Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 10
But Mind, Life and Matter, the lower trilogy, are also indispensable to all cosmic being, not necessarily in the form or with the action and conditions which we know upon earth or in this material universe, but in some kind of action, however luminous, however puissant, however subtle. For Mind is essentially that faculty of Supermind which measures and limits, which fixes a particular centre and views from that the cosmic movement and its interactions.
EXPLANATION
The higher divine principles Sat, Chit, Ananda and Supermind are indispensable for all existence. But Mind, Life and Matter the lower triple aspects are also indispensable to all cosmic being. We cannot discard these lower principles in favour of higher principles. Their significance need not necessarily in the form or with the action and conditions we know upon this earth. As we presently know, our Mind is ignorant, our Life is limited by incapacity and our body is gross and rigid. But they may be in some kind of action however luminous, however puissant, however subtle.
Because Mind is essentially that faculty of Supermind which measures and limits; it fixes a particular centre and views the cosmic movement and its interactions from that centre.
Granted that in a particular world, plane or cosmic arrangement, mind need not be limited, or rather that the being who uses mind as a subordinate faculty need not be incapable of seeing things from other centres or standpoints or even from the real Centre of all or in the vastness of a universal self-diffusion, still if he is not capable of fixing himself normally in his own firm standpoint for certain purposes of the divine activity, if there is only the universal self-diffusion or only infinite centres without some determining or freely limiting action for each, then there is no cosmos but only a Being musing within Himself infinitely as a creator or poet may muse freely, not plastically, before he proceeds to the determining work of creation.
EXPLANATION
At our level mind works in a limited way. We can see things only from a particular point of view. We can suppose that in a particular world, plane or cosmic arrangement mind need not be limited. The being, say the Supramental being who uses mind as a subordinate faculty would be capable of seeing things from other centres or standpoints or from the real Centre of all (from Transcendent) or in the vastness of a universal self-diffusion (from the Universal).
Still, one cannot do away with the faculty of mind. It makes one capable of fixing oneself normally in one’s own stand point for certain purposes of the divine activity. Mind as a faculty is required for a determined action in the universe. Supposing the mind is not able to fix itself at a point it would be only a universal diffusion (spreading out). Or instead of a fixed centre it will have infinite centres without a determining or limiting action. Such an action cannot be possible in the universe.
Such an action would be like a Being musing (thinking about something) within Himself infinitely as a creator or like a poet who is lost in his thought forms before he proceeds to a determined poetic form.
Such a state must exist somewhere in the infinite scale of existence, but it is not what we understand by a cosmos. Whatever order there may be in it, must be a sort of unfixed, unbinding order such as Supermind might evolve before it had proceeded to the work of fixed development, measurement and interaction of relations. For that measurement and interaction Mind is necessary, though it need not be aware of itself as anything but a subordinate action of Supermind nor develop the interaction of relations on the basis of a self-imprisoned egoism such as we see active in terrestrial Nature.
EXPLANATION
Such an action is possible in the infinite scale of existence; but not possible in the universe where everything is contained in the limited scale and action. Whatever may be the order of existence in the infinite scale, it must be a sort of unfixed, unbinding order. This is similar to the order the Supermind might evolve, before it starts the creation process in terms of fixed development, measurement and interaction of relations.
Here Mind is a necessary instrument for that measurement and interaction. Yet Mind need not be aware of itself as anything but a subordinate action of Supermind. At the same time such a Mind would not develop the interaction of relations on the basis of egoism as our minds function now.
PARAGRAPH 11
Mind once existent, Life and Form of substance follow; for life is simply the determination of force and action, of relation and interaction of energy from many fixed centres of consciousness,— fixed, not necessarily in place or time, but in a persistent coexistence of beings or soul-forms of the Eternal supporting a cosmic harmony. That life may be very different from life as we know or conceive it, but essentially it would be the same principle at work which we see here figured as vitality,—the principle to which the ancient Indian thinkers gave the name of Vayu or Prana, the life-stuff, the substantial will and energy in the cosmos working out into determined form and action and conscious dynamis of being.
EXPLANATION
We have seen in the previous paragraph the necessity of Mind in the universe in its luminous action as a subordinate principle of Supermind and not on the basis of egoism as it functions now. Similarly, Life and Form of substance also would follow in their powerful and subtle modes.
As Mind is an instrument for fixed development, measurement and interaction so is Life simply the determination of force and action. It is the determination of relation and interaction of energy from many fixed centres of consciousness. It is not fixed in the sense of place and time. But it is fixed in a persistent coexistence of beings or soul-forms of the Eternal supporting a cosmic harmony.
That life may be different from life as we know it. But essentially the same principle of vitality would be at work. The ancient Indian thinkers gave the name of Vayu or Prana to this principle. It is the life-stuff, the substantial will and energy in the universe working out into determined form and action and conscious power of being.
Substance too might be very different from our view and sense of material body, much more subtle, much less rigidly binding in its law of self-division and mutual resistance, and body or form might be an instrument and not a prison, yet for the cosmic interaction some determination of form and substance would always be necessary, even if it be only a mental body or something yet more luminous, subtle and puissantly and freely responsive than the freest mental body.
