Talk:Brahmacharya
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[edit] Keeping the links clean
Organized the links and brushed up the descriptions, removed links to sites that should be linked from under celibacy if they are linked to at all. No need for many links to a single site if there's an external page where they are all listed! —Raga 00:35, 26 June 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Lets have some broader discussion on the meaning of Brahmacharya
The word "Brahmacharya" stems literally from two components
1. "Acarya" composed of 'car' - "to go" and 'a' - "toward". Together this makes the word 'carya', which is often translated as activity, mode of behaviour, a 'virtuous' way of life. Acarya has meant in practice a teacher, spiritual guide, master etc and
2. "Brahma", the word for the absolute, eternal, never-born god-head.
So in a literal sense, the word brahmacharya (Brahma + Acarya) seems to indicate a life lived in conformance with the deeper principles of realisation of Brahma-nature.
The word Brahamacharya is also understood broadly in yoga as "sexual continence," which can be understood contextually (e.g. faith in marriage, celibacy for spiritual aspirants etc), in more extreme terms (complete celibacy full stop) or in more specific terms in relation to preserving and sublimating male sexual energy rather than losing it through ejaculation.
Brahmacharya can also be understood more generically in terms of generally striving for excellence in all domains of activity and relationship, of pursuing 'virtue' however defined (like the classical Greek concept of Arete) and in terms of clearing underlying personality conflicts and centering oneself and ones spiritual journey in clear, well conceived and sustainable values.
