Yoga, Nalanda and the Missing Link

Today the world is celebrating the International Day of Yoga and just two ago the new Nalanda University campus near the ruins of the ancient Nalanda University was formally inaugurated. Eighteen nations of the East Asia Summit participated in the creation of this new university in India and it is an important time to reflect upon its significance and even more important is to see how it is connected to the ancient yogic wisdom.

From Body to Mind

Universities represent sophisticated intellectual development, the domain of the progressive mind, the second step in our collective evolution. Sri Aurobindo saw human evolution as a three-step process. The first step is our physical or bodily life, driven by basic instincts for survival. This is evident in tribal communities where intellectual pursuits haven’t taken centre stage. Think of it as a pre-intellectual stage fueled by primal needs and subconscious intuition centred around the gross body, sthūla śarīra, and its needs.

The second step is centred around the development of the subtle body, the sukshma śarīra and the rise of the progressive mind . This is where universities excel. They represent a space for sophisticated intellectual, emotional and aesthetic development. The progressive mind craves not just order, but also progress and perfection. It pushes society beyond traditions to explore new ideas and the unknown. However, this can lead to conflict, as the progressive mind challenges established norms of the conservative society centred on the needs of the gross bodily life. Throughout history, we’ve seen this play out as clashes between conservatives and liberals. While conservative forces provide stability, the liberal forces of the progressive mind, though disruptive, are essential for progress. In our modern world, science and technology are the torchbearers of this progressive mind, leading us into the uncharted territories of AI and space exploration.

From Mind to Spirit

The final stage of this evolutionary journey is the discovery of the spiritual Self, kāraṇa śarīra, the causal body, according to yogic terminology. This timeless and eternal existence lives in truth, beauty, delight, and perfection; they are inherent qualities, not things to be attained. The ancients recognised this as the ultimate goal, the culmination of the progressive mind’s development. Nature itself offers glimpses of this possibility through the rare individuals who achieve spiritual self-realisation.

Ancient India embraced this third step. It provided a framework and direction for the progressive mind to explore its full potential. This fostered a vibrant intellectual culture and the flourishing of universities for over 2,000 years in India, dating back to at least 500 BCE. Countless intellectual giants, both famous and unknown, left their mark on Indian civilisation — figures like Panini, Patanjali, Aryabhatta, and many more. These universities thrived within this context. Takshila was the most ancient centre of learning, while Nalanda stood as the greatest, largest, and most renowned university of the ancient world.

Material life, the progressive mind, and the spiritual Self represent the three steps of human evolution. The mind acts as the bridge between these stages, and universities provide the impetus for the collective mind to flourish.

Nalanda’s Legacy and the Decline

Founded in the early 5th century CE, Nalanda thrived for 700 years. It became a beacon of intellectual creativity and thought leadership in Asia, attracting scholars and students from across the continent. However, Nalanda’s destruction in 1200 CE marked a symbolic turning point. It began a decline in India’s progressive mind.

By the 15th century, perhaps the last flicker of intellectual brilliance came from the Kerala school of mathematics. Led by Madhava, they were laying the groundwork for calculus, albeit in its early stages. But after this, intellectual life in India entered a period of stagnation.

The arrival of foreign rule coincided with the fading of India’s profound intellectual tradition that had flourished for over 2,000 years. With the loss of the progressive mind, the bridge between the material life and the spiritual quest collapsed. Worldly life and spiritual pursuits became separated spheres: the “worldly man” lived by his conservative instincts, while the “sanyasin” (ascetic) focused on otherworldly experiences. The vast gap between these two extremes remained unaddressed.

Europe’s Rise and India’s Awakening

The 12th century witnessed the closing of Nalanda and the birth of the University of Cambridge in Europe. This marked a resurgence of the progressive mind in Europe, with trailblazers like Descartes, Galileo, and Newton leading the charge. Calculus, a powerful tool for scientists, also found a more complete form in Europe during this time. These new thinkers spearheaded a new era of scientific materialism, a spirit that, ironically, spread through colonisation and jolted India out of its intellectual stagnation.

Sri Aurobindo observed this phenomenon, noting that “…divine Providence” forced India, the land of yogis and ascetics, to confront the very element it had neglected — the progressive mind. This, he believed, was a chance for India to reclaim what it lacked. In a way, European colonisation, despite its negative aspects, had a positive impact by awakening India’s dormant intellectual spirit.

India’s Awakening: Challenges and Opportunities

A resurgent India is emerging on the global stage, fueled by its industriousness and political astuteness. However, a vibrant intellectual culture and independent thinking haven’t yet fully blossomed on a large scale. The progressive mind in India is yet to embrace and reclaim its rich heritage of ancient knowledge. It is not enough to preserve the ancient forms of thought and expression, their essence needs to be recovered. By building upon this foundation, India is well poised to synthesise modern science and spirituality because of her past accomplishments.

Without a fully realised progressive mind, there’s a danger. A powerful material force, with all its industrial might, could focus solely on preserving outward religious forms. This would miss the essence — the spirit of inquiry, innovation, and new creation that only the progressive mind can foster. It acts as the bridge between our material existence and the spiritual dimension.

Even in this new chapter, the progressive mind in India, still shaped by Western models, often retains a materialistic foundation, methods and vision. While this materialistic approach can bring a sense of advancement to conservative forces in society, its impact remains limited to the external aspects of human existence. Sri Aurobindo observed this, noting that “…progress made tends to be of the grosser and more outward kind…” He argued that attempts at a more rapid or profound advancement without the spiritual dimension lead to exhaustion and setbacks. True progress hinges on understanding and integrating the spiritual dimension in contemporary ways, not just preserving the old forms.

Universities and the Quest for Wholeness

The new Nalanda University and International Day of Yoga hold immense symbolic significance in this context. Yogic sciences offer the path to spiritual self-realisation, a crucial element missing from a purely materialistic approach to progress. Without this foundation, universities, representing the progressive mind, risk becoming limited by materialism, with their advancements only impacting the surface of human existence.

The progressive mind, both globally and in India, needs a spiritual vision and foundation to guide its progress, as embodied by the original Nalanda. Today, however, we find ourselves in a unique situation — science, built on material foundations, is venturing into realms beyond the physical. This presents a potential turning point.

India has the unique opportunity to develop original thought based on its ancient spiritual wisdom and intellectual heritage. However, this is not a task for politicians or industrialists. The true guardians of wisdom, steeped in intellectual rigour and an intellectual culture built on yogic principles, must lead this charge. This is the challenge facing India: to birth world-class universities that don’t imitate the West, but approach problems with originality. By building upon the strong foundation laid by its ancestors, India is well poised in solving the complex issues of the modern world.

In conclusion, reclaiming the progressive mind and integrating it with spiritual wisdom is not just about India’s past; it’s about the future of humanity. Can India rise to this occasion and bridge the gap between the material and the spiritual, leading the way towards a more holistic and sustainable future?