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cho_pilo
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The following are the Commandments listed by Patanjali, Manu, Bhagwad Gita and Bhagvat Purana. They are a way of life-a rich philosophical path. And the yamas (restraints) and niyamas (observances) are good common-sense guidelines for leading a healthier, happier life for bringing spiritual awareness into a social context as well as material well being. They are for you to think about and ponder over with a rational mind. , because Hinduism is not about mindlessly accepting externally imposed rules-it is about finding the truth for yourself-and ‘connecting’ with it.
The Yamas are the ethical restraints; the Niyamas are the religious practices. Because it is brief, the entire code can be easily memorized and reviewed daily by the spiritual aspirant. Here are the ten traditional yamas and ten niyamas.
The traditional Yamas are:
The Yamas are the ethical restraints; the Niyamas are the religious practices. Because it is brief, the entire code can be easily memorized and reviewed daily by the spiritual aspirant. Here are the ten traditional yamas and ten niyamas.
The traditional Yamas are:
- Ahimsa:
Ahimsa or non-violence is the awareness and practice of non-violence in thought, speech and action. It advocates the practices of compassion, love, understanding, patience, self-love, and worthiness. Ahimsa should practised in thought, speech and action. - Satya:
truthfulness, word and thought in conformity with the facts. Patanjali describes truthfulness as: “To be in harmony with mind, word and action, to conduct speech and mind according to truth, to express through speech and to retain it in the intellect what has been seen, understood or heard.” Should be practised in thought, speech and action. - Asteya:
non-stealing, non-coveting, non-entering into debt. It upholds forgoing the unauthorized possession of thought, speech and action. Asteya stands against covetousness and envy and un-authorised possession of material wealth. It is the cultivation of a sense of completeness and self-sufficiency in order to progress beyond base cravings. Should be practised in thought, speech and action. - Brahmacharya:
divine conduct, continence, celibate when single, faithful when married. It is a behavior, which brings man nearer to the Divine. This yama believes in controlling and regulating, but not suppression, of all sensual pleasures, whether mental, vocal or physical. - Aparigraha (non-covetousness):
non-accumulation of worldly wealth beyond reasonable needs, caused by covetousness and attachment. The commentator Vyasa says that this last state of yama is attained when one remains totally detached from sensual pleasures of all kinds and so effectively refrains from committing himsa or violence of any sort. - Kshama:
forgiveness, patience, releasing time, functioning in the now. forgiveness, patience, releasing time, functioning in the now. This a big virtue. This is a reactive merit. It should be complete, physical, mental and oral. Should be practised in thought, speech and action. - Dhriti:
steadfastness, overcoming non-perseverance, fear, and indecision; seeing each task through to completion. It involves inculcation of courage and standing for principles of morality. - Daya:
compassion; conquering callous, cruel and insensitive feelings toward all beings. While kshama is a reaction on any action, daya is not a reaction but a positive action itself. To assist someone with sympathy is daya. Like ahimsa, daya is also physical, oral and mental. - Arjava:
honesty, straightforwardness, renouncing deception and wrongdoing. To behave humbly with everyone after casting aside the ego is aarjav. Casting aside of one’s ego is important. - Mitahara:
moderate eating, neither eating too much nor to little; nor consuming impure or unhealthy food. - Shaucha:
purity, avoidance of impurity in body, mind and speech. In the words of sage Manu, water purifies the body; truthfulness the mind; true knowledge the intellect and the soul is purified by knowledge and austerity. It advocates the practices of intellectual purity, purity of speech and of the body.
