Spiritual Code and Restraints

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 30

Similarly, it is also possible to visualize cases where Brahmacharyashram might be prolonged and the entry to the next stage may take place later.
Moreover, every one was not necessarily required to undergo all those stages one after another. Since celibacy was and is still considered a great virtue and is vital for spiritual pursuit, those capable enough could adopt and even at present go for renunciation straight from the student life. Such people observe celibacy for the entire life and are called Bälbrahmachäri. In India and other South Asian countries there are lots of such people even now and they are highly respected there. There are also some people, who gain detachment during the family life. Thereupon, they renounce their family life and adopt the monastic code. They are then supposed to observe celibacy for the rest of their life.
It would be seen that of those four stages, the period covered by first two stages is most significant. That is the period of growth and performance. Maximum importance is therefore attached to that period in all the civilized societies. Observance of celibacy is necessary and is an acceptable part of life during the first stage. Let us therefore consider the extent to which sexual instinct can be overcome or regulated during the second stage.
We, human beings, as well as most of other animals, birds etc.) are endowed with five organs, with which we can experience the senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing. We are therefore termed as Panchendriya. There are, however, less developed beings, which are equipped with four, three, two or only one single sense. That single sense happens to be the sense of touch and is possessed by all the living beings.
A cursory glance at our life can indicate that most of the events simply happen of their own. There are various unforeseen forces at work and we do not have control over them. Those forces are termed as Karmas by virtue of which the worldly beings, inclusive of ourselves, have been undergoing the cycle of birth and death since the time immemorial. As such, we must have obtained many different types of life from time to time ranging from one sensed to five sensed beings. But never did we have a life without the sense of touch. Our contact with that sense has thus been very close and continuous.
The cycle of birth and death that we have been undergoing also indicates that we might have so far led a more instinctive type of life and might have stayed attached to various objects of senses from time to time. Since sex is the major object of touch, we have been more influenced by that instinct and have stayed attached to it in every life. The more intimate the contact, the greater is likely to be the attachment. Because of our greater contact with the sense of touch, attachment for the opposite sex has become our trait.
Celibacy is at variance with this long standing trait. Observance of celibacy is, however, desirable and is considered a necessity under certain conditions. For instance, monks and nuns, almost every where, are supposed to observe celibacy. How to ensure or effectively enforce the observance of celibacy under such circumstances has therefore been engaging the attention of the civilized societies.