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"Knowledge by Identity and Seperative Knowledge"
(Book 2 Chapter X)

 

Introduction
In this chapter, Sri Aurobindo describes our four cognitive capacities from knowledge by identity (highest) to seperative contact (lowest).  He then goes on to say that as we move from our surface consciousness to the depths within we move up this scale of capacity of knowledge. He then describes in great detail the high capacities and levels of consciousness we experience and express when we are centered in the subliminal being within. Finally he says that as we move to the depths and experience the superconscient realms from within, our unevolved subconscient begins to transform.


Here are the main points in greater detail:

The Scale of 4 Cognitive Methods of Knowing
In this chapter Sri Aurobindo begins by describing the 4 cognitive methods of Nature that range from knowledge by identity (highest) to seperative knowledge (lowest). They are (1) knowledge by identity, (b) knowledge by of intimate contact but separated from the source, (3) a partial identity but separated from the object of cognition, and (4) wholly seperative by indirect contact.

[This scale is from very highest to lowest levels of Knowledge cognition. We are normally in the lowest.; i.e. the ignorance of #4. Integral Knowledge is the highest, i.e. knowledge by identity. This is essentially supramental perception.]

Moving from the Surface to the Depths that Enables Movement Up the Scale
He then reemphasizes that when we move away from the surface and into the depths we develop higher cognitive abilities amongst these four, enabling us to move from our Ignorance to Integral Knowledge. He also reiterates how the surface ego is the cause of that Ignorance.

The Perceptions, Faculties, and Experience of being Centered in the Subliminal Realm
His main focus in the chapter is describing the experiences that we have when we move to the depths of the inner being, i.e. the subliminal. [Note: See detailed explanation of these in section in the mid to lower part of this page.] They include-

Subliminal Experience of Cosmic Consciousness; Beyond to Knowledge by Identity
Sri Aurobindo also says that from within, the subliminal we come in contact with the cosmic consciousness; of the cosmic spirit, of our connection to a higher individuality [the universal and transcendent self, described elsewhere]. There is an even greater power which is knowledge by identity. There we are one with the object of perception. It is an enveloping cognition and vision; each things is perceived in terms of each and all things, of its larger all containing existence.

[In essence, we can say that the cosmic connection is that of the Overmind; and the knowledge by identity with the object is that of supramental perception.]

The Superconscient Connection that Overcomes the Subconscient
As we open to these higher sphere of intuition of Intuitive Mind, of cosmic consciousness [of Overmind], and knowledge by identify [of Supermind], it begins to overcome the limitations of our subconscient nature within. The superconscient can even be perceived to exist buried in, involved in the subconscient and inconscient within us.

Other
-[We can perceive a scale of cognition in the seperative mental from sense mind > life mind > surface conception, thought reason. (from lower to higher). One could also conceivably be created from the Subliminal to the deeper, more conscious and powerful psychic entity.]

-He also mentions that there is a subliminal Presence in the material existence.

 

[DETAILS]

THE FOUR COGNITIVE METHODS OF NATURE

-The original and fundamental way of knowing is knowledge by identify.

-The second, derivative from the first, is knowledge by identity, but where it is separated from its source.

-The third is knowledge by separation from the object of observation, but a partial identity.

-The fourth, a complete separation through the machinery of indirect contact.

Thus, the 4 cognitive methods of Nature are (1) by identity, (b) of intimate contact, (3) of seperative direct contact, and (4) wholly seperative by indirect contact.

-We can detach ourselves and move to the depths, enabling us to develop a witness consciousness.

 

 MOVEMENT INWARD FREES FROM OUR LIMITATIONS & PERFECTION OF KNOWLEDGE

-The movement inward to a witness consciousness frees us from the limits of Nature, and puts us more in tune with our own and the world existence.

-The thinker cannot both plunge into thinking and observe and review his thoughts.

-But one can achieve this to a lesser or larger degree by stepping back from the mental thought and energy.

-In the cognition of external things, our knowledge has an entirely seperative basis. [I.e. on the surface we develop a seperative perception of things.]

-Our limitation and imperfection of knowledge is there because we are concentrated on the surface. A true nature is therefore blocked by an external consciousness.

 

OUR SURFACE EGO AS CAUSE OF IGNORANCE, LIMITED KNOWLEDGE

-And yet our consciousness has to defend its ego-centric individualization, not only against our own individual oneness but against the comic influence.

This self-improvement and fortification in the bounds of the surface ego is the cause of our limited knowledge; our Ignorance.

-We can grow out of this seperative and limited Ignorance when our ego-sense opens to the wider existence and true being within, enabling a direct knowledge, including one of identity.

 

THE MANY WAYS GOING TO THE DEPTHS GIVES US POWER OVER LIFE (This is a key in the chapter)

-Going within must precede the opening to the cosmic realm. [Later SA will say that the psychic transformation needs to precede the spiritual one.]

-Perceiving the Source of What We Think, Feel, and Act -- By going within to the inner mind, vital, and physical, we are able to see the spring of our thoughts and feelings, the sources and motives of our actions, the operative energies that build up our surface personality.

