Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 2
What it produces is itself and can be nothing other than itself; it is working out a play, a rhythm, a development of its own existence, force of consciousness and delight of being. Therefore whatever comes into the world, seeks nothing but this, to be, to arrive at the intended form, to enlarge its self -existence in that form, to develop, manifest, increase, realise infinitely the consciousness and the power that is in it, to have the delight of coming into manifestation, the delight of the form of being, the delight of the rhythm of consciousness, the delight of the play of force and to aggrandise and perfect that delight by whatever means is possible, in whatever direction, through whatever idea of itself may be suggested to it by the Existence, the Conscious-Force, the Delight active within its deepest being.
EXPLANATION
We have seen in the previous paragraph that it is Sachchidananda that creates, it is Sachchidananda that is created and it is Sachchidananda from which it is created. We come to the conclusion that what it produces can be nothing else than itself. The whole creation is a working out a play, a rhythm, development of its own Existence, Consciousness-Force and Bliss (Sat-chit-ananda)
Therefore, whatever comes into the world seeks nothing but Sachchidananda. It seeks to arrive at a desired form. In that form Sachchidananda enlarges its self-existence. Then it tries to increase, develop, manifest and realise infinitely the consciousness-force in it. Then it enjoys the delight of coming into manifestation, delight of the form of being, delight of the rhythm of consciousness and the delight of the play of force. It tries to enlarge and perfect the delight in whatever way possible, in whatever direction possible, through whatever idea of itself suggested by the Sachchidananda deep within itself.
PARAGRAPH 3
And if there is any goal, any completeness towards which things tend, it can only be the completeness—in the individual and in the whole which the individuals constitute—of its self-existence, of its power and consciousness and of its delight of being. But such completeness is not possible in the individual consciousness concentrated within the limits of the individual formation; absolute completeness is not feasible in the finite because it is alien to the self-conception of the finite.
EXPLANATION
What is the meaning of existence in the world? It is to achieve the goal of completeness of its self-existence, of its consciousness-force and of its delight of being (Sat-chit-ananda). It is to be realised at both levels of the individual and the whole which constitutes the individuals (individual and collective).
Whether man, as an individual can achieve such completeness? Sri Aurobindo says, the individual consciousness is concentrated within the limits. It is contained within a limited formation. That being the case, absolute completeness is not possible in a finite form. It is contrary to the nature of finite individual who is a relative being in the material world.
Therefore the only final goal possible is the emergence of the infinite consciousness in the individual; it is his recovery of the truth of himself by self-knowledge and by self-realisation, the truth of the Infinite in being, the Infinite in consciousness, the Infinite in delight repossessed as his own Self and Reality of which the finite is only a mask and an instrument for various expression.
EXPLANATION
Then, what is the way out for the individual? The only possible way to realise the completeness of Sachchidananda in him, is the emergence of the infinite consciousness in him. How to achieve this objective?
The individual has to recover the truth of himself by self-knowledge and self-realisation. He must recover the truth of the Infinite in his limited being, of the infinite in his limited consciousness, of the infinite in the delight of his being. He must repossess them as his own Self and Reality. Because, his finite form is only a mask of the infinite. It is only an instrument for various expression.
We have seen in the previous chapter that there is a self-loss of the infinite in its many aspects in its manifestation in finite forms. The individual has to recover this lost infinity which is hidden behind the appearances of finiteness.
PARAGRAPH 4
Thus by the very nature of the world-play as it has been realised by Sachchidananda in the vastness of His existence extended as Space and Time, we have to conceive first of an involution and a self-absorption of conscious being into the density and infinite divisibility of substance, for otherwise there can be no finite variation; next, an emergence of the self-imprisoned force into formal being, living being, thinking being; and finally a release of the formed thinking being into the free realisation of itself as the One and the Infinite at play in the world and by the release its recovery of the boundless existence-consciousness-bliss that even now it is secretly, really and eternally. This triple movement is the whole key of the world-enigma.
EXPLANATION
What is the process of movement by which the individual recovers the lost infinity in himself?
Space and Time are nothing but Sachchidananda in His existence extended in vastness. There is an involution (going within) and self-absorption (concentration) of conscious being in substance (material form). Density and infinite divisibility are the characteristics of the formed substance. They cause finite variations in the forms we see in this world. Sachchidananda which is One becomes Many in the manifested world. In multiplicity it is hidden behind its opposites like evil and suffering.
The imprisoned force in the finite substance emerges into a formal being (Matter), living being (Plants and animals) and a thinking being (Man). The formed thinking being is released into the free realisation of itself as the One and the Infinite at play in the world. The limited, ego-centric individual becomes one with the universal being attaining cosmic consciousness.
By the release of the thinking being from its finite self, it recovers the boundless existence-consciousness-bliss (Sat-chit-ananda). This Sachchidananda is nothing but its secret self, its reality, its eternal portion.
This triple movement (involution, emergence, final release into infinite) is the whole key of the riddle(puzzle) of the world.