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"Exclusive Concentration and the Ignorance"

(Book 2 Chapter XIII)

 

[SUMMARY]

In this chapter, Sri Aurobindo again explains the cosmic source of the Ignorance. He then explains Ignorance as a concentration and wall of exclusivity. And yet despite its limitations, he indicates that the Ignorance serves a purpose in life because it helps us establish our of our individuality, and because it brings delight when we overcome it and discover the replacement True Knowledge.

Here are the main points:

Ignorance as Concentration of Conscious Force
Sri Aurobindo continues in this chapter to explain the nature of the Ignorance. First he explains it in terms of the subordinate action of Brahman -- in particular of the Conscious Force (i.e. Chit of Sat-Chit-Ananda) which is absorbed and concentrated into a part knowledge that excludes the rest from its awareness; that is forgetful of its true nature and self.

Ignorance as Concentration, Wall of Exclusion
Next he focuses on the specific nature of Ignorance; how it exists by a concentration, a wall of exclusion that limits itself to a single aspect, losing track of its own full self. He compares it to an actor who plays a part, and is forgetful of his own true, full nature and self.

The Utility of Ignorance for Individuality and Delight
He then concluded by explaining the utility of the Ignorance; first, so that man can defend, live out his individuality in time; and second so that through the absence of Knowledge he can discover it and have the joy and delight of that discovery.

[Joy and Delight (Ananda of Sat-Chit-Ananda) is what Sri Aurobindo gives for the reason for our existence, and is therefore why the Creator allows for infinite diversity, including Ignorance and falsehood, and error, to enable the infinite discovery that will elicit that joy.]

 

[DETAILS]

HOW IGNORANCE CAME AS SUBORDINATE ACTION OF BRAHMAN

-Ignorance is a subordinate phenomenon to Brahman by a concentration of consciousness absorbed in part knowledge or a part action of the being and excluding the rest from its awareness.

-Ignorance is the outcome of a particularizing action of Conscious-Force when it is absorbed in its works forgetful of self and the total reality of nature.

 

EXCLUSIVE CONCENTRATION AND THE IGNORANCE

-The Ignorance exists by the concentration, a wall of exclusion limiting itself to a single field, domain, or habitation.

-The nature of the Ignorance is a limiting, seperative conscious energy absorbed in its works to the apparent forgetfulness of its integral and real self.

-The Ignorance is a power of Knowledge to limit itself, to concentrate on the work at hand.

Comparison to the Actor:

-This is comparable to man who lives on the surface, but is unaware of his vast existence subliminal, subconscient, superconscient, et all (all held together by the psychic being). We perceive the stream, but not the sea.

-Similarly, Man perceives the present, lives moment to moment, yet is ignorant of the future and the past (save what he knows through memory).

-This power of exclusive concentration can be compared to an  actor who is so into the part he is playing that he forgets his own self.

-And yet even this actor will come back to his own self.

 

THE PURPOSE & UTILITY OF THE IGNORANCE: 1. TO DEFEND MAN'S TEMPORAL INDIVIDUALITY

-Man has to put on the temporal, psychological, and egoistic ignorance in order to protect himself against the light of the infinite and the largeness of the universal, so as to develop behind this defense his temporal individuality in the cosmos.

-Ignorance is Nature's purposeful oblivion of the Self and the All, putting them aside, behind herself, so she can do what she has to do in the outer play of existence.

 

THE PURPOSE & UTILITY OF THE IGNORANCE: 2. DELIGHT OF BEING

-The purpose of this exclusive concentration, this Ignorance is for the joy of discovery of our greater Knowledge as intended by the Spirit.

-Satchitananda descends into material Nescience and hides itself so that through Man he rediscovers that absorbed energy, which brings delight.

-The joy of self-discovery is the true object of he birth of the soul in the human body.

-The ignorance is a term which the universal knowledge has imposed on itself.

 

IGNORANCE ORIGINATES NOT IN SUPERMIND, BUT OVERMIND

-In what principle of being; what plane does the Ignorance take shape, originate?

-It is not in Satchitananda, nor in Supermind.

-In Supermind the infinite light and power are always present even in the most finite workings, and the consciousness of unity embraces the consciousness of diversity.

-A veil between Supermind and Mind exists where the light of the truth is shut off. It is Overmind.

-Overmind hides the face of the supramental truth but reflects its image.

-It is where the consciousness of unity and diversity come apart.

-It is where the unity begins to break down.

-To remove the veil of the Ignorance, the Conscious-Force of being in us uses a reversal action of its powers of exclusive concentration, and quits the frontal movement of Nature in individual consciousness.

 

OTHER

-Somehow in the larger universal consciousness there must be an ability to carry this moment to its ultimate point.

-In the universal order of things there is an inconscience of material Nature, a self-forgetfulness, that is not temporary.

-Nescience in Nature is the complete self-ignorance.