April 3, 2025
The Parable of the Mote and the Beam and Its Relevance for the Spiritual Seeker
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 2, Looking at Oneself and Others, pp. 41-42
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/04/01/the-parable-of-the-mote-and-the-beam-and-its-relevance-for-the-spiritual-seeker/
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
00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,920
The spiritual seeker often finds
that he can see weaknesses and
2
00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:08,640
faults in others.
If he fails to recognize that
3
00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,640
his reaction may be due to
harboring those faults and
4
00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,160
weaknesses within himself, he
can take an attitude of
5
00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:19,160
hostility toward the other
person who is exhibiting those
6
00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,360
things.
He may try to control in someone
7
00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:24,960
else.
What he does not control within
8
00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:29,040
himself.
He may give way to anger and a
9
00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:33,400
self-righteous attitude that can
lead to much negativity.
10
00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,280
Such an attitude leads to
brutality and attempts at
11
00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:42,400
domination, which are clearly
drawing the individual away from
12
00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,560
the positive focus he needs to
hold in order to develop
13
00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:51,680
spiritually, instead of the
understanding of oneness, which
14
00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:55,720
brings feelings of empathy and
compassion when others are
15
00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,400
clearly caught up in various
circumstances or weaknesses,
16
00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:05,400
such an individual may become
highly judgmental, and if he has
17
00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:09,400
a certain amount of external
power, he can ostracize,
18
00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:15,320
imprison, torture, or kill, all
in the name of upholding his
19
00:01:15,320 --> 00:01:20,520
spiritual values while he moves
ever farther away from spiritual
20
00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,960
realization.
We have seen this time and
21
00:01:23,960 --> 00:01:27,640
again, and it is one of the
reasons that religion seems to
22
00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:31,000
have caused more wars and
suffering than any other
23
00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:35,520
activity in human existence.
It is the attitude that led to
24
00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,760
things such as the Scarlet
Letter, the Inquisition, the
25
00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:46,560
Crusades, the pogroms, the witch
trials in Salem, MA, and other
26
00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:50,160
events of human failure through
a focus on correcting others of
27
00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,520
faults while one does not see
one's own.
28
00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,880
In the Sermon on the Mount,
Jesus addressed this issue
29
00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:00,720
clearly.
Quote.
30
00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,400
And why beholdest thou the mote
that is in thy brother's eye?
31
00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,840
But consider us not the beam
that is in thine own eye?
32
00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:14,600
Or how wilt thou say to thy
brother, let me pull out the
33
00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:20,120
mote out of thine eye, and
behold, a beam is in thine own
34
00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:21,840
eye?
End Quote.
35
00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:27,240
Once again we are left with the
solution that one should focus
36
00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,440
one's energy and attention on
the positive spiritual growth
37
00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:35,360
and practice within oneself and
not be involved in judging,
38
00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,920
condemning and sanctioning
others for failure to abide by
39
00:02:39,920 --> 00:02:44,840
1's own sense of right and
wrong, which in many cases is
40
00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:49,000
used to hide from oneself the
similar issues one has.
41
00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:53,600
We can see often times that
those who are most vehement on a
42
00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,680
particular issue seem to have a
resonance to that issue that
43
00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:02,840
they cannot face or overcome, so
they externalize it and try to
44
00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:07,280
show their adherence and purity
by suppressing it in others.
45
00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:13,640
Shri Aurobindo notes quote do
not dwell much on the defects of
46
00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:15,480
others.
It is not helpful.
47
00:03:15,920 --> 00:03:19,600
Keep always quiet and peace in
the attitude.
48
00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,520
Only those who can sympathize
can help.
49
00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:27,720
Surely also one should be able
to see the faults of others
50
00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:31,320
without hatred.
Hatred injuries both parties.
51
00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:35,880
It helps none.
There is no harm in seeing and
52
00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,600
observing if it is done with
sympathy and impartiality.
53
00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:45,240
It is the tendency unnecessarily
to criticize, find fault,
54
00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:50,040
condemn others, often quite
wrongly, which creates a bad
55
00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:52,520
atmosphere both for oneself and
others.
56
00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,600
And why this harshness and
cocksure condemnation?
57
00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:02,520
Has not each man his own faults?
Why should he be so eager to
58
00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:04,720
find fault with others and
condemn them?
59
00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:12,120
Sometimes one has to judge, but
it should not be done hastily or
60
00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:18,200
in a censorious spirit.
