{"id":133,"date":"2013-07-13T01:26:07","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:26:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=133"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:26:07","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:26:07","slug":"51-the-universal-consciousness-vol-16-the-supramental-manifestation-volume-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/01-sabcl\/16-the-supramental-manifestation-volume-16\/51-the-universal-consciousness-vol-16-the-supramental-manifestation-volume-16","title":{"rendered":"-51_The Universal Consciousness.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n


\nThe Universal Consciousness
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n    "I have encountered in my
\nlife several examples of people living <\/span>or trying to live in the universal
\nconsciousness and it seemed to me that it rendered them less compassionate, less
\nhumane, less tender to the sufferings of others. It seems to me that if it is
\nnecessary not to remain in the individual consciousness whey it is a question of
\nour-own sufferings it is otherwise when it is a question of sympathising with
\nthe sufferings of others. In my opinion we feel more keenly the troubles of our
\nbrothers in humanity if we remain in the individual consciousness. But I may be
\nmistaken and ask only to be enlightened by you on this point."<\/i><\/p>\n

 \n<\/p>\n

\n              
\n<\/span>            I<\/span><\/b>S
\nIT<\/span> certain that such people are living in the universal consciousness? or,
\nif they are, is it certain that they are really less humane and compassionate?
\nMay they not be exercising their humanity in another fashion than the obvious
\nand external signs of sympathy and tenderness?<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n         <\/span>If a man is
\nreally insensible to the experiences of others in the world, he is not living in
\nthe full universal consciousness. Either he has shut himself up in an experience
\nof an individual peace and self-content, or he is absorbed by his contact with
\nsome universal principle in its abstract form without regard to its universal
\naction, or he is living inwardly apart from the universe in touch with
\nsomething transcendent of world-experience. All these states are useful to the
\nsoul in its progress, but they are not the universal consciousness.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n         <\/span>When a man lives
\nin the cosmic self, he necessarily embraces the life of the world and his
\nattitude towards that world struggling upward from the egoistic state must be
\none of compassion, of love or of helpfulness. The Buddhists held that immersion
\nin the infinite non-ego was in itself an immersion in a sea of infinite
\ncompassion. The liberated Sannyasin is described in the Gita and in other Hindu
\nbooks as one whose occupation is beneficence to all creatures. But this vast
\nspirit of beneficence does<\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage-401<\/font><\/span>
\n  <\/font>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

not necessarily exercise itself by the outward forms of emotional
\nsympathy or active charity. We must not bind down all natures or all states of
\nthe divine consciousness in man to the one form of helpfulness which seems to us
\nthe most attractive, the most beautiful or the most beneficent. There is a
\nhigher sympathy than that of the easily touched emotions, a greater beneficence
\nthan that of an obvious utility to particular individuals in their particular
\nsufferings.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n     <\/span>The egoistic
\nconsciousness passes through many stages in its emotional expansion. At first it
\nis bound within itself, callous therefore to the experiences of others.
\nAfterwards it is sympathetic only with those who are identified in some measure
\nwith itself, indifferent to the indifferent, malignant to the hostile. When it
\novercomes this respect for persons, it is ready for the reception of the
\naltruistic principle.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n     <\/span>But even charity
\nand altruism are often essentially egoistic in their immediate motive. They are
\nstirred by the discomfort of the sight of suffering to the nervous system or by
\nthe pleasurableness of others’ appreciation of our kindliness or by the egoistic
\nself-appreciation of our own benevolence or by the need of indulgence in
\nsympathy. There are philanthropists who would be troubled if the poor were not
\nalways with us, for they would then have no field for their charity.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n     <\/span>We begin to
\nenter into the universal consciousness when, apart from all individual motive
\nand necessity, by the mere fact of unity of our being with all others, their joy
\nbecomes our joy, their suffering our suffering. But we must not mistake this for
\nthe highest condition. After a time we are no longer overcome by any suffering,
\nour own or others’, but are merely touched and respond in helpfulness. And there
\nis yet another state in which the subjection to suffering is impossible to us
\nbecause we live in the Beatitude, but this does not deter us from love and
\nbeneficence, – any more than it is necessary for a mother to weep or be overcome
\nby the little childish griefs and troubles of her children in order to love,
\nunderstand and soothe.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n     <\/span>Nor is detailed
\nsympathy and alleviation of particular sufferings the only help that can be
\ngiven to men. To cut down branches of a man’s tree of suffering is good, but
\nthey grow<\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage-402<\/font><\/span>
\n 
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

again; to aid him to remove its roots is a still more divine
\nhelpfulness. The gift of joy, peace or perfection is a greater giving than the
\neffusion of an individual benevolence and sympathy and it is the most royal
\noutcome of unity with others in the universal consciousness.<\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage-403<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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