Quote by W. Somerset Maugham, The Razor's
Has it occurred to you that transmigration is at once an explanation and a justification of the evil of the world ? If the evils we suffer are the result of sins committed in our past lives, we can bear them with resignation and hope that if in this one we strive toward virtue our future lives will be less afflicted.
Summary
This quote suggests that the concept of transmigration, or the belief in the soul's migration from one body to another after death, serves as both an explanation and a justification for the existence of evil in the world. It argues that if the suffering one experiences is a consequence of their past life's wrongdoings, then accepting and enduring such suffering becomes easier. Moreover, the hope is expressed that by striving for virtue and righteousness in the current life, future lives will be less plagued by afflictions.