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THE EXTERNAL AUSTERITIES
word 'iti' must be understood in the sense of completion. That is, it indicates that from perfect conduct follows the total destruction of all karmas The five kinds of conduct in the sutra are mentioned in the order of their superiority.
Conduct has been described. The sutra next to that describing the causes of stoppage is ‘Dissociation also by austerity'. Now austerity must be described. It is of two kinds, external and internal. Each is of six subdivisions. The external austerities are mentioned first. अनशनावमौदर्यवृत्तिपरिसंख्यानरसपरित्यागविविक्तशय्यासनकाय
TITLİ AT: Anaśanāvamaudaryavrtti parisamkhyānarasaparityāga
viviktaśayyāsanakāyakleśā bāhyam tapaḥ (19) 19. (The external austerities are) fasting, reduced diet, special restrictions for begging food, giving up stimulating and delicious dishes, lonely habitation and mortification of the body.
Fasting is intended to promote self-control and discipline, destruction of attachment, destruction of karmas and attainment of meditation and scriptural knowledge and not temporal benefits. Diminished diet is intended to develop vigilance in self-control, suppression of evils, contentment and study with ease. Special restrictions consist in limiting the number of houses etc. for begging food, and these are intended for overcoming desire. The fourth is giving up stimulating and delicious food such as ghee, in order to curb the excitement caused by the senses, overcome sleep, and facilitate study. The ascetic has to make his abode in lonely places or houses, which are free from insect afflictions, in order to maintain without disturbance celibacy, study, meditation and so on. This is the fifth austerity. Standing in the sun, dwelling under trees, sleeping in an open place without any covering, the different postures-all these constitute the sixth austerity, namely inortification of the body. What is the object of this? The object of this is to cultivate patient endurance of bodily pain and suffering, in order to remove attachment to pleasures and to proclaim the glory of the teachings of the Lord. What is the
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