Great title! Never heard of it before though I have heard of Osho, sounds like he said some pretty amazing things. I'm going to read this book and then maybe I'll come back and comment some more.

Cheers!

I love Osho. What a man. A tight slap on the faces by him to all the keepers, teachers and preachers of morality and virtue.

Hi Jasjit, U have mentioned about the 'search for the heights'.What about those who r looking for the height thru the width of life?Is there any other door to superconciousness,for those who do not have sexual experience?

Hi Buas

Thanks for your comment. Of course there are many 'other' doors. The fascinating thing about our 'essence' (read superconsciousness) is that it is the ultimate expanse, unfettered and untethered. Entry and exit from this space is therefore unbounded. Myriad lives, forms, identities and what we know as dharmas and karmas are just metaphoric of the many routes/road both in and out. For the purpose of this subject Osho, and many others who point to the Tantric wisdom, start from the sexual only because humanity finds itself most attached/stuck/desolate and unresolved at that level. Monotheistic religions have further messed with everyone's head by claming the sexual to be sinful/evil and the 'devil's' realm. Unveiling it all, as part of Divine play/road is what makes Vedic/Hindu philosophy so truly expansive and scientific. After all if all is Brahman then how can the sexual be anything but Brahman too?
Hope this helps
Cheers!

hi jasjit,

i too discovered OSHO recently in a trip to Pune.

Curiosity was substituted with interest as i continued to read his books, mostly his childhood memoirs.

Sex is a doorway to superconciousness. this form of thought and way of life has been practised for hundreds of years , more noticably by the Vamachara branch of Tantra philosophy.

these methods encourage the one undergoing them to bring in the Divine even in the 'dirty practises' for as u have said in a comment...everything is Brahman.

these practises do not condemn pleasure or seeking of power, but ask us to compliment the same with the thought of the Divine.

so a devotee is asked to view sex as a Union with God and automatically sex becomes a form of worship.

the only caution for such practises is that the person may get carried away in indulging in them by losing the original thought process. in such a case, sex melts down to the mechanical and temporary bliss.

not everyone is capable to sustain the original emotion, therefore the masters over the yaars have asked many not to follow the path of sex as a worship because it requires tremendous devotion and will power.

no wonder the the path of sex as a doorway to superconciousness is called " The Hero's Path"

Even Osho teaches the same thing in a different language.

So Aachi and Jasjit

What you are sying is that it is only a door to the Superconcious if one sees it as a union to the Divine. While it is a great thing I agree that Indian thought does not isolate the sexual into something dirty and 'unholy' but practically speaking or most people ths sexual is for connecting to another person. Why would they want to channel this to the Divine? I mean then it can't be mcuh fun (I guess) nor leaving you with any sense of sensuality? Am I wrong? Perhaps that's why people don't pay attention to the Divine angle?

Aachi

Great post. You have said all and rather concisely. Osho is indeed a great find. He is a reservoir of every concievable spiritual thought/school branding it with his very unique modern metaphor and translation.

Asmita
Good question. While the sexual is indeed the most 'intimate' connection with the 'other' and propels man/woman to perpetually seek it as thus its myriad expressions have also wedded it to some very 'unwholesome' experiences/practices. Both at the level of compulsion/attraction and dissonance it is the single most troubling area of human behaviour. Tantra specifically and Indian thought as a whole provides a powerful door out of the darkness/confusion by explaining its essence and power. For those then, who wish to transform/transcend their cycle of 'obsessions' it provides them a way. Most importantly because it doesn't use the sin/guilt route but largely addreses it as the indivisibility of the sacred and profane. For those who still wish to seek their sensual world through the 'other' it merely leaves them alone. That is the point.
Hope this helps.
Cheers1

Very Nice!!

Check my blog : www.cybercommune.blogspot.com

Cheers, Rohit

Asmita,

the concept of union with the Divine is unique to the erotic mysticism of ancient Bhakti cults.

the famed promise is that union with the Divine is billion times more 'fun' when compared to normal sex. an example is one given by a recent contemporary saint who said that in Divine union each pore of the body acts like a sex organ and the experience of bliss is elevated to infinity.

sex appraoched for the sake of it one day boils down to the mundane.

when elevated to viewing the union as something more in the superconcious state it becomes the doorway to bliss.

