{"id":4300,"date":"2013-07-13T01:55:00","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4300"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:55:00","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:55:00","slug":"19-jnana-69-70-175-vol-10-on-thoughts-and-aphorisms-volume-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/10-on-thoughts-and-aphorisms-volume-10\/19-jnana-69-70-175-vol-10-on-thoughts-and-aphorisms-volume-10","title":{"rendered":"-19_jnana-69-70_175.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n

\n175 \u2013 Because a good man dies or fails and the evil live and triumph, is
\nGod therefore evil? I do not see the logic of the consequence. I must first be
\nconvinced that death and failure are evil; I sometimes think that when they
\ncome, they are our supreme momentary good. But we are the fools of our hearts
\nand nerves and argue that what they do not like or desire, must of course be an
\nevil! <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

But what about those who are unlucky and always fail
\nin everything they do? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

First, once and for all, you should know
\nthat luck, good or bad, does not exist. <\/span><\/p>\n

What to our ignorance looks like luck is
\nsimply the result of causes we know nothing about. <\/span><\/p>\n

It is certain that for someone who has
\ndesires, when his desires are not satisfied, it is a sign that the Divine Grace
\nis with him and wants, through experience, to make him progress rapidly, by
\nteaching him that a willing and spontaneous surrender to the Divine Will is a
\nmuch surer way to be happy in peace and light than the satisfaction of any
\ndesire.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n17 October 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n176<\/a> \u2013 When I look back on my past life, I see that if I had not failed
\nand suffered, I would have lost my life’s supreme blessings; yet at the time of
\nthe suffering and failure, I was vexed with the sense of calamity. Because we
\ncannot see anything but the one fact under our noses, therefore we indulge in
\nall these snifflings<\/span> and clamours<\/span>.
\nBe silent, ye foolish hearts! Slay the ego, learn to see and feel vastly and
\nuniversally. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n177 \u2013 The perfect cosmic vision and cosmic sentiment is<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 263<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n

\nthe cure of all error and suffering; but most men succeed only in
\nenlarging the range of their ego. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

What is \u201cthe cosmic vision and cosmic sentiment\u201d and
\nhow can they be attained? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

This simply means the vision of the whole
\nearth at the same time and the sentiment which is the result of this vision of
\nthe whole. This whole contains all things at the same time, light and darkness,
\nsuffering and pleasure, happiness and unhappiness, and all together makes a
\nvibration of adoration turned towards the Divine, just as all sounds heard
\ntogether make the supreme invocation to the Divine: OM.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n18 October 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n178<\/a> \u2013 Men say and think \u201cFor my country!\u201d, \u201cFor humanity!\u201d, \u201cFor the world!\u201d,
\nbut they really mean \u201cFor myself seen in my country!\u201d, \u201cFor myself seen in
\nhumanity!\u201d, \u201cFor myself imaged to my fancy as the world!\u201d. That may be an
\nenlargement, but it is not liberation. To be at large and to be in a large
\nprison are not one condition of freedom. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

To be free, one must come out of the
\nprison. The prison is the ego, the sense of separate personality. To be free,
\none must unite consciously and totally with the Supreme and through this
\nidentification break the limits of the ego and eradicate the very existence of
\nthe ego by universalising<\/span> oneself, even though the individualisation<\/span> of the consciousness is preserved.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n19 October 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\n179<\/a> \u2013 Live for God in thy neighbour<\/span>, God in
\nthyself, God in thy country and the country of thy foeman, God<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 264<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n

\nin humanity, God in tree and stone and animal, God in the world and
\noutside the world, then art thou on the straight path to liberation. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

There is nothing to add. It is true \u2013
\nevery obviously true \u2013 and to be sure, you must experience it, for only
\nexperience is absolutely convincing.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n21 October 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n180<\/a> \u2013 There are lesser and larger eternities; for eternity is a term of
\nthe soul and can exist in Time as well as exceeding it. When the Scriptures say
\n\u201c<\/span>śāśvatīh<\/span><\/i><\/span> samāh<\/span><\/span><\/i>\u201d, they mean for a
\nlong space and permanence of time or a hardly measurable aeon<\/span>;
\nonly God Absolute has the absolute eternity. Yet when one goes within, one sees
\nthat all things are secretly eternal; there is no end, neither was there ever a
\nbeginning. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

