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Brahmacharya (pronounced [brʌmatʃərɪə], Devanagari: ब्रह्मचर्य) is a practice whereby a person's life is dedicated to the quest for a personal realization of Brahman. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is an umbrella term for a wide variety of related religious traditions native to India. Within Hinduism a large number of personalities or 'forms' are worshiped as Murtis. Hinduism comprises numerous Sects or denominations The main divisions in current Hinduism are Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism Hindu mythology is the large body of Mythology related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious Artha ( Devanagari: अर्थ is a Sanskrit term meaning "purpose cause motive meaning notion" In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains Causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the Bhakti ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Maya ( Sanskrit sa माया māyā) in Indian religions, has multiple meanings This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see A Hindu temple or Mandir ( Sanskrit: मंदिर is a house of worship for Hindus followers of Hinduism. Literature regarded as central to the Hindu literary tradition was predominantly composed in Sanskrit, Indeed much of the morphology and linguistic "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" The following is a bibliography of Hindu scriptures and texts. The percentage of Hindu population of each country was taken from the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006. These are some of the most noteworthy Gurus and Saints of Hinduism (in alphabetical order A Hinduism is going through a phase of regeneration and reform through the vehicle of several contemporary movements collectively termed as Hindu reform movements. Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other The Hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization and today there are several regional Indian Calendars, as This article deals with social and cultural criticism of Hinduism The following is a glossary of terms and concepts in Hinduism. Jyotiṣa ( Sanskrit jyotiṣa, from jyótis- "light heavenly body" also spelled Jyotish and Jyotisha in English Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. Alternatively, it is recognized as a life that expresses Brahman through one's actions and deeds. Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism.
Traditionally, such a life involved going to live with a spiritual teacher under whom the brahmacari (celibate) or chela (student) practised strict celibacy, a life of moral restraint, dedicated to learning all aspects of "Dharma" that is learning the "Principles of Justice and Righteousness" including personal responsibilities and duties towards himself, family, society and humanity at large which included the environment/earth/nature AND devotion to meditation. Celibacy refers to the lack of participation in Sexual intercourse. Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness In the Hindu scheme of life brahmacharya starts around the age of five, when the chela starts his/her studies. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical In the sramanic traditions of Buddhism and Jainism (both of which stood outside normal social convention) brahmacarya was practised generally by those who had already reached adulthood. A Shramana ( Sanskrit sa श्रमण śramaṇa, Pāli pi शमण samaṇa) is a wandering monk in certain Ascetic Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India.
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Derivation
The word brahmacharya stems literally from two components:
- Brahma, the word for the absolute, eternal, never-born god-head.
- Acharya composed of char - "to go" and 'a' - "toward". Together this makes the word 'charya', which is often translated as activity, mode of behaviour, a 'virtuous' way of life. Acharya has meant in practice a teacher, spiritual guide, master etc and
So the word brahmacharya indicates a life lived in conformance with the deeper principles of realisation of Brahma-nature.
Usage
The term brahmacharya has a number of uses.
One common usage denotes within the Vedic ashram system the particular phase that occupies the first 20 or 25 years of life. Ashrama redirects here See Ashram for the Hindu hermitages An Ashrama ( āśrama) in Hinduism is one of four stages Ancient Hindu culture divides the human lifespan into 100 years. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Brahmacharya is the stage when the young child leads a student life (ideally in the Gurukula, the household of the Guru). A Gurukul ( Guru refers to "teacher" or "master" Kul refers to his domain from the Sanskrit word kula, meaning extended family A guru (गुरु গুরু is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge wisdom and authority in a certain area and uses it to guide others This stage of life is preceded by the child's Upanayanam, a ceremony in which the child is considered to take a second birth. Upanayana, sometimes known outside India by the name "sacred thread ceremony" is commonly known for being a Hindu rite-of-passage ritual Brahmacharya is the first of the four phases of human life, namely, Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, and finally Sannyasa, prescribed by Manusmriti for the dvija castes in the Hindu system of life. Grihasthya refers to the second phase of an individual's life in the Vedic ashram system. A Vanaprastha ( Sanskrit वनप्रस्थ is a person who is living in the forest as a Hermit after partially giving up material desires "Sanyasi" redirects here For the motion picture see Sanyasi (1975 film Sannyasa, ( Devanagari: संन्यास The Manu Smriti ( Sanskrit: मनुस्मृति is a work of Hindu law and ancient Indian society Dvija ( Sanskrit twice born) is one of the members of the first three Varnas in Hindu Dharma. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical The practice of brahmacharya requires, among other codes of conduct, that one be celibate.
The word brahmacharya is also used for the vow of celibacy a Hindu sannyasi, or renunciate, may take at any age after understanding that living for material or sensual pleasures will never bring the perfect happiness the soul desires. Celibacy refers to the lack of participation in Sexual intercourse. Thus one's life becomes centered on surrender to Guru and God, with the firm hope of God realization and the perfect divine happiness.
Yoga
The word brahmacharya is also understood broadly in yoga as "sexual continence," which can be understood as being applicable as appropriate in different contexts (e. Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the g. faith in marriage, celibacy for spiritual aspirants etc), in more extreme terms (complete celibacy full stop) or in more specific terms in relation to preserving and sublimating male sexual energy rather than losing it through ejaculation.
In yoga, the term brahmacharya tends to take on a connotation of disciplining the use of and preserving sexual energy. Brahmacharya is discussed in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras as one of the 5 Yamas, the foundational commitments for the practice of yoga. Patañjali ( Devanāgarī पतञ्जलि (fl 150 BCE or 2nd c This is an article about the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali For general information on sutras see Sutra. According to the Yoga Sutras, the end-result or fruit of Brahmacharya practised to perfection is unbounded energy or vitality.
