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Discernment of Good and Bad Thoughts · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  When we initially reflect on what is a good thought and what
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  is a bad thought, the first idea is that arise almost inevitably
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  hearken back to whatever cultural moral or ethical code.
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  Prevails within the Society of the time, whether this is based
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  on religion or develop cultural understandings and taboos.
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  This however, is not the sense in which either the dhammapada
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  or the mother commenting on the dhammapada looks at the question
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  of good or bad. Thoughts, in many cases the
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  dictates of the social Norm in a particular society group, or
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  religion are quite limited and Vary from one time or place to
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  another. The deeper understanding of good
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  and bad. Thoughts comes from a deep
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  reflection on the impact upon the Consciousness that results.
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  Good thoughts. Are those that bring about
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  Serenity wideness and universality that are uplifting
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  and move the individual beyond the limits of the desire soul
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  and the ego personality. So that Consciousness can grow
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  and Concepts such as Oneness, and compassion can uplift the
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  soul. Bad thoughts.
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  Are those the draw the individual in upon himself we
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  can the will breed animosity and increase the force of desire.
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  And thereby hold the individual back in the evolutionary growth
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  of consciousness. In the book, commentaries on the
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  dhammapada. The mother provides insight into
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  a number of verses from this classical Buddhist texts.
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  The dhammapada states, he has insulted me, he has beaten me.
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  He is humiliated, he has robbed me.
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  Those who nourish thought such as these never piece their
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  hatred. The mother writes quote, the
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  dhammapada tells us first of all that bad thoughts, bring about
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  suffering and good thoughts, bring about happiness.
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  Now, it gives examples of what bad thoughts are and tells us
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  how to avoid suffering here is the first example, I repeat
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  quote, he has insulted me. He has beaten me.
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  He has humiliated me. He has robbed me.
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  And it adds those who nourish thought such as these never
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  apiece, their hatred and quote. The mother continues quote, we
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  have begun our mental discipline basing ourselves on the
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  successive stages of mental development and we have seen
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  that this discipline consists of four consecutive movements which
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  we have described in this way as you surely remember to observe
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  to watch over to control and to master.
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  And in the course, of the last lesson we have learned, I hope
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  to separate ourselves from our thoughts.
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  So, as to be able to observe them as an attentive spectator,
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  Today we have to learn how to watch over these thoughts first.
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  You look at them and then you watch over them, learn to look
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  at them as an enlightened judge so that you may distinguish
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  between the good and the bad between thoughts that are
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  useful. And those that are harmful
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  between constructive thoughts that lead to Victory and defeat
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  us thoughts, which turn us away from it.
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  It is this power of discernment that we must acquire.
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  Iron. Now that will be the subject of
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  our meditation tonight. As I have told you the demo
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  putter will give us examples but examples are only examples.
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  We must ourselves learn how to distinguish thoughts that are
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  good from those that are not and for that you must observe as I
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  have said like an enlightened judge that is to say as
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  impartially as possible. it is one of the most indispensable
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  conditions in quote, reference SRI aurobindo, and the mother
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  living within the yoga approach to psychological health and
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  growth, disturbances of Mind unruly and perturbing thoughts
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  Pages 35 to 40 3,