How can one experience eternity? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

By uniting with the Eternal, that is to
\nsay, with the Divine.  <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n23 October 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n181<\/a> \u2013 When thou callest<\/span> another a fool, as
\nthou must, sometimes, yet do not forget that thou thyself hast been the supreme
\nfool in humanity. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n182 \u2013 God loves to play the fool in season; man does it in season and
\nout of season. It is the only difference. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

For some years, almost all our children, big or small, have been in the
\nhabit of always using vulgar words<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 265<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n

in their everyday speech. For example, they punctuate every sentence
\nwith words like \u201cidiot\u201d, \u201cfool\u201d, etc\u2026 and other similar Indian terms, without
\nany bad intention. How can we help them to get rid of this bad habit which has
\nbecome so common? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

The only remedy is to learn to think
\nbefore you speak and to say only the words that are absolutely indispensable to
\nexpress your thought. <\/span><\/p>\n

The less you speak the better<\/i>. And if it is indispensable to communicate something to
\nanyone else, it would be wise to speak only the words that are indispensable,
\nno more. <\/span><\/p>\n


\n24 October 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n183<\/a> \u2013 In the Buddhists\u2019 view to have saved an ant from drowning is a
\ngreater work than to have founded an empire. There is a truth in the idea, but
\na truth that can easily be exaggerated. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n184 \u2013 To exalt one virtue, \u2013 compassion even, \u2013 unduly above all others
\nis to cover up with one’s hand the eyes of wisdom. God moves always towards a
\nharmony. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Any exaggeration, any exclusiveness, is a
\nlack of balance and a breach of harmony, and therefore an error in one who
\nseeks perfection. For perfection can only exist in supreme harmony. <\/span><\/p>\n


\n28 October 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n185<\/a> \u2013 Pity may be reserved, so long as thy soul makes distinctions, for
\nthe suffering animals; but humanity deserves from thee something nobler, it
\nasks for love, for understanding, for comradeship, for the help of the equal
\nand brother. <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013
\n266<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n

\n186 \u2013 The contributions of evil to the good of the world and the harm sometimes
\ndone by the virtuous are distressing to the soul enamoured<\/span>
\nof good. Nevertheless be not distressed nor confounded, but study rather and
\ncalmly understand God’s ways with humanity. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

Sri Aurobindo<\/span>
\nmeans that there is a height in the consciousness where the ordinary notions of
\ngood and bad lose all their value.\u00b9<\/span><\/p>\n

And he advises us, instead of being
\naffected by the way things happen on earth, to rise in consciousness to
\ncommunion with the Divine; then we shall understand why things are as they are.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n29 October 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n187<\/a> \u2013 In God’s providence there is no evil, but only
\ngood or its preparation. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n188 \u2013 Virtue and vice were made for thy soul’s struggle and progress;
\nbut for results they belong to God, who fulfils himself beyond vice and virtue.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Vice and virtue are inventions of human
\nthought for the needs of evolution and progress \u2013 but in the Divine
\nConsciousness, vice and virtue do not exist. <\/span><\/p>\n

The whole universe is in a slow ascending
\nevolution towards That which it must manifest. <\/span><\/p>\n


\n30 October 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n189<\/a> \u2013 Live within; be not shaken by outward
\nhappenings. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n190 \u2013 Fling not thy alms abroad everywhere in an osten<\/span><\/span>tation<\/span><\/span><\/i> of charity; understand and love where thou helpest<\/span>.
\nLet thy soul grow within thee. <\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9 <\/font> <\/span>This sentence was in English in the
\noriginal. <\/font> <\/span>
\n
\n <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013
\n267<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n

\n191 \u2013 Help the poor while the poor are with thee; but study also and
\nstrive that there may be no poor for thy assistance. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

To live within in a constant aspiration
\nfor the Divine enables us to look at life with a smile and to remain peaceful
\nwhatever the outer circumstances may be. <\/span><\/p>\n

