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As a rule, they did it only partially, through an emanation, not a total descent. For example, Vivekananda is said to have been an incarnation — a Vibhūti – of Shiva; but Shiva himself has clearly expressed his will to come down on earth only with the supramental world. When the earth is ready for the supramental life, he will come. And almost all these beings will manifest – they are waiting for that moment, they do not want any of the present struggle and the obscurity. Certainly Narada was one of those who came here… In fact, it was for fun! He liked to play with circumstances. But he had no knowledge of the psychic being and that must have prevented him from recognising the psychic being where it existed. But all these things cannot be explained; they are personal ideas and experiences; this knowledge is not objective enough to be taught. One can say nothing about a phenomenon which depends on one's personal experience and which has a value only for the person who has the experience. What Sri Aurobindo said is based on the traditional learning of India and he spoke of what agreed with his own experience.
So to see the soul, one must know one's own soul?
Yes, to be in relation with the soul, that is, the psychic being, one must have a psychic being oneself, and only men – men who belong to the evolution, who are sons of the terrestrial creation – possess a psychic being. None of these gods has a psychic being. It is only by coming down and uniting with the psychic being of a man that they can have one, but they have none themselves. 12 January 1965 109 – All things seem hard to man that are above his attained level and they are hard to his unaided Page - 205 effort; but they become at once easy and simple when God in man takes up the contract.
This is perfect. As it happens, two or three days ago I wrote something in reply to a question and I said something like this: Sri Aurobindo is the Lord, but only a part of the Lord, not the Lord in His totality, because the Lord is all – all that is manifested and all that is not manifested. Then I added: There is nothing that is not the Lord, nothing – there is nothing that is not the Lord, but few indeed are those who are conscious of the Lord. And it is this unconsciousness of the creation which constitutes its Falsehood. All at once it was so obvious: “There it is! There it is!” How did Falsehood come? But that's it, it is the unconsciousness of the creation that constitutes the Falsehood of the creation. And as soon as the creation once more becomes conscious of being the Lord, Falsehood will cease. And it's that, isn't it? Everything is difficult, laborious, hard, painful because everything is done outside the consciousness of the Lord. But when He takes possession of His domain once more – or rather when we allow Him to take possession of His domain once more – and when things are done in His consciousness, with His consciousness, everything will become not only easy, but wonderful, glorious – and in an inexpressible delight. It came like something self-evident. We say, “What is it? What do we call Falsehood? Why is the creation false?” It is not an illusion in the sense of not existing: it really exists, but… it is not conscious of what it is! Not only unconscious of its origin, but unconscious of its essence, of its truth – it is not conscious of its truth. And that is why it lives in Falsehood. This Aphorism is magnificent. There is nothing to say, it says everything. 3 March 1965 Page - 206 110 – To see the composition of the sun or the lines of Mars is doubtless a great achievement; but when thou hast the instrument that can show thee a man's soul as thou seest a picture, then thou wilt smile at the wonders of physical Science as the playthings of babies.
This is the continuation of what we were saying before about those who want to see. Ramakrishna is supposed to have said to Vivekananda, “You can see the Lord just as you see me and hear His voice just as you hear mine.” Some people understood this as an announcement that the Lord was on earth in flesh and blood. I said (laughing): “No, it is not that! What he meant is that if you enter the true consciousness, you can hear Him – I say, hear much more clearly than you hear physically and see much more clearly than you see physically.” – “Oh! But…” – Immediately they open their eyes wide, it becomes something unreal!
Do the wonders of physical science make you smile?
The “wonders” are all right, that is their business. But it is their overweening self — assurance that makes me smile. They imagine that they know. They imagine that they have the key, that is what makes one smile. They imagine that with everything they have learnt they are the masters of Nature – that is childishness. Something will always escape them so long as they are not in touch with the creative Force and the creative Will. It is an experiment you can easily make. A scientist can explain all visible phenomena, he can even use physical forces and make them do what he wants – and they have achieved staggering results from the material point of view – but if you just ask them this question, this simple question, “What is death?” – in fact they know nothing about it. They can describe the phenomenon as it happens materially, but if they are sincere, they are obliged to say that it explains nothing. Page - 207 There always comes a time when it no longer explains anything. Because to know… to know is to have power.
