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Questions on Life Divine

  Reading The Life Divine every argument must fit into the place of what He has conceived. If there is any variation, or a contradiction or a loose juxtaposition it should be explained.
  1. In the Cosmic Determinants, before closing the argument, on page 319, He says, "It is important to observe the sense acquired by the phenomenon of Ignorance." 
  2. I have already spoken about the definition of Ishwara on page 478 and its direct relevance to self-absorption, described in 344. In the same para on page 478 He explains the Superconscience as the Absolute of Being taking on consciousness. Why does He say the "Absolute of Being" instead of Being?  What is the difference between Being and Absolute Being?  Is Superconscience different from Being?  In the same page He gives another definition of Superconscience.
  3. My understanding is man looking at the world from his mind sees it as Maya. For the same vision, the subconscious being appears as Brahman. For an Overmental cognition, the world appears to be Prakriti. The Self Conscious Being appears as Purusha. For a Supramental cognition, the world is the play of Shakti. The subconscious Being is Ishwara.  If this understanding is correct, how does man move from where he is to Ishwara which is the Supramental Being?
  4. The Rishis have attained the four levels of spiritual mind. I don't think they have developed the psychic being appropriate to each level. They have reached it by the strength of their going up. Nowhere in the book does He talk about or gives a name to the psychic being of those four levels. On page 487, He talks about a master clue in discovering the origin of Ignorance.
  5. The Sankhyas spoke of many Purushas and one Prakriti. Sri Aurobindo says it is easier to explain creation as one Purusha and one Prakriti. I understand the Sankhya's Purusha does not have immortality, while the one Purusha of SA enjoys immortality. This is discussed in many places in the book. Clearly He doesn't agree with the Sankhyas. But He does not deny the existence of many Purushas. He finishes the 1st book without touching upon Ignorance and in the twenty eighth chapter, he raises it and then says we shall take it up later. The questions are, why does He postpone the discussion of Ignorance in the first 33 chapters? And why does He raise it in 28 and Cosmic Determinants? What is the significance of Ignorance which is so mightily important.
  6. We are within Mind and Ignorance. We can understand that the earth goes around the sun only intellectually. We cannot see that unless we move into cosmic consciousness. But the first fundamental siddhi can show Narayana Darshan. Apart from the intensity of consecration, will not the clearing up of these doubts wherever they are, help enter the first fundamental siddhi. Theoretically, if the last small trace of doubt is removed, the mind must be ready to transcend itself. So I am collecting every possible doubt in my mind. As the understanding of the false step helps break a mental barrier, He seems to imply one in our understanding of Ignorance.
  7. One of His important themes is Mind has successfully divided things and presented a mental vision to us which means Man has come to see himself as a second person. Man is seeing each item in itself as a particular, not as a whole. Mind has taught him to lose the capacity to see a thing as part of a whole. By a normal mental training it can be overcome to some extent. If a businessman can identify himself with the market and feel one with its vibration, I know his own market will expand enormously. It is a mental exercise which can be taught to the sales team and can work very successfully. That way, mind will be blunted. In this yoga, that exercise should be carried out till we see every relative is the Absolute. That exercise helps man to cross the border of Mind and enter Supermind.
  8. In each chapter of His, there must be one clue of this description. If I extend my argument out of the 1452 points in the Book, every point admits of such a clue. I know if it should be attempted, life will expand in consciousness. On page 493-94, He mentions that an attempt was made to reach the Being directly bypassing the consciousness. Rather, annihilating the consciousness. He says it is Supreme Discovery to approach the Being through the consciousness. In other words, instead of shunning life and working for liberation, man should accept life and work for the liberation of the Spirit in Life.



story | by Dr. Radut