July 31, 1965
There is a problem I’d like to put to you.
What problem?
A practical problem, not a yogic one! It’s about Italy, N. and the publication of the book on Sri Aurobindo ["The Adventure of Consciousness"]. N. translated it and gave it to his friend S. to look after the publication in Italy. S. saw a publisher, who asked to read the book in French and found it interesting. And then, I don’t know whether on the publisher’s suggestion or S.’s, they are asking if it wouldn’t be better to publish first a book by Sri Aurobindo like, for instance, “The Guide to Yoga.”
That doesn’t exist!
Yes, you know, fragments of letters were used to make “The Bases of Yoga” and so on, and they gathered it all under the title “The Guide to Yoga.”
It’s a compilation made by M. for beginners.
That’s right.
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It’s not too good.
No.
It’s not too good. (Laughing) It’s like English without tears!
I find it rather limited.
That little book is all the way down (gesture at ground level).
It’s difficult to make a book that gives an idea of Sri Aurobindo.
Because it’s always one minor aspect that will be chosen.
And above all the selection will be done with the idea of being “easy to understand.” I had an example yesterday when I spoke to a Dutch woman: I explained to her the difference between the old spirituality that denied Matter and tried to escape from it completely, and the new spirituality, tomorrow’s spirituality, which accepts Matter, dominates it and transforms it. For me, it’s simple, of course – she didn’t understand a thing!
So if one adopts the frame of mind of saying to people things they can understand, one distorts everything.
For Italy, it’s a sort of tactical question. As nothing by Sri Aurobindo has been published yet, is it better from a tactical standpoint to start by publishing a work by Sri Aurobindo, some small work, and then this book?
But that’s not a work! This “Guide to Yoga” is not a work! Sri Aurobindo never says things like that. That’s exactly why doing so distorts him immediately.
One good thing would be to have a book by him ready, because people will ask to read Sri Aurobindo after they read your book – that, yes, I agree, we should have something ready, but this “Guide” …
But their idea is to publish something before the publication of my book.
No, it’s the other way around! It’s the other way around! I don’t know, but that’s putting the cart before the horse. Unless the Italians walk on their hands! … That’s possible.
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No, if we wanted to show something to the public before the publication of your book, it would have to be a sort of biographical and bibliographical note: Sri Aurobindo was born at such and such a place, and so forth, and the list of his works, the totality of the written volumes. That, yes, it would be a good introduction. A bibliographical note – not a small book that distorts everything. A rather complete bibliographical note, something massive! (Mother laughs)
So you can tell N. on my behalf that this is how I see the thing: a quite complete biographical and bibliographical note should be prepared to tell them, “Here is the gentleman Satprem is writing about.” It could be published along with the book, or published in newspapers to announce the book (that’s a practical question, it depends on what suits their taste better). It can be published in some newspapers or reviews or magazines before the release of the book, to announce it.
Of the book … which book?
Your book, as an introduction to your book. And afterwards – after they have read the book – if people ask, “Ah, we would very much like to read what Sri Aurobindo wrote,” then we’ll have to start translating.
But I think N. is translating The Synthesis?
He told me he had asked you.
But that’s agreed. I thought he had already started work.
For serious people, it’s The Synthesis and The Life Divine that should be chosen.
So tell him this: a biographical and bibliographical note in “dictionary style” that bludgeons you on the head – that’s the best thing (!)
Announcing my book.
Announcing your book. Yes, as an introduction to the book.
And afterwards, translations.
Afterwards, we should see according to the spirit of people’s inquiries. He can start The Synthesis right away – The Synthesis and The Life Divine are the two most important things.
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Yes, not the small distorting books.
Oh, no! Quotations distort.
When we wanted a “small book,” we used to translated The Mother, but that touches mostly India, because they worship the Mother; but elsewhere, it doesn’t have the same importance. Although a man like T., it was The Mother that touched him the most – an American, fully American. He said the book gave him the revelation, that there were all kinds of things he didn’t understand and that with the book, he understood.
Now, the Italians worship the Virgin a lot, it’s a lot in their makeup, and through that they would understand (those who are intelligent and see the symbol behind the story). There was a Pope (not the present one or the previous one, but the one before [[Pius Xll. ]]) who did remarkable things because he was in touch with the Virgin; he was a worshipper of the Virgin and that really put him on the right path. So I think that if they want a small book (it is a small book, you can even put it in your pocket – people are afraid of big books, they don’t have time), there are lots of things in that small book, The Mother, lots of things. But the part on the “four aspects of the Mother” can really be felt only by Indians; those who have a Christian education (laughing) must find it very frightening (!) But we could omit that chapter. You see, the book was made from letters, so each piece is a whole; it wasn’t at all composed as one piece: we arranged it as it is following the instructions Sri Aurobindo gave. But that last chapter (the biggest, besides) is mostly for India. It can be omitted.
So you can say this to N.: a biographical note in dictionary style to announce the publication of your book.
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