(Silence)
Ultimately, what is most accessible to materialistic thought, to scientific thought, is the fact that they cannot foresee. They can foresee many things, but the unfolding of terrestrial events is beyond their prevision. I think that this is the only thing they can admit – there is a problematical element, a field of unpredictability which eludes all their calculations. I have never talked with a typical scientist who had the most up-to-date knowledge, so I am not quite sure, I do not know how far they admit the unpredictable or the incalculable. What Sri Aurobindo means, I think, is that when one is in communion with the soul and has the knowledge of the soul, that knowledge is so much more wonderful than material knowledge that there is almost a smile of disdain. I do not think he means that the knowledge of the soul teaches you things about material life that one cannot learn through science. The only point – I do not know whether science has reached it – is the unpredictability of the future. But perhaps they say it is because they have not yet reached perfection in their instruments and methods. For example, perhaps they think that when man first appeared on earth, if they had had the instruments which they have now, they would have been able to foresee the transformation of the animal into man or the appearance of man as a consequence of something in the animal – (Mother smiles). I don't know about their most modern claims. In that case, they ought to be able to measure or perceive the difference in the atmosphere now, after the intrusion of something which was not there before, because that still belongs to the material domain.¹ But I do not think this is what Sri
¹ When the disciple asked Mother whether this something was in fact the supramental force, she answered: “I would rather not give it a name, Page - 208 Aurobindo meant; I think he meant that the world of the soul and the inner realities are so much more wonderful than physical realities,that all physical wonders make you smile – it is more like that.
But the key you mention, this key which they do not have, isn't it precisely the soul? A power of the soul over Matter, to change Matter and to work physical wonders too. Doesn't the soul have this power?
It has that power and exercises it constantly, but the human consciousness is not aware of it; and the big difference is that it is becoming aware. But it is becoming aware of something that is always there, and which others deny because they cannot see it. For example, I have had the opportunity to study this. For me, circumstances, characters, all events and all beings move according to certain laws, so to say, which are not rigid, but which I can perceive and which enable me to see: this will lead to that and that will lead there, and since this person is like that, this will happen to him. It is more and more precise. Because of this, I could, if necessary, make predictions. But this relation of cause and effect in that domain is quite obvious for me and it is corroborated by the facts; for them – those who do not have this vision and consciousness of the soul, as Sri Aurobindo says – circumstances unfold according to other superficial laws, which they consider as the natural consequences --------------------- because people will make a dogma out of it. That is what happened when what is called ‘the first supramental manifestation’ occurred in 1956. I tried my best to prevent it from being made into a dogma. But if I say, ‘On such a date, such a thing happened’, it will be written in big letters and if anyone says anything else he will be told, ‘You are a heretic.’ So I do not want that. But it is indisputable that the atmosphere has changed, there is something new in the atmosphere – we can call it the ‘descent of the supramental truth’, because for us these words have a meaning, but I do not want to make a declaration out of it, because I do not want that to be the classical or ‘true’ way of describing the event. That is why I leave my phrase vague, purposely.” Page - 209 of things, completely superficial laws that do not stand up to deep analysis. But they do not have the inner capacity, so it does not worry them, it seems obvious to them. I mean that this inner knowledge does not have the power to convince them. So that when in connection with any particular event I see: “Oh, but it is quite, quite obvious – for me – I have seen the Force of the Lord at work here, I have seen such and such a thing happen and of course that is what is going to occur” – for me, it is quite obvious, but I do not say what I know, because it does not correspond to anything in their experience; to them it would sound like rambling or pretension. That is to say, when you do not have the experience yourself, another person's experience is not convincing, it cannot convince you. It is not so much a power of acting on Matter – that is happening constantly; but, unless hypnotic methods are used, which are worthless, which lead nowhere – it is a power to open the understanding (gesture of piercing through the top of the head); that is what is so difficult… A thing one has not experienced does not exist. Even if some kind of miracle were to happen in front of them, they would have a material explanation for it; for them it would not be a miracle in the sense of an intervention of a force or power other than the material forces and powers. They would have their material explanation. For them it would not be convincing. You can only understand if you yourself have touched this domain in your experience. And one can see, one can see clearly: there is a possibility of understanding only insofar as something has awakened. That is the support, the basis.
