Exploring the Philosophical Concept of Education and Consciousness Transformation

The question asks about a specific philosophical postulation where education is seen as a process leading to the gradual transformation from lower levels of consciousness to the highest level, referred to as the 'Gnostic Being'. This concept is central to the philosophy of spiritual evolution and integral transformation.

Let's analyze the options provided:

• Aristotle: Aristotle was a philosopher focused on ethics, logic, politics, and empirical observation. While he discussed education's role in developing virtue and reason, his philosophy does not include the concept of a 'Gnostic Being' or a systematic transformation of consciousness levels in this specific spiritual evolutionary sense.
• Plato: Plato, a student of Socrates, discussed the importance of education in leading the soul from ignorance (represented in the Allegory of the Cave) towards knowledge of the Forms, particularly the Form of the Good. While this involves a kind of ascent of understanding, the term 'Gnostic Being' and the detailed framework of consciousness transformation as described is not part of Platonic philosophy.
• Gandhi: Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy focused on non-violence (Ahimsa), truth (Satyagraha), and self-reliance. Education, for Gandhi, was crucial for character building and developing moral strength, emphasizing 'basic education' centered around crafts. While his views involved inner development, they do not align with the concept of transforming towards a 'Gnostic Being' in a spiritual evolutionary context.
• Aurobindo: Sri Aurobindo (Aurobindo Ghose) was a philosopher, yogi, guru, poet, and nationalist. His integral philosophy and Integral Yoga posit a process of spiritual evolution where consciousness evolves through different planes towards a higher, supramental consciousness. He used the term 'Gnostic Being' to describe the being who lives fully in this supramental consciousness, representing the culmination of spiritual evolution and transformation. According to Aurobindo, true education (integral education) facilitates this inner and outer transformation, helping the individual evolve towards this higher state of consciousness.

Therefore, the philosophical postulation that education helps in the gradual transformation from lower to highest level of consciousness called the 'Gnostic Being' is attributed to Sri Aurobindo.

Revision Table: Key Philosophers and Education Concepts

Additional Information on Aurobindo's Gnostic Being and Consciousness

Sri Aurobindo's philosophy describes different levels or planes of consciousness, from the physical and vital to the mental, psychic, and ultimately the supramental. The 'Gnostic Being' is an individual who has achieved the supramental transformation, integrating the divine consciousness into their earthly existence. This is not just intellectual knowledge (Gnosis), but a complete transformation of the being – mental, vital, and physical.

Integral Education, in Aurobindo's view, is a means to facilitate this integral development and spiritual evolution. It aims at the development of the whole being – physical, vital, mental, psychic, and spiritual – preparing the ground for the supramental transformation and the emergence of the Gnostic Being.

Key aspects of Aurobindo's view include:

• Evolution of Consciousness: The universe and life within it are undergoing a spiritual evolution, driven by a divine force. Human consciousness is a stage in this evolution.
• Supramental Consciousness: A higher power of consciousness above the mind, capable of direct truth-knowledge and integral transformation.
• Gnostic Being: The individual who embodies the supramental consciousness in their earthly life, living in truth-consciousness and oneness with the Divine and the universe.
• Role of Sadhana (Spiritual Discipline) and Education: These are tools for accelerating the evolutionary process and facilitating the transformation of human nature towards the divine or gnostic state.

Understanding Aurobindo's concept of the 'Gnostic Being' is crucial to grasping his comprehensive vision of spiritual evolution and the ultimate potential of human consciousness.