{"id":4556,"date":"2013-07-13T01:56:50","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:56:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4556"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:56:50","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:56:50","slug":"18-02-may-1956-vol-08-questions-and-answers-volume-08","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/08-questions-and-answers-volume-08\/18-02-may-1956-vol-08-questions-and-answers-volume-08","title":{"rendered":"-18_02 May 1956.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n


\n2 May 1956<\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sri Aurobindo says that the
\nunion has a threefold character: first, the liberation from the Ignorance and
\nidentification with the Real and Eternal\u2026.<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

This is the yoga of knowledge. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Then the dwelling of the soul
\nwith or in the Divine\u2026.<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

That is the aim of the yoga of love. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Then, identity of nature,
\nlikeness to the Divine: \u201cto be perfect as That is perfect.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\n
\nThe
\nSynthesis of Yoga, p. 122<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/span> <\/span><\/font> <\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

That is to say, not only is there union in the depths, but there
\nis also union outwardly, in the activities. There is union in knowledge, union
\nin love and union in works. To put it otherwise: the yoga of knowledge, the
\nyoga of love and devotion, and the yoga of works. These are the three modes of
\napproach he speaks about. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Mother, here Sri Aurobindo
\nspeaks of \u201cthe soul\u2019s native world\u201d. What is the soul\u2019s native world? <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

It is the divine Principle. <\/span><\/p>\n

(Silence)<\/span><\/i><\/b> <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Is that all?<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Mother, you have said:
\nThe Supramental has descended upon earth. What does that mean exactly?
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 126<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

You have also said: \u201cThe things
\nthat were promised are fulfilled.\u201d What are these things?\u00b9<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

 Ah, that\u2019s ignorance indeed! This was promised a very long
\ntime ago, this was said very long ago <\/span>―<\/span> not only here <\/span>―<\/span> since the beginning of the
\nearth. There have been all kinds of predictions, by all kinds of prophets; it
\nhas been said, \u201cThere will be a new heaven and a new earth, a new race will be
\nborn, the world will be transformed\u2026.\u201d Prophets have spoken about this in all
\nthe traditions. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

You have said, \u201cThey are fulfilled.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes. And so? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Where is the new race? <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The new race? Wait for something like a few thousand years, and
\nyou will see it! <\/span><\/p>\n

 When the mind descended
\nupon earth, between the time the mind manifested in the earth-atmosphere and
\nthe time the first man appeared, nearly a million years elapsed. Now it will go
\nfaster because man expects it, he has a vague idea; he is expecting in some
\nsense the advent of the superman, while, certainly, the apes did not expect the
\nbirth of man, they had never thought of\u00a0
\n<\/span>it for the good reason that they probably don\u2019t think much. But man has
\nthought of it and awaits it, so it will go faster. But  <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00b9Mother
\nannounced the Supramental Manifestation of February 29 in two messages
\npublished in the\u00a0 <\/span>Bulletin of April 1956:
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span><\/b><\/font><\/p>\n


\n\u201cLord,
\nThou hast willed and I execute,<\/font><\/span><\/b><\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/span>A new light breaks upon the earth,<\/font><\/span><\/b><\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/span>A new world is born.
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/b><\/font><\/p>\n


\nThe
\nthings that were promised are fulfilled.\u201d  <\/font><\/span><\/b><\/font><\/p>\n


\n\u201cThe
\nmanifestation of the Supramental upon earth is no more a promise but a living
\nfact, a reality.<\/font><\/span><\/b><\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/span>\u201cIt is at work here, and one day will e when
\nthe most blind, the most unconscious, even the most unwilling shall be obliged
\nto recognise it.\u201d<\/font><\/span><\/b><\/font> <\/font><\/span><\/b><\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 127<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

faster means still thousands of years probably. We shall speak
\nabout it again after a few thousand years! <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

(Silence)<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

People who are inwardly ready,
\nwho are open and in contact with higher forces, people who have had a more or
\nless direct personal contact with the supramental Light and Consciousness are
\nable to feel the difference in the earth-atmosphere. <\/span><\/p>\n

