Aug. 23, 2025
Understanding Desire and the Absence of Desire
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pg. 155This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/08/21/understanding-desire-and-the-absence-of-desire/
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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
00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,720
When seekers take up the
spiritual path, they try to
2
00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,320
follow the guideline to reject
desire.
3
00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:10,400
They will frequently say I don't
desire anything.
4
00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:14,960
In many cases, however, this is
an obfuscation by the vital
5
00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:19,160
nature, manipulating the mind to
accept something which is not
6
00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,640
entirely accurate.
Let's break this down.
7
00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,000
One thing that may occur is that
the individual actually is
8
00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:31,400
having his needs met one way or
the other and need not seek out
9
00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,520
or choose anything as it is
already there for him.
10
00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:39,160
The desire in such a case could
only be seen if the
11
00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:43,480
circumstances would be changed
and the various items or people
12
00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:46,640
providing the support were
removed from the picture.
13
00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:52,160
Would the individual still say
they have no desires when the
14
00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:56,160
abundance is no longer there
providing it to them without a
15
00:00:56,160 --> 00:01:00,960
lot of thought or effort?
Another thing that occurs is
16
00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:04,519
that the secret tries to offload
the desire and its fulfillment
17
00:01:04,519 --> 00:01:10,240
to someone else, and knowing how
things generally work out, he is
18
00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:15,200
able to accept the result.
Another is simply that the
19
00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,480
desire is there, but the vital
nature is telling the mind that
20
00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:21,400
it is not really a desire, but
something else.
21
00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:26,000
As long as the mind is willing
to go along with that, things
22
00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,200
continue as they were, and the
vital has its desires met.
23
00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,840
Even our prayers reveal the
desires lurking in our being.
24
00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:41,720
When the prayers are conditional
such that our love, support, and
25
00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:46,480
action are based on having our
wishes met, we are projecting
26
00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:51,800
desires onto our relationship to
the Divine when we pray for a
27
00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:57,360
specific wish to be fulfilled.
Money, relationship recognition,
28
00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,720
etcetera.
We are expressing desires all be
29
00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:06,800
it in a prayerful way.
When the psychic being comes
30
00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:11,160
forward it changes from a demand
type of prayer to a self giving
31
00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,360
type of prayer.
Thy will be done aligns more
32
00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,560
with the psychic approach than
any request for a specific
33
00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:23,760
result.
Similarly, when the separation
34
00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:27,200
of the witness consciousness
from the external nature occurs,
35
00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:31,720
the seeker who identifies with
that witness consciousness will
36
00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,120
find that he harbours no
desires.
37
00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:39,560
He observes as the bird who acts
as the observer, the external
38
00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,120
nature which eats the sweet
fruit of the tree.
39
00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:49,040
In the colorful language of the
Upanishad, there's an apocryphal
40
00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:53,360
tale that bears repeating.
The divine singer Narod is
41
00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:56,800
travelling through the world and
comes across a Yogi practicing
42
00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:02,160
austere penances for many years.
The Yogi asks Narod how much
43
00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,440
longer until he obtains
liberation.
44
00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:11,840
Narod replies 4 more lifetimes.
The Yogi is disconsolate that
45
00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:15,720
after all that effort he has to
undergo such a long additional
46
00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:20,040
period of austerity to fulfill
his desire for liberation.
47
00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,720
His expectation for early
liberation and the desire that
48
00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,440
fueled his efforts have been
frustrated.
49
00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,800
Norad continues on his way and
comes across a devotee singing
50
00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,920
and dancing with ecstatic
abandoned under a tree.
51
00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,120
This devotee asks the same
question.
52
00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:46,320
When will I achieve liberation?
Norad replies, As many leaves as
53
00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:50,200
there are on this tree, that is
how many lifetimes you will have
54
00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,840
to undergo before achieving
liberation.
55
00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:58,760
Hearing this, the devotee sheds
tears of joy and in an ecstatic
56
00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:03,080
feeling declares that he is
blessed to have the divine near
57
00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:05,200
him.
As he works through the process,
58
00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:10,000
for however long it takes, a
voice comes down out of heaven
59
00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:14,240
and advises him, You are
liberated this moment.
60
00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:19,440
We see here the difference
between desire and absence of
61
00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:24,760
desire, Sri Aurobindo notes
quote.
62
00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,320
Everything which it hankers
after is desirable to the vital.
63
00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,240
But the desire has to be
rejected.
64
00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,320
I won't.
Desire is quite the right thing
65
00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:39,560
to say.
Even if I don't desire cannot
66
00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:44,080
yet be said by the vital, still
there is something in the being
67
00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:49,080
that can even say I don't desire
and refuse to recognize the
68
00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,680
vital desire as part of the true
Being.
69
00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:57,280
It is that consciousness which
the peace and power bring that
70
00:04:57,280 --> 00:05:02,560
has to be recognized as the true
I and made permanent in front.
