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Celibacy and Chastity
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incontinence he acquires energy.” In his comment to this sūtra Vyāsa mentions that by the acquisition of this energy the yogin increases his unhindered qualities and when he acquires perfection he is able to transfer his thinking to his disciples. Vācaspati Misra further interprets in his explanation energy as power, by the acquisition of which the yogin can accumulate qualities like minuteness which are not hindered and when perfected he is endowed with eight perfections which have been discussed in Sārakhya system also.2 He is also able to transfer his thinking to his pupil which relates to the aids of yoga. All this intends to show that sex restraint would give power and energy to a person which can be applied to various other projects. What the modern psychologists would say might be just the opposite of this, but that is an irrelevant point, and not needed to be discussed here. But the regard which is given to celibacy by Patañjali is novel in the Brāhmaṇical thought.
Jainism
In Jainism the concept of 'brahmacarya' in its etymological sense is not far to seek. It is said, samyak-darsana, jõāna and cäritra together as a path of liberation constitute brahmacarya.3 The term indicates all relevant virtues which are auxiliary to liberation. The ninth chapter of Uttarādhyayanasutra is called 'Brahmacaryādhyayana', in which all moral principles are discussed, a fact that shows the comprehensiveness of the term. In general, therefore, it means the means of liberation; but as a precept its field has been restricted to abstention from sexual indulgence, since sex is considered a
1. Fredsfagtui a STH: 1 --Pāt. Yoga. 2.38. 2. Eight perfections : Reasoning, Study, freedom from
sufferings etc. -Sāmkhyakārikā, 51. मौनीन्द्रप्रवचनं ब्रह्मचर्यमित्युच्यते । मौनीन्द्रप्रवचनं तु मोक्षमार्गः हेतुतया TETETT 7 Ifarhi -Sūtrakr. 2.5. 1.
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