Many yogic techniques, such as meditation and asanas (e. Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness Asana ( Sanskrit आसन sitting down < आस to sit down) is a body position typically associated with the practice of Yoga, intended g. shirsasana) can help one to achieve Brahmacharya interpreted as celibacy or strict control of sexual desires. Sirsasana (also Shirshasana or Sirshasana) is a Yoga Asana (or posture in which the body is completely inverted and held upright supported
Diet and ahimsa
It is said that "To commit violence, one must cease to covet all material possessions. " and "To terminate egotism and possessiveness, as a part of curbing one's aggressiveness and tendency. Egotism is the motivation to maintain and enhance favorable views of self "
As such, Brahmacharya is also observed to contain one's sensual desires for food and taste, as well as materialism. The Philosophy of materialism holds that the only thing that can be truly proven to exist is Matter, and is considered a form of Physicalism. Most brahmacharis prescribe to avoiding the consumption of meat, spices and cooked foods, said to cultivate the taste buds and pleasure senses of the mind. Gandhi, one of the most known brahmacharis, besides being an adherent of simple living and nonresistance, also devoted himself trying to create a (in his vision) perfect diet. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી moɦən̪d̪äs kəɾəmʧən̪d̪ gän̪d̪ʱi (2 October 1869 – 30 January Simple living (or voluntary simplicity) is a lifestyle individuals choose to minimize the 'more-is-better' pursuit of Wealth and consumption. Nonresistance (or non-resistance) discourages physical resistance to an enemy and is a subdivision of Nonviolence. The diet, later named the "Gandhi-diet" meant a diet which was environmentally acceptable, based on economical (low-cost) products and healthy (allowing the body to perform at its best capabilities; thus keeping digestion in mind). Digestion is the breaking down of chemicals in the body into a form that can be absorbed [1] The diet, on which he worked for 35 years, constantly re-evaluating and improving it, consisted of for himself of:
- 1 litre of goat's milk
- 150 gm cereals
- 75 gm leafy vegetables
- 125 gm other vegetables
- 25 gm salad
- 40 gm ghee or butter
- and 40-50 gm jaggery or sugar. [2]
Gandhi also kept his weight low, with a Body Mass Index of 17. The body mass index ( BMI) or Quetelet index, is a statistical measurement which compares a person's weight and height 7. [3] [4] As such, despite being inspired by vegetarianism and environmentalism, the diet (containing the animal products of ghee/butter and goat milk) cannot be called truly "environmental" (see Vegan#Animal_products). Vegetarianism is the practice of a diet that excludes Meat (including game and slaughter by-products Fish (including Shellfish and other sea Environmentalism is a broad philosophy and Social movement centered on a concern for the conservation and improvement of the environment. Animal products are either produced by an Animal or taken from the body of an animal Ghee ( Hindi घी ghī, Urdu گھی ghī, Punjabi ਘਿਉ/گھیو ghiu, Kashmiri ग्याव/گیاو Butter is a Dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented Cream or Milk. Milk is an opaque white liquid produced by the Mammary glands of female Mammals (including Monotremes. Certain diets (as the Biosphere 2-diet) do not include these downsides [5]. Today, the Gandhi diet is again becoming more popular [6], and experts as Dr. P. P. Bose [7] state the diet to be very healthy and to fit perfectly with the (USDA) food-pyramid. [8]
Modern brahmacharis
Most Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain monks take the vow for life, committing themselves to work of religious service and study. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Mahatma Gandhi, the great Indian political and spiritual leader had embraced the vow and lifestyle permanently at age 38. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી moɦən̪d̪äs kəɾəmʧən̪d̪ gän̪d̪ʱi (2 October 1869 – 30 January
Many brahmacharis have the final goal of nirvana, or moksha in mind when they pursue strictly disciplined lifestyles. In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release"
Other interpretations of brahmacharya
Brahmacharya can also be interpreted more generally in a variety of ways, such as:
- generally striving for excellence in all domains of activity and relationship
- pursuing 'virtue' however defined. Brahmacharya understood in this sense is similar to the classical Greek concept of arete (excellence)
- clearing underlying personality conflicts and centering oneself and ones spiritual journey in clear, well conceived and sustainable values (that is, thinking of Brahmacharya as an ongoing practice of 'clearing' analogous to resolving personality complexes and conflicts in psychotherapy)
- refining one's 'energies' (prana/chi/aura etc) in relation to other people generally, to become aware of more subtle energies and to take one's energies or 'vibration' higher
See also
References
- Swami Narayanananda: The Way to Peace, Power and Long Life. Arete (Greek; ˈærəteɪ in English in its basic sense means " Goodness " " Excellence " or " Virtue " of MONK is a Monte Carlo software package for simulating nuclear processes particularly for the purpose of determining the neutron multiplication factor or k-effective A yama ( Sanskrit) यम literally "death" is a rule or code of conduct for living which will help bring a compassionate death to the ego or "the lower self" Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the This is an article about the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali For general information on sutras see Sutra. Ascetic redirects here You might also be looking for Acetic acid. N. U. Yoga Trust, Denmark, 2001 (1st ed. 1945)
- Swami Narayanananda: Brahmacharya, Its Necessity and Practice for Boys and Girls. N. U. Yoga Trust, Denmark, 2001 (1st ed. 1960)
External links
- Yuvadhan Book on Brahmcharya by Sant Shri Asaramji Bapu
- Articles on Brahmacharya by Swamis Sivananda, Chidananda, and Krishnananda
- Celibacy - Useful notes on different aspects of brahmacarya
- Brahmacarya in Hindu scriptures and tradition
- Interviews with Swami Chidananda: The Role of Celibacy in the Spiritual Life
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