Guest guest Posted August 20, 2001 Report Share Posted August 20, 2001 Here is a quote with regards to celibacy form the Prasna Upanishad: 'Day and night, verily, are Prajapati. Of these, day is the eater, prana and night, the food, rayi. Those who join in sexual enjoyment by day verily dissipate life; but to join in sexual enjoyment by night is, verily, chastity.' 13 Does anyone has a commentary on this verse? > > R D [sMTP:jaguarxox] > Monday, August 20, 2001 9:31 AM > Ramakrishna > Re: [ramakrishna] Digest Number 877 > > To continue with Sreedhar's thoughts on celibacy: > > Many teachers have tended to take a positive approach > toward this subject, including Sri Ramakrishna. You > know the parables: > > 1.The more you move west, the further you are from the > east. > 2. God is the big magnet, woman (lust) is the small > magnet, etc. > > The more God becomes the center of your life, the > further your mind will be from the world. Through > meditation the mind and passions are quieted and your > energy is directed towards your Ideal instead of > outwards. The desire for sensual pleasure is reduced. > More and more peace seeps into your mind and body.... > This is a natural development when you meditate for a > long time, without break, and in all earnestness (to > quote Patanjali). > > Sex isn't THE biggest obstacle- the outward tendency > of the mind is the problem. Even if your THINKING > lustful thoughts, your mind is restless and agitated > and not fit for concentration or meditation. > Therefore, these desires must be quieted for the mind > to calm down. > > I think there's a tendency for householders (myself > included) to delude themselves that they can " have > their cake and eat it too " in regards to sex and > spiritual life. But I think the best approach is to > seriously practice and let these tendencies fall away > on their own. It's not healthy to force yourself to be > celibate when you are not ready. When the fruit is > ripe, it falls from the tree on it's own accord. When > your devotion to the spiritual life becomes firm, > these issues will disappear (unless of course your > wife is unhappy- she might want you to forget God and > NOT look on her as the " Blissful Mother " !) > > Ravi > --- Sreedhar T Bharath <sbharath wrote: > > I have some follow up questions on celibacy and > > spiritual life following Anup and Brad. > > > > 1) Swami Vivekananda in Raja Yoga says that celibacy > > is a pre requisite to advance > > spiritually. He does not give an " operational > > definition " or does he anywhere else? - is > > abstinence form sex the only requirement? > > Are there others? What about one's thoughts and > > words? > > > > 2) Thakurji mentions in one of his utternaces that > > his life is a guide for householders to realize god. > > Even if the average person followed 1/16th of what > > he did in his householder life they would realize > > god in this very life time > > according to him . But to a layman it is 1/16th of > > what? Thakurji always looked upon his consort as the > > divine blissful mother. > > > > 3) I guess the dilemma for a householder is " sex for > > pleasure " vs. " sex for procreation " > > What does the Thakurji/Swamiji/Mother/ scriptures > > have to say as guidance in this aspect? As a > > householder, what is one's duty in > > this regard towards one's wife? Thakurji mentions > > somewhere that he put this question of physical > > realtions to the mother saying that it is his duty > > as a householder (and also the > > fact that it is impossible for him to look at any > > woman that way) and the mother rejected it. He > > mentions that he was > > relieved/reassured immensely on the mother's reply. > > I suppose Thakurji wanted to demonstrate to the > > world that one can realize God being a householder. > > Almost every other spiritual giant in history never > > married/or fulfilled his duties as a householder and > > renounced it. > > > > So, how does a lay householder person steeped in > > world affairs approach this issue and at the same > > time > > make progress spiritually? Thakurji himself says on > > many occasions that this is not possible - > > Presumably > > to force his householder disciples to intensify > > their spiritual practices. Or is it not possible to > > be a householder and yet seek > > the Lord? > > > > > > with love, > > Sreedhar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Message: 3 > > > Sat, 18 Aug 2001 09:12:57 -0500 > > > " Brad Stephan " <brad > > > Re: List #875 > > > > > > Dear Anup Lahiry: > > > > > > Regarding your question of whether celebacy for a > > householder is required to > > > practice Raja Yoga, I would recommend the book, > > " Meditation and Spiritual > > > Life " by Swami Yatiswarananda, available from the > > Ramakrishna Math in > > > Bangalore or from www.vedanta.org. Swami's chapter > > entitled, " The Problem of > > > Sex in Spiritual Life " should answer most of your > > questions. > > > > > > This is an important question, and it would be > > good to see some more input > > > from the List. Personally, I believe celebacy to > > be essetial, but one must > > > be ready for it (unfortunately, I am not). All of > > the great ones, e.g., > > > Christ, Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Yogananda, etc., > > etc., were celebate and > > > chose to sublimate their sexual energy into > > spiritual energy. > > > > > > God Bless! > > > Bradley Dean Stephan > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Messenger > http://phonecard./ > > > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah > Vivekananda Centre London > http://www.vivekananda.co.uk > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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