1. 3.

Non-stealing (Achaurya)
2. The outcome of low intellect is the shallow interpretation of

such powerfully intense words of enlightened beings. Achaurya

Mahavrat is generally considered as not to steal others’ goods.

But again, these are the ethical values that we learn at young

ages. The enlightened stature of Lord Mahavira cannot deliver

such a shallow message. There has to be something more to it.

3. The deepest message of enlightened masters

can be decoded only when one’s

consciousness is aligned to that state.

Without that, we can only imagine some

superficial meanings and can never

 understand the profound message behind

these simple yet powerful words.

4. So, Achaurya literally means not to steal, consider or take

away others’ things or possessions. But when it comes to deeper

aspect, spiritually, it means not to consider body-mind-intellect

as our own. Self is pure consciousness and body-mind-intellect

are just the instruments of human life that enable us to know

the True Self. For example, water in the pitcher — we know

water can be contained in this pitcher but the pitcher is not

water. Pitcher is here just to contain water, and it is the water

that quenches the thirst and not the pitcher. Similarly, pure self

is contained in body-mind-intellect but there not ‘Me’. In our

state of ignorance we continuously claim body-mind-intellect as

‘Me’ and ‘mine’, i.e. the highest state of ‘Chaurya’ (stealing).

Returning from such false notions and believing Self as only

 ‘Me’ and ‘Mine’, we abide to the fundamental principle of

Achaurya.

5. 4. Celibacy (Brahmacharya)
6. This is essentially the result of life lived with aforesaid 3

principles of non-violence, truthfulness and non-stealing. The

actual word is ‘Brahma-charya’ which literally means to stay in

Brahma (Soul). When a person chooses right over wrong and

permanent Self over temporary body-mind-intellect then the

result of this choice is simply returning to the Self (eternal

consciousness). When we know that body-mind-intellect is not

‘Me’, then we naturally look towards what is ‘Me’? This

primeval shift of consciousness towards Self is known as

Brahmacharya.

7. The result of withdrawing perception of body-mind-intellect as

Self can be the state of celibacy. One can naturally abstain

oneself from physical indulgence with other. The cravings of

deriving pleasure from others’ touch-body-sense drops off

easily when one experiences distress from their own body.

8. 5. Non-Possessiveness (Aparigraha)
9. The one who awakes in Self and lives life with experiential

knowledge of body-mind-intellect as not being his own lives the

external life in the state of Aparigraha which is essentially the

non-attachment to possessions. This non-attachment can be

visibly felt to all levels of life and one is said to be living the path

shown by Lord Mahavira. This non-possessiveness can be

experienced as:

10.