Involution (Sri Aurobindo)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Mother and Sri Aurobindo

Books: Life Divine, Synthesis of Yoga, Savitri, The Mother, Letters, Agenda Teachings: Involution/Involution, Evolution Integral education, Integral psychology Integral yoga, Triple transformation Physical, Vital, Mental, Psychic, Spirit Overmind, Supermind, Gnostic being Important Places: Matrimandir Communities: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Auroville, Important Disciples: Champaklal, N.K.Gupta, Amal Kiran, Nirodbaran, Pavitra, M.P.Pandit, Pranab, A.B.Purani, D.K.Roy, Satprem, Indra Sen, Kapali Shastri Journals and Forums: Arya, Mother India, Collaboration, Auroconf,

Involution is an important concept in Sri Aurobindo's philosophy. Involution is the converse of evolution. It is the process through which spirit, or the absolute, involves itself in existence.

Sat, Chit-Tapas, and Delight/Ananda are the three aspects of Satchitananda, and are mentioned in The Life Divine in terms of Involution. Spirit or consciousness manifests as these three, and then as the intermediate link of Supermind, which is transitioanl between the higher and lower (matter, life, and mind) nature

[edit] Sat

[edit] Chit-tapas

Chit-Tapas or Consciousness-Force, in Sri Aurobindo's philosophy refers to the pure energy of Consciousness by which creation ultimately comes about; the infinite divine self-awareness which is also the infinite all-effective Will. It is also one of the seven planes of existence, according to the Vedic cosmology and the seven lokas of Hindu thought.

In chapter 10 of The Life Divine, Sri Aurobindo writes at length on the nature of Consciousness-Force as a principle of the Divine. As he understands it (following the Tantric dichotomy of Shiva and Shakti), Chit or Consciousness is not an inert and passive principle; but contains the potential spiritual Energy, Tapas, which in Creation becomes the dynamic and creative principle or Force, called Shakti. Chit-Tapas or Chit-Shakti is therefore the universal Consciousness-Force, the divine Energy; the Mother.

[edit] Delight

Delight is Sri Aurobindo's term for ananda, and plays a large part in his cosmology and spiritual teaching. Delight is the reason for creation, by which The Absolute extends its Delight of Being into multiplicity, losing itself in the inconscience and then through Delight rediscovering Itself through individuals realising their Divine nature and proceeding to spiritual realisation.

In other words, the universe was created so that the Delight of the Infinite Spirit can manifest in all the forms of creation. When we discover our higher nature, the soul and spirit, we experience the delight for which we were came into being and of which we are a part.

In chapters 11 and 12 of The Life Divine, Sri Aurobindo writes at length on the nature of Delight as a principle of the Divine, and its role in creation.