Brahmacharya

[Devotee91]

Namaste,

When practising Brahmacharya. It is not allowed to ejeculate, is thinking about seks or watching erotic images/videos a break in Brahmacharya?

I`ve read being celibate focuses the energy and gives oppertunity to increase spirituality. In Hinduism Brahmacharya is considered a great thing, does it require to complete certain rituals?

 

[Aupmanyav]

Is thinking about seks or watching erotic images/videos a break in Brahmacharya?

Yes, it is a break in Brahmacharya. An idle mind is a devil's worshop, as they say. Get busy in something more constructive.

 

[George-ananda]

Namaste,

When practising Brahmacharya. It is not allowed to ejeculate, is thinking about seks or watching erotic images/videos a break in Brahmacharya?

I would say those things are bad as they stir up the wrong energies. But perfection is not for the many. A controlled sexual life and mind is a satisfactory plan B for the many.

 

[Devotee91]

Oke thanks. But how can you control the mind not to think about it?

 

[George-ananda]

Oke thanks. But how can you control the mind not to think about it?

I'm no expert but my thoughts are:

First decide if this something you really want and really want to work for. It's not an easy path.

When thoughts and visual input happens deflect your mind and say 'I am bigger than this' and repeat a mantra and remember how strongly you crave Brahmacharya.

Maybe a first step can be a reduction and a ceiling on all desires.

 

[Tyaga]

Pranam,

I have a related question.Is nocturnal emissions or wet dreams considered as a disruption in Brahmacharya?Almost all teenagers go through it while their hormones are all messed up

 

[Stormcry]

Pranam,

I have a related question.Is nocturnal emissions or wet dreams considered as a disruption in Brahmacharya?Almost all teenagers go through it while their hormones are all messed up

No , It's not allowed at all . According to Shastra , If Bramhachari undergoes that , he must chant Gayatri Mantra 108 times to purify himself . There's not excuse for it.


Hari Hari.....

 

[Madhuri]

Oke thanks. But how can you control the mind not to think about it?

The important thing is that a person should not enter this commitment if they are not ready for it, otherwise you just suppress yourself and that can be very unhealthy.

A person must practice spirituality until they reach the point where they can control their mind and can commit to a deeply spiritual lifestyle before entering Brahmacharya.

This is my personal opinion.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Nice idea, Madhuri.

 

[Tyaga]

No , It's not allowed at all . According to Shastra , If Bramhachari undergoes that , he must chant Gayatri Mantra 108 times to purify himself . There's not excuse for it.


Hari Hari.....

Namaste,

Is it against Brahmacharya even if we are not doing it on purpose?I mean,we are asleep when the wet dream occurs,and we are not doing it intentionally.Excess semen stored up in our body have to go out one way or another....

 

[Stormcry]

Namaste,

Is it against Brahmacharya even if we are not doing it on purpose?I mean,we are asleep when the wet dream occurs,and we are not doing it intentionally.Excess semen stored up in our body have to go out one way or another....

Actually In bramhacharya , secreting out of semen knowingly or unknowingly is NOT accepted. Whether it is knowingly or unknowingly ,it's a sin .

But as secreting out of semen is a natural process , Shastra ( Rules for Bramhachari ) suggest that he should chant Gayatri mantra . By chanting Gayatri Mantra ,Bramhachari instantly gets purified from that sin.

Hari Krishna ...

 

[ShivaFan]

I don't want to sound prudish, but can't this question be answered without gettung into details of bodily functions?

Having said that, one of the advantages of brahmacharya is by maintaining your fluids, these feed your brain power muscle. That is what I have been taught, it is not just a question of soul power, it is that your brain which is material is also a muscle that your soul can use, and this brain can feed off maintaining your manhood. You are not your brain per say, you are soul, but you are not your eyes either but strong eyes just as a strong brain has it's advantages.

There are other reasons to do so as well, such as self-control, but from what I have been told this is one reason as well - brainpower.

Om Namah Sivaya

 

[Tyaga]

Actually In bramhacharya , secreting out of semen knowingly or unknowingly is NOT accepted. Whether it is knowingly or unknowingly ,it's a sin .

But as secreting out of semen is a natural process , Shastra ( Rules for Bramhachari ) suggest that he should chant Gayatri mantra . By chanting Gayatri Mantra ,Bramhachari instantly gets purified from that sin.

Hari Krishna ...

Pranam,

Thank you for information.I guess i won't be practicing Brahmacharya anytime soon

 

[Aupmanyav]

In Brahmacharya, even a lascivious thought is not permitted (as we say in Hinduism, manasa-vacha-karmana). The best is to keep mind and body engaged in 'kusal' (talking Buddhism here, kusal - useful, akusal - useless) activities.

"The four phases of right effort mean to:
Prevent the unwholesome that has not yet arisen in oneself.
Let go of the unwholesome that has arisen in oneself.
Bring up the wholesome that has not yet arisen in oneself.
Maintain the wholesome that has arisen in oneself."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path#Right_effort

 

[George-ananda]

Pranam,

Thank you for information.I guess i won't be practicing Brahmacharya anytime soon

Well may I suggest not thinking of all this as 'all or nothing'. Just working to reduce your sexual thoughts is beneficial.

 

[Poeticus]

I have always wanted to know:

Was the Guru-philosopher, Vatsyayana, a brahmachari?​

 

[Jaskaran Singh]

I have always wanted to know:

Was the Guru-philosopher, Vatsyayana, a brahmachari?​

Yes, as per his own nyAyabhAShyam, malla~Nga vAtsyAyana was a brahmachArI, hence why the positions in the kAmasUtra are often considered absurd and/or difficult (because vAtsyAyana himself never engaged in sex); tradition states he first gave the kAmasUtra to his own mother once it was completed.

 

[Poeticus]

Yes, as per his own nyAyabhAShyam, malla~Nga vAtsyAyana was a brahmachArI, hence why the positions in the kAmasUtra are often considered absurd and/or difficult (because vAtsyAyana himself never engaged in sex); tradition states he first gave the kAmasUtra to his own mother once it was completed.

Indian Mother back then during the good ol' pro-sex days of the region we now call, "India":

"Let me critique your work, regardless of what it is."​

Most Indian Mothers of today:

"You naughty, naughty boy! This is disgusting stuff, and it is a paap! Tauba tauba!"​

 

[Devotee91]

Thanks, so i understand it requires strenght and determination now.
But isn`t that part of the sacrifice that the body craves for lust and that the spiritual self is trying to grow and choose Bramhacharya.
Stopping the activity is possible, but stopping the mind from wanting and desire its so difficult. Lust seems to override the mind and with that the noble goals of the self and fills the focus with thoughts filled with desire

 

[Tyaga]

Well may I suggest not thinking of all this as 'all or nothing'. Just working to reduce your sexual thoughts is beneficial.

Namaste,

I get nocturnal emissions even when my mind is clean.My doctor said it is because the 'hidden desires' coming out in our dream and the stuff stored in our body need to flush out one way or another