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201
STAGES OF SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
FOURTH VOW
(Sthūla-Maithuna-Viramaņa-Vrata)
Meaning
Maithuna is the Sanskrit word and means the whole sex passion, from the slightest desire to the full act of sexual intercourse. By the full act is meant what is called in physiology 'penetration'. Maithuna can be divided into two kinds (1) sūksma or subtle --- any little perturbation or excitation of the sex organs through the rise of the passion; (2) sthūla, or gross, that is, intercourse with a woman either mentally, in words, or actually. People express language which means intercourse; and mentally they have intercourse, especially in dreams. Name “Act of Procreation’ not proper
The exercise of the passion is sometimes spoken of (in Dr. Nicholson's Zoology, for instance) as the act of procreation. This is not accurate naming really, because when exercised it is not exercised as an act of procreation; there is no such motive. This is shown by the fact that means are taken to prevent procreation; and again by the fact that the act is always performed in secret and is acknowledged with shame; and also because if the satisfying of the passion were done only for the production of offspring then the function would not be performed more than once a year by man. Ten points
1. In Dr. Nicholson's zoology, it is stated that the act of exercising the sex passion is very weakening to the person, bodily and mentally; that it is a very great strain upon the whole system, and is very exhausting, and is therefore injurious. In performing this act the person injures himself so much.
2. According to the Jaina philosophy and other philosophies the creative fluid can be changed into a higher substance which can be used for spiritual purposes, if you know how to change it. It gives, in fact, a strong will. Preserving and changing the substance is called 'ojas'.
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