 But for that\u2026 Only the
\nlike can know the like, only the supramental Consciousness in an individual can
\nperceive this Supermind acting in the earth-atmosphere. Those who, for some
\nreason or other, have developed this perception, can see it. But those who are not
\neven conscious of an inner being <\/span>―<\/span> just slightly within <\/span>―<\/span> and who would be quite at a
\nloss to say what their soul is like, these certainly are not ready to perceive
\nthe difference in the earth-atmosphere. They still have a long way to go for
\nthat. Because, for those whose consciousness is more or less exclusively
\ncentred in the outer being <\/span>―<\/span> mental, vital and physical <\/span>―<\/span> things need to take on an
\nabsurd and unexpected appearance for them to be able to recognise them. Then
\nthey call them miracles. <\/span><\/p>\n

 But the constant miracle
\nof the intervention of forces which changes circumstances and characters and
\nhas a very widespread result, this they do not call a miracle, for only the
\nmere appearance is seen and this seems quite natural. But, truly speaking, if
\nyou were to reflect upon the least little thing that happens, you would be
\nobliged to acknowledge that it is miraculous. <\/span><\/p>\n

 It is simply because you
\ndon\u2019t reflect upon it that you take things as they are, for what they are,
\nwithout questioning; otherwise every day you would have any number of occasions
\nto tell yourself, \u201cReally, but this is quite astonishing! How did it happen?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 Quite simply, it is a
\nhabit of seeing things in a purely superficial way. <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 128<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Sweet Mother, what should our
\nattitude be towards this new Consciousness? <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

That depends on what you want to do with it. <\/span><\/p>\n

 If you want to look at it
\nas a curiosity, you have only to watch, to try to understand. <\/span><\/p>\n

 If you want it to change
\nyou, you must open yourself and make an effort to progress. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Will people profit collectively
\nor individually from this new manifestation? <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Why do you ask this question? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Because many people who have
\ncome here are asking, \u201cHow are we going to profit from it?\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Oh! <\/span><\/p>\n

 And why should they
\nprofit from it? What are their claims to profit? Just because they have taken a
\ntrain to come here? <\/span><\/p>\n

 I knew some people who
\ncame here quite a long, long time ago, something like<\/span>―<\/span>oh! I don\u2019t remember now, but
\nvery long ago<\/span>―<\/span>certainly more than twenty years ago, and the first time someone
\ndied in the Ashram, they showed considerable dissatisfaction, saying, \u201cBut I
\ncame here because I thought this yoga would make me immortal; but if people can
\ndie, why would I have come?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

 Well, it is the same
\nthing. People take the train to come here <\/span>―<\/span> there were nearly a hundred
\nand fifty more than usual this time,\u00b9 just because they wanted to \u201cprofit\u201d. But
\nperhaps this is\u00a0 <\/span>just why they did not profit!
\nFor That has not come to make people profit in any way whatever. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

They ask if it will be easier
\nto over their inner difficulties.<\/span><\/i><\/b> <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n


\n\u00b9 <\/font> <\/span><\/i>
\n
\nDarshan
\nof <\/font> <\/span><\/i><\/span>
\n24
\n April 1956<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/font>.<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 129<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

I shall repeat the same thing. What grounds and what right have
\nthey to ask that it should be easier? What have they done, these people, on
\ntheir side? Why would it be easier? To satisfy people\u2019s laziness and indolence <\/span>― <\/span>or what? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Because when something new
\nhappens, people always have the idea of profiting from it. <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

No! not only when there is something new: everywhere and always
\npeople have the idea of profiting. But that is indeed the best way of not
\ngetting anything. <\/span><\/p>\n

 Whom do they want to
\ndeceive here? The Divine?… That is hardly possible. <\/span><\/p>\n

 It is the same with those
\nwho ask for an interview. I tell them, \u201cListen, you have come in large numbers,
\nand if everybody asks me for an interview, I won\u2019t even have enough minutes in
\nall these days to see everyone. During your stay, I won\u2019t have even a minute.\u201d
\nThen they say, \u201cOh! I have taken\u00a0 <\/span>so much
\ntrouble. I have come from so far away<\/i><\/span>, <\/b>I have come down from
\nthis place, I have come down from that far, I travelled so many hours <\/span>―<\/span> and have I no right to an
\ninterview?\u201d I say, \u201cI am sorry, but you are not the only one in that position.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 That is it, you see: it
\nis give and take, bargaining. We are not a commercial establishment, we have
\nsaid we didn\u2019t do business. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The number of disciples is
\nincreasing now day by day. What does that indicate? <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

