Feburary 2021 SRI AUROBINDO SOCIETY VOL 35.02 Singapore NEWSLETTER Sat-Chit-Ananda (Sat, Existence) Sachchidananda Strong and pure, it stands erect with its creative power Hedychium Ginger lily. Garland lily Small to medium-sized highly fragrant waxy flower with a long narrow corolla tube and three petal-like lobes, the upper larger and deeply split; in white and shades of orange, red, yellow and pink; borne in dense terminal spikes from a tight cluster of sturdy green bracts. A robust rhizomatous perennial with reed like leafy stems. Sri Aurobindo's symbol SACHCHIDANANDA The descending triangle God is Sachchidananda. He manifests Himself as infinite existence of represents Sat-Chit-Ananda. which the essentiality is consciousness, of which again the essentiality is bliss, is self-delight. SRI AUROBINDO That which has thrown itself out into forms is a triune. Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, Sachchidananda, whose consciousness is in its nature a creative or rather a self-expressive Force capable of infinite variation in phenomenon and form of its self-conscious being and endlesslTy enjoying the delight of that variation. It follows that all things that exisht are what they are as terms of that existence, terms of that conscioues force, terms of that delight of being. M o SRI AUROBINDO t (hhttp://www.blossomlikeaflower.com/2007/11/satchidananda.html) e r
Sat-Chit-Ananda Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2021. Guiding Light of the Month IN each one of the domains of the being, the consciousness must be awakened to the perfect existence, knowledge and bliss. These three worlds or modes of the Divine are found in the physical reality as well as in the states of force and light and those of impersonality and infinitude, of eternity. When one enters with full consciousness into the higher states, to live this existence, light and bliss is easy, almost inevitable. But what is very important, as well as very difficult, is to awaken the being to this triple divine consciousness in the most material worlds. This is the first point. Then one must succeed in finding the centre of all the divine worlds (probably in the intermediate world), whence one can unite the consciousness of these divine worlds, synthetise them, and act simultaneously and with full awareness in all domains. May 27, 1914 Prayers and Meditations, The Mother The very special month is here again! We look forward From the Editor’s Desk to the 21st of February gleefully, being The Mother’s SATCHIDANANDA. Birth Anniversary. We also await eagerly for We started the year with Sri Aurobindo’s Auroville’s 53rd birthday which takes place exactly a symbol and its significance. We will continue week later on the 28th of February. We can contemplate with the study of the symbol in its various awhile on why these days, and especially The Mother’s parts in the following months. The first issue in this series introduced the symbol and spoke birthday fill us with so much of joy. Could it be that of the general meaning in the form of the symbol. With this issue, we delve into each something deep down within us anticipates a certain part of the symbol to gain a deeper understanding of significance. We present in charged atmosphere that inevitably abounds on such the next pages an idea of what Satchidananda occasions? Is it that we feel The Mother’s presence so may be. In the symbol, Satchidnanda is represented by the descending triangle, which strongly amongst us, moving around and touching each is also sometimes referred to as the descent of Grace from above. one of us with its Love? It is an occasion where the Satchidananda is said to be at the highest rung entire community of devotees and followers prepare for of the divine hierarchy. We look at it in its three parts, Sat-Chid-Ananda (or Existence- weeks and months, perfecting offerings in whatever Consciousness-Bliss) individually, to gather at least a greater mental understanding of the form and preparing the stage for the birthday of a very, ideas, leaving the reader to intuitively associate with the larger idea of very important personality, The Mother Herself. Satchidananda in contemplation. Perhaps because of all these reasons one feels a joy Let us turn the pages and swim in the ocean of springing up in one’s heart space at the thought of the Satchidananda, and Existence in this issue. 21st of February. Perhaps it is an important day where something in us opens a little wider to The Mother’s presence and influence and it is in anticipation of this phenomena that a certain joy in anticipation prevails. Whatever it may be, may all of us gather together in spirit and be united in bowing down before The Mother in gratitude for her constant presence in us, around us and in our lives, guiding our steps, even in long periods when we are unaware. May we be her faithful servitors at all times, giving ourselves to Her alone. This February issue of our newsletter offers the opportunity to contemplate on a beautiful theme, www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 2 Sat-Chit-Ananda
Sat-Chit-Ananda Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2021. Savitri The Immanent shall be the witness God Watching on his many-petalled lotus-throne His actionless being and his silent might Ruling earth-nature by eternity’s law, A thinker waking the Inconscient’s world, An immobile centre of many infinitudes In his thousand-pillared temple by Time’s sea. Then shall the embodied being live as one Who is a thought, a will of the Divine, A mask or robe of his divinity, An instrument and partner of his Force, A point or line drawn in the infinite, A manifest of the Imperishable. The supermind shall be his nature’s fount, The Eternal’s truth shall mould his thoughts and acts, The Eternal’s truth shall be his light and guide. All then shall change, a magic order come Overtopping this mechanical universe. A mightier race shall inhabit the mortal’s world. On Nature’s luminous tops, on the Spirit’s ground, The superman shall reign as king of life, Make earth almost the mate and peer of heaven, And lead towards God and truth man’s ignorant heart And lift towards godhead his mortality. Sri Aurobindo www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 3 Sat-Chit-Ananda
