Potentials are Infinite
May 14, 2000
Man uses the infinitesimal
Man is aware of his external life and its obstacles. He is unaware of its inner as well as external potential. He who seeks the Spirit for moksha has no need to explore that potential, though he knows of it after a fashion. When man tries to enrich his life, his only thought is of the externals and that too the surface life of the externals. The potential of the external life is not ten fold or manifold, nor is there an untapped potential that can be used up in one hundred or one thousand years, but it is an infinite, ever-increasing potential which mankind can never exhaust, as it increases with each level of using it up. Man cannot afford to lay his hands on this unless he first goes inside and explores the potentials of mind and spirit. Those fringe ideas that can be explained by the very limited scope of the Theory of Development are listed below. They will attain to their fullness only when the ideas are extended to all life – subtle and causal – and finally to all Spirit. There is one more stage which should be our one goal, but I shall not touch upon it very much. It is spirit in life.
- History has called Progress Civilisation.
- In general terms, this has meant the process of mentalising physical, vital life.
- From the point of the view of the past, the achievements are stupendous, but from the point of view of what is possible, we have not scratched the surface.
- Whatever progress has ever been made anywhere, it is only the frontal part, while its invisible part is all over the earth and humanity and therefore infinite.
- For any little step taken forward anywhere, there is a world of invisible potential spread all over the world. That is the untapped infinite potential I now wish to dwell on.
- Every organisation conceived by the Society has not only taken her forward but proved capable of integrating with every other future organisation to be born so that ORGANISATIONS have become the reinforcements of the social cement.
- The great potential I speak of issues out of the organisations born of mind trickling down to those in the physical. Society draws on this resource only when it is compelled, i.e. unconsciously.
- A conscious utilization of this potential will make the invisible potential a reality to the actual user.
- I have one best illustration in the reverse. Money is a mental organisation. Since its invention, it became integrated with the vital organisation of commerce and the physical organisation of production. Its contribution to the society will best be appreciated if we imagine our life today assuming NO MONEY ever came into existence.
- What is true of money is true of education, science, technology, religion, culture, production, distribution and every other social function. As each is innovated, it integrates with others and takes the entire society so much forward that at no time shall we be able to know which accomplishment is the result of which system.
- Suppose we are able to fully appreciate the growth of society only from the point of view of money, we shall still be able to lay our hands on so much.
- My argument is as much can now be created if we become aware of the invisible parts of such an achievement and then devise ways of using them.
- It is quite a task to show what exists before our very eyes – e.g. inflation – and explain its various effects. So, the endeavor to base arguments and explanations on an imaginary situation and that too an imagination in the reverse, is not going to succeed very much. Still, that being a formidable argument directly issuing from the spiritual truth, I have faith that it will finally work.
- We know currency represents the wealth of the nation and particularly the production of the year. Currency must represent all the wealth of the nation. In that measure, it will be real money, not causing inflation. Nations must recognize this and devise ways and means to convert all wealth into liquidity.
- This is true in all fields such as education, technology, skills, capacities, wealth, commerce, trade, tourism, etc.
- It is a recognized fact in industry that their most skilled personnel are from the villages. The village is a site where production has been going on for ages. All the productive skills ARE there in the village youth. Is not that potential one thousand times greater than we have used in industry?
- All our civilizations were at one time subtle civilizations. On our surface we have lost the subtlety. But subtlety is not lost. Are we aware of the fact? Can we provide for those subtle skills to emerge in today’s society? What will the multiple be?
- Psychologically, MAN retains subconsciously ALL the skills he ever learnt. It is up to him to recognize them and bring them to the surface. Once they are out, he is a giant.
- This is one reason why non-personalities like Truman placed in the right circumstances exhibit great ability.
- It is my argument that what is achieved in one part of the world is available to all other parts of the world, especially after a lapse of time, as that achievement goes into the POTENTIAL of the world.
- Just now I speak of all the potentials that are visible to every eye that wants to see, as in the case of money.
- Sri Aurobindo says the accomplishments of the West are their spiritual attainments – discovering Brahman in Matter – in the physical plane. I wish to add that the diligence of the West drew upon the spiritual preserves of the East.
- As for India drawing upon the technological and organisational attainments of the West, there is nothing subtle.
- The true key will be found when India recognizes her own strength in spirituality. The West should recognize the spiritual value of their material achievements to step into spirituality.
- Any individual who wishes to stumble on infinite LUCK can do so when he recognizes this great invisible potential in his own self.