The benefits of celibacy By Swami Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti
It is seen in this world of promiscuity, that people are very anxious to enjoy sex life without taking into consideration the consequences of their actions. Celibate life is a beautiful tradition that comes from the great sages of former eras. They say that the sexual force is an immense ability that God has given to everyone. It is much more than a reproductive force, since it has the potential to bring another little person to be a servant of God. However, the consciousness of lust brings people to snub this mystic spiritual potential and makes them think only in terms of the moment of enjoyment that the sex act can give for the body. And if sex life brings suffering to another person, then it is harmful for life, especially spiritual life. To have sexual relations without the desire to advance spiritually, without the desire to make an offering to God, steals a great quantity of spiritual and physical energy.
All those who have sexual encounters without a higher purpose confirm that afterwards they feel fallen, defeated, with an empty heart. This is because they undervalue the mystery of life and do not accept that the sexual energy has a very elevated purpose.
When sex life occurs only inside marriage, it is protected from irreligiosity. But when there are sexual relations only for the pleasure of the senses outside of the sanctity of marriage, there will be such grave consequences as children without fathers, venereal diseases, AIDS, and hearts broken by defrauded feelings.
In its true form, virginity is the natural method that God conceived to preserve the chastity of a couple. And this virginity perfectly protects them when they remain in celibacy until their innocence is delivered to their partner, the companion of their life. This is a very elevated ideal and few people can actually consider it in this way, but the suffering that humanity has experienced by this motive have been very great. And nowadays many people are reconsidering celibacy, at least until marriage. Total celibacy, in which someone wants to consecrate all his life to God, is a personal vocation and is not something obligatory. Rather it should be glorious because it is an act of dedicating all one's energy to God. But they who want to marry should do so and feel that they have the responsibility of a family. It is a stage of life in which they should pass. The desire of celibacy in a person should be considered as the natural symptom of an evolved soul who wants to consecrate himself completely to God since he thinks only in terms of wanting to completely serve the Supreme Lord, of desiring to work for humanity and of wanting to serve everyone. If a person feels this, then celibacy is a way to serve and the Sacred Scriptures and great religions of the world have described celibacy as the most beautiful way of life.
Within marriage, one is protected from irreligiosity. If a person acts in agreement with the sacred nature of marriage and who manages his sex life with this higher truth, he can cause a pure devotee to be born in this world. The scriptures explain that when God incarnates on the Earth, He chooses those people who have dedicated their life to Him and desire to have a son like Him.
Children are the product of the consciousness of their parents. In this way, if a lusty child is born, it is because the parents were lusty at the moment of conception. Therefore it is not only the physical features that a child inherits from his father. His character is also inherited. Therefore, it is a very delicate matter. Celibacy is the best way to prepare oneself to be a person strong in one's dedication, to advance spiritually. It is desirable to have success in life and the successful celibates are the brahmacaris - celibate students - and the grihastha brahmacaris - married people who only have sexual relations for procreation. Ultimately, of course, they only want to have children to offer them to the service of God through their own example. It is not that they want to have them for their own gratification. The aim of celibacy should be always to serve: to serve humanity and to serve God. Celibacy is not for living to please oneself. It is an offering of the heart to God because He is the true friend. He is the one who can remove the darkness because He has taught that we are not this body: not this hair, these bones, or this liver. Above these bodily aspects is the "jiva": the conscious particle, the eternal soul, the individual consciousness. This consciousness is the greatest treasure, the greatest gift, because only through it, can we invoke and connect ourselves with God, the Lord of the heart.
----------------------------
Maxims:
* Children are the product of the consciousness of their parents.
* Love should drive the continuation of life; not an empty life without God, but a life full of values oriented towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead and spiritual education.
* God-conscious children are the true purpose of procreation.
* "I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs--how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world--how he can please his wife-- and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband." Corinthians I 7.32-34
* Virginity is a divine gift that should be guarded and protected like a delicate and beautiful flower.
* When sexuality is not coupled with responsibility or true love, it only brings a life full of desolation, sadness, anguish and emptiness.
* If one wants to be genuinely happy, one should accept the inevitable fact that love always implies sacrifice. Sexuality is not an instrument of pleasure. It is an instrument of life, to bring a soul into the world who will be conscious of God. It is an instrument to perpetuate the qualities and good characteristics that should always be cultivated.
Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti
Translation: Erica Wolsk
source : http://vedicwisdom.weebly.com/celibate.html
It is seen in this world of promiscuity, that people are very anxious to enjoy sex life without taking into consideration the consequences of their actions. Celibate life is a beautiful tradition that comes from the great sages of former eras. They say that the sexual force is an immense ability that God has given to everyone. It is much more than a reproductive force, since it has the potential to bring another little person to be a servant of God. However, the consciousness of lust brings people to snub this mystic spiritual potential and makes them think only in terms of the moment of enjoyment that the sex act can give for the body. And if sex life brings suffering to another person, then it is harmful for life, especially spiritual life. To have sexual relations without the desire to advance spiritually, without the desire to make an offering to God, steals a great quantity of spiritual and physical energy.
All those who have sexual encounters without a higher purpose confirm that afterwards they feel fallen, defeated, with an empty heart. This is because they undervalue the mystery of life and do not accept that the sexual energy has a very elevated purpose.
When sex life occurs only inside marriage, it is protected from irreligiosity. But when there are sexual relations only for the pleasure of the senses outside of the sanctity of marriage, there will be such grave consequences as children without fathers, venereal diseases, AIDS, and hearts broken by defrauded feelings.
In its true form, virginity is the natural method that God conceived to preserve the chastity of a couple. And this virginity perfectly protects them when they remain in celibacy until their innocence is delivered to their partner, the companion of their life. This is a very elevated ideal and few people can actually consider it in this way, but the suffering that humanity has experienced by this motive have been very great. And nowadays many people are reconsidering celibacy, at least until marriage. Total celibacy, in which someone wants to consecrate all his life to God, is a personal vocation and is not something obligatory. Rather it should be glorious because it is an act of dedicating all one's energy to God. But they who want to marry should do so and feel that they have the responsibility of a family. It is a stage of life in which they should pass. The desire of celibacy in a person should be considered as the natural symptom of an evolved soul who wants to consecrate himself completely to God since he thinks only in terms of wanting to completely serve the Supreme Lord, of desiring to work for humanity and of wanting to serve everyone. If a person feels this, then celibacy is a way to serve and the Sacred Scriptures and great religions of the world have described celibacy as the most beautiful way of life.
Within marriage, one is protected from irreligiosity. If a person acts in agreement with the sacred nature of marriage and who manages his sex life with this higher truth, he can cause a pure devotee to be born in this world. The scriptures explain that when God incarnates on the Earth, He chooses those people who have dedicated their life to Him and desire to have a son like Him.
Children are the product of the consciousness of their parents. In this way, if a lusty child is born, it is because the parents were lusty at the moment of conception. Therefore it is not only the physical features that a child inherits from his father. His character is also inherited. Therefore, it is a very delicate matter. Celibacy is the best way to prepare oneself to be a person strong in one's dedication, to advance spiritually. It is desirable to have success in life and the successful celibates are the brahmacaris - celibate students - and the grihastha brahmacaris - married people who only have sexual relations for procreation. Ultimately, of course, they only want to have children to offer them to the service of God through their own example. It is not that they want to have them for their own gratification. The aim of celibacy should be always to serve: to serve humanity and to serve God. Celibacy is not for living to please oneself. It is an offering of the heart to God because He is the true friend. He is the one who can remove the darkness because He has taught that we are not this body: not this hair, these bones, or this liver. Above these bodily aspects is the "jiva": the conscious particle, the eternal soul, the individual consciousness. This consciousness is the greatest treasure, the greatest gift, because only through it, can we invoke and connect ourselves with God, the Lord of the heart.
----------------------------
Maxims:
* Children are the product of the consciousness of their parents.
* Love should drive the continuation of life; not an empty life without God, but a life full of values oriented towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead and spiritual education.
* God-conscious children are the true purpose of procreation.
* "I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs--how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world--how he can please his wife-- and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband." Corinthians I 7.32-34
* Virginity is a divine gift that should be guarded and protected like a delicate and beautiful flower.
* When sexuality is not coupled with responsibility or true love, it only brings a life full of desolation, sadness, anguish and emptiness.
* If one wants to be genuinely happy, one should accept the inevitable fact that love always implies sacrifice. Sexuality is not an instrument of pleasure. It is an instrument of life, to bring a soul into the world who will be conscious of God. It is an instrument to perpetuate the qualities and good characteristics that should always be cultivated.
Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti
Translation: Erica Wolsk
source : http://vedicwisdom.weebly.com/celibate.html
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