It
is by the thought that we dissipate ourselves in the phenomenal;
it is by the gathering back of the thought into itself that
we must draw ourselves back into the real. Concentration
has three powers by which this aim can be effected. By concentration
on anything whatsoever we are able to know that thing, to
make it deliver up its concealed secrets; we must use
this power to know not things, but the one Thing-in-itself.
By concentration again the whole will can be gathered up
for the acquisition of that which is still ungrasped, still
beyond us; this power, if it is sufficiently trained, sufficiently
single- minded, sufficiently sincere, sure of itself, faithful
to itself alone, absolute in faith, we can use for the acquisition
of any object whatsoever; but we ought to use it not for
the acquisition of the many objects which the world offers
to us, but to grasp spiritually that one object worthy of
pursuit which is also the one subject worthy of knowledge.
By concentration of our whole being on one status of itself,
we can become whatever I we choose; we can become, for instance,
even if we were before a mass of weaknesses and fears, a
mass instead of strength and courage, or we can become all
a great purity, holiness and peace or a single universal
soul of Love; but we ought, it is said, to use this power
to become not even these things, high as they may be in comparison
with what we now are, but rather to become that which is
above all things and free from all action and attributes,
the pure and absolute Being. All else, all other concentration
can only be valuable for preparation, for previous steps,
for a gradual training of the dissolute and self-dissipating
thought, will and being towards their grand and unique object.
Sri
Aurobindo |