I’m compiling here excerpts of all the articles dealing
with the Sankyha theory of material creation, articles posted during the last
couple of weeks on the Mirror of Tomorrow.
It is expected that a complete unified picture of the theme giving an overall
view of the theory could be obtained from these presentations,—with the hope
that they will be taken up for further studies in the context of the physical
transformation aimed at by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, in their Yoga of Supramental
Manifestation. The series had its earlier genesis in the author’s book entitled Narad’s Arrival at Madra published by the Sri Aurobindo
International Centre of Education, Sri Aurobindo Ashram Pondicherry (2006). The
book itself is based essentially on the extraordinary opening passage of 83
lines of the Book of Fate of Sri Aurobindo’s epic Savitri.
The present series on the Mirror discussing the ancient Sankyha
theory began with the talk Sri Aurobindo had given early in 1926, on 8 May,
just a few months before his retirement towards the end of that year. It was noted down by his French
scientist-disciple Pavitra and can be accessed at talk
recorded by Pavitra. Thanks to Pavitra, we have extremely valuable insights
available from it about the process of materialisation before reaching the
gross stage of formation. It is felt that an intuitive understanding and grasp
of the several aspects connected with it might give a sense of direction to the
connected researches and, perhaps more importantly, to a poised opportunity to
enter into its occult-yogic dimensions, we possibly lending ourselves to it.
http://www.mirroroftomorrow.org/blog/_archives/2009/1/5/4046092.html
The Theory of
Proto-Atoms
In the opening passage of the Book of Fate in Savitri,
we have a complete description of the proto-atoms constituting our material
world. The beginning of the objective universe starts from the Akash-element
viewed as the etheric sea and goes down below to the dense form of the
Prithvi-element. In the ether is the first stir, a vibration set into motion,
Spandan, with an urge towards the physical creation. Akash is the high
substratum needed for the objects to come into existence, the subtlest, the
finest support, the spiritual ādhāra for matter to exist. Sri Aurobindo
writes, “…the nature of the action of cosmic Mind is the cause of atomic
existence. Matter is a creation, and for its creation the infinitesimal, an
extreme fragmentation of the infinite, was needed as the starting-point or
basis. Ether may and does exist as an intangible, almost spiritual support of
Matter, but as a phenomenon it does not seem, to our present knowledge at
least, to be materially detectable. Subdivide the visible aggregate or the
formal atom into essential atoms, break it up into the most infinitesimal dust
of being, we shall still, because of the nature of the Mind and Life that
formed them, arrive at some utmost atomic existence, unstable perhaps but
always reconstituting itself in the eternal flux of force, phenomenally, and
not at a mere unatomic extension incapable of contents … realities of pure
existence, pure substance… are the reality underlying Matter, and not the
phenomenon which we call Matter.” A body made from this pure existence, this pure
substance accompanied with the truth-conscient dynamism has yet to be created.
But presently Narad in the opening passage of the Book of Fate is passing from
Mind into material things and therefore he picks up first the
Akash-atom... Successively then follow the other four
proto-atoms—Air-Fire-Water-Earth or Vayu-Tejas-Apas-Prithvi. Finally there is
the full densification in the form of Matter.
