Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 3
These considerations become of great importance when we consider the possible relation between the divine life and the divine mind of the perfected human soul and the very gross and seemingly undivine body or formula of physical being in which we actually dwell. That formula is the result of a certain fixed relation between sense and substance from which the material universe has started. But as this relation is not the only possible relation, so that formula is not the only possible formula.
EXPLANATION
The ascending gradation from material level to spiritual state has great importance when we consider relation between our present life and the divine life. As of now our body seems to be very gross and undivine. Our goal is to attain the divine life and the divine mind of the perfected human soul.
The formula of physical being in which we live is the result of a certain fixed relation between sense and substance from which our material universe has started. This relation is not the only relation; so is that formula not the only possible formula. As the substance becomes subtler the instruments of knowledge also become subtler.
Life and mind may manifest themselves in another relation to substance and work out different physical laws, other and larger habits, even a different substance of body with a freer action of the sense, a freer action of the life, a freer action of the mind. Death, division, mutual resistance and exclusion between embodied masses of the same conscious life-force are the formula of our physical existence; the narrow limitation of the play of the senses, the determination within a small circle of the field, duration and power of the life-workings, the obscuration, lame movement, broken and bounded functioning of the mind are the yoke which that formula expressed in the animal body has imposed upon the higher principles.
EXPLANATION
Life and Mind may manifest themselves in another relation to substance than our present sense-based relation. They may work out different physical laws than those govern the material world. They may work out a different substance of body. Such a body may have a freer action of the sense, a freer action of the life and a freer action of the mind. Presently our body, mind and life have to work within the limitations of Matter.
Our physical existence is governed by the formula of Death, division, mutual resistance and exclusion between the individual bodies containing the masses of same conscious life-force. Our five senses work within the narrow limitation. Our life-workings are determined within a small circle of the field (space), duration(time) and power. Our mind works in obscurity (lack of clarity), its movement is crippled and its functioning is broken and bounded. The formula expressed in the animal body has imposed above limitations as yoke upon the higher principles.
But these things are not the sole possible rhythm of cosmic Nature. There are superior states, there are higher worlds, and if the law of these can by any progress of man and by any liberation of our substance from its present imperfections be imposed on this sensible form and instrument of our being, then there may be even here a physical working of divine mind and sense, a physical working of divine life in the human frame and even the evolution upon earth of something that we may call a divinely human body. The body of man also may some day come by its transfiguration; the Earth-Mother too may reveal in us her godhead.
EXPLANATION
But these limitations and deficiencies are not the only possible features of the cosmic Nature. There are superior states than our mental state and higher worlds than this physical world. We can progress and liberate our mental, vital and bodily substance from their present imperfections. Then, the laws of these higher worlds can be imposed on this sensible form and instrument of our being. The operation of laws of higher worlds in our nature, will make it possible a physical working of divine mind and sense and a physical working of divine life in the human frame; our human body on this earth will evolve itself into a divinely human body. The body of man also will come in a complete change of form. The Matter (Earth-Mother) shall reveal the Spirit.
PARAGRAPH 4
Even within the formula of the physical cosmos there is an ascending series in the scale of Matter which leads us from the more to the less dense, from the less to the more subtle. Where we reach the highest term of that series, the most supra-ethereal subtlety of material substance or formulation of Force, what lies beyond? Not a Nihil, not a void; for there is no such thing as absolute void or real nullity and what we call by that name is simply something beyond the grasp of our sense, our mind or our most subtle consciousness.
EXPLANATION
This physical universe is constituted within a certain formula. Even within this formula there is an ascending series in the scale of Matter (Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space or Ether). At the lowest level Matter is in its grossest form. As it ascends in scale it becomes less dense and more subtle. At the highest we reach the most supra-ethereal subtility of material substance or formulation of Force.
What lies beyond this highest level? Certainly, it is not a void. Because there is no such thing as absolute void or real nullity. Because All is Brahman and there is nothing which is not Brahman (Nihil or Shunya is a Buddhist concept). We call something void when it is beyond the grasp of our sense, our mind or our most subtle consciousness.