But naturally it will go on increasing more and more! And that
\nis why I can\u2019t do now what I used to do when there were a hundred and fifty
\npeople in the Ashram. If only they had a little nonsense, they would understand
\nthat I can\u2019t have the same relations with people now there were 1800 of them
\nhere recently, my children! So I can\u2019t have the same relations with <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 130<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

1845 people <\/span>―<\/span> I believe that was the exact number <\/span>― <\/span>as with about thirty or even a
\nhundred. This seems to me a logic easy enough to understand<\/span><\/p>\n

 But they want everything
\nto remain as it used to be, and, as you say, they want to be the first to
\n\u201cbenefit\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Mother, when mind descended
\ninto the earth-atmosphere, the apes had not made any effort to change into man,
\nhad they? It was Nature which provided the effort. But here\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

But it is not man who is going to change himself into superman!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

 No? <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Just try! (Laughter) <\/span><\/p>\n

 That\u2019s it, you see, it is
\nsomething else which is going to work. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

So, we are\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Only <\/span>― <\/span>yes, there is an only, I don\u2019t want to be so cruel: Now MAN CAN
\nCOLLABORATE. That is to say, he can lend himself to the process, with goodwill,
\nwith aspiration, and help as best he can. And that is why I said it would go
\nfaster. I hope it will go much<\/i><\/span> faster. <\/span><\/p>\n

 But even so, much faster
\nis still going to take a little time!  <\/span><\/p>\n

(Silence)<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Listen. If all of you who have heard about this, not once but
\nperhaps hundreds of times, who have spoken about it yourselves,\u00a0 <\/span>thought of it, hoped for it, wanted it <\/span>―<\/span> there are people who came here
\nfor that, with the intention of receiving the supramental Force and being
\ntransformed into supermen<\/span>―<\/span> that<\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 131<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span>was their aim, wasn\u2019t
\nit?… But how is it that all of you were so unfamiliar with this Force that
\nwhen it came you didn\u2019t even feel it?<\/span><\/p>\n

 Can you solve this
\nproblem for me? If you have the solution to this problem, you will have the
\nsolution to the difficulty. <\/span><\/p>\n

 I am not speaking of
\npeople from outside who have never thought of this, never been concerned with it,
\nand who don\u2019t even know that there is something like a Supermind to be
\nreceived, you understand. I am speaking of those who have based their life on
\nthis aspiration <\/span>―<\/span> and I do not doubt their sincerity, not for a moment <\/span>―<\/span> who have worked, some for
\nthirty years, some for thirty-five, some a little less, who have done
\neverything saying,\u201d When the Supermind comes\u2026 When the Supermind comes\u2026\u201d, that
\nwas the refrain, \u201cWhen the Supermind comes\u2026\u201d Therefore, they were truly in the
\nbest possible state, one couldn\u2019t dream of a better. How is it that the inner
\npreparation was so <\/span>―<\/span> let us say simply <\/span>―<\/span> so incomplete, that when the Vibration came they did not
\nimmediately feel it with the impact of identity? <\/span><\/p>\n

 Individually, the aim of
\neach one was to prepare himself, to enter into a more or less close individual
\nrelation with this Force, to help; or, if they could not help, at least to be
\nready when the Force would manifest, to recognise it and open to it. And
\ninstead of being an alien element in a world where what you carry within
\nyourself is not manifested, you suddenly become that, you enter straight in,
\nfully, into this very atmosphere: it is this Force that is there, surrounding you,
\npenetrating you. <\/span><\/p>\n

 If you had had even a
\nlittle inner contact, immediately you would have recognised it, wouldn\u2019t you? <\/span><\/p>\n

 Well, anyway, that is
\nwhat happened to those who had a little inner contact; they recognised it, felt
\nit; they said, \u201cAh! here it is, it has come.\u201d But how is it, then, that so many
\nhundreds of people, not to speak of the small handful of those who truly wanted
\nnothing but that, thought of nothing but that, had staked\u00a0 <\/span>their whole life on that, how is it that they
\ndid not feel
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 132<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

anything? What can this mean?<\/span><\/p>\n

 Of course, it is only
\nlike that knows like. That is an obvious fact. <\/span><\/p>\n

 There was a possibility
\nof coming into contact with the Thing individually <\/span>―<\/span> Sri Aurobindo had even
\ndescribed it as the necessary process: a certain number of people who, through
\ntheir inner effort and aspiration, enter into contact with this Force. That was
\nwhat we used to call the ascent to the Supermind. And so, even if it were by an
\ninner ascent <\/span>― <\/span>that is to say, by freeing themselves from the material
\nconsciousness <\/span>―<\/span> if by an inner ascent they had touched the Supermind, they
\nshould naturally<\/i><\/span> have recognised it the moment it came. But it was
\nindispensable to have had a previous contact: if they had not touched it, how
\ncould they have recognised it? <\/span><\/p>\n

