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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
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for sin, fasting, giving alms in charity etc. are some of the forms of righteous acts.
Religion has two forms from the point of view of mental resolves and conduct. Resolves aim at pure state of soul and the same is regarded as religion in that case. While conduct aiming at means considers all means of self-realisation as religion. Here we cannot accept one as true and the other as false. Both are interdependent.
Some hold that we have been observing various religious ceremonies and rites not to realise emancipation till this day; so we should abandon all such rites. But how can we realise soul without means? Preceptor, discourses, books etc. are the means.
Some hold, no emancipation is possible with religious rites so stick to rites only. But self-purification should be the aim of such rites and without such aim emancipation is not possible.
Thus both resolve and conduct are essential equally. Disregard of one of the two leads nowhere.
Religion has two forms from the point of view of materials and emotions, conduct is material form and emotions constitute the form of mental resolves.
Scriptural and disciplinary are the two forms of religion as declared by the revered authors of the scriptures. Study of twelve branches of scriptures and other relevant scriptures is the scriptural form of religion.
Partial non-attachment and complete non-attachment are also considered as the forms of religion. Complete non-attachment is observed by the monks while partial non-attachment is observed by the house holders.
There are still more varieties of religion: Refraining from mental coersion, oral coersion and physical coersion. Refraining from mental coersion means not to offend anyone mentally-not to mentally think of anyone's fall or degradation. Refraining from oral coersion means not to offend anyone by words and refraining from physical coersion means not to oppress anyone physicallynot to act with violence.
Devotion is right knowledge, right intuition and right conduct. They also form varieties of religion. Revered Umasvati said in
