The Life Divine

1. What is The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo about?

• Spiritual Evolution of Consciousness: The book explores the evolution of consciousness from ignorance and inconscience to a supramental or gnostic state, aiming for the transformation of human nature into a divine life.
• Integration of Spirit and Matter: Sri Aurobindo presents a vision where spirit fully manifests in material existence, transforming mind, life, and body to overcome the limitations of ignorance.
• Philosophical and Experiential Synthesis: The text combines Vedantic philosophy with Sri Aurobindo’s own spiritual experiences, offering a comprehensive framework for understanding the divine nature of existence and the path to spiritual realization.
• Guide to Transformation: It serves as both a philosophical treatise and a practical guide for seekers interested in the evolution of consciousness and the realization of a divine life on earth.

2. Why should I read The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo?

• Comprehensive Spiritual Vision: The book provides a profound synthesis of Eastern and Western thought, mapping the journey from ignorance to divine knowledge and the emergence of supramental consciousness.
• Practical Guidance for Transformation: It outlines the necessary conditions and challenges for spiritual and supramental transformation, offering practical insights for personal growth.
• Philosophical Depth and Inspiration: Sri Aurobindo reconciles ancient wisdom with modern spiritual experience, inspiring readers to pursue a higher consciousness and a holistic approach to spirituality.
• Timeless Relevance: The text addresses fundamental human questions about existence, suffering, and the ultimate goal of life, making it a valuable resource for seekers of truth and self-realization.

3. What are the key takeaways from The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo?

• Unity of Spirit and Matter: The book asserts that all forms and phenomena are manifestations of one divine Reality, and that Spirit and Matter are two aspects of the same Brahman.
• Evolution of Consciousness: It presents life as an evolutionary process, moving from Matter to Life, Mind, and ultimately to Supermind or Truth-Consciousness.
• Transcendence of Dualities: The ultimate aim is to transcend ego and dualities, realizing the divine within and living in unity with the cosmic and transcendent Self.
• Integral Knowledge and Transformation: True knowledge is experiential and transformative, leading to the integration of the soul, mind, life, and body into a divine existence.

4. What are the central concepts and philosophical foundations in The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo?

• Sachchidananda as Reality: The fundamental truth behind the universe is Sachchidananda—Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss—manifesting as all forms and phenomena.
• Supermind and Evolution: Supermind is the creative principle and Truth-Consciousness that governs the universe, with evolution seen as the unfolding of higher states of consciousness.
• Unity in Diversity: The book addresses the paradox of the One and the Many, explaining that infinite Oneness can contain infinite multiplicity without division.
• Rejection of Absolute Dualism: Sri Aurobindo rejects both materialist denial of Spirit and ascetic refusal of Matter, proposing a luminous reconciliation of both.

5. How does Sri Aurobindo define the relationship between Spirit, Matter, Mind, and Supermind in The Life Divine?

• Spirit and Matter as One: Spirit and Matter are not opposites but two poles of the same Reality; Matter is a form of veiled Life, and Life is a form of veiled Consciousness.
• Mind as Divider: Mind is a limited, dividing consciousness that creates the illusion of separateness and ignorance, but is itself a subordinate action of Supermind.
• Supermind as Truth-Consciousness: Supermind is the integral, creative consciousness that unifies knowledge, will, and being, manifesting the divine Truth in forms and laws.
• Evolutionary Process: The evolutionary journey moves from Matter to Life, Life to Mind, and Mind to Supermind, culminating in the manifestation of the divine in the material world.

6. What is the concept of Supermind in The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo?

• Definition of Supermind: Supermind is a higher principle of active Will and Knowledge, superior to Mind, and is the creative power behind the universe.
• Role in Creation: It acts as the intermediary between the absolute unity of Brahman and the multiplicity of the world, manifesting divine Truth in forms and laws.
• Triple Status of Supermind: Supermind has three statuses—unity, multiplicity in unity, and individuality—supporting the evolution of diversified individuality while maintaining oneness.
• Path to Transformation: The ascent to Supermind is the culmination of spiritual evolution, enabling the complete transformation of mind, life, and body.