Sat-Chit-Ananda Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2021. Who/What is Sachidananda? Sachchidananda is the One with a triple aspect. In the Supreme the three are not three but one—existence is consciousness, consciousness is bliss, and they are thus inseparable, not only inseparable but so much each other that they are not distinct at all. In the superior planes of manifestation they become triune— although inseparable, one can be made more prominent and base or lead the others. In the lower planes below they become separable in appearance, though not in their secret reality, and one can exist phenomenally without the others so that we become aware of what seems to us an inconscient or a painful existence or a consciousness without Ananda. Indeed without this separation of them in experience pain and ignorance and falsehood and death and what we call inconscience could not have manifested themselves—there could not have been this evolution of a limited and suffering consciousness out of the universal nescience of Matter. * The Sachchidananda is not in itself an active consciousness, it is simply pure existence, consciousness and bliss. By a Truth Consciousness is meant a knowledge consciousness which is immediately, inherently and directly aware of Truth in manifestation and has not to seek for it like Mind. Sachchidananda is everywhere behind the manifestation and supporting it as well as above it and can be experienced below the supermind—even in mind and vital it can be experienced. * The original substance of the spirit is pure existence carrying in it pure self-existent consciousness (or consciousness-force) and pure self-existent Ananda. * There is no plane beyond Sachchidananda. * People say like that [the Transcendent is something beyond Sachchidananda] because the transcendent Absolute is not only what to us is existence but also what to us is non-existence. But there is really no such thing as non-existence. So the Transcendent can be conceived as transcendent Sat, transcendent Chit, transcendent Ananda. (Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Yoga) Existence All existence is one; it is existence of the One Being, divine, infinite, eternal, absolute. What we see as the Many, is the multiplicity of the One. All these apparently separate persons and objects are also the one existence; they are beings of the One Being. For That is their one self; in their spiritual www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 4 Sat-Chit-Ananda
Sat-Chit-Ananda Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2021. essence they are That, even in the play and form of their being they are That; they are personalities of the one Person, they are manifestations of the one Existence, they are so many realities of the only Real. In no way are they separate and independent from It, but in every way live by It, are of It, can be nothing else. All forces are powers of the one Force, the sole Power of the One Being; there is no other force than his. All objects are formations of the one Existence; there is nothing that exists in itself and apart from That, nothing that is of an individual essence other than the one Essence of the universe. What we see as finite is not other than the Infinite. All is in the Infinite, all exists by the Infinite, all is of the stuff of the Infinite. No object or person could come into being or remain in being by its own finite and individual power; none exists by its own limited substance and essence other than the substance and essence of all others; all are at bottom indissolubly one. There is effective determination, definition, demarcation, diverse formation in the universe but no essential separation or division. A tree is separate as an object or phenomenon, but it is not a separate existence divided from all around it; there is a one- existence and a one-energy that has taken form of tree, constitutes every atom, molecule, fibre of it, pervades and is its whole structure of being and this existence, this energy not only abides in all of it and flows through all of it but extends everywhere around and is, constitutes, energises all other objects in the cosmos. Each finite is in fact the Infinite; all apparently separate or divided existence is only a front of the Indivisible. All that we see as temporal is not other than the Eternal. The form of that which is in Time is or appears to be evanescent, but the self, the substance, the being that takes shape in that form is eternal and is one self, one substance, one being with all that is, all that was, all that shall be. But even the form is in itself eternal and not temporal, but it exists for ever in possibility, in power, in consciousness in the Eternal. Form is manifested and withdrawn from manifestation; it may be manifested by immediate apparition or it may be manifested by construction and withdrawn from manifestation by destruction or disaggregation, but in either case it exists beforehand in the consciousness and being of the Eternal. If it did not so preexist in power and possibility, it could not be created in actuality. For the actual proceeds from the possible