Edward’s Diary Entry 28 – Virtue 8: Austerity (tapas), Ability to make efforts

“He practises spiritual disciplines…”, says the Gita. Austerity (tapas) is the concept. Tapas (derived from Sanskrit tap, “heat”) includes worship of the gods or the twice-born, the teachers and the wise; the study of the Vedas; and speech which is truthful, beneficial and pleasant, while refraining from speaking what is true if it is not pleasant, or what is pleasant if it is false. This is the Sanatan (eternal, ancient) dharma. So this Virtue is a compendium of things and is a little hard to understand at first. Should I be austere? Should I make efforts? Do I practise spiritual disciplines? Like other Virtues, this is a mix, but yes, there has to be an effort, and the effort is being austere in thinking, speech and doing. A Buddhist ox is a good representation of this because it is strong enough to make major efforts and the painting is austere and direct in its technique, like many Zen paintings. I liken this Virtue to the Stoic quality of austerity and Marcus Aurelius’ conducting your triumph as a funeral and your funeral as a triumph. Or the Sufi saying of “being in the world but not of it”. But I needed to study its implications and find more information about it. Occasional fruit and vegetable dieting and fasting had once been an austerity practise of mine, so I stuck with that for the time being, as social life sometimes leads one to certain excesses. I also counted any extra effort in doing mental exercises and other pursuits as a good way to start experiencing this Virtue. More time was needed to come to grips with this. So let’s just remember we need effort (coming from “heat” energy?), a certain control over what we do and say, self-discipline, and a certain attitude of brooding and meditating… More anon.