about the liberation of the individual from the bonds of illusion and ignorance. Its ob-
ject is not to achieve limited happiness within the illusions of the lower life but to gain
true and lasting happiness or Peace by transcending those illusions. This is a point
which must be clearly understood because to many students of Yogic philosophy Yogic
morality appears to be unnecessarily harsh and forbidding. They cannot understand
why it should not be possible to practise a morality which will allow us to have rea-
sonable enjoyments of the worldly life as well as the peace and knowledge of the
higher, the best of both the worlds as we say. According to some, Brahmacarya should
be compatible with moderate sexual indulgence. Ahimsa should allow one to defend
oneself against attacks from others. Such compromises with the demands of Yogic mo-
rality seem quite reasonable from the worldly standpoint, but anyone who studies the
philosophy of Yoga carefully will see the utter futility of trying to keep a hold on this
world while trying to conquer the Great Illusion. Not that it is not possible to practise
Yoga at all without giving up these things entirely but the progress of the Sadhaka is
bound to stop at one stage or another if he tries to make these compromises.
Another important point to understand with regard to Yogic morality is that the
virtues which are prescribed have a much wider scope and deeper significance than
what appears on the surface. Each virtue included in Yama, for example, is a typical
representative of a class of virtues which have to be practised to a high degree of per-
fection. The injunction against killing, stealing, lying, etc., under Yama does not seem
to represent a very high standard of morality even from ordinary standards. Any decent
and good individual is expected to abstain from such anti-social conduct. Where is
then the high standard of morality which is demanded by higher Yoga? In order to re-
move this doubt it is necessary to remember, as has been pointed out above, that each
virtue is more comprehensive in its meaning than what it is generally considered to
be. Thus Ahimsa does not mean merely abstaining from murder but not wilfully inflict-
ing any injury, suffering or pain on any living creature, by word, thought or action.
Ahimsa thus stands for the highest degree of harmlessness which is found only among
saints and sages and any ordinary person trying to practise it seriously in his life will
soon begin to feel that perfect harmlessness is an unrealizable ideal. The same holds
true in the case of the other virtues comprised in Yama. To what degree of perfection
these virtues can be developed is shown in the eleven Sutras, II (35-45).
It should thus be clear that the morality enjoined in Yama-Niyama, though ap-
parently simple, represents a very drastic ethical code and is designed to serve as a
ben green
(Ben Green)
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