Ch.11: Delight of Existence: The Problem
Ch.12: Delight of Existence: The Solution
Ch.12: Delight of Existence: The Solution
In chapters 11 and 12, Sri Aurobindo deals with a very
common question mankind has - namely, if the Universal One created this world
without any need or want, purely for the delight of finding Himself through the
play of multitudes, then how can we ever explain the presence of pain and
sorrow, injustice and insensitivity, etc., in the world which the Perfect One
created for only for delight (Ananda)?
In one chapter, he elaborates on the problem in some detail and begins answering the paradox, and in the next, he elaborates further on the explanation. Part of the answer is that the concepts of justice and morality which we hold (typically) are themselves limited and rooted rather too deeply in the body/mind experiences of the individual. Therefore, if the world seems unjust, it is also because the individual's concept of justice is limited. Another equally important part of the answer is that our understanding of the words "delight of existence" is often incorrect. Delight of existence refers to the "background of all backgrounds", something like the normal satisfaction of being alive and conscious - not to the waves of ecstasy we sometimes feel when the ego or some other individual desire is fulfilled. This normal satisfaction of existence is the background on which all our mental waves of pleasure and pain are superimposed and the background is
very much present even when these crests and troughs are being experienced. So, delight of existence is not contradicted by the presence of pain or sorrow - rather, these are but positive and negative currents of the same delight of existence. Through training in neutrality and equanimity, says Sri Aurobindo, it is possible to slowly transform even painful experiences into neutral sensations first and later into the "equal delight" of existence. In fact, he adds, it is also possible, though much more difficult for human beings, to directly
(immediately) transform painful sensations into the equal delight of existence (Ananda) - and here, we are not talking of drug-induced sleep or external hypnosis. The possibilities seen under hypnosis point to the fact that these capabilities lie dormant in the human body, and for Sri Aurobindo, these possibilities are not conjectures but a reality.
In one chapter, he elaborates on the problem in some detail and begins answering the paradox, and in the next, he elaborates further on the explanation. Part of the answer is that the concepts of justice and morality which we hold (typically) are themselves limited and rooted rather too deeply in the body/mind experiences of the individual. Therefore, if the world seems unjust, it is also because the individual's concept of justice is limited. Another equally important part of the answer is that our understanding of the words "delight of existence" is often incorrect. Delight of existence refers to the "background of all backgrounds", something like the normal satisfaction of being alive and conscious - not to the waves of ecstasy we sometimes feel when the ego or some other individual desire is fulfilled. This normal satisfaction of existence is the background on which all our mental waves of pleasure and pain are superimposed and the background is
very much present even when these crests and troughs are being experienced. So, delight of existence is not contradicted by the presence of pain or sorrow - rather, these are but positive and negative currents of the same delight of existence. Through training in neutrality and equanimity, says Sri Aurobindo, it is possible to slowly transform even painful experiences into neutral sensations first and later into the "equal delight" of existence. In fact, he adds, it is also possible, though much more difficult for human beings, to directly
(immediately) transform painful sensations into the equal delight of existence (Ananda) - and here, we are not talking of drug-induced sleep or external hypnosis. The possibilities seen under hypnosis point to the fact that these capabilities lie dormant in the human body, and for Sri Aurobindo, these possibilities are not conjectures but a reality.
Ch.13: The Divine Maya
Even then, if all existence were to be of the same
nature as Brahman (Universal Consciousness), then no suffering could be felt.
So to even feel limitation, something lesser than Brahman must have been
created. Obviously, this is the role of Maya, the power of veiling and
projection, which ultimately makes the individual forget his/her divine origin,
omnipresence and omniscience, and cling to separate existence which serves only
the limited body and ego. Maya is the power by which the Universal
"hides" Himself into seemingly separate parts.
However, as Sri Aurobindo points out in many places, we are fortunate that the One and the seeming many are not poles of existence without any link. Rather, creation is very much a continuum, with intermediate states like the Supermind, which has created the world of multiplicity by unequal distribution of consciousness (which leads to division between the knower and the known, etc.), but retains the understanding that it is actually one and the same everywhere. In fact, in Supermind, one can realize that Consciousness is not just involved or hidden within matter, but is rather the creator of the material world and "holds" the multiplicity of forces within itself in an overall harmony, which is not seen by the ordinary individual who has not risen above Maya.
