April 15, 2026
Moving Beyond Good and Evil
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Psychic Being — Soul: Its Nature, Mission and Evolution, Section 1 Meaning and Nature of the Psychic Being, pp. 32-33This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/04/13/moving-beyond-good-and-evil/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #morality #ethics #soul #psychic being #Nietzsche #good and evil #Dostoevsky #Crime and Punishment #conscience
1
00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:04,160
Friedrich Nietzsche held that
the superior man could not be
2
00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:08,720
bound by ordinary morality or
ethical concerns about abiding
3
00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:13,280
by what is considered good
versus what is considered evil
4
00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:17,800
by society.
His view was that the customary
5
00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:21,240
definitions were developed to
control the mass of humanity,
6
00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,720
but that they could not apply to
those who had a superior insight
7
00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:30,240
and understanding.
He touched upon an important
8
00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,600
truth.
It was, however, misapplied to
9
00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:38,720
the egoistic personality rather
than to the true spiritual self
10
00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:40,840
which sees the truth of
existence.
11
00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:46,000
His philosophy was construed,
particularly at the time of the
12
00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:50,360
Third Reich in Germany, as
supporting the declaration of
13
00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:54,480
supremacy that treated other
people as animals and justified
14
00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,880
their destruction in the name of
uplifting the human race.
15
00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:03,320
The Holocaust was one result of
this misapplication.
16
00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:09,200
This same mistake as repeated in
other circumstances as well.
17
00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,920
Fyodor Dostoevsky, in his novel
Crime and Punishment, explored
18
00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:19,480
this concept from the point of
view of an individual who took a
19
00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:24,720
similar stance, asserted to
himself his superiority, and
20
00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:30,320
thereby justified his actions to
steal and eventually kill an
21
00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:33,960
individual to achieve his own
financial support needs.
22
00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,440
The individual, however, soon
found that he was actually still
23
00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,760
bound by the ordinary morality
considerations.
24
00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,800
He became mentally disturbed and
physically I'll from his attempt
25
00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:50,800
to escape the pangs of
conscience that arose after he
26
00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:57,160
committed his heinous crimes.
Morality, and the conscience
27
00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:00,840
that enforces it, is defined
within the framework of a
28
00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:06,960
particular society and thus is
neither universal nor perfect in
29
00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:11,400
its application.
In one society, morality is
30
00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:16,360
defined by certain dress codes.
In another society it may be
31
00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:21,240
defined by sexual preferences.
In yet another, those who have
32
00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,320
acquired wealth and status are
considered above normal
33
00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:28,640
considerations and are treated
vastly differently than everyone
34
00:02:28,640 --> 00:02:33,120
else.
Concepts such as might makes
35
00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:38,200
right, all's fair in love and
war, discrimination against one
36
00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:42,080
group or another, or the
treatment of women as property,
37
00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:46,560
and the excusing of immoral
means of acquiring wealth and
38
00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:51,000
power through deceit or through
enforcement by brute force
39
00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:56,080
illustrate the limits of
traditional framing of morality.
40
00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,720
What is considered moral or
ethical also tends to change
41
00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:05,160
over time.
Slavery, once considered moral
42
00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:09,200
and ethical, is now generally
condemned as abhorrent.
43
00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,720
Morality more often than not
becomes a weapon to control a
44
00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:17,520
populace rather than the
application of a universal
45
00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,680
truth, and the concepts of
morality in any particular
46
00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:26,680
society program the conscience
that applies in that society.
47
00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,960
For those who are not under the
guidance of the voice of the
48
00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:35,200
soul, a framework that defines
good and evil is generally
49
00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,920
better than having a society
governed by brute force,
50
00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,840
violence, and self dealing at
the expense of everyone else.
51
00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:48,800
Morality, ethics, and conscience
have a positive role to play in
52
00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,840
the development of human
relationships and society,
53
00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:56,280
particularly if they try to
bring about results that mirror
54
00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,760
those that the soul and its
spiritual linkage favors.
55
00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,800
The concept of moving beyond
good and evil finds its truth
56
00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,080
only when it is not attached to
the ego personality but to the
57
00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:12,560
psychic being which
automatically knows the truth,
58
00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,680
the right, the vast and responds
to that.
59
00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:21,480
This does not justify the
violation of morality or ethics
60
00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:26,240
for the needs and desires of the
ego for self aggrandizement or
61
00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,560
advancement of any sort.
The soul has no need for these
62
00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:34,840
guardrails of behaviour simply
because it would not consider
63
00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:39,800
those actions in the 1st place.
A disciple asks.
64
00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:45,000
Sweet Mother, Sri Robindo says
that the voice of the ordinary
65
00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,520
conscience is not the voice of
the soul.
66
00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:52,400
What is it then?
The Mother responds, quote.
67
00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:56,840
The voice of the ordinary
conscience is an ethical voice,
68
00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,520
a moral voice which
distinguishes between good and
69
00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:05,200
evil, encourages us to do good,
and forbids us to do evil.
70
00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:10,120
This voice is very useful in
ordinary life until 1 is able to
71
00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:14,280
become conscious of 1's psychic
being and allow oneself to be
72
00:05:14,280 --> 00:05:19,080
entirely guided by it.
In other words, to rise above
73
00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:23,840
ordinary humanity, free oneself
from all egoism, and become a
74
00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:26,400
conscious instrument of the
divine will.
75
00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:32,360
The soul itself, being a portion
of the Divine, is above all
76
00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:37,000
moral and ethical notions.
It bathes in the divine light
77
00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:41,120
and manifests it, but it can
truly govern the whole being
78
00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,000
only when the ego has been
dissolved.
79
00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:50,320
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindu
and the Mother the psychic being
80
00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,720
soul, its nature, Mission and
evolution.
