Theos-Talk Archives (September 2002 Message tt00054)

I took a look for other references to Aurobindo's thought and find at

http://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htm

>Sri Aurobindo's teachings are interesting, indeed unique for a major
Indian 
>philosopher, in that he presents a very theosophical-anthroposophical 
>cosmology, involving specific planes of existence, subtle psychic
faculties, 
>spiritual entities, and long processes of evolution. In a real sense
he 
>represents more the theosophical-gnostic stream in Indian guise, rather

>than a specifically Indian (Advaitan or Tantric) approach; the very
real 
>contributions of the latter notwithstanding. So if Western spiritual 
>philosophy acquires an Indian-Tibetan flavor with Blavatskian
Theosophy, 
>India conversely acquires a Western (esoteric and exoteric) flavor with

>Aurobindo.

Another site at

http://www.alpheus.org/html/articles/esoteric_history/bevir1.html

says:

>The suitability of theosophy as a belief-system for Hindus struggling
to
>come to terms with the impact of the west on their cultural heritage
>appears in the extent to which it incorporates doctrines characteristic
of 
>Hindu reform movements of that time. Blavatsky, like Swami Vivekannanda
and 
>Sri Aurobindo, and, perhaps slightly more awkwardly, like Dayananda 
>Sarasvati, eulogized the Hindu tradition whilst also calling for reform
of 
>corruptions found in its modern expressions. She, like them, evoked a
true 
>Hinduism that incorporated a monotheistic and evolutionary cosmology 
>according to which the divine could be found at work within all things.
She, 
>like them, evoked an idealized past in which Indian society had been a
pure 
>and harmonious expression of this true, spiritual Hinduism. And she,
like 
>them, wanted modern Indians to return to this true Hinduism by purging 
>their society of corruptions such as child-marriage. Hinduism, they all

>concluded, incorporates the central insights of modern science, such as
a 
>geological time-scale and a theory of evolution, and also a rational,
even 
>liberal, ethic emphasizing things such as social service. 

I think that Aurobindo was advanced enough to recognize and teach some
form of the Esoteric Philosophy. Like him, we can look at all spiritual
organizations (including the Theosophical Society) and find problems.
We'll find pretenders to spirituality in every group, including
theosophical, Catholic, Hindu, and Secular Materialistic Science. There
will be fools, imposters, hate mongers, deceivers, and other "rotten
apples" in every lot. It's up to our spiritual insight to discern the
good from the bad, the true from the false, and the real from the
unreal. 

For each of us, when we come across something that is *genuine* and
works for us, there's no question about it. We'll explore it, benefit
from it, and use it to make the world better -- regardless of how many
there are that fail to see and value from it, perhaps even opposing us
because of not knowing better.

-- Eldon