71
00:05:03,840 --> 00:05:08,960
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother Looking
72
00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:15,160
from Within, Chapter 5,
Attitudes on the Path, page 155.
00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,720
When seekers take up the
spiritual path, they try to
2
00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,320
follow the guideline to reject
desire.
3
00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:10,400
They will frequently say I don't
desire anything.
4
00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:14,960
In many cases, however, this is
an obfuscation by the vital
5
00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:19,160
nature, manipulating the mind to
accept something which is not
6
00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,640
entirely accurate.
Let's break this down.
7
00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,000
One thing that may occur is that
the individual actually is
8
00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:31,400
having his needs met one way or
the other and need not seek out
9
00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,520
or choose anything as it is
already there for him.
10
00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:39,160
The desire in such a case could
only be seen if the
11
00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:43,480
circumstances would be changed
and the various items or people
12
00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:46,640
providing the support were
removed from the picture.
13
00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:52,160
Would the individual still say
they have no desires when the
14
00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:56,160
abundance is no longer there
providing it to them without a
15
00:00:56,160 --> 00:01:00,960
lot of thought or effort?
Another thing that occurs is
16
00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:04,519
that the secret tries to offload
the desire and its fulfillment
17
00:01:04,519 --> 00:01:10,240
to someone else, and knowing how
things generally work out, he is
18
00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:15,200
able to accept the result.
Another is simply that the
19
00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,480
desire is there, but the vital
nature is telling the mind that
20
00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:21,400
it is not really a desire, but
something else.
21
00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:26,000
As long as the mind is willing
to go along with that, things
22
00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,200
continue as they were, and the
vital has its desires met.
23
00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,840
Even our prayers reveal the
desires lurking in our being.
24
00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:41,720
When the prayers are conditional
such that our love, support, and
25
00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:46,480
action are based on having our
wishes met, we are projecting
26
00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:51,800
desires onto our relationship to
the Divine when we pray for a
27
00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:57,360
specific wish to be fulfilled.
Money, relationship recognition,
28
00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,720
etcetera.
We are expressing desires all be
29
00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:06,800
it in a prayerful way.
When the psychic being comes
30
00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:11,160
forward it changes from a demand
type of prayer to a self giving
31
00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,360
type of prayer.
Thy will be done aligns more
32
00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,560
with the psychic approach than
any request for a specific
33
00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:23,760
result.
Similarly, when the separation
34
00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:27,200
of the witness consciousness
from the external nature occurs,
35
00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:31,720
the seeker who identifies with
that witness consciousness will
36
00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,120
find that he harbours no
desires.
37
00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:39,560
He observes as the bird who acts
as the observer, the external
38
00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,120
nature which eats the sweet
fruit of the tree.
39
00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:49,040
In the colorful language of the
Upanishad, there's an apocryphal
40
00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:53,360
tale that bears repeating.
The divine singer Narod is
41
00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:56,800
travelling through the world and
comes across a Yogi practicing
42
00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:02,160
austere penances for many years.
The Yogi asks Narod how much
43
00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,440
longer until he obtains
liberation.
44
00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:11,840
Narod replies 4 more lifetimes.
The Yogi is disconsolate that
45
00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:15,720
after all that effort he has to
undergo such a long additional
46
00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:20,040
period of austerity to fulfill
his desire for liberation.
47
00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,720
His expectation for early
liberation and the desire that
48
00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,440
fueled his efforts have been
frustrated.
49
00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,800
Norad continues on his way and
comes across a devotee singing
50
00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,920
and dancing with ecstatic
abandoned under a tree.
51
00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,120
This devotee asks the same
question.
52
00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:46,320
When will I achieve liberation?
Norad replies, As many leaves as
53
00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:50,200
there are on this tree, that is
how many lifetimes you will have
54
00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,840
to undergo before achieving
liberation.
55
00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:58,760
Hearing this, the devotee sheds
tears of joy and in an ecstatic
56
00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:03,080
feeling declares that he is
blessed to have the divine near
57
00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:05,200
him.
As he works through the process,
58
00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:10,000
for however long it takes, a
voice comes down out of heaven
59
00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:14,240
and advises him, You are
liberated this moment.
60
00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:19,440
We see here the difference
between desire and absence of
61
00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:24,760
desire, Sri Aurobindo notes
quote.
62
00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,320
Everything which it hankers
after is desirable to the vital.
63
00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,240
But the desire has to be
rejected.
64
00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,320
I won't.
Desire is quite the right thing
65
00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:39,560
to say.
Even if I don't desire cannot
66
00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:44,080
yet be said by the vital, still
there is something in the being
67
00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:49,080
that can even say I don't desire
and refuse to recognize the
68
00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,680
vital desire as part of the true
Being.
69
00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:57,280
It is that consciousness which
the peace and power bring that
70
00:04:57,280 --> 00:05:02,560
has to be recognized as the true
I and made permanent in front.
71
00:05:03,840 --> 00:05:08,960
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother Looking
72
00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:15,160
from Within, Chapter 5,
Attitudes on the Path, page 155.
