Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 10
But how does this ascending series affect the possibilities of our material existence? It would not affect them at all if each plane of consciousness, each world of existence, each grade of substance, each degree of cosmic force were cut off entirely from that which precedes and that which follows it. But the opposite is the truth; the manifestation of the Spirit is a complex weft and in the design and pattern of one principle all the others enter as elements of the spiritual whole.
EXPLANATION
Does the material world have any relation with this ascending series of substance? Do they affect the possibilities of our material existence? In other words, do they have any practical importance in our material world?
They would make no importance to us if all the planes, grades and worlds remain unconnected and stand alone in themselves. But, each plane of consciousness, each world of existence, each grade of substance, each degree of cosmic force is not cut off from that which precedes and that which follows it. Therefore, the ascending series of substance does affect the possibilities our material world. Because, in reality, the world is the differentiated Oneness.
The manifestation of the Spirit is a complex weft (cross-wise threads in a loom). In the design and pattern of one principle all the others are contained as the elements of the spiritual whole. Because the Spirit is One which manifests as Many. Each part contains the whole.
Our material world is the result of all the others, for the other principles have all descended into Matter to create the physical universe, and every particle of what we call Matter contains all of them implicit in itself; their secret action, as we have seen, is involved in every moment of its existence and every movement of its activity. And as Matter is the last word of the descent, so it is also the first word of the ascent; as the powers of all these planes, worlds, grades, degrees are involved in the material existence, so are they all capable of evolution out of it.
EXPLANATION
Our material world is the result of all the other worlds. The other principles (Life, Mind-including all ranges of Mind, Supermind and Sachchidananda) have all descended into Matter to create the physical universe. Every particle of Matter contains all the other worlds implicit in itself. In every moment of the existence and activity of Matter the secret action of all other worlds is involved.
Matter is the last word of the descent. So, it is also the first word of the ascent. As the powers of all the worlds are involved in Matter so are they capable of evolving out of it.
(This earth is not alone our teacher and nurse
The powers of all the worlds have entrance here.
Savitri: Book II: Canto 5: The Godheads of the Little Life: p.153)
It is for this reason that material being does not begin and end with gases and chemical compounds and physical forces and movements, with nebulae and suns and earths, but evolves life, evolves mind, must evolve eventually supermind and the higher degrees of the spiritual existence. Evolution comes by the unceasing pressure of the supra-material planes on the material compelling it to deliver out of itself their principles and powers which might conceivably otherwise have slept imprisoned in the rigidity of the material formula. This would even so have been improbable, since their presence there implies a purpose of deliverance; but still this necessity from below is actually very much aided by a kindred superior pressure.
EXPLANATION
This material world is not something that begins and ends with gases and chemical compounds and physical forces and movements with suns and earths and stars. It is a place that evolves life, mind and must eventually evolve supermind and the higher degrees of the spiritual existence.
There is an unceasing pressure of the supra-material planes (planes above the material plane) on the material plane which causes the evolution. It compels the matter to deliver out of itself the principles and powers of the higher planes. If there is no pressure from the higher planes, the principles and powers might have slept imprisoned in the rigidity of Matter.
Though what is involved in Matter has to evolve anyhow from pressure within, still it has to be aided by a similar pressure from above (That is why Sri Aurobindo and the Mother had brought down the Supramental Consciousness into the earth atmosphere to quicken the evolution of Supermind from below. Left to itself Supermind would take many yugas to evolve).
PARAGRAPH 11
Nor can this evolution end with the first meagre formulation of life, mind, supermind, spirit conceded to these higher powers by the reluctant power of Matter. For as they evolve, as they awake, as they become more active and avid of their own potentialities, the pressure on them of the superior planes, a pressure involved in the existence and close connection and interdependence of the worlds, must also increase in insistence, power and effectiveness. Not only must these principles manifest from below in a qualified and restricted emergence, but also from above they must descend in their characteristic power and full possible efflorescence into the material being; the material creature must open to a wider and wider play of their activities in Matter, and all that is needed is a fit receptacle, medium, instrument. That is provided for in the body, life and consciousness of man.