As for the poor, Sri Aurobindo<\/span>
\nsays that to come to their help is good, provided that it is not a vain
\nostentation of charity, but that it is far nobler to seek a remedy for poverty
\nso that there may be no poor left on earth. <\/span><\/p>\n


\n31 October 1969 <\/span>
\n<\/font> <\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n192<\/a> \u2013 The old Indian social ideal demanded of the priest voluntary
\nsimplicity of life, purity, learning and the gratuitous instruction of the
\ncommunity, of the prince, war, government, protection of the weak and the giving
\nup of his life in the battle-field, of the merchant, trade, gain and the return
\nof his gains to the community by free giving, of the serf, labour<\/span>
\nfor the rest and material havings<\/span>. In atonement for
\nhis serfhood<\/span>, it spared him the tax of self-denial, the
\ntax of blood and the tax of his riches. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

In the beginning, about six thousand years
\nago, this was absolutely true, and each individual was classed according to
\nhis nature<\/i>. Afterwards it became a rigid and more and more arbitrary social
\nconvenience (according to birth), which completely ignored the true nature of
\nthe individual. It became a false conception and had to disappear. <\/span><\/p>\n

But gradually, with human progress, human
\nactivities are being classified more and more in a similar, less rigid but much <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 268<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n

truer way (according to each one’s nature
\nand capacity). <\/span><\/p>\n


\n7 November 1969<\/span><\/font><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n193<\/a> \u2013 The existence of poverty is the proof of an unjust and ill-organised<\/span> society, and our public charities are but the
\nfirst tardy awakening in the conscience of a robber. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n194 \u2013 Valmikie<\/span>, our ancient epic poet,
\nincludes among the signs of a just and enlightened state of society not only
\nuniversal education, morality and spirituality but this also that there shall
\nbe none who is compelled to eat coarse food, none uncrowned and unanointed<\/span>, or who lives a mean and petty slave of
\nluxuries. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n195 \u2013 The acceptance of poverty is noble and beneficial in a class or an
\nindividual, but it becomes fatal and pauperises<\/span> life
\nof its richness and expansion if it is perversely organised<\/span>
\ninto a general or national ideal. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n196 \u2013 Poverty is no more a necessity of social life than disease of the
\nnatural body; false habits of life and an ignorance of our true organisation<\/span> are in both cases the peccant<\/span>
\ncauses of an avoidable disorder. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Will a day come when there will be no more poor people and no more
\nsuffering in the world? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

That is absolutely certain for all those
\nwho understand Sri Aurobindo’s<\/span> teaching and have
\nfaith in him. <\/span><\/p>\n

It is with the intention of creating a
\nplace where this can come about that we want to establish Auroville<\/span>.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

But for this realisation<\/span>
\nto be possible, each one of us must make an effort to transform himself, for
\nmost of the sufferings of
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 269<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n

men are the result of their own mistakes,
\nboth physical and moral. <\/span><\/p>\n


\n8 November 1969 <\/span>
\n<\/font> <\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

How can you believe that in Auroville<\/span> there
\nwill be no more suffering so long as people who come to live there are men of
\nthe same world, born with the same weaknesses and faults? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

I have never thought that there would no
\nmore be suffering in Auroville<\/span>, because men, as they
\nare, love suffering and call it to them even while they curse it. <\/span><\/p>\n

But we shall try to teach them to truly
\nlove peace and to try to practise<\/span> equality. <\/span><\/p>\n

What I meant was involuntary poverty and
\nbegging. <\/span><\/p>\n

Life in Auroville<\/span>
\nwill be organised<\/span> in such a way that this does not
\nexist \u00ad\u00ad\u2013 and if beggars come from outside, either they will have to go away or
\nthey will be given shelter and taught the joy of work.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n9 November 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

What is the fundamental difference between the ideal of the Ashram and
\nthe ideal of Auroville<\/span>? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

There is no fundamental difference in the
\nattitude towards the future and the service of the Divine. <\/span><\/p>\n

But the people in the Ashram are
\nconsidered to have consecrated their lives to Yoga (except, of course, the
\nstudents who are here only for their studies and who are not expected to have
\nmade their choice in life). <\/span><\/p>\n

