Chapter 72185–186

Vice and virtue are inventions of human thought for the needs of evolution and progress — but in the Divine Consciousness, vice and virtue do not exist. The whole universe is in a slow ascending evolution towards That which it must manifest.

30 October 1969 189 – Live within; be not shaken by outward happenings.

190 – Fling not thy alms abroad everywhere in an ostentation

of charity; understand and love where thou helpest. Let thy soul grow within thee.

191 – Help the poor while the poor are with thee; but study

also and strive that there may be no poor for thy assistance.

To live within in a constant aspiration for the Divine enables us to look at life with a smile and to remain peaceful whatever the outer circumstances may be. As for the poor, Sri Aurobindo says that to come to their help is good, provided that it is not a vain ostentation of charity, but that it is far nobler to seek a remedy for poverty so that there may be no poor left on earth.

31 October 1969 192 – The old Indian social ideal demanded of the priest

voluntary simplicity of life, purity, learning and the gratuitous instruction of the community, of the prince, war, government, protection of the weak and the giving up of his life in the battle-field, of the merchant, trade, gain and the return of his gains to the community by free giving, of the serf, labour for the rest and material havings.