ARTSSCI 3L03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Desert Fathers, Christian Monasticism, Abstinence
15 Sep 2017
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Asceticism arises from the greek askesis meaning training, practice or exercise. Examples of ascetic practices: fasting, sexual abstinence/continence, seclusion, limitations on engagement, poverty (money, possessions, mendicancy (though who move from place to place with no home), discomfort, infliction of pain, bodily mutilation. Abstaining from certain kinds of food or sex is often a way of maintaining some form of bodily purity. South asian religions, bodily purity is necessarily to engage in religion: earn divine favour. Maintaining various postures, stages of bodily discomfort pleases the gods enough for them to offer boons: atonement or penance. O(cid:374)(cid:272)e agai(cid:374) this is ear(cid:374)ed fro(cid:373) the gods. Kar(cid:373)i(cid:272) (cid:271)aggage that you"(cid:448)e a(cid:272)(cid:272)rued (cid:272)a(cid:374) follo(cid:449) you a(cid:272)ross lifetimes: special knowledge or perception. This is more down to the individual as opposed to the gods granting a boon. The buddha achieves enlightenment via his practices which allows him to achieve certain spiritual goals: posthumous reward (good afterlife)
