THE END OF THE UNGRATEFULNESS

«Your surprise at X’s behaviour shows that you do not yet know what kind of thing is the average human nature. Did you never hear of the answer of Vidyasagar when he was told that a certain man was abusing him, — “Why does he abuse me? I never did him a good turn (upakâra).” The unregenerate vital is not grateful for a benefit, it resents being under an obligation. So long as the benefit continues, it is effusive and says sweet things, as soon as it expects nothing more it turns round and bites the hand that fed it. Sometimes it does that even before, when it thinks it can do it without the benefactor knowing the origin of the slander, fault-finding or abuse. In all these dealings of yours there is nothing unusual, nothing, as you think, peculiar to you. Most have this kind of experience, few escape it altogether. Of course, people with a developed psychic element are by nature grateful and do not behave in this way.»

SRI AUROBINDO

«The calumnies don’t really matter. What Tagore says about gossip and rumours is quite right, not only of Bengal, but everywhere. It is part of average human nature (the lower vital again!) to take pleasure in scandal, nindâ [criticism], believing and reporting anything against people, and if nothing true or half true can be found, inventing or reporting invention. The best thing is not to pay any attention — if it is forced on one, then a quite correction or contradiction is enough. And for the rest to go straight on one’s way, casting these saletés [dirty tricks] behind you.»

SRI AUROBINDO

«A self-willed man cannot be grateful — because when he gets what he wants he gives all the credit for it to his own will, and when he gets what he does not want he resents it badly and throws all the blame on whomever he considers responsible, God, man or Nature.»

MOTHER

«The nobility of a being is measured by its capacity of gratitude.»

MOTHER