08 May 2013

Aurobindo on small self, Self and the Divine

If one realizes the silent Atman above, there is no danger, but there is also no transformation, only Moksha, Nirvana. If one realizes the cosmic self, dynamic and active, then one realizes all as the Self, all as myself, that self as the Divine, etc. This is all true; but the danger is of the ego catching hold of the “my” in that conception of all as “myself”. For this “myself” is not my personal self but everybody’s self as well as mine. The way to get rid of any such danger is to remember that this Divine is also the Mother (God), that the personal “I” is a child of the Mother with whom I am one, yet different, her child, servant, instrument. I have said that you should not stop realizing the Self or the cosmic consciousness, but should at the same time remember that all this is the Mother.


I saw this on Janet Beier's FB page.  This is exactly what I have been saying for some time.

1 comment:

  1. Why all the debate? Nondual Parabramhan or the Cosmic Mother... are they different?

    The same sentiment illustrated in Sri Aurobindo's comment is clearly evoked even in the sayings of the great advaita masters. 'final state', as a concept, is at best a pointer, and thus inadequate.

    "What you are you will never know, for every discovery reveals new dimensions to conquer. The unknown has no limits." (Maharaj, I am That, chapter 74).

    So the discovery never ends, even with 'self-realization'. Immutable yet inexhaustible in a never ending flow of expressions...etc. When it comes to "the teachings" the disagreement is verbal only.

    Trevor

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