So how the absolute Brahman, Sat-Chit-Ananda, became what we see here around?
Sri Aurobindo, a great indian philosopher and thinker, wrote:
"The Absolute is not bound - not bound to its infinite existence, not bound to its infinite consciousness and the force inherent in that consciousness, not bound to its infinite bliss."
Clever... very, very deep insights this man had!
In other words it is indeed ALL - as in really ALL - without ANY limitations!
Difficult to grasp, how can (perceived) evil and godliness be one and the same?
Well the easy way out would be: :if this wouldn't be the fact, there wouldn't be an Absolute - the Brahman!
Easy?
Almost as a Koan - but hey... they aren't 'easy" are they?
It's way easier to slurp down a pot of tea and gaze in to the fire, illuminating the mountain mist, which hides the colors of the autumn clad trees, beneath the shades of smoky white and ash grey, to steel blue and fading purple clouds ...
..or something like it.
Well why we are so hungry, to know, to know everything because we are obsessed with knowledge, but in general (we reluctant to admit but...) to patronize, to conquer, to dominate (our mind works hard on it!) but then we always tend to be so critical about knowledge and it's applications, we can't just let it in, like the crisp morning air rolling down the mountain slopes from their icy peaks., nope, it has to be analyzed, checked, categorized, filtered, compared, weighed - the whole procedure, until it is decided "right!" An gets stored in some drawer which "sits up there", ready to gulp the information down and then being hesitant to let go of it, once it has disappeared in the vast crevasses of it's giant array of the library of folders in the mind...
And second, he (Aurobindo of course) explains that by definition Brahman is capable of manifesting within its absolute existence innumerable, limited, even distorted and contrary forms of its being. We may further deduce that an infinitely extended, infinitely diverse manifestation, replete with objects and beings ranging from the most unconscious, the most vile, to the most conscious, the most beautiful, the most divine, would be perfectly consistent with an existence that was Absolute.
Amazing, isn't it - reading it, is soooooooo simple, but grasping it, get the whole idea of it, is another story, may be hours of meditation, maybe light years away.
But then, the Author the honorable and very smart Sri Aurobindo packed this in a couple of sentences, like a pizza is packed for home delivery.
Wow!
Well I am going to have this "pizza" now - and try to reflect upon how this unimaginable Brahman exists.... everywhere, in everything - breathtaking concept - isn't it?
But how does the Brahman do this?
The answer for exploring it, is:
The principle of exclusive concentration - Dharana.
This principle is best explained through the example of our own ability to narrow our conscious awareness on a particular idea or perception, putting behind in the background of our focused awareness the rest of our conscious existence.
Good insight can be attained while practicing these "simple" steps... say as in a life time obsession:
Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses through asana - posturs and pranayama - breathing techniques),
Dharana (concentration, focus on ONE point, between the eyebrows, top of the head, Chakras, candle flame, sound..)
Dyana (finallyMeditation, the trance like state of absolut awareness)
Samadhi.... (I spare any attempt to explain...many tried, I think: everyone should try themselves!! Honestly)
one leading seemless into the other, but no "next step" without the other, carefully following the first steps of Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama !
Or the ability to focus awareness and put into the background all else', is inherent in consciousness. It is through a similar process that the One and Infinite Being becomes the many, apparently separate, individual beings and things we see manifested in the universe. The separation is in appearance only, for in truth all individuals are constituted by the One, are That in their Reality, for there is nothing outside the Absolute. They are forms and appearances of its Being, expressions of its Consciousness, movements of its Delight.
Anyone tried yet, or is still busy listening to the clap of a single hand?
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