End Quote Reference Sri
61
00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:22,079
Aurobindo and the Mother,
Looking from Within, Chapter 2.
62
00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:26,880
Looking at Oneself and Others,
pages 41 to 42.
00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,920
The spiritual seeker often finds
that he can see weaknesses and
2
00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:08,640
faults in others.
If he fails to recognize that
3
00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,640
his reaction may be due to
harboring those faults and
4
00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,160
weaknesses within himself, he
can take an attitude of
5
00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:19,160
hostility toward the other
person who is exhibiting those
6
00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,360
things.
He may try to control in someone
7
00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:24,960
else.
What he does not control within
8
00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:29,040
himself.
He may give way to anger and a
9
00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:33,400
self-righteous attitude that can
lead to much negativity.
10
00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,280
Such an attitude leads to
brutality and attempts at
11
00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:42,400
domination, which are clearly
drawing the individual away from
12
00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,560
the positive focus he needs to
hold in order to develop
13
00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:51,680
spiritually, instead of the
understanding of oneness, which
14
00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:55,720
brings feelings of empathy and
compassion when others are
15
00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,400
clearly caught up in various
circumstances or weaknesses,
16
00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:05,400
such an individual may become
highly judgmental, and if he has
17
00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:09,400
a certain amount of external
power, he can ostracize,
18
00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:15,320
imprison, torture, or kill, all
in the name of upholding his
19
00:01:15,320 --> 00:01:20,520
spiritual values while he moves
ever farther away from spiritual
20
00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,960
realization.
We have seen this time and
21
00:01:23,960 --> 00:01:27,640
again, and it is one of the
reasons that religion seems to
22
00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:31,000
have caused more wars and
suffering than any other
23
00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:35,520
activity in human existence.
It is the attitude that led to
24
00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,760
things such as the Scarlet
Letter, the Inquisition, the
25
00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:46,560
Crusades, the pogroms, the witch
trials in Salem, MA, and other
26
00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:50,160
events of human failure through
a focus on correcting others of
27
00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,520
faults while one does not see
one's own.
28
00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,880
In the Sermon on the Mount,
Jesus addressed this issue
29
00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:00,720
clearly.
Quote.
30
00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,400
And why beholdest thou the mote
that is in thy brother's eye?
31
00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,840
But consider us not the beam
that is in thine own eye?
32
00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:14,600
Or how wilt thou say to thy
brother, let me pull out the
33
00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:20,120
mote out of thine eye, and
behold, a beam is in thine own
34
00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:21,840
eye?
End Quote.
35
00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:27,240
Once again we are left with the
solution that one should focus
36
00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,440
one's energy and attention on
the positive spiritual growth
37
00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:35,360
and practice within oneself and
not be involved in judging,
38
00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,920
condemning and sanctioning
others for failure to abide by
39
00:02:39,920 --> 00:02:44,840
1's own sense of right and
wrong, which in many cases is
40
00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:49,000
used to hide from oneself the
similar issues one has.
41
00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:53,600
We can see often times that
those who are most vehement on a
42
00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,680
particular issue seem to have a
resonance to that issue that
43
00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:02,840
they cannot face or overcome, so
they externalize it and try to
44
00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:07,280
show their adherence and purity
by suppressing it in others.
45
00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:13,640
Shri Aurobindo notes quote do
not dwell much on the defects of
46
00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:15,480
others.
It is not helpful.
47
00:03:15,920 --> 00:03:19,600
Keep always quiet and peace in
the attitude.
48
00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,520
Only those who can sympathize
can help.
49
00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:27,720
Surely also one should be able
to see the faults of others
50
00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:31,320
without hatred.
Hatred injuries both parties.
51
00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:35,880
It helps none.
There is no harm in seeing and
52
00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,600
observing if it is done with
sympathy and impartiality.
53
00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:45,240
It is the tendency unnecessarily
to criticize, find fault,
54
00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:50,040
condemn others, often quite
wrongly, which creates a bad
55
00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:52,520
atmosphere both for oneself and
others.
56
00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,600
And why this harshness and
cocksure condemnation?
57
00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:02,520
Has not each man his own faults?
Why should he be so eager to
58
00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:04,720
find fault with others and
condemn them?
59
00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:12,120
Sometimes one has to judge, but
it should not be done hastily or
60
00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:18,200
in a censorious spirit.
End Quote Reference Sri
61
00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:22,079
Aurobindo and the Mother,
Looking from Within, Chapter 2.
62
00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:26,880
Looking at Oneself and Others,
pages 41 to 42.