and the possible is always a possibility of the truth of the Eternal. * The bliss of the Brahman can be described as the eternity of an uninterrupted supreme ecstasy. There is no opposition or incompatibility between these two states in the nature of the Brahman. Bliss there is the keen height and core of peace; peace there is the intimate core and essence of bliss. There is no turbidity or turbulence in the being of the Brahman; its ineffable poignancy is eternal in its self-poise. The essential mark of the descent of the consciousness from its highest grade in the supreme spirit is the constant diminution of the power of Sachchidananda, the intensity of its force, force of being, force of consciousness, force of bliss. The intensity of all these three in the supreme status is ineffable; in the Supermind the intensity of consciousness is ever luminous and undiminished; in overmind it is already diminished and diffuse; the highest intensity of mind is a poor thing in comparison with the splendour of overmind, and so it goes diminishing till it reaches an apparent zero which we call inconscience. The degree and amount of pain which mind, life and body can bear is by our human standards considerable; but their capacity for pleasure is very limited and pale in its intensity, low in its degree. What we call ecstasy would seem to a god to be ridiculously thin and vapid and edgeless. Its capacity of duration also is pitifully brief and measurable by the moments. (Sri Aurobindo, Essays Divine and Human) www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 5 Sat-Chit-Ananda
Sat-Chit-Ananda Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2021. The Ego and Divine Existence While we may intellectually grasp the concept of earth rotating around the sun, and the entire solar system being part of the milky way galaxy and moving through space as part of that larger unity in a yet larger universal framework encompassing innumerable galaxies, yet we still experience in our daily lives, our practical vital existence, that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, moving around earth as if it is the center of the universe. Analogously, the ego-consciousness creates the false and illusory experience of separation and division from other beings and the world which cuts us off from the Oneness and the greater omnipresent reality of our existence, to which we belong and of which we partake. It is thus essential for the ego-consciousness to give way through a shift of standpoint to the divine standpoint, that recognises, accepts, and experiences that larger universal being and purpose of which our individual ego-consciousness is a distorted appearance. Sri Aurobindo explains: “The sense, the idea, the experience that I am a separately self-existent being in the universe, and the forming of consciousness and force of being into the mould of that experience are the root of all suffering, ignorance and evil. And it is so because that falsifies both in practice and in cognition the whole real truth of things; it limits the being, limits the consciousness, limits the power of our being, limits the bliss of being; this limitation, again, produces a wrong way of existence, wrong way of consciousness, wrong way of using the power of our being and consciousness, and wrong, perverse and contrary forms of the delight of existence. The soul limited in being and self-isolated in its environment feels itself no longer in unity and harmony with its Self, with God, with the universe, with all around it; but rather it finds itself at odds with the universe, in conflict and disaccord with other beings who are its other selves, but whom it treats as not-self; and so long as this disaccord and disagreement last, it cannot possess its world and it cannot enjoy the universal life, but is full of unease, fear, afflictions of all kinds, in a painful struggle to preserve and increase itself and possess its surroundings,–for to possess its world is the nature of infinite spirit and the necessary urge in all being.” The being who thus experiences this separation, division, struggle, is unable to experience the unalloyed bliss of existence, nor the knowledge, power or self-possession that accompanies the divine consciousness. “…it has not the secret of harmony, because it has not the secret of its own unity and self- possession; and, secondly, not being in possession of its highest self, it has to struggle towards that, is not allowed to be at peace till it is in possession of its own true highest being. All this means that it is not at one with God; for to be at one with God is to be at one with oneself, at one with the universe and at one with all beings. This oneness is the secret of a right and a divine existence. But the ego cannot have it, because it is in its very nature separative and because even with regard to ourselves, to our own psychological existence it is a false centre of unity; for it tries to find the unity of our being in an identification with a shifting mental, vital, physical personality, not with the eternal self of our total existence. Only in the spiritual self can we possess the true unity; for there the individual enlarges to his own total being and finds himself one with universal existence and with the transcending Divinity.” (Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga, Part Four: The Yoga of Self-Perfection) www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 6 Sat-Chit-Ananda