In short, perhaps it is not so much a question of “transforming Matter” as of becoming aware of the true working. Page - 210 That is exactly what I mean. The transformation can take place up to a certain point without one even being aware of it. They say that there is a great difference: when man came, the animal had no way of perceiving it. Well, I say it is exactly the same thing: in spite of everything man has realised, man has no way of perceiving it – certain things may occur and he will only know about it much later, when something within him has developed enough for him to perceive it. Even scientific development carried to its extreme, to the point where one really feels that there is almost no difference, where they arrive at this unity of substance, for example, where it seems that there is only an almost indiscernible or imperceptible transition between one state and the other – the material and the spiritual – well, no, it is not like that. To perceive this kind of unity, one must already carry within oneself the experience of the other thing; otherwise one cannot perceive it. And precisely because they have acquired the capacity to explain, they explain external phenomena to themselves in such a way that they remain in their denial of the reality of inner phenomena – they say that these are, as it were, extensions of what they have studied. Only, because of his very constitution, because there hardly exists a human being who hasn't at least a reflection, or a shadow, or a beginning of a relation with his subtle being, his inner being, his soul – because of that there is always a flaw in their denial. But they consider that to be a weakness – it is their only strength.
(Silence)
It is really when one has the experience – the experience and knowledge and identity with the higher forces – that one can see the relativity of all external knowledge; but until then, no, one cannot, one denies the other realities. I think this is what Sri Aurobindo meant: only when the Page - 211 other consciousness has been developed will the scientist smile and say, “Yes, it was all very well, but…” In reality, one cannot lead to the other – except by an act of grace; if inwardly, there is an absolute sincerity which enables the scientist to see, to sense, to perceive the point at which it eludes him, then that can lead him to the other state of consciousness, but not by his own procedures. Something must abdicate and accept the new methods, the new perceptions, the new vibration, the new state of soul. So, it is an individual matter. It is not a question of class or category – the question is whether the scientist is ready to be... something else.
(Silence)
One can only state one thing: everything you know, however beautiful, is nothing compared to what you can know if you are able to use the other methods.
(Silence)
This has been the whole object of my work recently: how to touch this refusal to know? It has been there for a long time. It is the continuation of what Sri Aurobindo said in one of his letters: he says that India has done much more for spiritual life with her methods than Europe has done with all her doubts and questionings. That's exactly it. It is a kind of refusal – the refusal to accept a particular method of knowledge which is not the purely material one, and the denial of experience, of the reality of experience. How can one convince them of that? And then, there is the method of Kali which is to give a sound thrashing. But according to me that means a lot of damage without much result. This is another big problem. It seems that the only method which can overcome all resistances Page - 212 is the method of Love. But then the adverse forces have perverted love in such a way that many very sincere people, sincere seekers, have steeled themselves, so to say, against this method, because of its distortion. That is the difficulty. That is why it is taking time. However… 29 May 1965
111 – Knowledge is a child with its achievements; for when it has found out something, it runs about the streets whooping and shouting; Wisdom conceals hers for a long time in a thoughtful and mighty silence.
112 – Science talks and behaves as if it had conquered all knowledge. Wisdom, as she walks, hears her solitary tread echoing on the margin of immeasurable Oceans.
Silence… Oh! It is better to practise it than to talk about it. It is an experience I had here, long ago: the difference between wanting to spread and make use of what one has learnt, immediately, and the contact with higher knowledge, where one remains as quiet as one can so that it can have a transforming effect. I have had the living experience of this – half a day of living experience – but now that seems old to me, old, far behind.
What is the power of this silence? When one rises above, one enters into a kind of great silence, that is frozen, that is everywhere; but what is the power of this silence? Does it do anything?
This is what people used to seek in the past when they wanted to escape from life. They would go into a trance, they would leave their body quite still and they would go within and they Page - 213 were perfectly happy. And with the Sannyasis who had them-selves buried alive it was like that. They said, “Now, I have finished my work” – their language was very impressive – “I have finished, I am entering into Samadhi” and they had themselves buried alive. They went into a room or something, and then it was closed and that was the end of it. And that is what happened: they went into a trance, and after some time, naturally, their body was dissolved and they were in peace.
But Sri Aurobindo says that this silence is powerful.
Powerful, yes.
Well, I would like to know exactly how it is powerful? Because one has the feeling that one could stay there for an eternity…
Not an eternity – Eternity.
…without anything changing.
No, because it is not manifested, it is outside the manifestation. But Sri Aurobindo wants us to bring it down here. That is the difficulty. And one must accept infirmity and even the appearance of imbecility, everything, and not one out of fifty million has the courage for that. There are millions of ways of fleeing. There is only one way to remain: it is truly to have courage and endurance, to accept every appearance of infirmity, helplessness, incomprehension, even an apparent denial of the Truth. But if one does not accept that, it will never change. Those who want to remain great, luminous, strong, powerful and so on and so forth, well, let them stay up there, they cannot do anything for the earth. And this incomprehension is a very small thing – a very small thing because the consciousness is such that it is not Page - 214 affected in the least – but it is a total and all-embracing incomprehension! That is to say, one is insulted and held in contempt and all that, just because of what one is doing; for, according to them – all the “great minds” of the earth – one has forsaken one's divinity. They do not put it like that, they say: What? You claim to have a divine consciousness, and then… And one meets it in everybody, in all circumstances. From time to time, someone, for a moment, has a flash, but it is quite exceptional, whereas, “Well then, show your power” – this is everywhere.
