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General Introduction
This brief description shows that asceticism, which was the heritage passed on by Greek philosophy, consists in a personal, sustained effort of will, an effort of self-mastery in order to control the body whose inclinations block progress on the spiritual path. It is a discipline that has as its goal the liberation of the spirit from the burden of the flesh, in order that it may reach a higher, indeed a divine, Reality. The different systems call this supreme Reality by differing names: it is Absolute Being or the Absolute Spiritual Principle or the Monad or God. The means which lead to this End, while maintaining slightly different emphases appropriate to the various traditions, are remarkably the same; they aim at a purification of the body in conjuncture with a purification of the spirit, and this is brought about both by renunciation of bodily pleasures and by intellectual and spiritual activities, such as study, reflection and meditation.
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Thorough study of the Jaina teaching and of the way of life of the sādhvis will reveal to us characteristics common also to the philosophical systems of ancient Greece. This affinity gives us full justification for applying the word 'ascetics' to the sadhvis and for calling their spiritual practices an asceticism. For the moment, however, let us continue our line of exploration.
2. Christian asceticism
The subject being of such vast proportions, we must pass over here the teaching of Scripture in its regard.9 During the first centuries after Christ, men, women, girls, wives and even children fo all classes of
the beginning of our era, which were devoted to the pursuit of spiritual things in the setting of an ascetic life. We make no further mention of these here, for the Essenes were men celibates and admitted no women. At Qumram there were no women celibates, but it is probable that there were certain women present who came in the wake of their husbands
Jain Education International
9 On the scriptural references to the beginnings of Christian asceticism, cf. Viller and Olphe-Gaillard, 1936, col. 961-963.
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| SR No. | 007014 |
| Book Title | Unknown Pilgrims |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | N Shanta |
| Publisher | Sri Satguru Publications Delhi |
| Publication Year | 1997 |
| Total Pages | 820 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 19 MB |