{"id":4561,"date":"2013-07-13T01:56:51","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:56:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4561"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:56:51","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:56:51","slug":"20-16-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\/20-16-may-1956-vol-08-questions-and-answers-volume-08","title":{"rendered":"-20_16 May 1956.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n


\n16 May 1956 <\/font>
\n <\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn sum, it may be safely
\naffirmed that no solution offered can be anything but provisional until a
\nsupramental Truth-Consciousness is reached by which the appearances of things
\nare put in their place and their essence revealed and that in them which
\nderives straight from the spiritual essence. In the meanwhile our only safety
\nis to find a guiding law of spiritual experience or else to liberate a light
\nwithin that can lead us on the way until that greater direct
\nTruth-Consciousness is reached above us or born within us. For all else in us
\nthat is only outward, all that is not a spiritual sense or seeing, the
\nconstructions, representations or conclusions of the intellect, the suggestions
\nor instigations of the Life-force, the positive necessities of physical things
\nare sometimes half-lights, sometimes false lights that can at best only serve
\nfor a while or serve a little and for the rest either detain or confuse us.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\n
\nThe
\nSynthesis of Yoga, p. 128-29 <\/font> <\/span><\/i><\/span>
\n
\n
\n <\/font><\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

The necessities of physical
\nthings also? I don\u2019t Understand <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

All this, not only physical necessities. All these things are at
\ntimes lights, that is to say, knowledge diminished and mixed with ignorance, at
\ntimes false lights, that is, no knowledge at all: simply ideas, conceptions,
\nways of seeing, ways of feeling <\/span>―<\/span> all these things considered as knowledge by the ordinary human
\nconsciousness. <\/span><\/p>\n

 Sri Aurobindo speaks even
\nof physical needs, the needs of the body, which are generally considered as
\nimperative and which have their own truth; he says that even that can be only
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 140<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

quite a partial light, that is to say, a semblance of knowledge
\nor even something false.<\/span><\/p>\n

 That goes against all
\nmodern ideas.<\/span><\/p>\n

 People always have the
\nimpression that what they call the needs of the body, what the body demands, is
\nan absolute law; that if it is not obeyed, well, one commits a great wrong
\nagainst one\u2019s body which will suffer the consequences. And Sri Aurobindo says
\nthat these needs in themselves are either very partial lights, that is to say,
\nonly a way of seeing things, or even no lights at all <\/span>―<\/span> completely false. <\/span><\/p>\n

 If one were to study the
\nproblem attentively enough, one would find out to what an extent these
\nso-called needs of the body depend on the mental attitude. For example, the
\nneed to eat. There are people who literally die of hunger if they have not
\neaten for eight days. There are others who do it deliberately and observe
\nfasting as a principle of yoga, as a necessity in yoga. And for them, at the
\nend of eight days\u2019 fasting, the body is as healthy as when they started, and
\nsometimes healthier! <\/span><\/p>\n

 Finally, for all these
\nthings, it is a question of proportion, of measure. It is obvious that one
\ncan\u2019t always live without eating. But it is as obvious that the idea people
\nhave about the need to eat is not true. Indeed, it is a whole subject for
\nstudy: The importance of the mental attitude in relation to the body. <\/span><\/p>\n

 Sri Aurobindo does not
\nrecognise the needs of the body as things true in themselves. He says: it is
\nnot true, it is only an idea you have, an impression, it is not something true
\nwhich carries its truth in itself. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Mother, what is this
\n\u201cimperious law\u201d, this \u201cspiritual and supramental law\u201d? <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

It is the truth of each being. <\/span><\/p>\n

 Each being carries in
\nhimself his own spiritual law, his supramental law. It is not the same for
\neveryone, it is not one single identical law. For each one it is the truth of
\nhis being, <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 141<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

\u00a0<\/span>that is to say,\u00a0 <\/span>the thing he must realise in the universe
\nand\u00a0 <\/span>the place he must occupy in the
\nworld. <\/span><\/p>\n