http://www.mirroroftomorrow.org/blog/_archives/2009/1/8/4049410.html
Some
Traditions Associated with the Five Elements of Matter
Connected with the ancient five elements of Matter
there are several traditions describing their character and their role in the
material world. We have no idea if the Chaldean or Egyptian occultism had any
perception of their presence and functioning, although there is a necessary
connection between the occult practices and the five elements. In ancient
http://www.mirroroftomorrow.org/blog/_archives/2009/1/12/4053693.html
Insights from
the Indian Scriptures about the Sankhya Elements
During the Upanishadic period six seekers of the
Knowledge of the Brahman, the Eternal, approach Rishi Pippalada with due
respect having done several years of tapasya. The Rishi tells them to dwell in
holiness and faith and askesis for another year. Then Bhargava, hailing from
Vidarbha, asks him: “Lord, how many Gods maintain this creature, and how many
illumine it, and which of these again is the mightiest?” The Rishi answers:
“These are the Gods, even Ether and Wind and Fire and Water and Earth and
Speech and Mind and Sight and Hearing. These nine illumine the creature:
therefore they vaunted themselves, ‘We, even we support this harp of God and we
are the preservers.’ Then Breath answered, their mightiest: ‘Yield not unto
delusion: I dividing myself into this fivefold support this harp of God, I am
its preserver.’ ” The presence of Prāņa behind the five elements, indeed they
coming from it, is what makes possible this harp of God, this instrument, to
play the earthly song of manifestation. But Speech and Mind and Hearing and
Sight, and the organs of cognition, come from Manas, the sense-mind, the
essential sense behind them, behind the other five senses.
The material universe we inhabit is formed from these five elemental states of
Matter, the ādhibhautic constituents.
In it move the powers of Mind and Life, the ādhidaivic
Gods. But far beyond them are the ādhyātmic
or spiritual powers. Yet beyond them, beyond Indra and Vāyu and Agni, there is
the Consciousness-Force that gives rise to them all.
In his commentary on
the Kena Upanishad, Sri Aurobindo explains the Sankhya process as follows:
“…vibration of conscious being is presented to itself by various forms of sense
which answer to the successive operations of movement in its assumption of
form. For first we have intensity of vibration creating regular rhythm which is
the basis or constituent of all creative formation; secondly, contact or
intermiscence of the movements of conscious being which constitute the rhythm;
thirdly, definition of the grouping of movements which are in contact, their
shape; fourthly, the constant welling up of the essential force to support in
its continuity the movement that has been thus defined; fifthly, the actual
enforcement and compression of the force in its own movement which maintains
the form that has been assumed. In Matter these five constituent operations are
said by the Sankhyas to represent themselves as five elemental conditions of
substance, the etheric, atmospheric, igneous, liquid and solid; and the rhythm
of vibration is seen by them as śabda, sound, the basis of hearing, the
intermiscence as contact, the basis of touch, the definition as shape, the
basis of sight, the upflow of force as rasa, sap, the basis of taste,
and the discharge of the atomic compression as gandha, odour, the basis
of smell. It is true that this is only predicated of pure or subtle Matter; the
physical matter of our world being a mixed operation of force, these five
elemental states are not found there separately except in a very modified
form.”
The supreme
Consciousness operates by a supreme Sense, its original action that highest
movement of Vishnu which, the Veda tells us, the seers behold like an eye
extended in heaven. It is that by which the soul sees its seeings and hears its
hearings. This spiritual sense of things senses our sensations of objects, sees
our seeings, hears our hearings.
http://www.mirroroftomorrow.org/blog/_archives/2009/1/2/4042583.html
A Talk with
Sri Aurobindo—Noted down by Pavitra
In the West the higher minds
are not turned towards spiritual truth but towards material science. The scope
of science is very narrow: it touches only the most exterior part of the physical
plane.
And even there, what does science really know? It studies the functioning of
the laws, edificates theories ever renewed and each time held up as the last
word of truth! We had recently the atomic theory, now comes the electronic!
There are, for instance, two statements of modern science that would stir up
deeper ranges in an occultist: atoms are whirling systems like the solar
system; the atoms of all the elements are made out of the same constituents.
Different arrangement is the only cause of different properties.
If these statements are considered under their true aspect, they could lead
science to new discoveries of which there is no idea actually and in comparison
with which the actual knowledge is poor.
There
are, for instance, two statements of modern science that would stir up deeper
ranges in an occultist:
· atoms
are whirling systems like the solar system;
· the
atoms of all the elements are made out of the same constituents. Different
arrangement is the only cause of different properties.
If
these statements are considered under their true aspect, they could lead
science to new discoveries of which there is no idea actually and in comparison
with which the actual knowledge is poor.
