The Upanishad lists sixteen faculties

Re: Instruments of Knowledge and Post-Human Destinies

by Vladimir on Wed 13 Dec 2006 07:23 PM PST Profile Permanent Link

Unfortunately the translation of Aitareya belongs to the Baroda period and was never revised by Sri Aurobindo, whereas the commentary on Kena was written in 1915-16. But if we keep his later view on these four operations given in the Kena and other writings, the translation of the Aitareya could have much deeper meaning, for all these operations of consciousness listed in it, could be seen in a context of these four, of which prajnana is the key, for prajnana is the objective apprehensive operation of consciousness in knowledge, which was the reason why the creation was created.

“The Supreme”, says the Mother, - “decided to exteriorise himself, objectivise himself, in order to have the joy of knowing himself in detail,… to be able to see Himself.” All other three operations provide for prajnana a support, as it were, for how can the separative knowledge at all be maintained if there is no constant and integral oneness in the depth of its operation? Samjnana provides it with the sensible apprehension, Ajnana holds for it an image of things in a still and powerful arrest of its will, imposing on it the presence of the Self; Vijnana provides a comprehensive and all-including presence of Knowledge, coordinating all the elements, far and near, into one comprehensive perception. Without them the operation of Prajnana would be not possible.

by RY Deshpande on Wed 13 Dec 2006 09:12 PM PST Profile Permanent Link The Upanishad lists sixteen faculties and there must be some purpose behind it; otherwise it would not have mentioned them. No doubt the first four are important, but in the process of exteriorisation/grossification perhaps they are also coming into play. RYD

by Vladimir on Thu 14 Dec 2006 07:19 AM PST Profile Permanent Link One thing is quite obvious that samjnana, ajnana and vijnana are preceding prajnana determining it in its character, as it were, and other faculties (starting from medha onwards) follow it, indicating the hierarchy of manifestation with prajnana at the top, as their creator: esha brahma, esha indra, esha prajapati...