Pleasures & their Pressures….

The next topic Shankara addresses is "Sex"

WHAT?? ...one gasps! What does Shankaracharya have to say on something so sensuous? Well, all he says is "Be Human"

Human beings are meant to be inherently intelligent and discriminative. That sets them apart and above all other beings in the entire creation. To indiscriminately indulge in any pleasure, to remain helplessly driven by our lusty cravings, to fall for every passionate impulse, is, very decently put, ANIMALISTIC. Human beings are supposed to be graceful, controlled, aware. 

To the Hindu Thinkers, sex is not a sin. We r the only religion in the world which has a scripture dedicated to this natural pleasure of life. It is called Kaama Sutra. NOTHING WRONG.

But the uncontrolled rage it brings with it, is dangerous. 

And honestly, Shankara is not discussing sex at all. By mentioning it, he is indicating ALL INDULGENCES...food, sleep, electronics, alcohol, talking, anything! Over-indulgence in such pleasures leads to diseases & dissipations at body-level, delusion & attachment at mind-level, and weakening of the discriminative ability at intellect-level. Will-power becomes ineffective. It dissipates the personality completely, makes us overly impulsive, leaves us with mere animalistic behaviour. THINK.

But Shankara doesnt ask us to refrain from Sex or any pleasure. No. All he says is "INDULGE INTELLIGENTLY" So the advise is to do chintan - think deeply, objectively, clearly. The idea is that we need to wake up to the fact that Indulgence is good, but it is limited. It wont give me the peace n happiness i am looking for by default. It will tickle my senses, please me for a while and go away. Hence, i must intelligently invest myself into indulgence, and save the rest of me for pursuit of some joy more lasting,...rather eternal. 

Enjoy, indulge...but also THINK. Be Human. Humans alone can think! Ready? 

Practice: 

Enjoy consciously. In and through all indulgences, keep reminding urself: True...It is TEMPORARY!"

Quote:

Who says there is no joy in sense-pleasures? ...but, it is temporary! -GURUDEV