Arthur Avalon Shakti and Shak (Sir John Woodroffe),1918 (2)

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.She works in and as all things; now greatly veiling Her consciousness-bliss in gross matter, now by gradual stages more fully revealing Herself in the forms of the one universal Life which She is.Let us now first examine Her most gross manifestation, that is, sensible matter (Bhuta), then Her more subtle aspect as the Life-force and Mind, and lastly Her Supreme Shakti aspect as Consciousness.I here deal with the subject in a general way having treated of it in greater detail in the book just now cited (World as Power).The physical human body is composed of certain compounds of which the chief are water, gelatin, fat, phosphate of lime, albumen and fibrin, and, of these, water constitutes some two-thirds of the total weight.These compounds, again, are composed of simpler non-metallic elements of which the chief are oxygen (to the extent of about two-thirds), hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus.So about two-thirds of the body is water and this is H2O.Substantially then our gross body is water.But when we get to these simpler elements, have we got to the root of the matter P No.It was formerly http://www.sacred-texts.com/tantra/sas/sas15.htm (5 of 23)07/03/2005 16:03:15Chapter Fifteen: Maya-Shakti (The Psycho-Physical Aspect of the Universe) thought that matter was composed of certain elements beyond which it was not possible to go, and that these elements and their atoms were indestructible.These notions have been reversed by modern science.Though the alleged indestructibility of the elements and their atoms is still said by some to present the character of a "practical truth," well-known recent discoveries and experiments go to re-establish the ancient doctrine of a single primordial substance to which these various forms of matter may be reduced, with the resultant of the possible and hitherto derided transmutation of one element into another; since each is but one of the many plural manifestations of the same underlying unity.The so-called elements are varied forms of this one substance which themselves combine to form the various compounds.The variety of our experience is due to permutation and combination of the atoms of the matter into which the primordial energy materializes.We thus find that owing to the variety of atomic combinations of H N O C there are differences in the compounds.It is curious to note in passing how apparently slight variations in the quantity and distribution of the atoms produce very varying substances.Thus gluten which is a nutrient food, and quinine and strychnine which are in varying degree poisons, are each compounds of C H N O.Strychnine, a powerful poison, is C21H22N2O2 and quinine is C20H24N2O2.N and 0 are the same in both and there is a difference of one part only of C and 2 of H.But neither these compounds nor the so-called elements of which they are composed are permanent things.Scientific matter is now found to be only a relatively stable form of cosmic energy.All matter dissociates and passes into the energy of which it is a materialized form and again it issues from it.Modern Western Science and Philosophy have thus removed many difficulties which were formerly thought to be objections to the ancient Indian doctrine on the subject here dealt with.It has, in the first place.dispelled the gross notions which were hitherto generally entertained as to the nature of "matter."According to the notions of quite recent science, "matter" was defined to be that which has mass, weight and inertia.It must be now admitted that the two latter qualities no longer stand the test of examination, since, putting aside our ignorance as to the nature of weight, this quality varies, if we conceive matter to be placed under conditions which admittedly affect it; and the belief in inertia is due to superficial observation, it being now generally conceded that the final elements of matter are in a state of spontaneous and perpetual motion.In fact, the most general phenomenon of the universe is vibration, to which the human body as all else is subject.Various vibrations affect differently each organ of sensation.When of certain quality and number, they denote to the skin the degree of external temperature; others incite the eye to see different colors; others again enable the ear to hear defined sounds.Moreover "inertia", which is alleged to be a distinguishing quality of "matter," is said to be the possession of electricity, which is considered not to be "material".What, then, is that to which we attribute "mass" P In the first place, it is now admitted that "matter," even with the addition of all possible forces, is insufficient to explain many phenomena, such as those of light; and it has, accordingly, come to be for some an article of scientific faith that there is a substance called "Ether": a medium which, filling the universe, transports by its vibrations the radiations of light, heat, electricity, and perhaps action from a distance, such as the attraction exercised between heavenly bodies [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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