Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra
Why Plotinus was neglected till Sri Aurobindo resurrected him? - TNM
The premise that Plotinus was entirely "neglected" until "resurrected" by Sri Aurobindo is inaccurate; Plotinus has consistently been a significant figure in Western philosophy, particularly as the founder of Neoplatonism. However, Sri Aurobindo engaged with Plotinus to draw parallels between Eastern and Western philosophical thought and to offer a different, more integral interpretation of his ideas from a spiritual perspective.
Plotinus's Historical Influence
Plotinus (c. 204/5–270 CE) was never truly "neglected" in the history of philosophy:
- His philosophy, Neoplatonism, was the dominant philosophical school in late antiquity and heavily influenced major Christian thinkers like St. Augustine and Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, thereby shaping much of medieval Christian theology and mysticism.
- His Enneads, compiled by his student Porphyry, is a foundational text in Western mysticism and metaphysics.
- He has been a continuous subject of study during the Renaissance and in modern philosophy, particularly in relation to idealism and mysticism.
Sri Aurobindo's Engagement with Plotinus
Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950) was a major Indian philosopher and yogi who sought to synthesize Eastern and Western thought. His interest in Plotinus was not an act of "resurrection" in the sense of rediscovery, but rather a re-evaluation and comparison of his philosophy with the principles of Advaita Vedanta and the Upanishads.
Sri Aurobindo's primary contributions to the understanding of Plotinus included:
- Highlighting Similarities with Indian Thought: Sri Aurobindo and his commentators pointed out strong analogies between Plotinus's conception of the One (the single first principle from which all else derives) and the concept of Brahman in the Upanishads.
- Integral Interpretation: Sri Aurobindo offered a different way of interpreting Plotinus's mystical goal, integrating it into his own philosophy of "Purna Yoga" (Integral Yoga), which emphasizes the manifestation of the Spirit in life and matter, not just an escape from it. He saw the entire structure of the Enneads as a philosophical path towards a specific spiritual realization.
- Clarifying Philosophical Concepts: Sri Aurobindo analyzed Plotinus's terms (like "Intellect" or Nous and "Soul" or Psyche), comparing them to concepts in Indian psychology (like buddhi and manas) to clarify their spiritual significance in a cross-cultural context.
In essence, while Plotinus remained an important figure in the West, Sri Aurobindo provided a unique, comparative lens that resonated with Eastern spiritual traditions and expanded the understanding and appreciation of Plotinus's work in a global philosophical dialogue.
- GoogleAI
How much Kashmiri Shaivism matches with Plotinus and Sri Aurobindo? - TNM
Kashmiri Shaivism (specifically the Trika system) shares profound structural and metaphysical similarities with both Plotinus and Sri Aurobindo, particularly in their rejection of world-denying philosophies in favor of a "dynamic monism."
Shared Metaphysical Framework
All three systems posit an ultimate, non-dual Reality that is both transcendent and immanent, though they use different terminology:
- The Absolute: Plotinus refers to "The One," Kashmiri Shaivism to "Parashiva," and Sri Aurobindo to "The Supermind/Sachchidananda."
- Dynamic Reality: Unlike Advaita Vedanta, which often views the world as an illusion (Maya), all three systems affirm the world is real.
- Kashmiri Shaivism: The universe is the Vimarsha (self-reflective activity) of Shiva.
- Plotinus: The world is an "emanation" of the One.
- Sri Aurobindo: The world is a manifestation or "evolution" of the Divine consciousness.
Matches Between Kashmiri Shaivism and Plotinus
The parallels between Paramadvaita (Kashmiri Shaivism) and Neoplatonism are considered by scholars to be among the strongest between Eastern and Western thought:
- Emanation and Return: Both describe a downward flow of reality from the Absolute into matter and an upward return of the soul to its source. The Kashmiri concepts of unmesha-nimesha (emergence-submergence) correspond to the Neoplatonic prohodos-epistrophe.
- Multilevel Reality: Both utilize complex hierarchies of being (the 36 Tattvas in Shaivism and the levels of Nous and Psyche in Plotinus) to explain how the One becomes the many.
- Subjectivity: Both systems hold that consciousness is fundamentally "subjective" and creative, not a passive observer of an external world.
Matches Between Kashmiri Shaivism and Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo's philosophy is often described as "superimposing" or matching the core tenets of Kashmiri Shaivism, even though he did not explicitly cite the Trika texts frequently:
- Integral Nature: Both advocate for an "integral" realization where the individual does not just escape the world but recognizes their identity with the Divine while living in it.
- Shakti and the Mother: In Kashmiri Shaivism, Shiva and Shakti (Power/Energy) are inseparable. Similarly, Sri Aurobindo's philosophy centers on the "Divine Mother" (Shakti) as the conscious force that mediates between the Transcendent and the Material world.
- Transcendental Ego: Both recognize a "Real I" (Ahamta) that is all-inclusive, distinguishing it from the limited human ego.