 That is to say, the
\nuniversal movement is like that <\/span>―<\/span> I read that to you some days ago <\/span>―<\/span> certain individuals, who are
\nthe pioneers, the vanguard, through inner effort and inner progress enter into
\ncommunication with the new Force which is to manifest and receive it into
\nthemselves. And then, as there are calls of this kind, the thing is made
\npossible, and the age, the time, the moment of the manifestation comes. This is
\nhow it happened <\/span>―<\/span> and the Manifestation took place.<\/span><\/p>\n

 But, then all those who
\nwere ready must have recognised it. <\/span><\/p>\n

 I hasten to tell you that
\nthere are some who did recognise it, but still\u2026 But those who ask questions,
\nwho even came here, took the train in order to drink this up as one drinks a
\nglass of syrup, if they had not made any preparation, how could they feel
\nanything at all? And already they talk about benefiting: \u201cWe want to profit
\nfrom it\u2026.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

 After all, it is quite
\npossible <\/span>― <\/span>I am joking a little <\/span>― <\/span>it is quite possible that if they have even the least bit of
\nsincerity <\/span>―<\/span> not too much, for that is tiring! just a little sincerity <\/span>―<\/span> that will give them a few good
\nknocks to make them go faster. This is possible. In fact, I think, this is what
\nwill happen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>But indeed, this attitude\u2026 this attitude,
\nwhich is a little too <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 133<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

mercenary, is not usually very profitable. If one aspires
\nsincerely and if one has difficulties, perhaps these difficulties will
\ndiminish. Let us hope so.<\/span><\/p>\n

(Turning to the disciple)<\/i><\/span> So this is what you can tell them: be
\nsincere and you will be helped. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Mother, a statement has gone
\nround here, very recently it says, \u201cWhat has just happened, with his Victory,
\nis not a descent but a manifestation. And it is more than an individual event:
\nthe Supermind has emerged into the universal play.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, yes, yes. In fact I said all this, I acknowledge it. So? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

They say, \u201cThe supramental
\nprinciple is at work\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

But I have just explained all this to you at length (Mother
\nlaughs),<\/i><\/b> this is terrible! <\/span><\/p>\n

 What I call a \u201cdescent\u201d
\nis this: first the consciousness rises in an ascent, you catch the Thing up
\nthere, and come down with it. That is an\u00a0
\n<\/span>individual event. <\/span><\/p>\n

 When this individual
\nevent has happened in a way that proves sufficient to create a possibility of a
\ngeneral kind, it is no longer a \u201cdescent\u201d, it is a \u201cmanifestation\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n

 What I call a descent is
\nthe individual movement, in an individual consciousness. And when it is a new
\nworld manifesting in an old world just as, for a comparison, when mind spread
\nupon the earth I call that a manifestation. <\/span><\/p>\n

 You may call it whatever
\nyou like, it\u2019s all the same to me, but we should understand each other. <\/span><\/p>\n

 What I call a descent is
\nin the individual consciousness. Just as one speaks of ascent <\/span>―<\/span> there is no ascent, you see:
\nthere is neither above nor below nor any direction, it is a way of speaking <\/span>―<\/span>you speak of ascent when you
\nhave the feeling of rising up towards something; and you call it a descent
\nwhen, after
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 134<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

having caught that thing, you bring it down into yourself. <\/span><\/p>\n

 But when the gates are
\nopen and the flood comes in, you can\u2019t call it a descent. It is a Force which
\nis spreading out. Understood?… Ah! <\/span><\/p>\n

 It\u2019s all one to me, the
\nwords you use. I am not particularly attached to words, but I explain them to
\nyou, and it is better to understand each other, for otherwise there is no end
\nto explanations. <\/span><\/p>\n

 Now, to people who ask
\nyou these insidious questions, you may reply that the best way of receiving
\nanything whatever is not to pull, but to give. If they want to give themselves
\nto the new life, well, the new life will enter into them. <\/span><\/p>\n

 But if they want to pull
\nthe new life down into themselves, they will close their door with their own
\negoism. That\u2019s all. <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 135<\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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