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पुरुषार्थसिद्धयुपाय
And he practises to perfection the daily duties of an ascetic. This must be understood as the endurance of the affliction of roaming. (9)
The ascetic adopts a posture for discipline and continues in it for the prescribed time in utter loneliness in the burial ground untrodden by him, garden, vacant house, mountaincave or arbour, examined carefully with the aid of sunlight and his senses. Neither does the roaring of wild animals such as the lion or the tiger engender fear in him, nor do troubles or injury caused by others force him to relinquish his posture. He does not swerve from the path to liberation, nor does his body move from the sitting postures such as virāsana and utkutikā. And he overcomes the pain caused by continuance in the same posture for a long time. This is ascertained as conquest of the discomfort of postures. (10)
When the ascetic feels tired by study or meditation or walking, he goes to sleep on hard, uneven ground, abounding in pebbles and fragments of broken jars, which is very cold or hot. He stretches his body on one side like a stick. For the sake of avoiding injury to living organisms, he remains still like the fallen tree or the dead body and does not roll on his side. He contemplates on knowledge and he does not move his body even when tormented by evil spirits. Thus he overcomes the discomfort caused by remaining on hard bed for an unlimited time. This is called the endurance of pain caused by uncomfortable couch. (11)
Even when he hears the harsh and vulgar words of persons of perverted attitude betokening censure and contempt which provoke the flame of anger, the saint pays no attention to such evil-doers, though he can ward off such evils. He thinks of the fruition of sinful karmas, is intent on practising moral virtues and does not give room for even the slightest passion. Thus he overcomes censure and reproach. (12)
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