Nor is it true that there is nothing beyond, or that some ethereal substance of Matter is the eternal beginning; for we know that Matter and material Force are only a last result of a pure Substance and pure Force in which consciousness is luminously self-aware and self-possessing and not as in Matter lost to itself in an inconscient sleep and an inert motion. What then is there between this material substance and that pure substance? For we do not leap from the one to the other, we do not pass at once from the inconscient to absolute consciousness. There must be and there are grades between inconscient substance and utterly self-conscious self-extension, as between the principle of Matter and the principle of Spirit.
EXPLANATION
We cannot presume that some ethereal (the subtlest) substance of Matter is the eternal beginning of the universe. Because, Matter is the last result of creation process originated by pure Substance and pure Force (Sat and Chit-Shakti of Sachchidananda). In the pure substance, consciousness is luminously self-aware and self-possessing. On the other hand, consciousness is lost to itself in an inconscient sleep and an inert motion in Matter.
In that case, there must be something between this material substance and that pure substance. Because we cannot directly pass from the inconscient to absolute consciousness. There must be and there are grades between inconscient Matter and utterly self-conscious self-extension (pure substance); between the principle of Matter and the principle of Spirit.
PARAGRAPH 5
All who have at all sounded those abysses are agreed and bear witness to this fact that there are a series of subtler and subtler formulations of substance which escape from and go beyond the formula of the material universe. Without going deeply into matters which are too occult and difficult for our present inquiry, we may say, adhering to the system on which we have based ourselves, that these gradations of substance, in one important aspect of their formulation in series, can be seen to correspond to the ascending series of Matter, Life, Mind, Supermind and that other higher divine triplicity of Sachchidananda. In other words, we find that substance in its ascension bases itself upon each of these principles and makes itself successively a characteristic vehicle for the dominating cosmic self-expression of each in their ascending series.
EXPLANATION
The material formula of the universe is not the only one. There are a series of subtler and subtler formulations of substance which escape and go beyond this material universe. Yet there is one important aspect of the formulation in the series of gradation of substance. That is, these gradations of substance can be seen to correspond to the ascending series of Matter, Life, Mind, Supermind and the higher triplicity of Sat-chit-ananda.
Substance in its ascension bases itself upon each of these principles. The substance makes itself successively a characteristic vehicle of each in their ascending series. In other words, the substance lends itself as vehicle in the forms of Matter, Life, Mind, Supermind and Sat-chit-ananda.
PARAGRAPH 6
Here in the material world everything is founded upon the formula of material substance. Sense, Life, Thought found themselves upon what the ancients called the Earth-Power, start from it, obey its laws, accommodate their workings to this fundamental principle, limit themselves by its possibilities and, if they would develop others, have even in that development to take account of the original formula, its purpose and its demand upon the divine evolution. The sense works through physical instruments, the life through a physical nerve-system and vital organs, the mind has to build its operations upon a corporeal basis and use a material instrumentation, even its pure mental workings have to take the data so derived as a field and as the stuff upon which it works.
EXPLANATION
In this physical world everything is founded upon the formula of material substance. Our Sense, Life and Thought are based on the power of the Matter (Earth-Power). Their workings start from Matter obeying its laws (Ignorance, Inertia, Division & Struggle). Their workings are arranged in such a way so as to accommodate this fundamental principle of Matter. They are limited in their functioning only to the extent possible within the limits of material principle. Here Matter is the dominant principle.
If our Sense, Life and Thought could develop other possibilities they do so taking into account of the original material formula, its purpose and its demand upon the divine evolution.
The sense works through physical instruments of our five senses. The life works through our physical nervous system and vital organs. The operations of our mind are based on the physical body and a material instrumentation (brain). The data gathered for the pure mental workings are also from the material field only; matter is the stuff upon which the mind works.