Jan. 6, 2025
The Role of the Mind in the Search for Ultimate Truth
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XVIII Mind, pg. 140 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/01/04/the-role-of-the-mind-in-the-search-for-ultimate-truth/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are all available on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:05,000
As mental beings, we tend to
believe that the mind is able to
2
00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:09,520
determine the truth of things.
We soon learn, however, that
3
00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:12,280
there are many issues that
prevent the mind from actually
4
00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,000
ascertaining truth in any
ultimate form.
5
00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:20,560
We rely on the perceptions of
our senses, but those senses can
6
00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,440
be misled.
Witness the deep fakes we find
7
00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,160
nowadays on the Internet and the
photoshopped images.
8
00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:33,080
We may believe they are true
representations, but if we
9
00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:37,440
examine more closely, we find
that they are not only fictional
10
00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:42,680
but intentionally misleading.
There's an old proverb that says
11
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,920
one should believe only half of
what one sees and nothing of
12
00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,720
what one hears.
That proverb is, however, long
13
00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:53,640
outdated.
Nowadays we find that we have to
14
00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:57,080
constantly question what we
experience with our senses.
15
00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,400
It is not, however, just
misleading data provided to the
16
00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:07,040
senses, but limited and narrowly
framed data that also creates
17
00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:11,160
false impressions for us.
The mind does not generally
18
00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:16,520
perceive the entirety of the
situation, facts, circumstances,
19
00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:21,400
backgrounds, and direction of
the energy, and thus will tend
20
00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:25,040
to reach inaccurate and skewed
conclusions about what is taking
21
00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,360
place.
We are also subject to flawed
22
00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,640
reasoning from the observations
we make.
23
00:01:31,320 --> 00:01:35,800
We may leap to conclusions, or
we may use a line of reasoning
24
00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,880
that embodies one of the known
logic flaws that philosophers
25
00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:45,080
have identified.
Srioro Bindo in The Life Divine
26
00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:49,840
enumerates the sevenfold
ignorance, which identifies not
27
00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:54,240
just these noted weaknesses in
our intellectual process, but
28
00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:59,080
others as well, including our
temporal ignorance where we do
29
00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,240
not take into account the
process of time.
30
00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,520
We may conclude from such an
analysis that the mind is doomed
31
00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,960
to be a flawed and misleading
instrument and thus not able to
32
00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:16,280
perceive truth.
However, we also find that we
33
00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,440
aspire for truth.
We seek for truth, and many of
34
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,840
the flaws we have identified in
our perception and in our
35
00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:28,320
processes of reasoning are the
result of our very seeking for
36
00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:32,880
truth in what we experience.
Human beings are not content
37
00:02:32,920 --> 00:02:37,520
with falsehood, and once they
discover it, they seek for ways
38
00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:42,800
to overcome its influence.
It is this aspiration for truth
39
00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:46,640
that allows the mind to
eventually tune itself to a
40
00:02:46,640 --> 00:02:50,880
higher level of consciousness
which cures the very flaws that
41
00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:52,760
are embedded in the mental
domain.
42
00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:55,800
It can become receptive to
truth.
43
00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:01,440
The lectures on Raji Yoga by
Swami Vivekananda describe the
44
00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:05,720
need for the mind stuff to
become still in order to be able
45
00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,960
to reflect the deeper truth of
our existence.
46
00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:14,160
Trior Ovindo describes the
silent mind as a receptacle that
47
00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:18,120
can perceive and express a
higher consciousness that is
48
00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:23,200
based on knowledge by identity,
which is the basis of perceiving
49
00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:26,840
truth.
All other forms of knowledge
50
00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,920
described at length in the Life
Divine have their limitations
51
00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:34,440
and flaws.
It is only knowledge by identity
52
00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,680
that gives us a true
understanding, and it is
53
00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:42,520
possible that the mind, in its
aspiration and seeking for
54
00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:46,880
something true and real, is an
instrument that is intended to
55
00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:51,120
lead us to the edge of the next
stage of conscious evolution.
56
00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:57,640
Rio Robindo observes quote.
Mind has a power also for truth.
57
00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:02,680
It opens its thought chamber to
vidya as well as to avidya.
58
00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:07,320
And if its starting point is
ignorance, if its passage is
59
00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:12,280
through crooked ways of error,
still its goal is always
60
00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,360
knowledge.
There is in it an impulse of
61
00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:20,920
truth seeking, a power, even
though secondary and limited, of
62
00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,440
truth finding and truth
creation.
63
00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:28,400
Even if it is only images or
representations or abstract
64
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:30,760
expressions of truth that it can
show us.
65
00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,800
Still, these are in their own
manner truth reflections or
66
00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:38,680
truth formations, and the
realities of which they are
67
00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:42,800
forms are present in their more
concrete truth in some deeper
68
00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:48,160
depth or on some higher level of
power of our consciousness.
