Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
11. Difficulties of the Path (1)
Fragment ID: 3763
Buddhism is the turning away from duḥkha and its causes to the attracting face of Nirvana. The duḥkhavāda did not exist in India, except in the theory of the Vaishnava viraha; otherwise it was not considered as a means or even a stage of the sadhana. But that does not mean that duḥkha does not come in the sadhana; it comes and has to be rejected and overcome, overpassed – excepting the psychic sorrow which does not disturb or depress but rather liberates the vital. To make a vāda or gospel of sorrow is dangerous because sorrow, if indulged, becomes a habit, sticks and few things, if once they stick, can be more sticky.