Page 157 - Basic Writings of Sriramchandra

Sri Ramchandra's Commandments: Commandment1
at the time of parade. At the call to ‘Attention’ it is essential for him to keep up the same steady upright pose, looking with attention towards the officer. This indicates alertness, healthy disposition and the freshness of the body. The same principle holds good in the case of the abhyasi while sitting in service before the Master.
The ideal of purity held by the Hindus, in particular, is indeed very high. But now, in its degenerated state, it has gone down to such an extent that it exists merely in imagination. All the principles thereof have been quite forgotten, and bathing and washing are the only remnants left now. The principle of purity was based on the thought that the Eternal and pure Existence which we have to enter into is entirely free from all contaminations. It is perfectly pure. This highest standard of absolute purity free from all impurities (mala), distortions (vikshepa) and coverings (avarana) was taken up for the ideal. Our being is contaminated with all these and hence is far below the ideal. Thus our attention being directed towards the attainment of purity of that highest level, we began to imitate it in all outward ways, looking particularly to the cleaning of the body. The external ways adopted for the purpose began to cast their effect upon the mind and thus the internal purity too began to develop. This continued process supplemented by our firm attention upon the ideal contributed greatly to the attainment of highest purity. The process thus being accelerated, real purity began to flow in all through, and the mind began to get purified,
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