Sat-Chit-Ananda Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2021. January 2021 Sunday Activities at the Centre - A glimpse 3 January 2021: Reading on The Mother by Sri Aurobindo \"We completed chapter 5 of the book \"The Mother\". Sri Aurobindo says that during the transformation from a separate worker to an instrument, we should ensure that there should be no attachment to work or the result, no claim to possess the Power that will possess us, no pride, no vanity or arrogance. We should let our faith, sincerity and purity of aspiration be absolute and pervasive of all the planes and layers of the being so that every disturbing element and distorting influence will progressively fall away from our nature. The Master then concludes that the last stage of perfection will come when we are completely identified with the Divine Mother and feel ourselves to be no longer another and separate being, instrument, servant or worker but truly a child and eternal portion of her consciousness and force. We will know and experience that we are a person and power formed by her out of herself, put out from her for the play and yet always safe in her, being of her being, consciousness of her consciousness, force of her force, ananda of her Ananda. When this condition is entire and her supramental energies can freely move you, then we will be perfect in divine works; knowledge, will, action will become sure, simple, luminous, spontaneous, flawless, an outflow from the Supreme, a divine movement of the Eternal.\" 10 January 2021: Reading on Synthesis of Yoga We read the paragraph on page 85 or page 92 of the e-book, where Sri Aurobindo continues to delve on how to perfect works in a total identification with the Divine as a doer of all action and we, as mere instruments in his hands. We read the paragraph beginning, “But if this total conversion is to be done, there must be…” In this particular paragraph, Sri Aurobindo spoke about how the conversion of the mind, the heart, the body and spirit behind work is to be converted. Sri Aurobindo suggests that a consecration of our thoughts, feelings and actions or movements to the Divine. This must mean an effort that essentially takes place every millisecond, since, by merely being, or existing, we are continuously in action and all of these are to be offered at the feet of the Divine. This calls for our contemplation upon our state of being and our movements in our day to day life and if at all these are consecrated. However, giving a leeway to understanding our human incapacities, Sri Aurobindo assures that this a progressive process. He also states that we need to “accept” the idea of consecration as well, implying our will’s role in the offering, that somethings needs to will in the separate individuality. We ended the session with these two sentences. Members were asked to, if they wished, spend the next few weeks contemplating on the state of their beings, about the extent of the spirit of consecration in us and extent of the idea of oneself as the doer of works or worker. 17 January 2021: Secret of The Vedas This was the passage that was taken up for contemplation this day. “Sometimes we have simply the fact of the stolen cows and the recovery by Indra without any reference to Sarama or the Angirases or the Panis. But it is not always Indra who recovers the herds. We have for instance a hymn to Agni, the second of the fifth Mandala, a hymn of the Atris, in which the singer applies the image of the stolen cows to himself in a language which clearly betrays its symbolism. Agni, long repressed in her womb by mother Earth who is unwilling to give him to the father Heaven, held and concealed in her so long as she is compressed into limited form (peṣī), at length comes to birth when she becomes great and vast (mahiṣī). The birth of Agni is associated with a manifestation or vision of luminous herds. “I beheld afar in a field one shaping his weapons who was golden-tusked and pure-bright of hue; I give to him the Amrita (the immortal essence, Soma) in separate parts; what shall they do to me who have not Indra and have not the word? I beheld in the field as it were a happy herd ranging continuously, many, shining; they seized them not, for he was born; even those (cows) that were old, become young again.” www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 7 Sat-Chit-Ananda
Sat-Chit-Ananda Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2021. But if these Dasyus who have not Indra, nor the word, are at present powerless to seize on the luminous herds, it was otherwise before this bright and formidable godhead was born. “Who were they that divorced my strength (maryakam; my host of men, my heroes, vīra) from the cows? for they (my men) had no warrior and protector of the kine. Let those who took them from me, release them; he knows and comes driving to us the cattle.” Members expressed their understanding in various ways. 24 January 2021: Meditations on Savitri with Huta’s Paintings As part of ushering in the New Year and as a collective prayer for the quick relief from the current Covid19 turmoil, Krishnamurthy uncle and Ramanathan chanted the Baghya Suktam from Rig Veda Mandala 7, Hymn 41. This has close relevance to our Savitri discussions too and we took up the last Picture (13) of the last canto Epilogue: Return to The Earth. KV Rao, Jayanthy and Ramadoss shared their meditative views. We also read the passage about Prana by Sri Aurobindo quoted in ‘The Upanishads, 1st US Edition’. We also meditated on its relevance through Picture 12 of Book 12. The hidden secrets of these pictures are indeed infinite, and we can hardly scratch the surface. 