69
00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:53,360
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindo and the
70
00:04:53,360 --> 00:05:00,040
Mother Powers within, Chapter
18, Mind, page 140.
00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:05,000
As mental beings, we tend to
believe that the mind is able to
2
00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:09,520
determine the truth of things.
We soon learn, however, that
3
00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:12,280
there are many issues that
prevent the mind from actually
4
00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,000
ascertaining truth in any
ultimate form.
5
00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:20,560
We rely on the perceptions of
our senses, but those senses can
6
00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,440
be misled.
Witness the deep fakes we find
7
00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,160
nowadays on the Internet and the
photoshopped images.
8
00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:33,080
We may believe they are true
representations, but if we
9
00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:37,440
examine more closely, we find
that they are not only fictional
10
00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:42,680
but intentionally misleading.
There's an old proverb that says
11
00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,920
one should believe only half of
what one sees and nothing of
12
00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,720
what one hears.
That proverb is, however, long
13
00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:53,640
outdated.
Nowadays we find that we have to
14
00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:57,080
constantly question what we
experience with our senses.
15
00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,400
It is not, however, just
misleading data provided to the
16
00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:07,040
senses, but limited and narrowly
framed data that also creates
17
00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:11,160
false impressions for us.
The mind does not generally
18
00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:16,520
perceive the entirety of the
situation, facts, circumstances,
19
00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:21,400
backgrounds, and direction of
the energy, and thus will tend
20
00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:25,040
to reach inaccurate and skewed
conclusions about what is taking
21
00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,360
place.
We are also subject to flawed
22
00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,640
reasoning from the observations
we make.
23
00:01:31,320 --> 00:01:35,800
We may leap to conclusions, or
we may use a line of reasoning
24
00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,880
that embodies one of the known
logic flaws that philosophers
25
00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:45,080
have identified.
Srioro Bindo in The Life Divine
26
00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:49,840
enumerates the sevenfold
ignorance, which identifies not
27
00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:54,240
just these noted weaknesses in
our intellectual process, but
28
00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:59,080
others as well, including our
temporal ignorance where we do
29
00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,240
not take into account the
process of time.
30
00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,520
We may conclude from such an
analysis that the mind is doomed
31
00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,960
to be a flawed and misleading
instrument and thus not able to
32
00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:16,280
perceive truth.
However, we also find that we
33
00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,440
aspire for truth.
We seek for truth, and many of
34
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,840
the flaws we have identified in
our perception and in our
35
00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:28,320
processes of reasoning are the
result of our very seeking for
36
00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:32,880
truth in what we experience.
Human beings are not content
37
00:02:32,920 --> 00:02:37,520
with falsehood, and once they
discover it, they seek for ways
38
00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:42,800
to overcome its influence.
It is this aspiration for truth
39
00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:46,640
that allows the mind to
eventually tune itself to a
40
00:02:46,640 --> 00:02:50,880
higher level of consciousness
which cures the very flaws that
41
00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:52,760
are embedded in the mental
domain.
42
00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:55,800
It can become receptive to
truth.
43
00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:01,440
The lectures on Raji Yoga by
Swami Vivekananda describe the
44
00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:05,720
need for the mind stuff to
become still in order to be able
45
00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,960
to reflect the deeper truth of
our existence.
46
00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:14,160
Trior Ovindo describes the
silent mind as a receptacle that
47
00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:18,120
can perceive and express a
higher consciousness that is
48
00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:23,200
based on knowledge by identity,
which is the basis of perceiving
49
00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:26,840
truth.
All other forms of knowledge
50
00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,920
described at length in the Life
Divine have their limitations
51
00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:34,440
and flaws.
It is only knowledge by identity
52
00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,680
that gives us a true
understanding, and it is
53
00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:42,520
possible that the mind, in its
aspiration and seeking for
54
00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:46,880
something true and real, is an
instrument that is intended to
55
00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:51,120
lead us to the edge of the next
stage of conscious evolution.
56
00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:57,640
Rio Robindo observes quote.
Mind has a power also for truth.
57
00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:02,680
It opens its thought chamber to
vidya as well as to avidya.
58
00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:07,320
And if its starting point is
ignorance, if its passage is
59
00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:12,280
through crooked ways of error,
still its goal is always
60
00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,360
knowledge.
There is in it an impulse of
61
00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:20,920
truth seeking, a power, even
though secondary and limited, of
62
00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,440
truth finding and truth
creation.
63
00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:28,400
Even if it is only images or
representations or abstract
64
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:30,760
expressions of truth that it can
show us.
65
00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,800
Still, these are in their own
manner truth reflections or
66
00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:38,680
truth formations, and the
realities of which they are
67
00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:42,800
forms are present in their more
concrete truth in some deeper
68
00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:48,160
depth or on some higher level of
power of our consciousness.
69
00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:53,360
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindo and the
70
00:04:53,360 --> 00:05:00,040
Mother Powers within, Chapter
18, Mind, page 140.