Why Practice Celibacy (Brahmacharya)?

Benefits of celibacy : Dada Bhagwan

Why Practice Celibacy (Brahmacharya)?

Questioner : For what benefits should one practice brahmacharya?

Dadashri :If you get hurt here on this arm and you start bleeding, why do you do everything to stop the bleeding? What is the benefit?

Questioner :We do not bleed excessively.

Dadashri :  What would happen if you do bleed excessively ?

Questioner :The body will become weak.

Dadashri :So it is with abrahmacharya(incontinence of sexual impulses), the body becomes weak. All the diseases in the body are due to abrahmacharya. Yogurt is not the end product of milk. Yogurt is converted to cream, which is finally converted to butter. Similarly, all that you eat and drink, the air you breathe, results in a final product, which is the essence of the body.Brahmacharya is the ultimate essence of this complex of intake and output, this living body.There are two things in this world that one should not waste. One is money and the other is semen. All the money in this world is going down the drain. It should not be used for oneself. Money should not be misused and one should practice brahmacharya as much as possible. The ultimate extract of our nourishment is semen and it is dissipated and lost in sex. There are certain nerves in the body that help preserve semen and this in turn protects the body. Therefore,brahmacharya should be preserved as much as possible.

Questioner :  But, I still do not understand why one should practice brahmacharya?

Dadashri :I am not trying to force you into doing anything.You should be able to understand by yourself. It is a different matter if you cannot practice brahmacharya, but you should never oppose brahmacharya.Brahmacharyais the best tool for health and spiritual progress.Let go of this talk of brahmacharya. Do not practice brahmacharya. I am not of the opinion that you have to practice brahmacharya.I do tell people to get married. I do not have any objection to people getting married.Those who desire the pleasures of worldly life and have a desire for material things, they should get married and those who do not like worldly pleasures and are seeking eternal happiness, should not get married.

Spiritual Benefits of Brahmacharya (Celibacy)

Questioner:Is it true that the married people attain real knowledge, atmagnan later than those who are not yet married?

Dadashri: If a married couple takes a vow of brahmacharya, they will understand the bliss of the Self completely. Otherwise, they cannot understand whether their happiness comes from sexual gratification or from the pure Soul. Those, who are under the vow of brahmacharya, experience eternal bliss of the Self within. Their mind and body both remain healthy.

Questioner:Then, is the state of the Self the same for the one who is married and the one practicing brahmacharya?

Dadashri:The person who is under the vow of brahmacharya will never fall, no matter how bad the difficulties.That is called safe side.Brahmacharya is the king of the body.A person practicing brahmacharya has a wonderful mind. Brahmacharya is the extract of the entire living body.

Questioner:This extract of the body, the vitality, does not go to waste, doesit?

Dadashri:No. The vitality may dissipate. It does become useless in sex, does it not? That extract is a very different matter. Lord Mahavir had the extract of brahmacharya for forty-two years. Vitality is the ultimate extract of all the extracts from the food we eat. If this extract is properly preserved, one can quickly attain the Self. One will be protected from the pains of the world and all bodily ailments. There will be no suffering of any kind.

Questioner:Does brahmacharya not come under the non-Self?

Dadashri:Yes, but it is the final balance and extract of the living body.

Questioner:Then how does the extract of the non-Self, the living body,help the Self?

Dadashri:The Self will only be attained through the attainment of the extract of the living body, the non-Self. This is always the case in the traditional spiritual Kramic path. Without this there is no progress and one will have difficulty in remembering and saying simple sentences of scriptures. Because the Gnan that I have given you is Akram (direct, step-less), this does not matter.

Questioner:Does this mean that thereis a connection between brahmacharya and the experience of the Self?

Dadashri:Of course there is. That is the main point. With brahmacharya you can achieve whatever you want to. With brahmacharya your worldly aims will be accomplished. You will be able to follow your vows and commitments. There is ease of further progress in all directions. The extract of non-Self, brahmacharya is a very important. If this is present it opens the Self.No one has provided a real understanding on the subject of sex, to anybody. That is because people themselves are involved in sexuality. The saints and sages in the olden days were very sincere and that is why they could talk and make people understand it.

Glossary :

Brahmacharya : Celibacy (Absolute freedom form sexual impulses through mind-speech-body), abrahmacharya :

Non-celibacy; Incontinence of sexual impulses