Book Title: Concept of Pancasila in Indian Thaought
Author(s): Kamla Jain
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

Previous | Next

Page 157
________________ 142 The Concept of Pancasila in Indian Thought Buddhism The term 'brahmacarya' as available in the Buddhist scriptures is used in both the senses, in its etymological sense and in its conventional sense. In the etymological sense brahmacarya is used as a fixed path leading to Nibbāna. It is the Dhamma which is constituted of four Noble Truths, twelvefold chain of causation, etc., depicting the metaphysical truth. And establishment in brahmacarya would mean establishment in Buddha's Dhamma and complete removal of suffering. 2 "Brahmacarya in Buddhist sense means the moral life, holy life, the religious life as a way to end suffering, renouncing the world, study of Dhamma". Though the conception of the nature of Brahman differs from system to system, it is universally accepted as the Ultimate Reality. And it has been accepted everywhere that which leads to Brahman or Ultimate Reality is 'brahmacarya'. In Buddhism the term 'Brahman' also meant a particular type of gods supposed to be higher than ordinary ones. But, it seems that it has nothing to do with this concept of Brahman which means the Ultimate Reality. In the conventional sense, i.e. in the sense of sexual restraint, it forms the third precept for the Buddhist monks and nuns. Among the ten sikkhāpadas of the monks, abstention from brahmacarya is found presented in a negative manner. It can be more clearly understood by understanding its counterpart meant for the laity as kāmamithyācāravirati, which means partial control of sex desires or of illicit use of sex desires. In case of monks, since it is complete abstention 1. TT Grifa afara agafai FRUTTI ATT TT T rufa i -Digha., vol. I, p. 73. 2. स्वाक्खातो धम्मो चरथ ब्रह्मचरियं सम्मादुक्खस्स अन्त किरियायोति । -Mahā., p. 16. 3. Pali Eng. Dictionary-Davids and Stede. 4. Taarafat acht fred Hifto I -Khu. Pāțha., Dasasikkhāpadas. Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290