According
to the experience of ancients Yogis, sensible matter was made out of five
elements, bhūtāni: Prithvi, Apas, Agni (Tejas),
Vayu, Akasha.
Agni
is threefold:
· ordinary
fire, Jala Agni,
· electric
fire, Vaidyuta Agni,
· solar
fire, Saura Agni.
Science
only entered upon the first and the second of these fires. The fact that the
atom is a like the solar system could lead it to the knowledge of the third.
Beyond
Agni is Vayu of which science knows nothing. It is the support of all contact
and exchange, the cause of gravitation and of the fields (magnetic and
electric). By it, the action of Agni, the formal element, builder of forms, is
made possible.
And
beyond Vayu is the ether, Akasha.
But
these constitute only the grossest part of the physical plane. Immediately
behind is the physical-vital, the element of life buried in matter. J. C. Bose
is contacting this element in his experiment. Beyond is the mind of matter.
This mind has a far different form than the human mind, still it is a
manifestation of the same principle of organisation. And deep below there are
two more hidden layers…
That
is the occult knowledge concerning the physical plane only. Science is far
behind this knowledge.
The
Hindu Yogis that had realised these experiences did not elaborate them and turn
them into scientific knowledge. Other fields of action and knowledge being open
before them, they have neglected what for them was the most exterior aspect of
the manifestation.
There is a difference between the
scientific mind and the cast of mind of an occultist. There is little doubt
that one who could unite these two groups of faculties would
http://www.mirroroftomorrow.org/blog/_archives/2009/1/15/4057450.html
The
Occult-Spiritual Alchemy in the Context of the Sankhya Theory
In Savitri there is a striking phrase, “the
sense-formed ear” given to us in the context of what Aswapati listens to in an
unusual situation. His daughter Savitri has grown up into ripened maidenhood
and it is his duty, his noble dhārmic
responsibility as the ancient custom would see, that without any delay he
arrange for her marriage. But then he has a pretty serious problem also; no
heroic or Aryan prince comes forward to claim her hand in marriage and such a
situation causes him considerable worry. Savitri’s radiant personality puts
them all off. However, Aswapati is a Yogi and can perceive subtle movements,
can hear subtle sounds coming from cosmic fields.
But what does the sense-formed ear mean? If mind or Manas is the primary sense
behind all the senses, it follows that the sense organs must have had their
origin somewhere there in it: it is the sight that produces the eye, it is the
sound that develops the ear and not the other way round, and behind sight and
sound is the mind sense. Occult-spiritually, such indeed is the truer deeper
mechanism by which our faculties get formed. There is an action of the
sense-mind, explains Sri Aurobindo in his commentary on the Kena Upanishad,
which is superior to the particular action of the senses and is aware of things
even without imaging them in forms of sight, sound, contact, but which also as
a subordinate operation does image itself in these forms. Sight and the other
senses are not mere results of the development of our physical organs in the
terrestrial evolution. Mind, subconscious in all Matter and evolving in Matter,
has developed these physical organs in order to apply its inherent capacities
such as sight or hearing on the physical plane by physical means for a physical
life; but they are inherent capacities and not dependent on the circumstance of
terrestrial evolution and they can be employed without the use of the physical
eye, ear, skin, palate. It is an action of the functioning of the Sanjnana, the
essential sense which in itself can operate without bodily organs. This sense
is the original capacity of consciousness to feel in itself all that
consciousness has formed and to feel it in all the essential properties and
operations of that which has form, whether represented materially by vibration
of sound or images of light or any other physical symbol. It is at the root of
the presence of our cognitive faculties which also, drawing from the material
world, provides the cognitive instruments. Thus the ear becomes a product of
this double action; the other organs also ditto; when we recognise this sense
behind the senses to be the pre-eminent cause, the originator of our physical
faculties, we essentially get the sense-formed ear…
http://www.mirroroftomorrow.org/blog/_archives/2008/12/6/4008830.html
Higgs Boson—A
Matter of Physics
About the nature of science Sri Aurobindo writes:
“Scientific laws only give a schematic account of material process of Nature—as
a valid scheme they can be used for reproducing or extending at will a material
process, but obviously they cannot give an account of the thing itself. Water,
for instance, is not merely so much oxygen and hydrogen put together—the
combination is simply a process or device for enabling the materialisation of a
new thing called water; what that new thing really is, is quite another matter.
