brahmacarya
Brahmacharya (/ˌbrɑːməˈtʃɑːrjə/; Devanagari: ब्रह्मचर्य) literally means "going after Brahman (Supreme Reality, Self, God)".[1] In Indian religions, it is also a concept with various context-driven meanings.
In one context, Brahmacharya is the first of four Ashrama (age-based stages) of a human life, with Grihastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest dweller) and Sannyasa(renunciation) being the other three Asramas. The Brahmacharya (bachelor student) stage of one's life, up to 25 years of age, was focused on education and included the practice of celibacy.[2] In Indian traditions, it connotes chastity during the student stage of life for the purposes of learning from a guru (teacher), and during later stages of life for the purposes of attaining spiritual liberation (moksha).[3][4]
In another context, Brahmacharya is a virtue, where it means celibacy when unmarried, and fidelity when married.[5][6] It represents a virtuous lifestyle that also includes simple living, meditation and other behaviors.[7][8]
Among the Hindu, Jain and Buddhist monastic traditions, Brahmacharya implies, among other things, mandatory renouncing of sex and marriage.[9] It is considered necessary for a monk's spiritual practice.[10] Western notions of the religious life as practiced in monastic settings mirror these characteristics.
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[hide]Etymology[edit]
The word brahmacharya stems from two Sanskrit roots:
- Brahma (ब्रह्म, shortened from Brahman), means "the one self-existent Spirit, the Absolute Reality, Universal Self, Personal God, the sacred knowledge".[11][12]
- charya (चर्य), which means "occupation with, engaging, proceeding, behaviour, conduct, to follow, going after".[13] This is often translated as activity, mode of behaviour, a "virtuous" way of life.
So the word Brahmacharya literally means a lifestyle adopted to seek and understand Brahman – the Ultimate Reality.[14] Gonda states, in historic literature of Hinduism, it means "devoting oneself to Brahman".[15] In modern literature, it is commonly translated to mean celibacy for those unmarried, and fidelity to one's partner when married.[5]
In ancient and medieval era Indian texts, the term brahmacharya is a concept with more complex meaning. Brahmacharya embodies in its meaning an overall lifestyle that helps the pursuit of sacred knowledge and spiritual liberation.[7] It is a means, not an end, and usually includes cleanliness, ahimsa, simple living, studies, meditation, voluntary restraints on certain diet, intoxicants and behaviors (including sexual behavior).[7][8]