The Absolute exercising his prerogative of self-determination has decided to seek one more expression of delight and for that purpose has created the universe. The third aspect of such an endeavour is the Bliss of Satchidananda which is static. The static Bliss rises in intensity to active delight in the second phase of creation which is evolution, when knowledge emerges out of ignorance. 

The descent from supermind to mind which results in division gives rise to the five characteristics of human existence - mind, surface, finite, time and ego. All the five go together. In supermind, there can be a sense of distinction but not division of the subject from the object. In mind, the consciousness is situated on the surface of the being, identified with the separate viewpoint of the finite subject in time, cut off from its own depths and its oneness with all the other manifestations of the One. That is ego.

Life is of several shades. It is absolute and relative. There is embodied life, and life also exists in creatures that have no bodies. Life can be inert and lifeless, or it may be full of energy and life. It exists with high intelligence and low intelligence. All these types of life have a truth in them. That truth is omnipresent reality. Life varies infinitely. Many types are opposed to many others. Life can contradict our close experience. Life can move on to the Brahman. Brahman cannot be described in words.

June 19, 1999 

Development as we have conceived is a natural process of the society. That which develops is the society. It is developed by its own social will, which releases social energy. Energy given direction becomes force, force directed by organization turns into power, power expressed through skills generates results.

• ‘The Life Divine' describes the descent of The Absolute and the ascent of Matter to it.
•  If something is explained, it must be intelligible.
•  Apart from the linguistic barrier, there is a genuine lack of comprehension even among those whose mother tongue is English.

• She has spoken of Supramental efficiency.
• We know the Supramental begins with the psychic and also know the psychic only guides, and has no power to act. If that is so, will the phrase ‘psychic efficiency' have any sense?
• The greatest human efficiency known is the efficiency of the subconscious - the typist whose fingers move rapidly, the musician who performs at his best which would be spoiled by a single conscious thought impulse.
• But it has no authority as the conscious thought.

This article tries to explain at length the knotty points in The Life Divine through a kind of discussion. It is meant for those who are familiar with the book. Below is a sketchy summary of the book, The Life Divine and the aim of the discussion in life, especially the family and the school.

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• The march of civilisation can be explained as the individual and the collective acquiring greater practical knowledge.
• That practical knowledge is either reached from below by the collective experience or from above by the corresponding theoretical wisdom.
• The lines of growth are traced along,

1. Skill, capacity, and talent - individual as well as collective.

2. Physical, vital, mental, spiritual skills, attitudes, understandings and values.

3. Physical security, vital prosperity, mental knowledge and spiritual enlightenment.

• To accomplish things in the given context without offending the values of the existing order is accomplishment par excellence.
• The latest social revolutions were the Russian and Chinese.