In fact, there are different planes of substance, gross, subtle and more subtle
going back to what is called causal (Karana) substance.” In another letter he
reveals: “But it is a fact that Agni is the basis of forms as the Sankhya
pointed out long ago, i.e. the fiery principle in the three powers radiant,
electric and gaseous (the Vedic trinity of Agni) is the agent in producing
liquid and solid forms of what is called Matter.” Science has no idea about it,
nor can it have, although there might be some remote reflection of it on the
way it perceives things. The question regarding the nature of Matter has been
haunting the thinkers since ages long. Let us look into it.
Is there a smallest piece of Matter? The
question is short and simple but is of profound significance. But then why
should such a question be posed at all, what could have prompted it to be put
in that way? It already posits somewhere a distinct possibility which could
have arisen from some deeper intuition about things that are not just
aggregates or composites of their ingredients. No wonder we get different
answers to it. Plato held that the elemental things are irreducible geometrical
figures. Aristotle conceived all substances to be indefinitely breakable. Kant
considers the phrasing of the question is such that it becomes unanswerable,
which means that our way of thinking about these subjects is inadequate.
Yet, if we are true to thought, there are
certain fundamentals which cannot be ignored. It is a spirituo-metaphysical
fact that atomicity is due to the action of the cosmic Mind. The character of
Mind is to analyse and analyse, divide and divide by fracturing things to bits,
breaking them to a vanishing point yet without making them disappear
altogether. If this nature of Mind is recognised then we see that it at once
makes Aristotle’s infinite divisibility an aspect of its working.
Yet
let us ask a specific question. What is it that gives mass to Matter? This is a
question the ancients would have never arrived at, neither the philosophers nor
the scientists, not even the scientists till recent times; it belongs entirely
to the contemporary physics, a question which has to come up in its relentless
pursuit of the material world, a world in its submicroscopic form. Such indeed
is the strange quest of the particle physicists these days to understand its
deeper mystery. With it are engaged the finest brains of the time; into it is
poured an inconceivable amount of capital money; around it gather large teams
of people drawn from all over the word. In the 1960s the
The
need for postulating Higgs boson arose from a peculiar situation. In our
tumultuous journey of Matter’s long atomicity we have presently come to
recognise two fundamental classes of particles: fermions and bosons. If the
materiality of Matter rests in the fermions, then the interactions among them
are mediated by the bosons. At the base of this entire creation we have twelve
fermions and four bosons. The fermions come in two groups: quarks and leptons.
But the quarks themselves fall into two sets, each with three members. Ditto
for the leptons. The four bosons corresponding to each of these triplets are:
photon, Z boson, W boson, and gluon. So far so good, but there arises a
dilemma: the dilemma is about the sums of these sixteen particles which will
have no masses if they were left to themselves. These do not quite add up to
what is observed. If only sixteen particles existed, they would have no mass
which of course is not true; there would be a peculiar situation of particles
without substance. The question is: wherefrom do their masses come? The answer
is: via the Higgs mechanism.
This
should also take us back to Dirac’s great quantum mechanical formulation of
anti-matter and its subsequent confirmation. The materialisation of a quantum
of energy in the form of an electron-positron pair is indeed equivalent to the
appearance of fermions through the agency of bosons. However, in the entire
sequence the recent feature of Higgs boson giving mass to fermions has yet to
get properly crystallised. Until then the transmutation of one into the other
will look puzzling. Perhaps someone seated deep within us and urging us to
exceed ourselves, something from far beckoning us to a truer world of possibilities is prompting us to move forward in the spirit of a new and
inspired discoverer and seeker.
RY Deshpande