Spiritual Code and Restraints

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 33

It would thus be evident that touch itself is not pleasurable and the sense of pleasure does not arise therefrom. The pleasure is derived from a feeling, from imagining that the touch is from a pleasurable source. No pleasure is experienced from the same touch, if it is not associated with that sort of imagination. There is an ancient story about Väsavadattä, the most glamorous city girl of Mathura and of the Buddhist monk Upagupta. The latter happened to nurse diseased Väsvadatta and did not experience any sensation even by touching her most delicate parts.
Imagining of pleasure or displeasure is thus one's own fancy. Similarly, the so called experiencing of pleasure from any particular touch is also a fancy, not a reality. Neither the fancy nor the touch is the source of pleasure. The pleasure actually comes from within. Our own Self is pleasurable, but we wrongly believe it as coming from without.
Similarly, the sense of pleasure that one derives from sex is also a reflection of the pleasure that lies within but is wrongly attributed to that particular situation. The contact of a body does not have any inherent capability to extend pleasure. It is the soul within that is full of pleasure. The body that we love the most, ceases to give pleasure when the soul departs. If we contemplate at depth, we can realize that soul is the real source of pleasure and we vainly try to seek it from the sources that are incapable of extending it. That realization can end the long standing trait of attachment for all worldly situations. We would then turn inward and stop seeking pleasure from sensuous contacts. The way of observing celibacy is therefore to gain the realization about the true source of pleasure.
In Indian mythology there is an interesting story about the god of love who is known as Kämdev. He rouses passion among his targets by darting the arrows of flowers. There is another god Shiv, who likes to stay tuned to his Self. Once, Kämdev threw his arrow at Shiv and disturbed his peace. When Shiv realized that the disturbance was caused by Kämdev's arrow, he got enraged; he opened his third eye lying in the forehead and reduced Kämdev to ashes with fire emanating from that eye. Kämdev thus lost his body by misadventure. Since body is called Ang, the bodiless Kämdev is known as Anang.
The story is symbolic and tells a lot, if correctly interpreted. Kämdev is symbolic of sensual instinct and his arrow stands for sensuality. Shiv means bliss. It is gained by enlightenment, which is symbolized as the third eye lying in the forehead. The fire from that eye is symbolic of enlightenment. Shiv experiences happiness by staying in his own blissful state and does not hanker for external source of pleasure. When Kämdev tried to divert his attention towards sensuous pleasure, he indicated to Kämdev the nature of true pleasure by extending to him the enlightenment. Thereby Kämdev realized that the body is not the source of true pleasure. He got rid of the physical sense and became Anang or bodiless, which means that he could derive the true pleasure from the unembodied soul.
The story thus shows that the sensuous pleasure is worthless and should be avoided for experiencing spiritual pleasure. Once we realize that all sources, other than the soul, are devoid of true pleasure, our mind would automatically turn away from them. Then it would be easier to observe celibacy, because we know that we would be observing it for