Walk the Spiritual Way
(Excerpts from
The Book “May I Answer That?”)
Are the senses meant to be starved
and destroyed ? The ascetic ideal says so. The Greek ideal, however, is
moderate enjoyment of life. Most of the Western thinkers of the rationalistic
type accept this. Modern psychologists assert that by denying or refusing the
needs of the body and suppressing emotions like attachment and love, people
generally create mental problems for themselves. Is there any substance in this
?
No; the senses have not been
given only to be starved or killed. Neither are they given for being indulged
in and fattened. In truth, the senses are not given for any earthly purpose
whatsoever. That is the highest view that the sages uphold for spiritual
aspirants. The senses are given for being utilized consciously and deliberately
for the attainment of something altogether above and beyond the farthest reach
of the senses. To understand the right import and significance of
self-restraint, one must take a more comprehensive view of the question.
In human beings, these senses
are given together with the superior, directive faculty of intelligence with
its aspect such as discrimination, selection, etc. The senses are to operate
under its wise supervision. The aim is not the ultimate denial of the senses,
but the achievement through restraint, of a pleasure million-fold greater than
that achieved through gratification. When one realizes this fact, he will
understand, how, with the Yogic aspirant, this self-restraint is not a matter
of bitterness or reluctant, unwilling repression at all. Understood in its
correct light, it is a joyous, voluntary discipline undertaken for the
acquisition of an infinitely greater and more blissful experience. Does the
angler ever grudge the loss of the worm cast for catching a big fish ?
Moreover, the rationale of asceticism
is not rightly understood by most people. The ideal of asceticism and penance
is not based on repression. Conservation and sublimation are the principles
underlying asceticism rightly practised. The true ascetic witholds, diverts,
canalizes and finally transmutes his natural propensities. The untoward
repercussions of forced repression such as complex, neurosis, etc., have no
place here. No doubt, modern psychologists are correct in their view about
repression, but one must know that it does not apply to religious asceticism,
wherein the process is sublimation and not just repression; and it must always
be remembered that asceticism is a part of Yoga which provides such a
marvellous system of mental training and culture that most effectively counteracts
and wards off any possibility of neurotic complexes or obsessions.
It is, however, true that
asceticism is very much misunderstood by the majority of persons, and
unfortunately by the ascetics themselves, as a result of which we hardly come
across a real ascetic in the aspirant world.
Yoga recommends a proper
utilization of the tremendous faculties of undissipated senses for higher
purposes of inner culture, social welfare, inventions, scientific progress, and
finally, intuition. The senses are to be sublimated through restraint applied
through reason and intelligent judgement. Their unlimited potentialities are to
be harnessed for the greater good and not allowed to most shamelessly
dissipated for a momentary pleasure, unintelligent and animalistic. Viewed from
this angle, the aspirant is asked not to starve and destroy the senses, but
really to strengthen them and utilize them for his good. Dissipation, on the
contrary, actually causes destruction of the senses.
The Greek ideal was enunciated
as a general philosophy of life for the average humanity. Asceticism, as
understood by the sages, is a distinctive discipline specially incumbent upon
that class which would walk the spiritual way, the aspirant class dedicated to
the goal of Self-realization. This class is vividly aware that the conception
of "moderate enjoyment of life" is a conception alone and is
well-nigh impossible to put into actual practice. For, the very nature of
enjoyment is such that it tends to progressively increase in force each time
the senses are indulged in. The habit gets man in its grip and drags him down.
This has been the uniform experience of the sages. Therefore, at one stage or
the other, a rigid religious self-control and denial becomes imperative in the
march to spiritual progress.
The rank materialist may not
care for it, but the seeker does. The seeker is marked out for a special
achievement. You know how an ultra-modern acrobat, a ballet dancer or an expert
boxer willingly imposes a rigid regimen upon himself to keep perfectly trim and
healthy for his professional success. Mark the denials and restrictions during
the training period of any serious candidate trying for a championship in athletics!
His keen zest and enthusiasm serve to keep his mind in a high mood of inspiration
and anticipation. What, then, should be the interest and aspiration in true
asceticism undertaken as a part of the training for an infinitely greater
achievement in the spiritual path?
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