EXPLANATION
Likewise, substance also might be different from our view and sense of material body. It would be much more subtle and much less rigid. It would be no more bound in its rigid law of self-division and mutual resistance. The body or form would be an instrument and not a prison. Yet for cosmic interaction some determination of form and substance would always be necessary; even if it be a mental body or a more luminous, subtle and powerfully freely responsive than the freest mental body.
PARAGRAPH 12
It follows that wherever Cosmos is, there, even if only one principle be initially apparent, even if at first that seem to be the sole principle of things and everything else that may appear afterwards in the world seem to be no more than its forms and results and not in themselves indispensable to cosmic existence, such a front presented by being can only be an illusory mask or appearance of its real truth. Where one principle is manifest in Cosmos, there all the rest must be not merely present and passively latent, but secretly at work. In any given world its scale and harmony of being may be openly in possession of all seven at a higher or lower degree of activity; in another they may be all involved in one which becomes the initial or fundamental principle of evolution in that world, but evolution of the involved there must be.
EXPLANATION
In a Universe only one principle, say, Matter, may be initially apparent; it may seem to be the sole principle of things; everything else that appears afterwards (say Life and Mind) may seem to be no more than its forms and results; they themselves may not seem to be necessary to cosmic existence. Sri Aurobindo says, such a front (say Matter) presented by being may be only in appearance. It may hide behind its mask its real truth.
When one principle is manifest in Cosmos all the rest of the principles are not only simply present and inactive in it but they are secretly at work. For example, if Matter only is present in the Cosmos, all the other principles (Life, Mind, Supermind, Sat, Chit & Ananda) are secretly at work in the Matter. They are involved in it.
In any given world, its scale and harmony of being may be in possession of all seven principles at a higher or lower degree of activity. In another world they may be all involved in one principle (say, Matter). It becomes the initial or fundamental principle of evolution in that world. There, whatever is involved has to evolve.
The evolution of the sevenfold power of being, the realisation of its septuple Name, must be the destiny of any world which starts apparently from the involution of all in one power.*6 Therefore the material universe was bound in the nature of things to evolve from its hidden life apparent life, from its hidden mind apparent mind, and it must in the same nature of things evolve from its hidden Supermind apparent Supermind and from the concealed Spirit within it the triune glory of Sachchidananda. The only question is whether the earth is to be a scene of that emergence or the human creation on this or any other material scene, in this or any other cycle of the large wheelings of Time, its instrument and vehicle.
*6 In any given world there need not be an involution but only a subordination of the other principles to one or their inclusion in one; then evolution is not a necessity of that world-order.
EXPLANATION
The evolution of the seven principles must be the destiny of any world. Apparently it starts from the involution of all in one power. (Sri Aurobindo clarifies that in certain higher worlds there may be subordination of all the other principles in one or they may be included in one. Therefore, in that world evolution is not a necessity. Whereas in the Material world all the seven principles are involved).
Therefore in the material universe all the seven principles are bound to evolve. Apparent life is to evolve from its hidden life, apparent mind is to evolve from its hidden mind, apparent Supermind is to evolve from its hidden Supermind and the triune glory of Sachchidananda is to evolve from the concealed Spirit within Supermind.
The only question remains to be seen is whether earth is going to be a place of such emergence (Earth is the chosen place of mightiest souls; – Savitri, Book 11, p.686).
Or whether human being on this earth or any other material scene, in this cycle or any other cycle of evolution is going to be the instrument and vehicle of that emergence.
The ancient seers believed in this possibility for man and held it to be his divine destiny; the modern thinker does not even conceive of it or, if he conceived, would deny or doubt. If he sees a vision of the Superman, it is in the figure of increased degrees of mentality or vitality; he admits no other emergence, sees nothing beyond these principles, for these have traced for us up till now our limit and circle.
EXPLANATION
Our Vedic Rishis believed in the possibility of emergence of higher principles for Man. They thought it to be his divine destiny. But the modern thinker does not even conceive of that possibility. Even if he conceives of it he would doubt and deny that possibility.
For a modern thinker Superman would mean a man with increased degrees of mental and vital capacities. Beyond that he sees no other emergence of higher principles. He does not go beyond the mental and vital. Because man’s life so far has been limited within the circles of these principles only.
In this progressive world, with this human creature in whom the divine spark has been kindled, real wisdom is likely to dwell with the higher aspiration rather than with the denial of aspiration or with the hope that limits and circumscribes itself within those narrow walls of apparent possibility which are only our intermediate house of training. In the spiritual order of things, the higher we project our view and our aspiration, the greater the Truth that seeks to descend upon us, because it is already there within us and calls for its release from the covering that conceals it in manifested Nature.
EXPLANATION
It is the human being in whom the divine spark has been aroused. The real wisdom would exist only with the higher aspiration. It would not exist with the denial of aspiration. Man, as he is now, lives within the narrow walls of apparent possibility (i.e. the possibility he sees at a superficial level). That is his intermediate house of training. The real wisdom would not dwell with the hope that is limited and restricted within the narrow walls of body, mind and life.
In the spiritual order of things the higher we rise in our view and aspiration, the greater the Truth that seeks to descend upon us. Because the higher is already within us. It calls for its release from the covering that conceal it in manifestation.