The Three Times - Part two of three

[Guest guest]

THE SECOND CONDITION OF CONSCIOUSNESS by Shri Aurobindo

 

"The second condition of consciousness is potential only to human being and

gained by an inner enlightening and transformation of the mind of ignorance;

it is that in which the mind seeks for its source of knowledge rather within

than without and becomes to its own feeling and self-experience, by whatever

means, a mind, not of original ignorance, but self-forgetful knowledge.

This mind is conscious that the knowledge of all things is hidden within it

or at least somewhere in the the being, but as if veiled and forgotten, and

the knowledge comes to it not as a thing acquired from outside, but always

secretly there and now at once to be true,- each thing in its own place,

degree, manner and measure. This is its attitude to knowledge and known at

once to be true, - each thing in its own place, degree, manner and measure.

This is the attitude to knowledge even when the occasion of knowing is some

external experience, sign or indication, because that is to it only the

occasion and its reliance for the truth of the knowledge is not the external

indication or evidence but on the inner confirming witness. The true mind is

the universal within us and the individual is only a projection on the

surface, and therefore this second state of consciousness we have either

when the individual mind goes more and more inward and is always consciously

or subconsciously near and sensitive to the touches of the universal

mentality in which all is contained, received, capable of being made

manifest, or still more powerfully, when we live in consciousness of

universal mind with the personal mentality only as a projection, a marking

board or a communicating switch on the surface."

[Guest guest]

>Antoine <carrea

>

>THE SECOND CONDITION OF CONSCIOUSNESS by Shri Aurobindo

>

><much good stuff snipped>

 

Thanks for posting these passages, Antoine. They mean a lot to me.

I'm looking forward to the third part.

 

By the way, Aurobindo's books are not readily available in most bookstores,

but can be ordered via the Internet. Amazon.com has a long list of them

available.

[Guest guest]

Dear Antoine:

 

Echoing other voices of appreciation...

 

I was exposed to Sri Aurobindo and visited the Ashram in California early in

my searches for spiritual understanding. They and the works of

Paramahansa Yogananda are worthy of study and reflection at any point in the

journey.

 

Zenbob