Sanyasa

(Revision as of 02:57, 17 Oct 2004)

Categories: Hinduism

Sanyasa (pronounced sanyaas) symbolises the conception of the mystic life in Hinduism where a person is now integrated into the spiritual world after wholly giving up material life. One who walks this path is known as a sannyasi, sannyasin or sanyasi. The sanyasi lives without possessions, practices yoga meditation and prays to his/her conception of God in the hopes of ultimately achieving samadhi (enlightenment) and, subsequently, moksha (liberation).

Word Root

This is a Sanskrit word. The word "Nyasa" means path. "San" is a prefix that denotes integration. The word sanyasa The person following Sanyasa is called a Sanyasi.

Usage

This word is generally used to denote a particular phase of life. In this phase of life, the person develops Vairagya or a state of determination and disillusionment with material life. He thus, renunciates all worldly thoughts and desires, and spends the rest of his life in spiritual contemplation. It is the last in the four phases of a man, namely, Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha , and finally Sanyasa, as prescribed by Manusmriti for the Dhwija castes, in the Hindu system of life.

Orthodox Hindus will generally not accept the claims of the followers of Osho/Bhagwan/Rajneesh to be sannyasins and may even find this claim insulting.