-We Can See and Change our Limited Nature -- From the depths our mental, vital, and physical limitations can be seen, worked on, and changed. Better so from the deepest inner realm, the psychic being. We develop there powers of control, to choose in the right direction, and have the power to harmonize that which is divided.

We perceive mistakes of the outer consciousness; we hence have a better perception of our becoming; we develop mastery over the outer vital life; even have power to enhance the outer physical energies.

-We Develop a Power Over the Outer Life -- From the depths, the inner being can begin to have a real power over the outer life.

-We Develop Supra Normal Faculties -- From within in the subliminal we possess powers of telepathy, clairvoyance, second site, and other supernormal faculties.

-We Become One with Others, Occult Intangibles, Thoughts & Feelings Around Us -- From the subliminal we enter into direct contact with other consciousnesses and objects, achieving an immediate, intimate, and spontaneous knowledge of persons, objects of the occult and normally intangible energies that surround us.

We can become directly aware of the thoughts and feelings around us; to feel their impact and movement.

-He describes how we misjudge, misunderstand one another (559).

-He explains how we can know others around by moving to the subliminal (559-560).

-Our action on others can be a conscious help, a luminous interchange, an inner understanding and union.

-Being Aware of the Impersonal Forces Around Us -- The subliminal connection also changes our relation to the impersonal forces of the world around us.

In our dealings with the impersonal forces of the world, we can through the subliminal connection be in touch with, be aware of the mental and vital forces; with the immediate motive and movement of these forces; allowing even the forecasting of future actions, sensing the coming of future events.

 

IN THE DEPTHS CONNENCTING WITH THE COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS, ENERGY, MIND, AND LIFE

-The subliminal can break the boundaries of individuality and enter into a cosmic consciousness.

-It can project itself beyond the limits of the sheaths of our being, forming a circumconscient through which it receives contacts of the world; and further to the cosmic existence around is.

-Its first result is the experience of the cosmic spirit.

-Another is the experience of a cosmic energy that is working through one's life beyond the normal individuality.

-There is an opening to the cosmic Mind and Life.

-Via the subliminal there is a sense of unity of the individual with the cosmic.

Via the subliminal there is a sense that the world is held; and an intimate inclusion in the world consciousness. [In a corollary to the principle of inner-outer correspondence, we say that the since there is no division between the inner and the outer, that the entire world is held within us.]

 

BEYOND THE COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS TO KNOWLEDGE BY IDENTITY

-In the surface consciousness, knowledge represents itself as a truth seen from the outside, thrown on us from the object. Our surface mind is pierced by sense.

 This is our mental way of knowing things.

-The more we move within, the more we move to the planes that lead to knowledge by identity.

-In the depths we can perceive and be in identity with objects that on the surface we perceive hardly any connection with.

-We have knowledge by identity through higher planes of consciousness, which we rise to by going to the depths.

-Knowledge by identity occurs through our experience through the planes of the higher hemisphere [i.e. supramental and above].

-But the cosmic consciousness of things is founded on knowledge by identity; an enveloping cognition and vision; each things in terms of each and all things of its larger all containing existence.

-To know what knowledge by identity is we need to go beyond the inner mind to the superconscient.

-A seperative knowledge arises when the sense of differentiation overpowers the sense of identity.

-The subliminal self is a projection from these higher planes.

-In the subliminal, even in the cosmic consciousness, we get a greater knowledge, but not a complete and original one.

 

INTEGRAL KNOWLEDGE & CONNECTING TO THE PSYCHIC ENTITY, THE SOUL

-The deeper we go within, culminating in the psychic entity, the evolving soul, the greater our capacity to have these subtle experiences and powers

-We Perceive the Truth of Things, and the Divine -- By connecting to the soul, we develop an intrinsic spiritual perception of the truth of things; and the perception of that which is Divine.

-Towards Integral Knowledge & Transformation -- Through psychic connection, we begin to move towards the integral knowledge and transformation.

 

THE SUPERCONSCIENT OVERCOMING THE SUBSCONSCIENT

-The more we open, go, live, receive from within, the more we draw away from subjection to our subconscient origins and move to the superconscient.

-All this state and action of the Inconscient corresponds with the same state and action of the pure superconscient, but translated in terms of the Darkness.

-We have knowledge by identity through higher planes of consciousness, which we rise to by going to the depths. There we are able to draw out the superconscience out of its sleep in the Inconscience of the Spirit in Matter.

-In the depths, we can perceive the superconscient buried in the inconscient.

-There are forces of the Spirit emerging by Energy from its Self-absorbed Inconscience.

 

THE SUBLIMINAL IN THE MATERIAL

-There is a subliminal Presence in material existence.

-The submental life vibration is the first emergence from the material.

 

SCALE OF SEPERATIVE MENTAL; SUBLIMINAL/PSYHCIC

Seperative mental -- sense mind > life mind > surface conception, thought reason. (from lower to higher)

-[Subliminal to psychic can be considered another, even higher scale.]

 

OTHER

-On the side of action, the cosmic energies are seen to move in masses, waves, and currents, constantly constituting and reconstituting beings, objects, movements, and happenings.

-The inner being perceives that energies too emanate from us -- mental and vital -  and get passed on to others.