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food (vrtiparisamkhy na), giving up delicious and stimulating food (rasa parity ga), lonely habitation (vivikta ayy sana), mortification of the body (k yakle a).
Q.IX.19.3 A.IX.19.3
What is meant by austerities? Activities performed to annihilate the karmas are called austerities. Alternatively, austerities are the activities performed to control or stop the rise of desires for sensual gratification.
Q.IX. 19.4 A.IX.19.4
What is meant by fasting? Giving up intake of four types of food to enhance the degree of self control, discipline, destruction of attachment / aversion, enhance spiritual knowledge and meditation is called fasting.
Q.IX. 19.5 A.IX.19.5
What is meant by reduced diet? To eat less than the normal diet so as to be able to exercise self control and other spiritual purification activities is called reduced diet.
Q.IX.19.6 A.IX. 19.6
What is meant by special restrictions for receiving food? Putting restrictions on the path to be followed and the number of houses to be visited etc while going out on the round to receive food, is called special restrictions for begging food.
Q.IX.19.7 A.IX.19.7
What is meant by giving up delicious and stimulating food? Giving up foods like butter, ghee, sugar, spices etc to achieve control over the tendencies of the sense organs is called giving up delicious and stimulating food.
Q.IX.19.8 A.IX.19.8
What is meant by lonely habitation? To enhance observation of celibacy, meditation and self study, staying and resting in a lonely place is called lonely habitation.
Q.IX.19.9 A.IX. 19.9
What is meant by mortification of the body? To perform activities for developing detachment with the body and gaining control over its tendencies is called mortification of the body.
Q.IX.19.10 A.IX. 19.10
What is the difference between endurance and mortification of the body? Mortification of the body is performed intentionally while endurance is not to mind the difficulty appearing suddenly and afflictions have to be endured with equanimity.
Q.IX.19.11
A.IX.19.11
Why fasting and other austerities mentioned in this aphorism are called external austerities? These austerities are performed with external entities and also they are cognizable by others as being observed.
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