Human Relations

CRITICISM

(Ref: Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary Library, Vol 23, P:826)

(Ref: Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary Library, Vol 23, P:826)

There is no harm in seeing and observing if it is done with sympathy and impartiality - it is the tendency unnecessarily to criticise, find fault, condemn others (often quite wrongly) which creates a bad atmosphere both for oneself and others. And why this harshness and cocksure condemnation? Has not each man his own faults - why should he be so eager to find fault with others and condemn them? Sometimes one has to judge but it should not be done hastily or in a censorious spirit.

Sri Aurobindo

(Ref: Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary Library, Vol 23, P:826)

Men are always more able to criticise sharply the work of others and tell them how to do things or what not to do than skilful to avoid the same mistakes themselves. Often indeed one sees easily in others faults which are there in oneself but which one fails to see. The human mind is not really conscious of itself - that is why in yoga one has always to look and see what is in oneself and become more and more conscious.

Sri Aurobindo

(Ref: Letters on Yoga, P:826)

If you listen to what others say and base your action on satisfying their ideas, how will you keep the right attitude which can alone support you in work? It is for the Mother that you have to work, to find her in yourself through work,—not to protect yourself from the criticism of others.

Sri Aurobindo

(Ref: Letters on Yoga, P: 1581)

The habit of criticism - mostly ignorant criticism of others - mixed with all sorts of imaginations, inferences, exaggerations, false interpretations, even gross inventions is one of the universal illnesses. It is a disease of the vital aided by the physical mind which makes itself an instrument of the pleasure taken in this barren and harmful pursuit of the vital. Control of the speech, refusal of this disease and the itch of the vital is very necessary, if inner experience has to have any true effect of transformation in the outer life.

Sri Aurobindo

(Ref: Letters on Yoga, P: 1557)

Even sometimes a malignant (not fair or well-intentioned) criticism can be helpful by some aspect of it, if one can look at it without being affected by the unfairness.

Sri Aurobindo

(Ref: Letters on Yoga, P: 828)

Yes, all that is true. The lower vital takes a mean and petty pleasure in picking out the faults of others and thereby one hampers both one's own progress and that of the subject of the criticism.

Sri Aurobindo

(Ref: Letters on Yoga, P: 827)

That is a great error of the human vital - to want compliments for their own sake and to be depressed by their absence and imagine that it means there is no capacity. In this world one starts with ignorance and imperfection in whatever one does - one has to find out one's mistakes and to learn, one has to commit errors and find out by correcting them the right way to do things. Nobody in the world has ever escaped from this law. So what one has to expect from others is not compliments all the time, but praise of what is right or well done and criticism of errors and mistakes. The more one can bear criticism and see one's mistakes, the more likely one is to arrive at the fullness of one's capacity. Especially when one is very young - before the age of maturity - one cannot easily do perfect work. What is called the juvenile work of poets and painters - work done in their early years is always imperfect, it is a promise and has qualities - but the real perfection and full use of their powers comes afterwards. They themselves know that very well, but they go on writing or painting because they know also that by doing so they will develop their powers.

As for comparison with others, one ought not to do that. Each one has his own lesson to learn, his own work to do and he must concern himself with that, not with the superior or inferior progress of others in comparison with himself. If he is behind today, he can be in full capacity hereafter and it is for that future perfection of his powers that he must labour. You are young and have everything yet to learn - your capacities are yet only in bud, you must wait and work for them to be in full bloom - and you must not mind if it takes months and years even to arrive at something satisfying and perfect. It will come in its proper time, and the work you do now is always a step towards it.

But learn to welcome criticism and the pointing out of imperfections - the more you do so, the more rapidly you will advance.

Sri Aurobindo

(Ref: Letters on Yoga, P: 706-707)

If only people did remain a little quiet before speaking, acting or writing, much trouble could be avoided. So many things are said uselessly, they bring misunderstandings and bad feelings which could have been saved with silence.

Mother

(Ref: Collected Works of the Mother, Vol 14, P: 218)

It is always a sign of strength to be able to say things gently and it is always weakness that bursts out into unpleasantnesses.

Mother

(Ref: Collected Works of the Mother, Vol 14, P: 220)

When, in ignorance, one speaks ill of others, he debases his consciousness and degrades his soul.

A respectful and modest silence is the only attitude befitting a disciple.

Mother

(Ref: Collected Works of the Mother, Vol 14, P: 221)