For them, the Divine on earth ought to be all-powerful, obviously.
That's it: “Show your power, change the world. And to begin with, do what I want. I mean, the first and most important thing is to do what I want – show your power!” That is what they say constantly. 25 September 1965
113 – Hatred is the sign of a secret attraction that is eager to flee from itself and furious to deny its own existence. That too is God's play in His creature.
114 – Selfishness is the only sin, meanness the only vice, hatred the only criminality. All else can easily be turned into good, but these are obstinate resisters of deity.
This corresponds to a kind of vibration – the vibration received from people who hate. It is a vibration that is fundamentally the same, so to say, as the vibration of love. In its very depths there is the same sensation. Although on the surface it is the opposite, it is supported by the same vibration. And one could Page - 215 say that one is the slave of what one hates just as much as of what one loves, perhaps even more so. It is something that grips you, that haunts you, and which you cherish; a sensation you cherish, for underneath its violence there is a warmth of attraction which is just as great as the warmth you feel for what you love. And it seems that this distortion in the appearance only exists in the activity of the manifestation, that is, entirely on the surface. One is obsessed by what one hates even more than by what one loves. And the obsession comes from this inner vibration. All these “feelings” – what to call them? –have a mode of vibration, with something very essential at the core, and covering layers, as it were. And the most central vibration is the same, and as it expands to express itself, it becomes distorted. With love, it is quite obvious; it becomes, outwardly, in the vast majority of cases, something whose nature is quite different from the inner vibration, because it is something that withdraws into itself, shrivels up and wants to draw things towards itself in an egoistic movement of possession. You want to be loved. You say, “I love that person,” but at the same time there is what you want; the feeling is lived as, “I want to be loved.” And so this distortion is almost as great as the distortion of hatred which consists in wanting to destroy what you love in order not to be bound by it. Because you cannot obtain what you want from the object of your love, you want to destroy it in order to become free; in the other case, you shrivel up almost in an inner rage, because you cannot obtain, you cannot absorb what you love. And truly speaking (laughing), from the standpoint of the deeper truth, there is not much difference! It is only when the central vibration remains pure and expresses itself in its initial purity, which is an unfolding – what to call it?… it is something that radiates, a vibration that spreads out in splendour; and it is a blossoming, yes, a radiant blossoming – then it remains true. And materially, this is translated as self-giving, self-forgetfulness, generosity of soul. And that is the Page - 216 only true movement. But what is usually called love is as far removed from the central vibration of true Love as hatred; only, one withdraws, shrivels up and hardens, and the other strikes. This is what makes all the difference. And it is not seen with ideas, it is seen with vibrations. It is very interesting. In fact I have had to study this a great deal recently. I have had the opportunity to see these vibrations. The external results may be deplorable, from the practical point of view they may be dreadful; that is to say, this kind of vibration encourages the urge to harm, to destroy; but from the standpoint of the deeper truth, this distortion is not much greater than the other, it is only of a more aggressive nature – and even then… If one pursues this experience further and deeper, if one concentrates on this vibration, one realises that it is the initial vibration of creation, the vibration which has been altered, distorted in all that exists. And then there is a kind of all-embracing warmth – one cannot call it exactly a sweetness, but it is a kind of strong sweetness – an all-embracing warmth in which there is as much smile as sadness – much more smile than sadness… This does not justify the distortion, but it is above all a reaction to the choice that the human mentality – especially the human morality – has made between one kind of distortion and another. There is a whole series of distortions that have been labelled bad and there is a whole series of distortions towards which people are full of indulgence, almost compliments. And yet from the essential point of view these distortions are not much better than the others – it is a matter of choice. In fact, one should first perceive the central vibration and then appreciate its unique and wonderful quality so much that one would automatically and spontaneously avoid all distortions, whatever they may be, the virtuous as well as the vicious. We always come back to the same thing, there is only one solution: to attain the truth of things and cling to it – this essential truth, the truth of essential Love – and cling to it. 25 December 1965 Page - 217 |