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Brahmacharya (; Devanagari: ब्रह्मचर्य) literally means "going after Brahman (Supreme Reality, Self, God)".〔James Lochtefeld, "Brahmacharya" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A–M, pp. 120, Rosen Publishing. ISBN 9780823931798〕 In Indian religions, it is also a concept with various context-driven meanings. In one context, ''Brahmacharya'' is the first of four ''Ashrama'' (age-based stages) of a human life, with Grihastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest dweller) and Sannyasa (renunciation) being the other three ''Asramas''. The Brahmacharya (bachelor student) stage of one's life, up to 25 years of age, was focused on education and included the practice of celibacy.〔RK Sharma (1999), Indian Society, Institutions and Change, ISBN 978-8171566655, page 28〕 In Indian traditions, it connotes chastity during the student stage of life for the purposes of learning from a ''guru'' (teacher), and during later stages of life for the purposes of attaining spiritual liberation (moksha).〔Georg Feuerstein, ''The Encyclopedia of Yoga and Tantra'', Shambhala Publications, ISBN 978-1590308790, 2011, pg 76, Quote - "Brahmacharya essentially stands for the ideal of chastity"〕〔W.J. Johnson (2009), "The chaste and celibate state of a student of the ''Veda''", Oxford Dictionary of Hinduism, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-2713223273, pg 62〕 In another context, ''Brahmacharya'' is a virtue, where it means celibacy when unmarried, and fidelity when married.〔 It represents a virtuous lifestyle that also includes simple living, meditation and other behaviors.〔〔 Among the Hindu, Jain and Buddhist monastic traditions, ''Brahmacharya'' implies, among other things, mandatory renouncing of sex and marriage.〔Carl Olson (2007), Celibacy and Religious Traditions, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0195306323, page 227-233〕 It is considered necessary for a monk's spiritual practice.〔DR Pattanaik (1998), The Holy Refusal, MELUS, Vol. 23, No. 2, 113-127〕 These characteristics mirror the Western notions of the religious life as practiced in monastic settings. ==Etymology== The word ''brahmacharya'' stems from two Sanskrit roots: #''Brahma'' (ब्रह्म, shortened from Brahman), means "the one self-existent Spirit, the Absolute Reality, Universal Self, Personal God, the sacred knowledge".〔(brahma ) Monier Williams Sanskrit Dictionary, Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, Germany〕〔Not to be confused with Brahmā or Brahmin〕 #''charya'' (चर्य), which means "occupation with, engaging, proceeding , behaviour, conduct, to follow, going after".〔(carya ) Monier Williams Sanskrit Dictionary, Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, Germany〕 This is often translated as activity, mode of behaviour, a "virtuous" way of life. So the word ''Brahmacharya'' literally means a lifestyle adopted to seek and understand Brahman – the Ultimate Reality.〔Arvind Sharma (2013), Gandhi: A Spiritual Biography, Yale University Press, ISBN 978-0300185966, page 134〕 Gonda states, in historic literature of Hinduism, it means "devoting oneself to Brahman".〔Jan Gonda (1965), Change and Continuity in Indian Religion, Mouton & Co, The Hague, pages 284-285, 1965 print: , Reprinted in 1997: ISBN 978-8121500142 (page number may be different)〕 In modern literature, it is commonly translated to mean celibacy for those unmarried, and fidelity to one's partner when married.〔 In ancient and medieval era Indian texts, the term ''brahmacharya'' is a concept with more complex meaning. ''Brahmacharya'' embodies in its meaning an overall lifestyle that helps the pursuit of sacred knowledge and spiritual liberation.〔 It is a means, not an end, and usually includes cleanliness, ahimsa, simple living, studies, meditation, voluntary restraints on certain diet, intoxicants and behaviors (including sexual behavior).〔M Khandelwal (2001), Sexual Fluids, Emotions, Morality - Notes on the Gendering of Brahmacharya, in Celibacy, Culture, and Society: The Anthropology of Sexual Abstinence (Editors: Elisa Sobo and Sandra Bell), University of Wisconsin Press, ISBN 978-0299171643, pages 157-174〕〔Joseph Alter (2012), Moral Materialism, Penguin, ISBN 978-0143417415, pages 65-67〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Brahmacharya」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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