June 21, 2025
Overcoming Suffering and Changing the Future of Our Karma
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 4, Ordeals and Difficulties, pp..109-110
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/06/19/overcoming-suffering-and-changing-the-future-of-our-karma/
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
1
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,680
Many people believe that there
is some kind of inexorable law
2
00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:09,240
of reward and punishment being
doled out by God or some other
3
00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:11,880
all powerful, all observant
being.
4
00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,239
In the West, children are taught
this lesson through the myth of
5
00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,440
Santa Claus when they are
encouraged to be good because
6
00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:25,200
Santa Claus is always watching
and will only deliver desired
7
00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:27,560
gifts or rewards to good
children.
8
00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,960
They grow up believing that some
divine being is watching over
9
00:00:32,119 --> 00:00:37,400
every action of every individual
all the time, and thus they are
10
00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,800
encouraged to follow the rules
of the society and the moral
11
00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:46,440
code in order to be rewarded or
else suffer the consequences of
12
00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,000
being subject to various types
of suffering.
13
00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:54,080
The normal operation of cause
and effect explains much of what
14
00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:58,120
we experience in our lives.
The Buddhist concept of
15
00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:03,240
dependent origination describes
this cause and effect, also
16
00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:06,680
called in the Sanatna Dharma,
the law of karma.
17
00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,160
Everything that happens today
was caused by some past
18
00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:15,120
concatenation of causes that
came together to create the
19
00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:19,400
current situation.
Choices we made in the past are
20
00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:24,040
part of that causal function,
and we thus experienced the joy
21
00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:29,840
or sorrow based on how our ego
personality reacts to what has
22
00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,280
come to us.
Some of the events that create
23
00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:37,800
current actions are personal.
Some are related to our own past
24
00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:41,000
lives of development, the
individual stream of
25
00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:45,480
consciousness that progressively
manifests over time and across
26
00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:48,800
births.
And some is related to the
27
00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:53,120
situation of the physical,
vital, mental world into which
28
00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:57,240
we are born and live, the
civilization, the goals and
29
00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:02,360
aspirations, the training and
habits of humanity and of our
30
00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:06,200
social lives.
Since we cannot go back and
31
00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:10,400
alter those past actions, we are
faced with the decision as to
32
00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,720
how to respond to the current
situation and make the best of
33
00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:18,040
it and thereby alter the
trajectory of that karmic energy
34
00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:22,320
going forward.
As long as we remain immersed in
35
00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:26,880
the ego personality, we
experience the suffering and the
36
00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:31,440
joy that alternates with the
suffering as we awaken to the
37
00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,560
independence of our conscious
awareness from the external ego
38
00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,560
personality that we have assumed
in this lifetime.
39
00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:44,040
As we identify ourselves with
the Self, the Atman or the
40
00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,720
psychic being, which is the
divine spark that resides
41
00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:52,840
within, we recognize that we can
overcome the psychological
42
00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,800
weight of the suffering through
non attachment and observation.
43
00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,040
And we can even modify the
trajectory of the karmic
44
00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:05,960
consequences going forward by
simply not accepting and
45
00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,080
changing what appeared to be an
inevitable step by step
46
00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:13,240
progression.
This is where the concepts of
47
00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:18,040
determinism and free will find
their coexistence in harmony
48
00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:22,160
with each other.
Free will is the exercise of the
49
00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:26,880
conscious soul to transform the
causal chain and redirect it.
50
00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,480
Until we have separated from the
attachment to the external
51
00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:33,560
being.
We are subject to the
52
00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,920
determination of past events and
the habitual patterns we have
53
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:43,640
developed in dealing with events
and circumstances, Sriorobindo
54
00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,760
notes quote.
Suffering is not inflicted as a
55
00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,320
punishment for sin or for
hostility.
56
00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,760
That is a wrong idea.
Suffering comes like pleasure
57
00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,080
and good fortune, as an
inevitable part of life.
58
00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:03,120
In the ignorance, the dualities
of pleasure and pain, joy and
59
00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:07,520
grief, good fortune and I'll
fortune, are the inevitable
60
00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,760
results of the ignorance which
separates us from our true
61
00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:13,240
consciousness and from the
Divine.
62
00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:17,079
Only by coming back to it can we
get rid of suffering.
63
00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,440
Karma from the past lives
exists.
64
00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,600
Much of what happens is due to
it, but not all.
65
00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,040
For we can mend our karma by our
own consciousness and efforts,
66
00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,520
but the suffering is simply a
natural consequence of past
67
00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:37,560
errors, not a punishment, just
as a burn is the natural
68
00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:39,520
consequence of playing with
fire.
69
00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,440
It is part of the experience by
which the soul, through its
70
00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:48,040
instruments, learns and grows
until it is ready to turn to the
71
00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:51,920
Divine.
The attitude you express in your
72
00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,520
letter is quite the right one.
Whatever sufferings come on the
73
00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,120
path are not too high a price
for the victory that has to be
74
00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:03,960
won, and if they are taken in
the right spirit, they become
75
00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,600
even a means towards the
victory.