 That is the truth of his
\nbeing. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cInadequate too is the very frequent attempt
\nat a misalliance between the vital and the spiritual, a mystic experience
\nwithin with an aestheticised intellectual and sensuous Paganism or exalted
\nhedonism outside leaning upon it and satisfying itself in the glow of a
\nspiritual sanction.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\nThe
\nSynthesis of Yoga, A. 128 <\/font> <\/span><\/i><\/span>
\n
\n
\n <\/span><\/font><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

What does Sri Aurobindo mean by
\n\u201can aestheticised Paganism\u201d? <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

That is how Sri Aurobindo describes the different pantheons of
\ndifferent countries, specially of Greece or India. That is to say, it is an
\naesthetic and intellectual way of transforming all things into divine
\ncreatures, divine beings: all the forces of Nature, all the elements, all
\nspiritual forces, all intellectual forces, all physical forces, all these are
\ntransformed into a number of godheads and they are given an aesthetic and
\nintellectual reality. It is a symbolic and artistic and literary and poetic way
\nof dealing with all the universal forces and realities. That is how these
\npantheons came into existence, like the Greek or Egyptian pantheon or else the
\npantheon of India. <\/span><\/p>\n

 All these gods are
\nrepresentations which Sri Aurobindo calls \u201caesthetic and intellectual\u201d <\/span>―<\/span> a way of conceiving the
\nuniverse. This is not to say that they do not correspond to a truth <\/span>―<\/span> to a reality rather than a
\ntruth. There are beings like that; but this is a particular way of approaching
\nthe universal world or rather the universal worlds. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Mother, hasn\u2019t morality
\nhelped us to increase our consciousness?<\/span><\/i><\/b> <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\nPage – 142<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

That depends on people. There are people who are helped by it,
\nthere are people who are not helped\u00a0 <\/span>at
\nall. <\/span><\/p>\n

 Morality is something
\naltogether artificial and arbitrary, and in most cases, among the best, it
\nchecks the true spiritual effort by a sort of moral satisfaction that one is on
\nthe right path and a true gentleman, that one does one\u2019s duty, fulfils all the
\nmoral requirements of life. Then one is so self-satisfied that one no longer
\nmoves or makes any progress.<\/span><\/p>\n

 It is very difficult for
\na virtuous man to enter the path of God; this has been said very often, but it
\nis altogether true, for he is most self-satisfied, he thinks he has realised what
\nhe ought to have realised, he no longer has either the aspiration or even that
\nelementary humility which makes one want to progress. You see, one who is known
\nhere as a sattwic man\u00b9 is usually very comfortably settled in his own virtue
\nand never thinks of coming out of it. So, that puts you a million leagues away
\nfrom the divine realisation.<\/span><\/p>\n

 What really helps, until
\none has found the inner light, is to make for oneself a certain number of rules
\nwhich naturally should not be too rigid and fixed, but yet should be precise
\nenough to prevent one from going completely out of the right path or making
\nirreparable mistakes <\/span>―<\/span> mistakes the consequences of which one suffers all one\u2019s life. <\/span><\/p>\n

 To do that, it is good to
\nset up a certain number of principles in oneself, which, however, should be for
\neach one, in conformity with his own nature. If you adopt a social, collective
\nrule, you immediately make yourself a slave to this social rule, and that
\nprevents you almost radically from making any effort for transformation. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Mother, Sri Aurobindo has
\nsaid that one must find a light within, then surrender to the divine Shakti. <\/span><\/i><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9<\/font><\/span>According
\nto the Indian terminology, a sattwic person is one who is moved by the
\nprinciple of knowledge, equanimity and light, as opposed to a rajasic man who
\nis moved by his desires and compassions and a tamasic man who lives in inertia
\nand obscurity.<\/font><\/span><\/span> <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 143<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

Now that the Supermind has come
\ndown, will this be easier? <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Well, that is the light within, now. <\/span><\/p>\n

 What is the difficulty? Where
\ndo you see any objection or contradiction? What is your difficulty? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

How can we understand that it
\nhas become easier? What is the effect of this descent? <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Well, wait until it occurs in you and you will know it! <\/span><\/p>\n

