Restraint and penance

Perverted soul attached to aversion and passion, taking the refuge of a body, wanders aimlessly in this world. This wandering cannot be over until affliction, which forces this wandering about is eradicated.

What should be done to eradicate this affliction? Scripture writers suggest two ways – restraint and penance. Sadhus have pure mind, clean heart – the reason is this only that they practice restraint and penance in a special way. With this practice, slowly-slowly their soul becomes devoid of afflictions.

They control their sins with restraint of mind, speech and body, close the door of influx of sins; similarly, they annihilate the accumulated karma through external and internal penance. Similarly, they destroy their karma through restraint.

In this way, Sadhus travel with intentions of continuing purification of their soul through restraint and penance.

- Upasakadasa 1/76