Way of Life Part 3

Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

Page 40

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THE WAY OF LIFE
Now, I will mention some points about the Sparshanendriya or the sense of touch.
If you want to attain a victory over this sense you must give up your love of physical happiness and comfort. Moreover, you must be sensible and cautious in respect of three things.
(1) Dress; (2) Sleeping and (3) Sexual enjoyment.
First, you must exercise sense and cautiousness in respect of these. You must give up the desire to wear very expensive and beautiful dress. You must wear simple and very inexpensive dress. You should never put on fashionable dress.
Secondly, you must exercise sense and caution in respect of sleeping. If you want to attain victory over the sense of touch you must never sleep on soft and comfortable beds and mattresses and cots. You must lie on cotton or woollen blankets spread on the ground. You must not sleep on very soft and luxurious beds and mattresses.
Thirdly, you must exercise sense and caution in respect of the delight of touch. This is a very important and delicate matter. Man desires the touch of woman's body; and woman desires the touch of man's body. This desire is natural in human beings, animals and birds. It is present even in the heavenly beings. But it is absolutely necessary to exercise control over this propensity. Of course, to-day, even the way of life has become polluted and affected. In family life and in social life we cannot see self-discipline and self-restraint. Yet if anyone desires to attain self-discipline and a control over the senses, he can achieve them. I will mention here some principles to be observed by such people.
*If you are not married you should not touch the body of a
woman or a girl. If you are a young boy you can touch the bodies of your mother and sisters. But if you are a young man you should not touch even your mother and sisters unnecessarily.
* If you are married, except your wife, you should not touch any other woman even for the sake of fun.
* A woman should not touch any other man except her husband,