Purity (part 1 + 2)

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>From Four Pillars of Wisdom by Swami Ashokananda

 

Purity (parts 1 and 2 )

 

There are certain essential elements in the formation of

character. I shall mention here two or three of the virtues

they should acquire, all the vices they should get rid of.

 

They will consciously practise everything - truthfulness, purity,

unselfishness, sympathy, compassion - and they will avoid

their opposites. But there are other people who concentrate

only on one of these virtues; they know that if they strengthen

it, then the rest will take care of themselves.

 

One such virtue is purity. Purity in the highest sense is that

in which we are not aware of any conflicting element within

ourselves - our being flourishes and functions in the highest

level without impediment.

>From the viewpoint of the highest level, anything we feel

within ourselves as limited will be conflicting. If the gross

limited body should make itself felt, our consciousness would

not welcome it. In the practice of purity, therefore, great

emphasis is given to controlling the demands of the body.

 

It is not for nothing that everywhere purity has become

somewhat narrowly identified with sexual purity; the

body makes itself felt most strongly in terms of sex,

not so much in terms of hunger or thirst or the needs of

sleep. Therefore he who has conquered sex feels that

he has won the greatest victory over the body.

 

However, anything limited, when it becomes imposed

upon our consciousness, creates a sense of impurity,

of bondage of limitation. So one should practise purity

in all respects. Let us call it purity of enjoyment. What

are we trying to enjoy? Are you trying to enjoy the Spirit?

Then you are pure. To enjoy anything less than the Spirit

makes you impure, and if you enjoy the body or matter, then

you become impure. <snip>

 

You do not consider that the body is impure but you

know it for what it is. <snip>

 

Now you might say here, "One should not think like that -

always hating one's own body and considering it impure".

That's not it! You do not have that sense at all. You do not

consider that the body is impure, but you know it for what

it is. The body of Sri Ramakrishna was spiritually so

sensitive that just by touching him people used to have

high spiritual experiences. Just by touching his body!

 

 

Commentary: Such lucid definition of 'purity' is not

found elsewhere in Hindu scriptures!