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The Essential Aurobindo: Writings of Sri Aurobindo ReviewIn his numerous and enlightening writings, Sri Aurobindo presents one of the most significant metaphysical interpretations concerning the nature of existence, as well as the purpose of matter, life, mind, and spirit. For Aurobindo, existence unfolds by a perpetuating and inevitable evolution towards the complete fulfillment of spirit and soul, whereby the mind of man is an intermediate step by which the all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-present bliss that is the universe can eventually recognize itself in spirit.
Aurobindo has a particularly fascinating elucidation on the process of natural evolution. In his estimation, evolution is the instrument by which the infinite oneness (Aurobindo uses many terms - though in vain - to capture what he admits is ineffable) unveils itself. In this sense, the process by which matter became life, life became animals, and animals became man, was a natural process not aimless but inevitable. For if matter manifested life, matter (or the material reality) must have inherently involved life even before its fruition. In this sense, life, mind, and the future states of the supramental and spiritual revelation are not spontaneously created by a blind universe, but instead are consciously liberated over time. In his words matter and life, mind and spirit, are not created anew but are already existent - but merely manifested by the Spirit in a process of "bringing out of what already existed in suppressed fact or in eternal potentiality." (72) There is purpose and direction.
Evolution gradually advances the material reality into recognition of its spiritual bliss, and only by the evolution up to, through, and past the human mind (well, theoretically any 'mental' organism/being will do) will this recognition exist. Accordingly, our lives are fraught with meaning and purpose. Our purpose is to recognize the all-blissful spirit that IS 'us' and 'everything', by advancing our consciousness past (but not by denying entirely) vital and mental concerns towards the spiritual realm. Hence we will facilitate the continual process of evolution towards the descent of the 'supramental' - the stage 'above mind' by which man and the universe can wax ever more conscious of the ineffable bliss and spirit that constitutes "being". Man IS special indeed - Aurobindo even designates him as the Spirit's "highest vehicle" for evolution to date. Having said that, he is merely an instrument of the divine spirit, and he is not more or less important than, nor more and less separate from any other component or material force that precedes and follows his existence. Thus he should not regard his special place as an invitation towards egoism and pride, for he and his mind had always existed and will always exist in 'eternal potentiality,' and his place is hence shared with all, while all shares its omnipresent place with him.
Before reading Aurobindo, I had really only been familiar with University professors and western philosophers. According to the conventional thoughts of this milieu - perhaps best encapsulated in Camus' "Myth of Sisyphus" - existence in the material is not only temporary but also meaningless. Body and mind are but interchangeable and mundane forms of matter, and 'conceiving' the soul is an action of a schizophrenic mind creating an imaginary friend of sorts to console the restlessness of his purposeless existence. Aurobindo's words, however, seek to "thin the wall between soul and matter." (195)
Some eastern belief systems posit reality that isn't much more cheerful - including the Buddhist conception (depending on how one interprets it) that existence in the material realm may be eternal and one may indeed have a soul, but it still lacks purpose in that it is subjected to a perpetual and unwilling participation in an endless cycle of natural processes. While rebirth is hypothetically preferable to a one-shot deal, existence is still meaningless - and therefore the goal is to escape the cycle in itself (Nirvana). From these beliefs and others, Aurobindo provides an alternative answer.
While Aurobindo subscribes to a monistic conceptualization of being, he posits a refined variation on this interpretation. In evaluating the idea of resurrection of the soul in his essay "Philosophy of Rebirth," Aurobindo claims that conventional monisms - e.g. Vedantics and Upanishads - contend the universe is one, and that matter ebbs and flows from this oneness like waves from the sea. But as Aurobindo astutely points out, if this is the case, rebirth of the soul is either temporary, illusory, or unnecessary. There is no reason for it. Why is there matter at all, why can't the eternal oneness just be in itself? Why is there manifestation of its reality at all? The sea does not need waves.
This is where Aurobindo demarcates his spiritual belief about Nature and Spirit most compellingly. Unlike the Vedantics or Buddhists who exalt the spiritual realm while subsequently derogating the material realm that often obscures it, Aurobindo argues that these two domains are one and the same - inevitably interdependent for manifestation and consciousness - hence Integral Yoga. The sea NEEDS waves. The material world is the infinite divine manifesting itself in a perpetual process of unfolding its blissful being, and it strives for consciousness of itself through evolution from matter to life to mind to supramental to ubiquitous consciousness of the SPIRIT. It can not do so in infinity - it trips over its own legs in the endlessness of space and time. Hence it concentrates spirit in the finite of matter, life, mind, and supermind/spirit.
These are some of the many fascinating ideas that Aurobindo introduces in his many essays. He presents many valuable insights on the role of religion in its interpretation of Spirit, as well as the dichotomy of the material world / spiritual world (a dichotomy Aurobindo insists is inaccurate) and how western and eastern thought treat this traditional opposition. Perhaps his most impressive quality is his profound and complete understanding of interpretations other than his own, educed by his discussion on western and eastern philosophical and religious traditions.
While Aurobindo's ideas in themselves are captivating, his articulation of those ideas are equally impressive. As his second (some might even argue his third) language, his command of English and mastery of lingual exposition matches that of Conrad. An exquisite writer, he articulates his sophisticated metaphysics with elegant prose and quite coherent explication. Quite simply, he is an exquisite writer and an absolutely brilliant thinker. I highly recommend this book. I have found it to be the most rewarding collection of words to explain to me the nature of the universe and my place in it as a human.
The Essential Aurobindo: Writings of Sri Aurobindo OverviewSri Aurobindo stands out as one of the deepest and most profoundly relevant of contemporary Asian spiritual masters speaking to the West. His vision transcends the distinctive strengths and weaknesses of India and the West, and his discipline brings the yogas of the Gita to the task of world transformation.His collaborator, The Mother, offers a blueprint for the utopian community Auroville, giving sage advice on the ideal of a spiritually based approach to education.Robert McDermott's afterword in this revised edition recounts the increased significance of Aurobindo's message in the West-especially for America-since the book was first published in 1973.Here is an invaluable resource for understanding the underlying connections and common ground between Eastern and Western teachings and traditions for modern thinkers and spiritual seekers.
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