge) it can see it as an object of cognition (knowledge) within itself and at the same time it can see it subjectively as itself. Imagine the sea viewing the waves as something produced from itself and at the same time seeing the waves as nothing but its own self. Or imagine a sculptor who conceives a statue in his mind; the statue is separate from him and yet a part of him.
But it can also, by its apprehending consciousness (Pragnana), project it as an object of cognition within the circumference of its consciousness. It can see it as something put away from itself and yet as a part of its being, not other than itself (third status of the Supermind). Being sees it from the centre of its vision, in which it concentrates itself as the Knower, Witness or Purusha. Again, imagine the sea, where waves are produced and separated from the sea, yet being part of it.
We have seen that from this apprehending consciousness arises the movement of Mind, the movement by which the individual knower regards a form of his own universal being as if other than he; but in the divine Mind there is immediately or rather simultaneously another movement or reverse side of the same movement, an act of union in being which heals this phenomenal division and prevents it from becoming even for a moment solely real to the knower.
EXPLANATION
The apprehending consciousness of Supermind ultimately culminates into the movement of Mind and its ignorance. By this movement the individual being views himself different from his own cosmic being. It is a movement of division. But in the divine Mind (apprehending Supermind), simultaneously, reverse side of same movement takes place. That is the movement of unity. But for the sake of apprehending there is a double poise of the subject and the object. The oneness is not lost. This counteracts the movement of division at the level of the physical world. It prevents the movement of division from becoming the only reality to the knower.