[ramakrishna] Digest Number 878

[Guest guest]

Hi Every one; I am really thankful for all the discussion following my question on "sexuality and spirituality".Does one "S" exclude the other "S"?. I know what I will like to believe! Budhism was frowned upon by Hinuism because the former demanded renunciation of family life and to become a monk to achieve Nirvana. It is my understanding that Hinduism claims that you can realise God from any walk of life including "Grihasth Ashram" doing all the

duties of that ashram!

Another issue that gets my attention is the word "women" being used almost synonimously as an obstacle to God conciousness, lust etc. It implies that only men aspire for God not women, because if they did then men could be an obstacle or a source of lust for them( I will like to think that we men are not the only one capable of lusting ).

Hinduism also stresses the "Nar/NARI" cocept that one is not complete without the other, then why this stress upon the need to leave the other. I do understand that over indulgence in any aspect of life can keep you from attaining your goal, by distracting you. The reason,I am going on and on this subject, is that unless it is also realistically possible for a family man to achieve God conciousness without giving up the family life then it is just an empty,aimless mental gymnastic to talk about spirituality and God, for us family people.

 

Anup

[Guest guest]

Greetings!!!

 

let me just try explain the way I have understood

for these questions.

 

 

 

> 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?

>

 

First we have to find out whether celibacy ==

brahmacharyA?. brahmacharyA is a prerequistite for

Raja Yoga. Swami Vivekananda might have used word

celibacy for brahmacharyA since there is no direct

translation for brahmacharya in English. And now

commonly everyone belives that celibacy is just

abstaining from Sex where as brahmacharyA has a much

broader meaning and abstaning from sex is just one of

the sAdhana while practicing brahmacharya.

 

if we read the commentries of Acharya's or geetha we

will notice that nowhere they mention specifically

abstain from sex, they consider sex is also a sensual

pleasure just like desire for money, for land, fame

etc etc and every where it is said you have to control

these sensual pleasure. In the spiritual journey many

a time SEX will take a back seat in our mind and fame

will be become a biggest hurdle for the progress. And

lots of sAdhaka's succumb to this fame. and Thakur

specifically warns for this.

 

Alse the Ashtanga yoga suthras of patanjali says there

are 8 steps for sAdhana " yama(restrints),

niyama(regulations), Asana(postures),

pranayama(control of breath),prathyAhara(restraining

of sense organs),

Dhaarna(contemplation),Dhyaana(meditation)

Samadhi(reconcillation) "

 

Here, there is no direct mention of Sex , it comes in

prathyAhara ie restraining of sense organs. Everyone

considers sex as just one more mental desire. May be

in todays world sex has become a biggest hurdle to

spiritual progress.

 

ThAkur says

" In one hand we have to hold God and in another hand

the worldly affair, and as soon as worldly affair is

done in both Hands we have to hold God. "

 

" This whole world is a lunatic asylum

some people are mad behind money

some are mad behing women

some are mad behind fame

I am mad behind God. "

 

if God become's a higest priority in our life, sex,

fame will never even come in mind.

 

Hope it helps you!!

 

 

sarvam vasudevamayam jagath

Prashanth

 

>

>

 

 

 

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