Evolution of Consciousness and the Need for Rebirth as a Mechanism of that Evolution

We observe an outer fact of existence, but we do not see the motive force behind it, nor the intention behind the motive force. Thus, Darwin identified an evolution of species, and researchers have identified families of species, development of specific characteristics within those families and the sequential development of new powers of awareness, consciousness and action as the forms evolved. If we consider for a moment that Matter appears inert and lacking active consciousness, we have to think that there must be some other principle at work to turn inert Matter into living Matter, and living Matter into thinking, living Matter, and thinking, living Matter into self-aware, conscious thinking, living Matter. It is thus that Sri Aurobindo has identified the evolution of consciousness as the motive force behind the evolution of forms. The development of consciousness at the level of the human being involves self-aware development and growth of understanding. In order for this to have significance, there must be some way for this development of consciousness to not only perpetuate itself, but continue in a relatively unbroken stream. If an individual gains vast awareness and wisdom, it does no good for the larger principle of the evolution of consciousness if it is not somehow continuous and self-developing through time. That means it must have a way of transcending birth and death.

Some hold that the capacity itself has a way of silently transmitting itself to others of the species, as in the ‘hundredth monkey’ phenomenon. This explains partially, but not completely, the successive growth of consciousness, in that it may spread horizontally, slowly and with time, but does not have a vertical trajectory. Some hold that consciousness is a stream, similar to a river, that flows along certain paths to the sea, although the water is ever-changing. This too has a partial explanation for consciousness, without the need to posit any individual form of growth. Neither of these explanations provides a significance to the self-aware individual, however, and it is only through the phenomenon of rebirth that such a significance can be found. This is not to be seen as in the popular literature where a specific individual is reborn with the exact same characteristics, karmic relationships etc. into a new life, but that the progressive development of one life finds its way in a continuous development into a new birth, of a new person and personality, in a next life, that builds upon the foundation without having to repeat all the old experiences.

In The Life Divine and in Rebirth and Karma, Sri Aurobindo describes at some length the rationale for why rebirth is a necessary component in the evolution of consciousness, as well as the mechanisms involved. We refer to those texts for more detail in this regard.

In the current text, Sri Aurobindo writes: “If evolution is a truth and is not only a physical evolution of species, but an evolution of consciousness, it must be a spiritual and not only a physical fact. In that case, it is the individual who evolves and grows into a more and more developed and perfect consciousness and obviously that cannot be done in the course of a brief single human life. If there is the evolution of a conscious individual, then there must be rebirth. Rebirth is a logical necessity and a spiritual fact of which we can have the experience. Proofs of rebirth, sometimes of an overwhelmingly convincing nature, are not lacking, but as yet they have not been carefully registered and brought together.”

Sri Aurobindo, Integral Yoga: Sri Aurobindo’s Teaching and Method of Practice, Chapter 12, Other Aspects of Sri Aurobindo’s Teaching and Method of Practice, Rebirth, Karma and Destiny, pp. 343-347