els of spirit-matter combinations through which this Reality is manifested. We may
symbolize this fact diagrammatically by the following figure in which the centre of the
concentric circles stands for the Ultimate Reality and the successive circles represent
the different planes of existence in their increasing order of density.
Fig. 8The objects A, B, C, D represented by arcs of the outermost circle will be seen
to have their roots in progressively subtler planes of existence, while the object E will
be seen to be rooted in the Ultimate Reality Itself.
Taking the three objects mentioned above for comparison we can see easily that
in the case of a piece of stone we have a mere conglomeration of physical matter with
no design at its basis and so its roots cannot lie very deep. In the case of a rose also we
have a conglomeration of different kinds of matter but this combination differs from
that of a stone in two things. Firstly, it has the capacity for organic growth and decay
inherent in it and secondly, its form corresponds to an archetype. Even to a superficial
observer it should be obvious that a rose has got deeper roots in reality than a piece of
stone. Coming to the human form we cannot help feeling that we are face to face with
a profound mystery. We have here not only a more elaborate material structure but the
form is the vehicle of complicated phenomena like thoughts and emotions and other
aspects of consciousness. Whatever may be the nature and potentiality of human con-
sciousness there cannot be the slightest doubt that the roots of a human being lie much
deeper than those of a rose. How far they penetrate into the heart of the manifested
Universe it is unnecessary to discuss here. According to the philosophy upon which