Why is asceticism necessary for enlightenment?

Hi everyone - another question.
Why is asceticism necessary to achieve enlightenment?
Thanks for your help :)

[BigJohn]

I think some do asceticism as a way of removing obstacles that can slow down and/or prevent a person from quieting their mind.

[Unseeking Seeker]

… let’s ask someone who is enlightened …

[Guillaume]

I am not enlightened, but I can say that some forms of asceticism can be necessary to move up.
As BigJohn says, it's about quieting the mind and being in the present moment.

The more pleasures you have, the more day-dreaming you have, or mind wandering. They are cravings.
But as you move up (and practice meditation) you will realise more and more that most of the pleasures you enjoy are ridiculous if watched in the present moment. Cravings are dreams, they only exist in your mind.

So it's working both ways: meditating reduces the cravings because you realise they don't exist for real ; and you will want to cut down some enjoyments because they create too much mental pollution.

[sky]

'There are these two extremes that are not to be indulged … that which is devoted to sensual pleasure and that which is devoted to self-affliction , by avoiding both of these extremes, the middle way is realised.'
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta 56:11

[AshaKantaSharma]

The middle path is ok if we want to reach the destination in some time but if we want to speed up the process then we should conserve the energies as we need these energies to reach higher up for us to unlock various aspects of life on the path of spiritual awkening.

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by traceyacey12

Why is asceticism necessary to achieve enlightenment?

A typical definition of asceticism is severe self-discipline and avoiding of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.

Another term for asceticism is austerity, which yogapedia defines as: ... a disciplined spiritual practice, or sadhana, that purifies the body and mind of anything that prevents or blocks connection with the higher Self, or God.

It is also called Tapas, the third element of the five niyamas (ethical guidelines), one of the stages in the eightfold path of yoga. The word Tapas is derived from the root Sanskrit verb ‘tap’ which means ‘to burn’, suggesting a sense of self-discipline, passion and courage in order to burn away ‘impurities’ on all levels.

Is this necessary for enlightenment? Depends what we mean by enlightenment. If we consider enlightenment as the surrender of the small separate self, allowing identification with the true limitless Self, then it makes sense that we do not indulge in activities which strengthen our identification with the small separate self.

But at the same time there are people who seem to have had genuine expansions of consciousness without being ascetics.

And equally there are those who take asceticism to an extreme, without any obvious spiritual benefit.

Perhaps the middle way combined with self-discipline is the best approach. Self-discipline may be painful to begin with but it then becomes a freedom.

Peace

Originally Posted by iamthat

A typical definition of asceticism is [i]severe self-discipline ... Self-discipline may be painful to begin with but it then becomes a freedom.
Peace

Thanks iamthat. very helpful

[Still_Waters]

QUOTE 8 EXCERPT:

Originally Posted by iamthat

Perhaps the middle way combined with self-discipline is the best approach. Self-discipline may be painful to begin with but it then becomes a freedom.

Well said !

I've noticed that, with mindful meditative living, one can get enlightening revelations from virtually anyone and anything. Didn't the Buddha discover the "Middle Path" by overhearing a conversation between a musician and his student regarding neither having the strings of the musical instrument too tight nor too loose?

Regarding austerities such as sensory deprivation, fasting, and so on, here is an interesting article about the hallucinatory experiences that can be induced by such practices. The section on " Artificially Inducing Mystical Experiences of God" is particularly interesting.

http://www.humanreligions.info/hallu....html#Mystical

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

Regarding austerities such as sensory deprivation, fasting, and so on, here is an interesting article about the hallucinatory experiences that can be induced by such practices. The section on " Artificially Inducing Mystical Experiences of God" is particularly interesting.

Thanks. An interesting read, although I would dispute some of the claims, such as:

We know that electromagnetic activity in the brain is absolutely tied up with our own self, thoughts and consciousness, and this is further evidence (aside from history, psychology, etc) that the experience of many mystical things and god has a basis in physiological cause and effect, with the physical cause preceding the experience.

And I would suggest that fasting and sensory deprivation reduces the bond between consciousness and the physical body while opening us up to the astral realms.

Peace