 All right. Imagine that
\nin a dark room you have put an oil lamp, one which burns oil, as we used to
\nhave fifty years ago <\/span>―<\/span> we had oil lamps in the rooms, as now there are lanterns; they
\nwere a little better but it was the same thing. So you were lighting your room
\nwith that, and then suddenly somebody invented the means of lighting it by
\nelectricity. So your oil lamp is replaced by a beautiful electric lamp which
\ngives ten times more light. <\/span><\/p>\n

 What is your difficulty,
\nyour problem? <\/span><\/p>\n

You have always had a light to
\nillumine your room <\/span>―<\/span> your inner room <\/span>―<\/span> but instead of an oil lamp it has become an electric lamp.
\nThat\u2019s all. <\/span><\/p>\n

 You don\u2019t understand? No?
\nIt is not very difficult to understand. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

One wants to see that light. <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

To see? Ah! Enter the room, you will see it. <\/span><\/p>\n

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

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

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Mother, after the first
\nquestion there is a sentence I <\/span><\/i><\/b>
\n
\n
\n <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\nPage – 144<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

don\u2019t understand: \u201cAnd for the
\nrest [they] either detain or confuse us.\u201d What is this \u201crest\u201d?<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Sri Aurobindo is speaking of the mental constructions, representations
\nor conclusions of the intellect, of the suggestions and instigations of the
\nLife-force, of the needs of the body. Now, all this, these half-lights or false
\nlights can serve a little on the path, can help us a little, and only for a
\nwhile. And all that is not this, all the rest, that is to say, all the
\ncountless thoughts and movements, sensations and feelings one has, well, all
\nthis is of no use at all. And worse than being quite useless, it detains us on
\nthe way, that\u2019s all. It confuses us. That is to say, it creates an inner
\nconfusion and must be altogether ignored.<\/span><\/p>\n

 All the countless things
\none thinks, experiences, feels, sees, does\u2026 all that is of no use at all.
\nNaturally, if one looks at it from the point of view of yoga. <\/span><\/p>\n

 ( Turning to the child who
\nwanted to see the light<\/span>)<\/i> You have still another question? <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

How to enter the room? <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

You take a key and open the door! <\/span><\/p>\n

 You must find the key. <\/span><\/p>\n

 Or you sit down in front
\nof the door until you have found the word, the idea or the force which opens it
\n― as in the\u00a0 <\/span>
\nArabian Nights tales.<\/i><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

 It is not a joke, it is
\nvery serious. You must sit down in front of the door and then concentrate until
\nyou have found the key or the word or the power to open it. <\/span><\/p>\n

 If one doesn\u2019t try, it doesn\u2019t
\nopen by itself. Perhaps after thousands of years, but you want to do it
\nimmediately <\/span>―<\/span> so? To do it immediately, you must sit down obstinately<\/i><\/b>
\nbefore the door until you have found the means. It may be a key, it may be a
\nword, it may be a force, it may be anything at all, and you remain there before
\nthe door until it opens.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 145<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

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

And you do not think of anything else. <\/span><\/p>\n

 Only of the door. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Is there no key-hole through
\nwhich the light can escape? <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

A key-hole! What do you mean? A chink through which the light
\ncan escape?… Perhaps it is escaping, but perhaps no one sees it either! <\/span><\/p>\n

 It is escaping. <\/span><\/p>\n

 But then that\u2019s another
\nproblem: you must open your eyes. You must learn to open your eyes, to look. <\/span><\/p>\n

 Very small babies do not
\nsee, even very small animals do not see, tiny baby kittens do not see. It takes
\nthem several hours or several days <\/span>―<\/span> they don\u2019t see. <\/span><\/p>\n

 You must learn to see.<\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 146<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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

16 May 1956     \u201cIn sum, it may be safely affirmed that no solution offered can be anything but provisional until a supramental Truth-Consciousness…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[127],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-08-questions-and-answers-volume-08","wpcat-127-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4561","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4561"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4561\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}