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THE AFFLICTIONS
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for the body, which is the seat of discipline (saintliness). As initiated by his master, he practises detachment like the wind. His body is grown weak by frequent observances of fasting, taking less food, limiting the articles of food, giving up stimulating food, etc. He avoids roaming, which causes injury and which is opposed to regulations with regard to place and time. While going from place to place on foot, he wears no shoes, and hence his soles are pricked by thorns, sharp stones, etc. which cause him pain. He overcomes such pain and does not think of conveyances etc. used by him on former occasions. 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 virasana and utkutika. And he overcomes the pair 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
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