The Mother

Agenda

Volume 6

June 26, 1965

(Sujata shows Mother a sort of cyst that has developed in her neck. This banal incident is the starting point for a capital discovery: the “cellular spinning.”)

It's a tumor. Probably a hair that coiled up and the body covered it in a layer of skin, and then, out of habit, went on building skin around it: one layer, then another layer, then... It's an idiotic goodwill. And that's how it is for almost all illnesses.

*
*   *

Soon afterwards

I have a little problem I'd like to put to you. I would like you to give me an indication or ask Sri Aurobindo for an indication. It's about the translation into German of certain words: the word “mind” and the word “spirit.”

So?

All the German translators are quarreling with each other, not one agrees with the other.

Yes, I know!

For a long time I have been in touch with C.S. about the German translation of the book [The Adventure of Consciousness]. He has thought about it a lot (so have I), and finally P. has made a suggestion. The word for “spirit” in German, “Geist,” is used indifferently, and of course especially to denote the mind – as in French “esprit” is used very vaguely. So P. suggested we keep the word “Geist” for the mind and qualify it: thinking mind, illuminated mind, etc. But the word “spirit” would still have to be translated, and there is no word for it in German. There exist a few adjectives that derive from the Latin word “spiritus,” but nothing for “spirit.” P. suggested we use “der Spirit,” derived from Latin. C.S. hesitates. So I wanted to ask you if you had some impression or other. Can we introduce “der Spirit” in German? That's the sort of thing that brings all the German translators into conflict.

But there's no guarantee of their accepting a suggestion.

If the word goes into the translation of this book as a first step and the book is read widely enough, it will provide a basis for them to accept it. I don't know.

What's the Sanskrit for “spirit”?

It's Purusha, in opposition to Prakriti, Nature.

But you say that C.S. doesn't want this “Spirit”?

He's reluctant. He objects that its a Latin word and not a German one.

What is the word they use? The same as for “mind”?

Yes: “Geist.”

That won't do. “Geist” won't do at all. For the mind, it's all right.

Yes, that's what I felt, and also it would be very good to say “Übergeist” for the supermind.

(Mother nods her head) What language will future people speak!... All this is very poor. All these languages are poor. In India alone, from one region to another they don't understand each other – without English they wouldn't understand each other at all.

Is there nothing better than this “Spirit”?... Purusha won't do at all, it's too long, three syllables.... Let's just say that to C.S. But if he doesn't like it, it's going to give him a lot of trouble.

It's a stopgap.

But in French, too, everything we say is an approximation! Which means that if you adopt your own language, it's quite all right, but you are the only one to understand it truly.

If we take a new word, it should be a word with force, that's the important point.

Words like Tat, Sat, Chit are strong, but Purusha...

Let's just propose “Spirit.”

*
*   *

(Mother asks Satprem to read her a letter that has just come from the United States. The letter announces that someone who had been dying has miraculously regained the use of reason and speech:)

Now that's very interesting, my children! Because when I got the telegram announcing that he was dying...

First I should say that when he had his cancer, E. asked me to intervene; I answered her, “I accept, but what will happen to him will be the best from the SPIRITUAL standpoint – not at all according to human conception.” He refused the doctors' treatments, he went from bad to worse; then that telegram, which I still had here till the day before yesterday. And when I received that telegram announcing it was the end, all of a sudden I said, “Very well, he is going to start being cured.” And I didn't say anything to anyone. Afterwards, E. sent me a letter asking me what she should do with all the things that would pass to her by right. But persistently there was, “Now it's going to get better and better ...,” and everyone was expecting the telegram announcing the end. And now this!

It's interesting.

It was a cancer OF THE BRAIN.

(silence)

He has started speaking, thinking again.... It's really interesting.

But the idea (not “the idea” – oh, you see, it's impossible to speak, mon petit)... what was seen was this: this man has never believed in a divine force or a reality higher than what is manifested in man or anything, and the “idea” was that he should feel an intervention (which he would call by any name he liked) higher than anything known on earth.

Did he recognize it?... What does she say?

No, no! “Does this patient give to You any credit for his marked and miraculous improvement? I have put the question to him specifically – ‘No, I do not,’ such is the reply. Nor does the doe, nor does anyone observing the case. So be it.”

So what do they think it is?

That's strange.

(silence)

It's the precision with which I knew [he would improve] that's remarkable. Only, I didn't say anything – I never say anything, of course. I don't say anything for an occult reason: talking, uttering things disrupts the action a lot.

It was based on an action OF NATURE – of Nature answering a pressure from above. And it was visible, you know: it wasn't something thought out – it was visible.

Life is funny, you have no idea how funny! I find that interesting.

It was clearly a higher Command to the material Nature, and it has obeyed.

I don't know if he will be cured – that's not certain. But the important thing was that he should regain understanding and speech.