Re: Instruments of Knowledge and Post-Human Destinies
I am presenting here Sri Aurobindo’s talk as recorded by Pavitra. Pavitra was a French disciple of the Master who had his education at l’Ecole de Polytechnique in Paris. The talk is dated 8 May 1926, given before the complete retirement of Sri Aurobindo on 24 November of that year. It first appeared in the Sri Aurobindo Circle Eighth Number, 1952. I have also included it in my recently published book Narad’s Arrival at Madra, published by the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Sri Aurobindo Ashram Pondicherry, India. It forms Chapter VIII of the book. Sri Aurobindo’s observations how science is discovering the ancient Sankhya ideas is indeed encouraging in terms of its pursuits. But there are also too many gaps or leaps in its formulations. RYD
A Talk with Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo: In the West the higher minds are not turned towards spiritual truth but towards material science. The scope of science is very narrow: it touches only the most exterior part of the physical plane. And even there, what does science really know? It studies the functioning of the laws, edificates theories ever renewed and each time held up as the last word of truth! We had recently the atomic theory, now comes the electronic!
There are, for instance, two statements of modern science that would stir up deeper ranges in an occultist:
1. atoms are whirling systems like the solar system;
2. the atoms of all the elements are made out of the same constituents. Different arrangement is the only cause of different properties. If these statements are considered under their true aspect, they could lead science to new discoveries of which there is no idea actually and in comparison with which the actual knowledge is poor.
According to the experience of ancients Yogis, sensible matter was made out of five elements, bhūtāni: Prithvi, Apas, Agni (Tejas), Vayu, Akasha...
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