31 January 2021: Jared continued with Part 2 of ‘Mental Subjectivism’ on this day. We look forward to a future era and through Sri Aurobindo’s words, try to see the glimmerings of a future realisation that he so surely predicted. We looked at the post 2020s. This is what Jared shared: Reach the climax and the decadence of the information age Development of ever greater AI, inter-connectivity (5G, 6G etc.), e-commerce, outward mental power etc. But with ever greater social instability and inequality and ever-more problems (climate change, pandemics, international conflict, psychological disorders etc.) Through the pressure of the darkness, and the secret working of the Supermind—what will emerge? We arrive at an age of truer mental subjectivism. This mental subjectivism is a recovery and not a first occurrence. In Sri Aurobindo’s words: “An era of mental subjectivism would have ‘a new tone and atmosphere, a loftier spirit, wider horizons, a greater aim. It might easily develop a science which would bring the powers of the physical world into a real and not only a contingent and mechanical subjection and open perhaps the doors of other worlds. It might develop an achievement of Art and Beauty which would make the greatness of the past a comparatively little thing… It would open up a closer and freer interchange between human minds and, it may well be hoped, a kindlier interchange between human hearts and lives. Nor need its achievements stop here, but might proceed to greater things of which these would be only the beginnings.” www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 8 Sat-Chit-Ananda
Sat-Chit-Ananda Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2021. We discussed the Atlantean curve with interest. Finally, on the future supramental body The Mother has this to say: ‘This would be a transformation infinitely greater than that from the animal to man; this would be a passage from man to a being who would not be built in the same manner, who would no longer function in the same manner, who would be like the condensation and concretisation of “something”.... Up to now, that corresponds to nothing we have yet seen physically, unless the scientists have found something I do not know about….It seems to me that between what exists at present, the way we are, and that other form of life, many intermediary stages will be needed.’ Ram, Jayanthy, Ramadoss PROGRAMME FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2021 DATE TIME DETAILS 8 AM Monthly Walk* 7 Feb 2021 Sunday 6 PM Study Circle : The Mother - by Ram 14 Feb 2021 6 PM Study Circle by Jayanthy : Sunday The Synthesis of Yoga 21 Feb 2021 The Mother’s Birthday Sunday 6 PM Darshan Day 28 Feb 2021 6 PM Savitri Circle by Mr. Ramadoss Sunday *Details can be found below www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 9 Sat-Chit-Ananda
Sat-Chit-Ananda Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2021. February 2021 MORNING WALK – NO. 416 Dear Friends, We are happy to announce the revival of our monthly \"Walk\" tradition after a gap of nearly a year. Date: Sunday, 7th February 2021 Time: 8:00 A.M. sharp for warm up exercise. Walk Venue: Botanical Garden Meeting Point: Botanical Garden Tanglin Gate Entrance. Contact No: Walk - Mr. Ramanathan (+65 9138 5130) Brunch – Mr. Rao (+65 9784 6435) and Mrs. Shailaja ( +65 9681 5466 ) Please do RSVP if you are attending the brunch. Hosts: Mr K.V.Rao & Mrs Shailaja Sri Aurobindo Society SIFAS Please note that if the number of attendees exceeds 8 the first group of 8 will commence the walk without waiting for late comers. Those who are unable to join the walk are welcome to join the meditation and brunch @ 10.30am. Meditation & brunch will be at Sri Aurobindo Society SIFAS premises. Kindly RSVP +65 9784 6435 (Mr. Rao) or +65 9681 5466 (Mrs. Shailaja). Please note that in line with COVID Safe Distancing Directives of the Government if more than 8 people are participating in any activity, groups of not more 8 should be formed and there should not be intermingling of the groups. In order to comply strictly with the above directives members are requested to notify in SAS WhatsappGroup latest by 3rd February if they are interested to participate in the walk/ brunch. This will enable us to make proper planning for the walk/ brunch. Thank you. 10 Sat-Chit-Ananda Regards, Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg
Sat-Chit-Ananda Sri Aurobindo Society, Singapore. February 2021. ANNOUNCEMENTS The Mother’s 143rd Birth Anniversary The 143rd Birth Anniversary of The Mother will be observed at our centre Sri Aurobindo Society, 2A Starlight Road, # 01-07, Singapore 217755 on 21st February 2021, Sunday. Morning Meditation at 9 am Evening Programme commences 6 pm Meditation Music Readings from The Mother’s ‘Prayers and Meditations’ Darshan Day Message from Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puthucherry Welcome Address by the Chairman Special Programme Offering by Members and youth Closing Meditation Mahaprasad All are cordially invited Important: All members participating shall strictly adhere to Covid related rules applicable. Members attending physically need to preregister. Zoom details shall be sent closer to the date. Centre Cleaning In conjunction with The Mother’s birth anniversary celebrations on Feb 21st, we will be cleaning our Centre on Sunday 14th February 2021 from 9.30 am to 1.00pm. The cleaning will be followed by lunch. All are welcome to come along and take part in this special offering. Important: All members participating shall strictly adhere to Covid related rules applicable. Members need to preregister. Printed and Published by The Sri Aurobindo Society of Singapore 2A Starlight Road 01-07, Singapore 217755. Ramadoss: 97354063 or [email protected]; Anand Patel:[email protected]; Email: [email protected] Visit our website at: www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg www.sriaurobindosociety.org.sg 11 Sat-Chit-Ananda
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