Sri Aurobindo (The Builders of Indian Philosophy Series)

Sri Aurobindo's philosophy of integralism is unique in Indian philosophy. It is integral for two reasons: it not only comprehends the whole of reality, but also integrates the lower levels of experience into the higher. If reality is integral, the knowledge required for realizing it must also be integral. Since the means must e appropriate to the end, the discipline that is formulated by Sri Aurobindo for achieving the goal is integral yoga which brings about the ascent of consciousness leading to the realization of the cosmic Self as well as the descent of consciousness leading to the divinization of nature. The work of perfected beings whom Sri Aurobindo calls Gnostic beings in bringing about this transformation of society is decisive. This volume highlights the contribution of Sri Aurobindo to Indian philosophy elucidating the salient features of his epistemology and metaphysics, social philosophy and integral yoga.

About the Author:

M.P. Pandit served as the personal secretary to the Mother at the Aurobindo Ashram, and the Mother became the entire focus of his life. His writing career spanned six decades, publishing over one hundred fifty books and many articles on subjects as diverse as philosophy, polity, psychology, science, religion, and mysticism.

About the Series:

The Philosophical concepts and categories associated with Sankhya, Vaisesika, carvaka, Jaina, and Bauddha systems are as old as the Vedas. However, the formulation of different systems must have taken place later on. Unfortunately, we do not know about the historical development of these ideas prior to the systematic presentation of them in the form of sutras (aphorisms) which serve as the basic text for each of these schools. Because of the brevity of the sutras, it is difficult to understand the sutra-work without the help of a commentary. Then came the commentaries and sub-commentaries of various kinds on the texts, all of them being interconnected starting from the basic sutra text. Texts, both expository and polemical, were written defending the basic doctrines of each system and also criticizing the views of other systems; and these texts are also commentaries.

A commentary is much more than an exegesis. It is also creative while doing the work of interpretation. The text taken up for interpretation has a context or horizon of its own; the interpreter, too, has a horizon of his/her own. The interaction between the two horizons is a basic element in every kind of interpretation. This interaction between the two horizons, which goes on whenever a text is explained, "enriches" the text and makes it both purportful and purposive. So a commentary is as much original as the text it is commenting on. Indian philosophy was built and developed, strengthened and shaped by the commentarial tradition.

Contemporary Indian philosophy, academic as well as non-academic, have enriched the tradition in several ways. Like classical commentators, they are "builders" of Indian philosophy in the two areas of pure and applied philosophy. The monographs in this series called "Builders of Indian Philosophy" are intended to elucidate and highlight their contribution to Indian Philosophy.

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