Life is life - whether in a cat, or dog or man. There is no difference there between a cat or a man. The idea of difference is a human conception for man's own advantage.
Sri AurobindoRead
The human mind moves always forward, alters its viewpoint and enlarges its thought substance, and the effect of these changes is to render past systems of thinking obsolete or, when they are preserved, to extend, to modify and subtly or visibly to alter their value.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the evolving nature of human thought and the impact of change on our understanding.
Sri Aurobindo emphasizes that the human mind continuously progresses and adapts, transforming its perspective and deepening its understanding. As our thoughts evolve, previous ways of thinking may become outdated, or they may be preserved in a modified form that alters their significance. This highlights the dynamic nature of knowledge and how it shapes our worldview.
Themes
Human MindThoughtChangeEvolutionPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on cognitive development, one might use this quote to illustrate the importance of adaptability in thought processes.
More from Sri Aurobindo
All quotes →To listen to some devout people, one would imagine that God never laughs.
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Indian religion has always felt that since the minds, the temperaments and the intellectual affinities of men are unlimited in their variety, a perfect liberty of thought and of worship must be allowed to the individual in his approach to the Infinite.
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Be conscious first of thyself within, then think and act. All living thought is a world in preparation; all real act is a thought manifested. The material world exists because an idea began to play in divine self–consciousness.
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Evolution is not finished; reason is not the last word nor the reasoning animal the supreme figure of Nature. As man emerged out of the animal, so out of man the superman emerges.
Sri AurobindoRead
Impossibility is only a sum of greater unrealised possibles. It veils an advanced stage and a yet unaccomplished journey.
Sri AurobindoRead
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