Shaucha () literally means purity, cleanliness and clearness. It refers to purity of mind, speech and body. Saucha is one of the Niyamas of

Yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...

. It is discussed in many ancient Indian texts such as the

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the '' Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the K ...

and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. It is a virtue in Hinduism and Jainism. In

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

purity is a part of worship, an attitude or purity of mind an important quality for salvation. Purity is a mind pure and free of evil thoughts and behaviors. Saucha includes outer purity of body as well as inner purity of mind. The concept of ''Saucha'' is synonymous with '' Shuddhi'' (शुद्धि). LePage states that Saucha in yoga is on many levels, and deepens as an understanding and evolution of self increases. Shaucha, or holistic purity of the body, is considered essential for health, happiness and general well-being. External purity is achieved through daily ablutions, while internal purity is cultivated through physical exercises, including asana (postures) and pranayama (breathing techniques). Along with daily ablutions to cleanse one's body, the concept of Shaucha suggests clean surrounding, along with fresh and clean food to purify the body. Lack of Saucha, such as letting toxins build in body are a source of impurity.K. V. Raghupathi, Yoga for Peace, , pages 60-61 Shaucha goes beyond purity of body, and includes purity of speech and mind. Anger, hate, prejudice, greed, lust, pride, fear, negative thoughts are a source of impurity of mind. The impurities of the intellect are cleansed through the process of self-examination, or knowledge of self (''Adhyatma-Vidya''). The mind is purified through

mindfulness Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one's attention to the present-moment experience without evaluation, a skill one develops through meditation or other training. Mindfulness derives from ''sati'', a significant element of Hind ...

and

meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm ...

on one's intent, feelings, actions and its causes. Teachers of the Vedanta path of yoga prepare to have holy thoughts and for performing holy actions. Students and the young help teachers prepare for worship, building self-control and selflessness. This is to offer a true gift - to offer something without expecting anything in return. Sarada Devi said "Pure mind begets ecstatic love (prema-bhakti)."

Literature

Saucha is included as one of five ''

Niyamas The Niyamas ( sa, नियम, translit=Niyama) are positive duties or observances. In Indian traditions, particularly Yoga, niyamas and their complement, Yamas, are recommended activities and habits for healthy living, spiritual enlightenment ...

'' in Yoga, that is activity that is recommended for spiritual development of an individual. Verse II.32 of Yogasutra lists the five ''niyamas''. In verse II.40, Patanjali describes outer purity, while verse II.41 discusses inner purity, as follows: Saucha is one of the ten '' Yamas'' listed by Śāṇḍilya Upanishad, as well as by Svātmārāma. It is one of the virtuous restraints (yamas) taught in ancient Indian texts. The other nine yamas are

Ahiṃsā Ahimsa (, IAST: ''ahiṃsā'', ) is the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence which applies to all living beings. It is a key virtue in most Indian religions: Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.Bajpai, Shiva (2011). The History of India – F ...

(अहिंसा): Nonviolence,

Satya ''Satya'' (Sanskrit: सत्य; IAST: ''satya)'' is a Sanskrit word loosely translated as truth, essence. A. A. Macdonell, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Asian Educational Services, , pp. 330–331 It also refers to a virtue in Indian relig ...

(सत्य): truthfulness,

Asteya ''Achourya'' (Sanskrit: अचौर्यः, IAST: Acauryaḥ ) or ''Asteya'' (Sanskrit: अस्तेय; IAST: ''asteya'') is the Sanskrit term for "non-stealing". It is a virtue in Hinduism . The practice of ''asteya'' demands that one mu ...

(अस्तेय): not stealing,

Brahmacharya ''Brahmacharya'' (; sa, ब्रह्मचर्य ) is a concept within Indian religions that literally means to stay in conduct within one's own Self. In Yoga, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism it generally refers to a lifestyle char ...

(ब्रह्मचर्य): celibacy chastity and fidelity, Kṣamā (क्षमा): forgiveness,Stuart Sovatsky (1998), Words from the Soul: Time East/West Spirituality and Psychotherapeutic Narrative, State University of New York, , page 21 Dhṛti (धृति): fortitude, Dayā (दया): compassion, Ārjava (आर्जव): sincerity and non-hypocrisy, and Mitahara (मितहार): moderate diet. The Epic

mentions the virtue of purity (''Saucha'') in numerous books. For example, in Book 14 Chapter 38, it lists ''Saucha'' as a high quality found in the liberated, happy and dharmic person,

Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' ( ...

describes purity at three levels in Book 17, verses 14-16, namely body, speech and thoughts. Purity of body comes from cleanliness of body as well as from what one eats and drinks. Purity of speech comes from being truthful and through use of words that are not injurious, hurtful or distressing to others or self. Purity of thoughts comes from reflection, peace of mind, silence, calmness, gentleness and purity of being.Gavin Flood (2005), The Ascetic Self: Subjectivity, Memory and Tradition, Cambridge University Press, , pages 77-93 Purity of mind, speech and body has been one of the important virtues in Indian philosophy.S. Radhakrishnan (1922), The Hindu Dharma, International Journal of Ethics, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 1-22

References

{{Yoga Yoga concepts Hindu philosophical concepts Jain ethics Relational ethics Hindu ethics

Literature

See also

References