7. How does The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo explain the problem of ignorance, suffering, and evil?

• Ignorance as Limitation: Ignorance arises from a limited, separative consciousness that hides the true self and the unity of existence, leading to error, falsehood, and evil.
• Suffering as Evolutionary Experience: Pain and suffering are seen as superficial expressions arising from division and limitation, not the essential nature of the divine Self.
• Evil as By-product: Falsehood and evil are by-products of Ignorance and Inconscience, not fundamental aspects of the Absolute, and serve as conditions for the soul’s growth and transformation.
• Transcendence through Knowledge: By transcending ego and ignorance, one can transform suffering into delight and realize an integral good beyond relative moralities.

8. What is the role of Maya, Prakriti, and Shakti in The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo?

• Maya as Creative Power: Maya is the power of infinite consciousness to manifest forms and distinctions out of the formless Reality, enabling the play of existence.
• Prakriti as Nature’s Force: Prakriti is the dynamic executive power of Nature, working out the cosmic creation under the sanction of Purusha (Spirit).
• Shakti as Divine Energy: Shakti is the conscious power of the Divine Being, both creative and executive, through which the universe is manifested and governed.
• Dual Aspect of Maya: There is a lower Maya associated with mental division and illusion, and a higher Maya as the divine creative power sustaining the universe in truth and harmony.

9. How does The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo describe the evolutionary process and the ascent of consciousness?

• Triple Character of Evolution: Evolution involves the development of material forms, an ascent of consciousness through higher grades, and an integration that transforms the whole being.
• Stages of Ascent: The process moves from Matter to Life, then Mind, and ultimately to Supermind, each stage representing a higher integration and power of spiritual knowledge.
• Role of the Individual: The individual soul’s evolution is intertwined with cosmic evolution, affirming itself against the mass and gradually realizing unity with the Divine and all beings.
• Integral Transformation: The ultimate goal is the integral transformation of human nature, transcending mental limitations to manifest the superconscient Divine in the material world.

10. What is the significance of the psychic being or soul in The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo?

• Immutable Core: The psychic being is the permanent, pure, and luminous core of our being, unaffected by the impurities and limitations of mind, life, and body.
• Agent of Transformation: Its emergence is essential for spiritual transformation, harmonizing and governing the entire nature under its guidance.
• Path to Divine Life: Realizing the psychic being within oneself is key to transcending ego and dualities, enabling one to live a divine life in harmony with the cosmic and transcendent Self.
• Double Soul Concept: Sri Aurobindo distinguishes between the surface desire-soul (egoistic) and the true psychic being (luminous and spiritual), with the latter guiding spiritual progress.

11. How does The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo address reincarnation, karma, and the soul’s journey?

• Inevitable Rebirth: Rebirth in successive terrestrial bodies is seen as an inevitable consequence of the soul’s evolutionary journey, involving intervals in other worlds for assimilation and preparation.
• Karma as Cosmic Law: Karma is the law of action and consequence, but not a rigid or mechanical system; spiritual freedom and will can modify or transcend karmic bindings.
• Personality and Memory: Personality is a temporary formation that changes with each birth; conscious memory of past lives is not essential for the soul’s growth.
• Evolution over Repetition: Rebirth is a progression and evolution of the spiritual being through new experiences, not a mechanical repetition of the same personality.

12. What is the supramental transformation and the nature of the gnostic being in The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo?

• Complete Nature Change: Supramental transformation is the passage from mental ignorance to a supramental truth-consciousness, transforming mind, life, and body into instruments of divine power.
• Gnostic Being Defined: The gnostic being is the perfected spiritual individual, living in unity with the cosmic self and transcendent reality, expressing infinite diversity in individuality.
• Unity in Diversity: The gnostic being harmonizes all contradictions in a spontaneous unity, acting from a self-realized truth-consciousness free from egoistic desires.
• Foundation for Divine Life: This transformation establishes a new order of being, enabling the individual to manifest divine knowledge, power, and delight in earthly existence.