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Celibacy and Masturbation || Acharya Prashant, with DU (2022)
Breaking Free
3.7K views
2 years ago
Upanishads
Advaita
Neti Neti
Brahmacharya
Mukti
Moksha
Vedanta
Freedom
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses a questioner who feels that after studying the Upanishads and Advaita, he has lost his initial spiritual drive and returned to habits like masturbation. The speaker explains that the obsession with such biological activities arises because the individual is not engaged in a 'big fight' or a higher purpose. He clarifies that masturbation is a biological function of the body, which he compares to a 'chimpanzee's body,' and suggests that while such activities may continue, they should not be given undue importance or made the center of one's life. When one is truly dedicated to the right endeavor, these small things stop mattering and lose their charm. Regarding the question of what to do if one lacks love, Acharya Prashant suggests that one should observe those who know love and realize what is being missed. He emphasizes that love is already within but is often buried under trivialities. He further explains that Vedanta is not about providing a set of instructions or methods like chanting or specific meditations. Instead, Vedanta acts as a process of 'neti neti' (not this, not this), which removes the blindfolds of ignorance. Once the blindfolds are removed, the individual is free to see and act rightly without needing to be handheld or told what to do. Acharya Prashant highlights that Vedanta is for strong individuals who value freedom and do not seek to be told how to dance or dress by a teacher. He describes Vedanta as the height of liberalism, where the goal is liberation itself, after which even the teachings of Vedanta can be forgotten. He concludes by stating that spiritual maturity involves moving beyond the need for external prescriptions and taking responsibility for one's own actions once clarity is achieved.