Key Comparison Table
| Feature | Kashmiri Shaivism | Plotinus (Neoplatonism) | Sri Aurobindo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status of World | Real (Expression of Bliss) | Real (Emanation) | Real (Manifestation/Evolution) |
| Ultimate Source | Parashiva | The One | Sachchidananda / Supermind |
| Primary Power | Shakti (Dynamic Activity) | The Intelligence (Nous) | The Mother (Chit-Shakti) |
| Goal of Life | Pratyabhijna (Recognition) | Contemplation of the One | Transformation / Divine Life |
- GoogleAI
Apart from these, Max Théon's Cosmic Movement is also a factor in Sri Aurobindo's scheme. - TNM
While Kashmiri Shaivism and Plotinus provided philosophical parallels, the Cosmic Movement of Max Théon was a crucial occult influence that entered Sri Aurobindo’s scheme primarily through The Mother (Mirra Alfassa).
The Mother studied with Max Théon and his wife Alma in Tlemcen, Algeria, in 1906 and 1907. She later transmitted these occult insights to Sri Aurobindo, who integrated and renamed several of their core concepts.
Key Influences of the Cosmic Movement
- The Psychic Being: The term "psychic being"—central to Sri Aurobindo's Yoga—was adapted from the Mother’s training with Théon. Théon used the term to describe a divine entity within that mediates between the spiritual and the material.
- The Intermediate Worlds: Sri Aurobindo’s detailed cartography of the occult planes (the vital, the mental, and various sub-planes) was significantly refined by the Mother’s systematic occult training under Théon.
- Spiritual Symbolism: The original inspiration for Sri Aurobindo’s symbol (the interlocking triangles) was a drawing by Théon.
- Evolutionary Mission: Both movements shared the aim of demonstrating man's divine origin and the mission to manifest that divinity on earth. They rejected the "iron cage" view of the body, seeing matter instead as a vehicle for the Spirit's evolution.
Distinctions and Refinement
While Sri Aurobindo acknowledged the value of Théon’s occult knowledge, he viewed it with some critical distance:
- Correction of Errors: Sri Aurobindo remarked that while Théon had a grasp of the "aim to be achieved," he "got much of it wrong" and lacked the same spiritual vibration as the ultimate Divine.
- Source of Truth: Sri Aurobindo believed the most accurate knowledge in the Cosmic Movement actually originated with Alma Théon, Max’s wife, rather than Max himself.
- Occultism vs. Yoga: For Sri Aurobindo, Théon was primarily a "guru in occultism," whereas his own work was a "decisive action direct from the Supreme," moving beyond occult mastery toward a total transformation of consciousness.
- GoogleAI
Assuming that the Supramental has been guiding the evolutionary journey even before The Mother & Sri Aurobindo, which streams of knowledge can be identified as salutary? - TNM
In Sri Aurobindo’s cosmology, the Supramental (the "Truth-Consciousness") is not a new creation but an indwelling principle that has been the hidden driver of evolution since the beginning. While most of history has been a "progression in the Ignorance," certain streams of knowledge are identified as salutary because they consciously or unconsciously aligned with this secret pressure of the Spirit.
1. The Vedic and Upanishadic "Direct Intuition"
The earliest Indian traditions are seen as the most direct "salutary" stream.
- The Vedic Seers: Sri Aurobindo viewed the Vedas as records of an early, intuitive period where humanity had access to the "Truth-Light" (Ritam-Jyoti).
- Original Vedanta: He distinguished between the earlier, world-affirming Upanishads and later, world-denying philosophies. The former emphasized that "All this is Brahman," preparing the ground for the idea that matter can be divinized.
2. Occult and Esoteric Traditions
Before the modern intellectual age, small minorities preserved knowledge of "inner countries" and occult forces that prepared the ascent beyond the mental man.
- Occult Schools (Egypt, Atlantis): Sri Aurobindo suggested that civilizations like Egypt or the legendary Atlantis exercised enormous influence by opening "doors to occult and spiritual knowledge," though they often stood apart from the mass of humanity.
- Alchemy and Hermeticism: Though not always explicitly named as "Supramental," the search for a "divine body" or the transmutation of matter into spirit in Western esoteric traditions mirrors the Supramental aim of physical transformation.
3. Modern Materialist Science (as a "Pressure of Contraries")
Surprisingly, Sri Aurobindo identified modern rationalism and materialism as salutary in a specific, dialectical sense.
- Training of the Intellect: Materialism helped "clean up the encrustations of established religion" and trained the human intellect to be precise, analytic, and rigorous.
- Focus on Matter: By giving "life in Matter an importance which the spirituality of the past was inclined to deny to it," modern science inadvertently aided the "descent movement" by forcing the spirit to manifest within the material world rather than escaping from it.
4. Evolutionary Philosophy and "Vitalism"
Thinkers who began to move away from mechanical Darwinism toward a "creative" or "conscious" evolution prepared the mental framework for his synthesis.
- Henri Bergson’s Élan Vital: Sri Aurobindo acknowledged Bergson's "Vitalism" as a step toward recognizing an indwelling conscious force in life, though he criticized its lack of a higher, "supramental" goal beyond the vital.
- Psychology of the "Self": Developments in psychology that began to look beyond the surface personality toward a "subliminal" or "true self" aligned with his concept of the Psychic Being.
5. Ethical and Social Humanism
While he viewed morality as a mental construct, the Human Cycle of evolution includes a stage where the search for "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" acts as a shadow-reflection of the Supramental Truth-Harmony. These ideals represent the mind’s attempt to organize a unity that only the Supermind can truly realize.
- GoogleAI
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