Even human knowledge, which is all about division between the knower and the known and the will of the knower at a practical level, suggests the idea that there is something beyond these seeming divisions - that these are all ultimately one. However, says Sri Aurobindo, it is only when we delve deep into ourselves, into "that secrecy where the activity of the mind is stilled", that this universal consciousness becomes manifest to us.
In the essay, Sri Aurobindo makes some other points too, for example, that the philosophies which accept mind as the creator can be divided into the purely noumenal and the idealistic. The purely noumenal philosophies see the world as purely an interplay of mind forces, which have no relation to the essential principle which created them in the first place. These philosophies, therefore, lead to Nihilistic or Chaotic views of the world. The idealistic philosophies, on the other hand, postulate that mental forces (which play in the world) do retain some relationship with the essential Truth underlying them - and the relationship is not merely that of opposition. The Integral Vedantic view goes even farther along this idealistic path, in which the world is not just an imaginary idea in the universal Mind, but a birth of something beyond mind into forms of itself.
While all these details in the essay are helpful, I would here like to especially point out the quotations given from the Rig-Veda by Sri Aurobindo at the beginning of this chapter on Maya. There are two - (i) from Mandala 3, verse 38, 7th mantra and (ii) Mandala 9, 83rd verse, 3rd mantra.
However, as Sri Aurobindo points out in many places, we are fortunate that the One and the seeming many are not poles of existence without any link. Rather, creation is very much a continuum, with intermediate states like the Supermind, which has created the world of multiplicity by unequal distribution of consciousness (which leads to division between the knower and the known, etc.), but retains the understanding that it is actually one and the same everywhere. In fact, in Supermind, one can realize that Consciousness is not just involved or hidden within matter, but is rather the creator of the material world and "holds" the multiplicity of forces within itself in an overall harmony, which is not seen by the ordinary individual who has not risen above Maya.
Even human knowledge, which is all about division between the knower and the known and the will of the knower at a practical level, suggests the idea that there is something beyond these seeming divisions - that these are all ultimately one. However, says Sri Aurobindo, it is only when we delve deep into ourselves, into "that secrecy where the activity of the mind is stilled", that this universal consciousness becomes manifest to us.
In the essay, Sri Aurobindo makes some other points too, for example, that the philosophies which accept mind as the creator can be divided into the purely noumenal and the idealistic. The purely noumenal philosophies see the world as purely an interplay of mind forces, which have no relation to the essential principle which created them in the first place. These philosophies, therefore, lead to Nihilistic or Chaotic views of the world. The idealistic philosophies, on the other hand, postulate that mental forces (which play in the world) do retain some relationship with the essential Truth underlying them - and the relationship is not merely that of opposition. The Integral Vedantic view goes even farther along this idealistic path, in which the world is not just an imaginary idea in the universal Mind, but a birth of something beyond mind into forms of itself.
While all these details in the essay are helpful, I would here like to especially point out the quotations given from the Rig-Veda by Sri Aurobindo at the beginning of this chapter on Maya. There are two - (i) from Mandala 3, verse 38, 7th mantra and (ii) Mandala 9, 83rd verse, 3rd mantra.
The literal meaning of the first is something like "by milking this bull
(Indra) along with his Kamadhenu and other cows, the lords of Maya found Him
(Indra) in newer and newer (several different) forms." According to the
1930s translation by Pt. Jayadev Sharma, there could be one materialistic
interpretation, that the intelligent and knowledgeable people could create
several new and useful things by working with different forces of nature.
However, even Pt. Sharma adds that as soon as we interpret Indra as the
Universal One (Indra being the king of the Gods and the most revered of Vedic
gods), the interpretation is that the lords of Maya created several different
forces by working with the One original force in different ways. In fact, another
mantra in the same verse advises people to rather ask the great rishis who had
the power to create worlds about this Indra (i.e., Indra is no mere ordinary
power which can be comprehended by people
simplistically). Now, see the clarity in Sri Aurobindo's translation:
simplistically). Now, see the clarity in Sri Aurobindo's translation:
"By the Names of the Lord and hers they shaped and
measured the force of the Mother of Light; wearing might after might of that
Force as a robe, the lords of Maya shaped out Form in this Being".