Whereas in Auroville<\/span>
\nsimply the goodwill to make a collective experiment for the progress of
\nhumanity is sufficient to gain admittance.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n10 November 1969 <\/span>
\n<\/font> <\/i><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 270<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n

\n197<\/a> \u2013 Athens, not Sparta, is the progressive type for mankind. Ancient
\nIndia with its ideal of vast riches and vast spending was the greatest of
\nnations. Modern India with its trend towards national asceticism has fully
\nbecome poor in life and sunk into weakness and degradation. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n198 \u2013 Do not dream that when thou hast got rid of material poverty, men
\nwill even so be happy or satisfied or society freed from ills, troubles and problems.
\nThis is only the first and lowest necessity. While the soul within remains
\ndefectively organised<\/span>, there will always be outward
\nunrest, disorder and revolution. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

This is quite obvious and this is what we
\nare trying to make people understand. A safe and quiet life is not enough to
\nmake people happy. Inner development is necessary, and the peace that comes
\nfrom a conscious contact with the Divine.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n13 November 1969<\/span><\/font><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n199<\/a> \u2013 Disease will always return to the body if the soul is flawed; for
\nthe sins of the mind are the secret cause of the sins of the body. So too
\npoverty and trouble will always return on man in society, so long as the mind
\nof the race is subjected to egoism. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n200 \u2013 Religion and philosophy seek to rescue man from his ego; then the
\nkingdom of heaven within will be spontaneously reflected in an external divine
\ncity. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Sri Aurobindo<\/span>
\nused the words philosophy and religion so that everyone could understand. But he
\nknew very well that the effective remedy for human egoism lies beyond
\nphilosophy and religion, in a true spiritual life accepted and lived on earth
\nby
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 271<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

the physical consciousness itself \u2013 this
\nmakes it truly capable of getting rid of the ego once and for all.  <\/span><\/p>\n


\n15 November 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n201<\/a> \u2013 Mediaeval Christianity said to the race, \u201cMan, thou art in thy
\nearthly life an evil thing and a worm before God; renounce then egoism, live
\nfor a future state and submit thyself to God and His priest.\u201d The results were
\nnot over-good for humanity. Modern knowledge says to the race, \u201cMan, thou art
\nan ephemeral animal and no more to Nature than the ant and the earthworm, a
\ntransitory speck only in the universe. Live then for the State and submit
\nthyself antlike to the trained administrator and the scientific expert.\u201d Will
\nthis gospel succeed any better than the other? <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n202 \u2013 Vedanta says rather, \u201cMan, thou art of one nature and substance
\nwith God, one soul with thy fellowmen. Awake and progress then to thy utter
\ndivinity, live for God in thyself and in others.\u201d This gospel which was given
\nonly to the few, must now be offered to all mankind for its deliverance. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

There is nothing to add. Sri Aurobindo<\/span> has clearly and masterfully stated first the evil
\nand then its remedy. All we have to do is to put into practice what he has
\ntaught us.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n16 November 1969<\/span><\/font><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

\n203<\/a> \u2013 The human race always progresses most when most it asserts its
\nimportance to Nature, its freedom and its universality. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n204 \u2013 Animal man is the obscure starting-point, the<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 272<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\npresent natural man the varied and tangled mid-road, but supernatural
\nman the luminous and transcendent goal of our human journey. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Man finds his full power for progress when
\nhe no longer feels bound to Nature or limited by her laws. <\/span><\/p>\n

Nature is only a limited expression of the
\nDivine, whereas man was created to become the conscious expression of the
\nDivine, with all the possibilities of power and light which that implies.
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n18 November 1969<\/span><\/font><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n205<\/a> \u2013 Life and action culminate and are eternally crowned for thee when
\nthou hast attained the power of symbolising<\/span> and
\nmanifesting in every thought and act, in art, literature and life, in wealth-getting,
\nwealth-having or wealth-spending, in home, government and society, the One
\nImmortal in His lower mortal being. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

No doubt, this is the description of man
\nwhen he reaches the summit of his being. But it is only the first step of the
\nsuperman. <\/span><\/p>\n


\n24 November 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\nPage – 273<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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