Tyāga
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Tyāga (
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
: त्याग) is a
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
word that means "sacrifice, giving up in generosity, forsaking, resigning" anything of value, as well as "renunciation" depending on the context. It is an ethical concept in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.


Etymology

Tyāga means – sacrifice, renunciation, abandonment, resignation, donation, forsaking, liberality, withdrawal Tyāga which is not merely physical renunciation of the world is different from
Sannyasa ''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' As ...
; Sannyasa which comes from the root as means – "giving up entirely", Tyāga means – "giving up with generosity what one could probably have kept".


Hinduism

Tyāga or abandonment refers to giving up of all anxieties for enjoying the fruits of actions; through practice of this kind of ''tyāga'' infusing
discipline Discipline refers to rule following behavior, to regulate, order, control and authority. It may also refer to punishment. Discipline is used to create habits, routines, and automatic mechanisms such as blind obedience. It may be inflicted on ot ...
in daily activities the momentary anxiety to enjoy fruits of actions is overcome. It is a subjective renunciation of selfishness and desire. ''Yajna is Tyāga ''. The
Vedic upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...
interpretation of renunciation (''tyāga '') of the fruits of ritual acts including – ''agnistomena svargakāmo yajeta'' – "the desire for heaven", which renunciation is to be found expressed in the phrase – ''agnaye idam na mama'' – "this is for Agni, not for me" – pronounced by the yajamana at the time of the oblation. The
Tejobindu Upanishad The ''Tejobindu Upanishad'' (Sanskrit: तेजोबिन्दु उपनिषद्) is a minor Upanishad in the corpus of Upanishadic texts of Hinduism. It is one of the five ''Bindu Upanishads'', all attached to the Atharvaveda, and one ...
belonging to Krishna- yajurveda explains that in ''Tyāga'' ('renunciation') one abandons the manifestations or objects of the universe through the cognition of
Atman Atman or Ātman may refer to: Film * ''Ātman'' (1975 film), a Japanese experimental short film directed by Toshio Matsumoto * ''Atman'' (1997 film), a documentary film directed by Pirjo Honkasalo People * Pavel Atman (born 1987), Russian hand ...
that is ''Sat'' and ''Cit'' and this is practiced by the wise as the giver of immediate salvation. Thus,
Kaivalya Upanishad The ''Kaivalya Upanishad'' ( sa, कैवल्य उपनिषत्) is an ancient Sanskrit text and one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. It is classified as a Shaiva Upanishad, and survives into modern times in two versions, one atta ...
portrays the state of man on the way of renunciation (''tyāga'') as having become free of all attachment to the worldly and who, consequently knows and feels himself only as the one divine essence that lives in all.


Tyaga of Bhagavad Gita

Moksha ''Moksha'' (; sa, मोक्ष, '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'' and ''mukti'', is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriology, ...
consists in securing lasting freedom from the bondage of existence in the form of birth and death and realizing God who is no other than Bliss (Brahman). Chapter XVIII of the
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'' (c ...
deals with
Sannyasa ''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' As ...
and Tyāga, the Paths of Knowledge and Action that are means to the attainment of moksha.
Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
tells
Arjuna Arjuna (Sanskrit: अर्जुन, ), also known as Partha and Dhananjaya, is a character in several ancient Hindu texts, and specifically one of the major characters of the Indian epic Mahabharata. In the epic, he is the third among Panda ...
that even though ''sannyāsa'' is understood as the giving up of all actions motivated by desires, and ''tyāga'' consists in relinquishing the fruit of all actions; that all actions are worth giving up because they contain a measure of evil that acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not worth shunning, there are three kinds of ''Tyāga'' – ''Sattvika'', ''Rajasika'' and ''Tamasika'' (Sloka XVIII.4). Whereas acts of sacrifice, charity and penance, the purifiers of wise men, must be performed without attachment and hope of award, Krishna states - मोहात्तस्य परित्यागस्तामसः (the abandonment of prescribed duty through ignorance) is not advisable, it is the ''Tamasika'' form of ''tyāga''; if it is owing to कायक्लेशभयात्तयजेत् (abandonment for fear of physical strain) then it is ''Rajasika'' form; if it is – :कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन , :सङंग त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव स त्यागः सात्त्विको मतः, (Sloka XVIII.9) : "A prescribed duty which is performed simply because it has to be performed, giving up attachment and fruit, that alone has been recognized as the Sattvika form of renunciation. " Thereafter, Arjuna is told about the marks of a Sattvika-man of renunciation and that since all actions cannot be given up in their entirety by anyone possessing a body, he alone, who abstains from prohibited actions and those that are motivated by desire and performs duties, renounces the fruit of actions is called a man of renunciation; no fruits of actions accrues for him (Sloka XVIII.11-12). In the preceding discourses, Krishna had recommended to Arjuna actions which ought to be performed as duty (Ch.III.19); He told him to perform ordained actions (Ch.III.8), to be free from attachment (Ch.III.9,19 & Ch.II.48), and to have no desire for the fruit of action (Ch.II.47); Krishna had recommended ''Sattvika-tyāga''.