81
00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:56,640
Section 1.
Meaning and Nature of the
82
00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:59,520
Psychic Being, pages 32 to 33.
00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:04,160
Friedrich Nietzsche held that
the superior man could not be
2
00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:08,720
bound by ordinary morality or
ethical concerns about abiding
3
00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:13,280
by what is considered good
versus what is considered evil
4
00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:17,800
by society.
His view was that the customary
5
00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:21,240
definitions were developed to
control the mass of humanity,
6
00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,720
but that they could not apply to
those who had a superior insight
7
00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:30,240
and understanding.
He touched upon an important
8
00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,600
truth.
It was, however, misapplied to
9
00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:38,720
the egoistic personality rather
than to the true spiritual self
10
00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:40,840
which sees the truth of
existence.
11
00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:46,000
His philosophy was construed,
particularly at the time of the
12
00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:50,360
Third Reich in Germany, as
supporting the declaration of
13
00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:54,480
supremacy that treated other
people as animals and justified
14
00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,880
their destruction in the name of
uplifting the human race.
15
00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:03,320
The Holocaust was one result of
this misapplication.
16
00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:09,200
This same mistake as repeated in
other circumstances as well.
17
00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,920
Fyodor Dostoevsky, in his novel
Crime and Punishment, explored
18
00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:19,480
this concept from the point of
view of an individual who took a
19
00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:24,720
similar stance, asserted to
himself his superiority, and
20
00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:30,320
thereby justified his actions to
steal and eventually kill an
21
00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:33,960
individual to achieve his own
financial support needs.
22
00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,440
The individual, however, soon
found that he was actually still
23
00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,760
bound by the ordinary morality
considerations.
24
00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,800
He became mentally disturbed and
physically I'll from his attempt
25
00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:50,800
to escape the pangs of
conscience that arose after he
26
00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:57,160
committed his heinous crimes.
Morality, and the conscience
27
00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:00,840
that enforces it, is defined
within the framework of a
28
00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:06,960
particular society and thus is
neither universal nor perfect in
29
00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:11,400
its application.
In one society, morality is
30
00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:16,360
defined by certain dress codes.
In another society it may be
31
00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:21,240
defined by sexual preferences.
In yet another, those who have
32
00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,320
acquired wealth and status are
considered above normal
33
00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:28,640
considerations and are treated
vastly differently than everyone
34
00:02:28,640 --> 00:02:33,120
else.
Concepts such as might makes
35
00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:38,200
right, all's fair in love and
war, discrimination against one
36
00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:42,080
group or another, or the
treatment of women as property,
37
00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:46,560
and the excusing of immoral
means of acquiring wealth and
38
00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:51,000
power through deceit or through
enforcement by brute force
39
00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:56,080
illustrate the limits of
traditional framing of morality.
40
00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,720
What is considered moral or
ethical also tends to change
41
00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:05,160
over time.
Slavery, once considered moral
42
00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:09,200
and ethical, is now generally
condemned as abhorrent.
43
00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,720
Morality more often than not
becomes a weapon to control a
44
00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:17,520
populace rather than the
application of a universal
45
00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,680
truth, and the concepts of
morality in any particular
46
00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:26,680
society program the conscience
that applies in that society.
47
00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,960
For those who are not under the
guidance of the voice of the
48
00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:35,200
soul, a framework that defines
good and evil is generally
49
00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,920
better than having a society
governed by brute force,
50
00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,840
violence, and self dealing at
the expense of everyone else.
51
00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:48,800
Morality, ethics, and conscience
have a positive role to play in
52
00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,840
the development of human
relationships and society,
53
00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:56,280
particularly if they try to
bring about results that mirror
54
00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,760
those that the soul and its
spiritual linkage favors.
55
00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,800
The concept of moving beyond
good and evil finds its truth
56
00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,080
only when it is not attached to
the ego personality but to the
57
00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:12,560
psychic being which
automatically knows the truth,
58
00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,680
the right, the vast and responds
to that.
59
00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:21,480
This does not justify the
violation of morality or ethics
60
00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:26,240
for the needs and desires of the
ego for self aggrandizement or
61
00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,560
advancement of any sort.
The soul has no need for these
62
00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:34,840
guardrails of behaviour simply
because it would not consider
63
00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:39,800
those actions in the 1st place.
A disciple asks.
64
00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:45,000
Sweet Mother, Sri Robindo says
that the voice of the ordinary
65
00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,520
conscience is not the voice of
the soul.
66
00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:52,400
What is it then?
The Mother responds, quote.
67
00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:56,840
The voice of the ordinary
conscience is an ethical voice,
68
00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,520
a moral voice which
distinguishes between good and
69
00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:05,200
evil, encourages us to do good,
and forbids us to do evil.
70
00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:10,120
This voice is very useful in
ordinary life until 1 is able to
71
00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:14,280
become conscious of 1's psychic
being and allow oneself to be
72
00:05:14,280 --> 00:05:19,080
entirely guided by it.
In other words, to rise above
73
00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:23,840
ordinary humanity, free oneself
from all egoism, and become a
74
00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:26,400
conscious instrument of the
divine will.
75
00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:32,360
The soul itself, being a portion
of the Divine, is above all
76
00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:37,000
moral and ethical notions.
It bathes in the divine light
77
00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:41,120
and manifests it, but it can
truly govern the whole being
78
00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,000
only when the ego has been
dissolved.
79
00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:50,320
End Quote Reference Srioro Bindu
and the Mother the psychic being
80
00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,720
soul, its nature, Mission and
evolution.
81
00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:56,640
Section 1.
Meaning and Nature of the
82
00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:59,520
Psychic Being, pages 32 to 33.
