Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
05. The Triple Transformation: Psychic – Spiritual – Supramental
Fragment ID: 2754
Some people do get disgusted with the body for its uncleanness, but I should say it is very few.
The suggestion of Patanjali1 supposes that the mind is everything, so if I get the idea that the body is an unclean thing, all my feelings will harmonise with that idea. But it is not so – there are other parts which do not care for the idea or knowledge in the mind and are not affected by it but are led by their own instincts and desires. It is only those who have already the turn to vairāgya who can make use of Patanjali’s suggestion to help their already existing vairāgya. The medical man for instance holds his knowledge of the composition of the body as a matter of fact of science, he keeps it separate there in the scientific compartment of his mind and it does not in the least affect his other ideas, feelings or activities.
1 śaucāt svāṅga-jugupsā. “From cleanliness [arises] disgust for one’s own body.” Yogasutras of Patanjali, Ch. II, 40.