EXPLANATION
Sri Aurobindo says this evolution cannot end with mere formulation of life, mind, supermind and spirit with Matter slowly releasing these involved higher principles from itself. The mere evolution of these higher principles from Matter is not enough. Because, the matter allows these higher principles to emerge from itself only imperfectly and partially. Therefore, the perfection of the higher realms must descent into the lower to remove these imperfections.
As life evolves, as mind evolves, as supermind evolves they become more active and eager to realise their potentialities. This is because, there is pressure from superior planes from above, the pressure involved in the existence and close connection and interdependence of the worlds. We have seen that all the worlds from lower to the higher are interconnected. The interdependence is more for the lower worlds on the higher worlds than vice versa. Because the manifestation takes place from above with Sat-chit-ananda creating worlds below. Therefore, pressure also must increase in insistence, power and effectiveness from above on these evolving higher principles from below.
Here there are two processes involved. The principles of life, mind and supermind manifest from below in a qualified and restricted emergence from Matter. Also, from the above, these principles must descend in their full potential and development into the Matter. In short, Sri Aurobindo says both ascent from below and descent from above are required for the fulfilment of this evolution.
The material creature must open to a wider and wider play of these principles in the material activities. What is needed is a fit receptacle, medium, instrument. That is available in the body, life and consciousness of man. It is the man who is capable of making spiritual progress.
PARAGRAPH 12
Certainly, if that body, life and consciousness were limited to the possibilities of the gross body which are all that our physical senses and physical mentality accept, there would be a very narrow term for this evolution, and the human being could not hope to accomplish anything essentially greater than his present achievement. But this body, as ancient occult science discovered, is not the whole even of our physical being; this gross density is not all of our substance. The oldest Vedantic knowledge tells us of five degrees of our being, the material, the vital, the mental, the ideal, the spiritual or beatific and to each of these grades of our soul there corresponds a grade of our substance, a sheath as it was called in the ancient figurative language.
EXPLANATION
It is the common perception that ‘body’ means our gross physical body. Our physical senses and physical mentality will accept only our gross physical body. But, in truth, our body, life and consciousness are not limited to the possibilities of the gross body alone. The evolution is not restricted to the narrow term of our gross body alone. If our gross body alone is the determining factor, then we cannot accomplish anything greater than our present achievement.
Ancient occult science discovered that our gross body does not constitute the whole of even our physical being. This gross density of our body is not at all our substance. The oldest Vedantic knowledge (Taittiriya Upanishad) speaks of five degrees of our being: the material(annamaya), the vital(pranamaya), the mental(manomaya), the ideal(vijnanamaya), the spiritual or beatific (anandamaya). To each of these grades of our souls (Purushas) there is a corresponding grade of substance, a sheath (Kosha).
A later psychology found that these five sheaths of our substance were the material of three bodies, gross physical, subtle and causal, in all of which the soul actually and simultaneously dwells, although here and now we are superficially conscious only of the material vehicle. But it is possible to become conscious in our other bodies as well and it is in fact the opening up of the veil between them and consequently between our physical, psychical and ideal personalities which is the cause of those “psychic” and “occult” phenomena that are now beginning to be increasingly though yet too little and too clumsily examined, even while they are far too much exploited.
EXPLANATION
It was found by a later psychology that these five sheaths of our substance were the material of three bodies, gross physical (sthoola), subtle (sukshma) and causal (karana).
(The gross body is the physical body; the subtle body contains the life, the emotional, the mental and the ranges beyond what we call by name ‘occult’. Subtler than these is the ideal or the causal body that is proper to the supramental being – Shri M.P.Pandit – Talks on the Life Divine, p.166)
Though we are superficially conscious of only our material body, the soul actually and simultaneously dwells in all the bodies.
It is possible for us to become conscious in our other bodies (subtle & causal) as well. The opening up of the veil between them (subtle and causal) and between our physical, psychical and ideal personalities is the cause of the “psychic” and “occult” phenomena. These phenomena are now being increasingly examined though in an imperfect manner. Yet they are far too much exploited.