76
00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:11,160
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
77
00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:15,560
Mother Looking from Within,
Chapter 4, Ordeals and
78
00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:18,840
Difficulties, pages one O 9 to
110.
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,680
Many people believe that there
is some kind of inexorable law
2
00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:09,240
of reward and punishment being
doled out by God or some other
3
00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:11,880
all powerful, all observant
being.
4
00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,239
In the West, children are taught
this lesson through the myth of
5
00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,440
Santa Claus when they are
encouraged to be good because
6
00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:25,200
Santa Claus is always watching
and will only deliver desired
7
00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:27,560
gifts or rewards to good
children.
8
00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,960
They grow up believing that some
divine being is watching over
9
00:00:32,119 --> 00:00:37,400
every action of every individual
all the time, and thus they are
10
00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,800
encouraged to follow the rules
of the society and the moral
11
00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:46,440
code in order to be rewarded or
else suffer the consequences of
12
00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,000
being subject to various types
of suffering.
13
00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:54,080
The normal operation of cause
and effect explains much of what
14
00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:58,120
we experience in our lives.
The Buddhist concept of
15
00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:03,240
dependent origination describes
this cause and effect, also
16
00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:06,680
called in the Sanatna Dharma,
the law of karma.
17
00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,160
Everything that happens today
was caused by some past
18
00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:15,120
concatenation of causes that
came together to create the
19
00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:19,400
current situation.
Choices we made in the past are
20
00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:24,040
part of that causal function,
and we thus experienced the joy
21
00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:29,840
or sorrow based on how our ego
personality reacts to what has
22
00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,280
come to us.
Some of the events that create
23
00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:37,800
current actions are personal.
Some are related to our own past
24
00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:41,000
lives of development, the
individual stream of
25
00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:45,480
consciousness that progressively
manifests over time and across
26
00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:48,800
births.
And some is related to the
27
00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:53,120
situation of the physical,
vital, mental world into which
28
00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:57,240
we are born and live, the
civilization, the goals and
29
00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:02,360
aspirations, the training and
habits of humanity and of our
30
00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:06,200
social lives.
Since we cannot go back and
31
00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:10,400
alter those past actions, we are
faced with the decision as to
32
00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,720
how to respond to the current
situation and make the best of
33
00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:18,040
it and thereby alter the
trajectory of that karmic energy
34
00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:22,320
going forward.
As long as we remain immersed in
35
00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:26,880
the ego personality, we
experience the suffering and the
36
00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:31,440
joy that alternates with the
suffering as we awaken to the
37
00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,560
independence of our conscious
awareness from the external ego
38
00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,560
personality that we have assumed
in this lifetime.
39
00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:44,040
As we identify ourselves with
the Self, the Atman or the
40
00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,720
psychic being, which is the
divine spark that resides
41
00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:52,840
within, we recognize that we can
overcome the psychological
42
00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,800
weight of the suffering through
non attachment and observation.
43
00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,040
And we can even modify the
trajectory of the karmic
44
00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:05,960
consequences going forward by
simply not accepting and
45
00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,080
changing what appeared to be an
inevitable step by step
46
00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:13,240
progression.
This is where the concepts of
47
00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:18,040
determinism and free will find
their coexistence in harmony
48
00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:22,160
with each other.
Free will is the exercise of the
49
00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:26,880
conscious soul to transform the
causal chain and redirect it.
50
00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,480
Until we have separated from the
attachment to the external
51
00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:33,560
being.
We are subject to the
52
00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,920
determination of past events and
the habitual patterns we have
53
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:43,640
developed in dealing with events
and circumstances, Sriorobindo
54
00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,760
notes quote.
Suffering is not inflicted as a
55
00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,320
punishment for sin or for
hostility.
56
00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,760
That is a wrong idea.
Suffering comes like pleasure
57
00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,080
and good fortune, as an
inevitable part of life.
58
00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:03,120
In the ignorance, the dualities
of pleasure and pain, joy and
59
00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:07,520
grief, good fortune and I'll
fortune, are the inevitable
60
00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,760
results of the ignorance which
separates us from our true
61
00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:13,240
consciousness and from the
Divine.
62
00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:17,079
Only by coming back to it can we
get rid of suffering.
63
00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,440
Karma from the past lives
exists.
64
00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,600
Much of what happens is due to
it, but not all.
65
00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,040
For we can mend our karma by our
own consciousness and efforts,
66
00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,520
but the suffering is simply a
natural consequence of past
67
00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:37,560
errors, not a punishment, just
as a burn is the natural
68
00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:39,520
consequence of playing with
fire.
69
00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,440
It is part of the experience by
which the soul, through its
70
00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:48,040
instruments, learns and grows
until it is ready to turn to the
71
00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:51,920
Divine.
The attitude you express in your
72
00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,520
letter is quite the right one.
Whatever sufferings come on the
73
00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,120
path are not too high a price
for the victory that has to be
74
00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:03,960
won, and if they are taken in
the right spirit, they become
75
00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,600
even a means towards the
victory.
76
00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:11,160
End Quote.
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
77
00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:15,560
Mother Looking from Within,
Chapter 4, Ordeals and
78
00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:18,840
Difficulties, pages one O 9 to
110.