Sannyasa and Tyāga

Sannyasa ''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' As ...
literally means – throwing away, absolute rejection, formal monastic life; in the
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'' (c ...
, it means – mental state of thorough-going renunciation, of uncompromising abandonment of all that is unfit and unworthy, of intense dispassion toward things of the world, both internal and external. Tyāga literally means – abandonment, the turning from all that hinders the realization of the Self; in the
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'' (c ...
, it means – renunciation in the sense of relinquishment of the fruit of action. Sannyāsa is external, even though it is based on internal disposition; Tyāga is completely mental, it is a state of thought and attitude. Arjuna is emphatically told that it is possible to act and accrue no karma whatsoever; it is a matter of consciousness. In this context,
Chinmayananda Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati (born Balakrishna Menon; 8 May 1916 – 3 August 1993) was a Hindu spiritual leader and a teacher. In 1951, he founded Chinmaya Mission, a worldwide nonprofit organisation, in order to spread the knowledge of Advaita ...
remarks that abandonment is the true content of the status of renunciation – ''sannyāsa'' without the ''tyāga'' spirit is but an empty show; real abandonment is meant for rising to a nobler status of fulfillment, leading on to the ampler fields of expression, to fuller ways of living and to greater experiences of joy. And,
Aurobindo Sri Aurobindo (born Aurobindo Ghose; 15 August 1872 – 5 December 1950) was an Indian philosopher, yogi, maharishi, poet, and Indian nationalist. He was also a journalist, editing newspapers such as ''Vande Mataram''. He joined the ...
explains that – "Sannysa in the standing of the terminology of the sages means the laying aside of desirable actions. In that sense Tyāga, not Sannyasa, is the better way. It is not the desirable actions that must be laid aside, but the desire that gives them that character has to be put away from us... The spiritual transference of all works to the Master and his Shakti is the real sannyāsa in the teachings of the Gita.... The essence of renunciation, the true Tyāga, the true sannyāsa is not any rule of thumb of inaction but a disinterested soul, a selfless mind, the transition from ego to the free impersonal and spiritual nature. "
Self-discipline Discipline refers to rule following behavior, to regulate, order, control and authority. It may also refer to punishment. Discipline is used to create habits, routines, and automatic mechanisms such as blind obedience. It may be inflicted on ot ...
too becomes a form of ''Sattvika-tyāga'', during the course of which exercise one has control over negative emotions and behaviours such as anger, greed and pride.
The 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'' (c ...
projects action to serve as steps on the path of spiritual ascent, as an effective means to purify the mind through diligently cultivated mental discipline in action; the true fruit of Tyāga is an elevating sense of peace and fulfillment, even if it entails a bit of physical discomfort.


Jainism

According to
Tattvartha Sutra ''Tattvārthasūtra'', meaning "On the Nature 'artha''of Reality 'tattva'' (also known as ''Tattvarth-adhigama-sutra'' or ''Moksha-shastra'') is an ancient Jain text written by ''Acharya (Jainism), Acharya'' Umaswami in Sanskrit, somet ...
, an ascetic’s
dharma Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...
consists of ten elements i.e. abstract virtues, which are – ''ksama'' ('forebearance'), '' mardava'' ('humility'), ''arjava'' ('uprightness'), ''sauca'' ('desirelessness'), ''satya'' ('truthfulness'), ''samyama'' ('self-discipline'), ''tapas'' ('self-mortification'), ''tyaga'' ('renunciation'), ''akincanya'' ('poverty') and ''brahmacharya'' ('celibacy').
Hemachandra Hemachandra was a 12th century () Indian Jain saint, scholar, poet, mathematician, philosopher, yogi, grammarian, law theorist, historian, lexicographer, rhetorician, logician, and prosodist. Noted as a prodigy by his contemporaries, he gain ...
has recognized only two of the ten ''pratyakhyanas'' viz. ''sanketa-pratyakhyana'' and ''addha-pratyakhyana'', the former, which is of eight types, is symbolic and the devotee refrains from taking food for some time by which renunciation he recalls his mind to his religious duties; the latter, is ritualistic, also connected with abstention from or renouncing food, and has a set methodology to adopt. Ahimsa-vrata practiced by the ''Svetambras'' refers to the renunciation of killing. Basically, there are five kinds of ''tyāgas'' included in the eleven pratimās viz. ''sacitta-tyāga pratimā'', the stage of renouncing uncooked food; ''ārambha-tyāga pratimā'', the stage of abandonment of all professional activity; ''parigraha-tyāga pratimā'', the stage of transferring publicly one’s property to a son or relative; ''anumati-tyāga pratimā'', the stage of leaving the household and refraining from counselling in household matters, and ''uddista-tyāga pratimā'', the stage of not eating food especially prepared for oneself i.e. the stage of seeking alms like a monk, commonly followed by '' Svetambras '', ''
Digambara ''Digambara'' (; "sky-clad") is one of the two major schools of Jainism, the other being ''Śvētāmbara'' (white-clad). The Sanskrit word ''Digambara'' means "sky-clad", referring to their traditional monastic practice of neither possessing n ...
s '' and ''Avasyaka-Curni''.
Nemicandra Nemichandra Siddhanta Chakravarty ( fl. 10th century) was the author of ''Dravyasamgraha'', ''Gommatsāra'' (''Jivakanda'' and ''Karmakanda''), ''Trilokasara'', ''Labdhisara'' and ''Kshapanasara''. He was among the most distinguished of the Jai ...
gives a list of eighty-four asatanas which includes ''sacittanām atayāga'' or failure to remove sentient objects and ''ajive tyāga'' or failure to remove non-sentient objects.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tyaga Hindu philosophical concepts Jain philosophy Samkhya Sanskrit words and phrases Vedanta Causality Asceticism Hindu monasticism Hindu ethics