Similarly, the second quotation from the 9th Mandala can be more materialistically translated as "This Soma Himself creates the entire world by His own power. By His powers did the great ones who teach others get the true knowledge and accept their disciples like children in their womb." Or, as another translator puts it "By His orders did the great ones establish the womb in the medicinal herbs and plants". Upon reading Sri Aurobindo's translation, we can see that both these translations are trying hard to arrive at a material interpretation where a slightly more subtle interpretation seems more suited.
"The Masters of Maya shaped all by His Maya; the Fathers who have divine vision set Him within as a child that is to be born."
The point here is that the idea of the universal One is not just found in the Upanishads but also in the Samhitas, which are often discarded by people as being merely mantras for collective ritualistic worship, in which people pray for their more basic needs and desires like for food and protection. This mantra is only one example. Sri Aurobindo has a whole large book called "The Secret of the Vedas" in which he explains how these slightly hidden meanings are indeed more important and more in line with the overall message of the Vedas.
Similarly, the second quotation from the 9th Mandala can be more materialistically translated as "This Soma Himself creates the entire world by His own power. By His powers did the great ones who teach others get the true knowledge and accept their disciples like children in their womb." Or, as another translator puts it "By His orders did the great ones establish the womb in the medicinal herbs and plants". Upon reading Sri Aurobindo's translation, we can see that both these translations are trying hard to arrive at a material interpretation where a slightly more subtle interpretation seems more suited.
"The Masters of Maya shaped all by His Maya; the Fathers who have divine vision set Him within as a child that is to be born."
The point here is that the idea of the universal One is not just found in the Upanishads but also in the Samhitas, which are often discarded by people as being merely mantras for collective ritualistic worship, in which people pray for their more basic needs and desires like for food and protection. This mantra is only one example. Sri Aurobindo has a whole large book called "The Secret of the Vedas" in which he explains how these slightly hidden meanings are indeed more important and more in line with the overall message of the Vedas.
Ch.14: The Supermind as Creator
The main theme of this chapter is that at the level of the Supermind, all is
One and the Supermind retains that knowledge even when it starts concentrating
itself in an unequal way to create diverse forces, including knower, known and
the will of the known. So in the Supermind, the division of Existence,
Consciousness and Bliss (or Will) is known, but these 3 aspects of the divine
are still integrated, despite the recognition that they are different aspects
of the One. As a result, the Supermind does not carry the limitations of the
individual who is subject to the Great Ignorance (Avidyaa), although the
Supermind knows the process by which it has created the individual forms from
itself (or, from the universal One). The Supermind is the level where
consciousness "holds" nature in a higher, overall harmony. So at this
level, consciousness is not merely involved within matter, and not merely
subject to all the limitations of separative existence. A few more steps down
the line, the same individualized concentrations of consciousness which the
Supermind creates lose their knowledge of the universal harmony, and at that
level, the division is more real than the unity. As a result, there is a "paralyzing"
self division of knowledge into the Will, the Knower, the Known, etc. This is
the world of the Great Ignorance, or Maya. The reality of the Supermind which
creates these forms out of itself but retains the knowledge of the true
underlying Unity is the "justification of the current religious notions of
the omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence of the Divine Being".
Ch.15: The Supreme Truth-Consciousness
This "God" or Supermind is indeed the creator
of the worlds just like in religious ideas but religions sometimes try to
create too human a picture of this Universal One. We should not exclude the
personal aspect of God - it is equally true, but the Supermind is both personal
and impersonal. We are concerned in this Chapter with the Supermind, and not
just with its personal aspect.
The Supermind views all of space and time as a whole,
not as a succession of events or objects. However, the same Supermind
concentrates itself unequally into individual forms, thereby creating the basis
for the play of the multiplicities and moreover, also repeats this divisive
play in all its creations. At the material end of this spectrum lies the
separated ego which is born within
duality, but at the level of Supermind, there is a stage prior to this complete
loss of knowledge of the Unity - a stage which forms the basis of our
individual minds but retains the knowledge of the essential unity. There are
separate forms here due to the unequal concentration of consciousness, but the
knowledge of the Unity and equal presence of Brahman everywhere is not lost
either. This "apprehending Truth-Consciousnes", says Sri Aurobindo,
is much easier for the
individual mind to grasp because of its nearness to us (relative to the even deeper
realizations of complete unity). Therefore, the "barrier that has to be crossed
is less formidable."
Sadanand Tutakne