This is in response to Asmita's question. Perhaps when we say 'divine' we mean the 'feeling' that we get if and when we unite with the Divine. Its the feeling- of joy, of wholesomness. Its a symbolic way of describing the essence and feeling that sexual union, when conducted with passion and love for the other,can bring in us.

Jasjitji
From the level you have answered my question, is so high that I could not reach.
May I request you to simplify it a little bit, so that ordinary people like us can understand and interact.
Hope you do not mind.

Buas

Dear Buas
Sorry about that. Let me try again. No the sexual is not the only door to Superconsciousness. There are many doors. Bhakti, Gyan, and Karma being the most popular and commonly referred to as immortalized by Lord Krishna in the Gita. The sexual is a doorway in as much as many look upon it (especially because of the influence of the monotheistic religions)as a 'sinful' aspect of human life. Tantra is the philosophy which clears the guilt/shame aspect to actually reveal it as a mysterious doorway for man's ascension. So it is just one of the ways which as Aachi(above) has commented can be used for transcendence. As there are so many karmas, people and psyches in the world so are there different spiritual paths for each.
Having said that I would like to add that deliberate repression, disgust and rejection of the sexual can defintely act as an obstacle to the highest realms. Only because all is part of the creative Leela and needs to be accepted as such.
Hope this is clearer!

I am sorry but I am not understanding this article. Is kamasutra and kahjuraho good you say. Then why Indains are always so narrow minded and telling us that we should not think about sex. How you can reach God through sex if everyone says it is dirty. Please explain me.

Thank you

i am here, jasjit..interesting blogspace you have created...as to the title, spirituality is the intent, the attitude we bring in to activities..and sexuality as history and osho have reminded us , definitely qualifies as a doorway...any act can be mundane or deeply elevating depending on the attitude and sensitivity people bring in to it...

Jasjit Ji:

I reached you thro the Gur Sabad,as I googled: Mil mere pritama jeo.reading your this post was full of excitement and bliss. It seems you have advanced well ahead on this path.

Read about Sex.very interesting.indepth knowledge.

Guru saab( Sree Guru Granth Sahib Ji) guide us to be true householder: monogamous. The "role of Sex" is limited up to that part only(my evolving understanding)

"If we approach sex with a pure mind and with a feeling of reverence, we can easily have a glimpse of him"

Any approach beyond this "role of sex" is "fir fir junee pa aye"(one comes again and again into the life thro womb: birth and death( transition towards a new birth but misunderstood as death)

Sex cant lead to superconciouness, as it is "trai gunee Maya"( attachment,illusion, ego: Duality) what provides a "glimpse of him" is a mirage effect of realization that we may have got a glimpse of the Ek ONKaar.

Overcoming this Maya (duality): or "humain", is the actual state of being dead yet alive in His will(satguru ji's Hukam), which is when superconciousness is realized. "Pehala maran Kabool Kar"

Guru saab demonstrated, examplifid and educated guru ke sikhs (not sikhs of sikh religion only but all who want to become a learner: sikh)to know how to achieve this true union without sex which is "tri gunee maya"

Please pardon me for nay kid of mistakes, and for putting a different perspective from an evolving mind

Warm Regards

Charan

Dear Charan

Sat Sri Akal and welcome to our blog. You found me through a mystifying route but then I do believe that the net is nothing but a superhighway of realizing our dreams/desires/intentions at an awesome speed.

All you say in perfectly true and yet there are many truths beyond it. For even the Guru Granth Sahib is an 'athah samundar' where we all find depth in keeping with our own search/ability. It is within the Guru Granth Sahib ( Guru Nanak Dev's words to be precise) that the ultimate blessing is when one recieves all- 'arth, dharma, kaam and moksha' within a lifetime. However as you say any single thing by itself can lead to becoming a 'narak'. As for moksha, it is only possible to desire it when 'haumein and maya' have exhausted us with their demands.

What I am trying to say is that to look upon any one thing as the doorway to hell is flawed by definition( in my personal understanding). As Gurbaani says 'Nindo nahin kahu batey, eh khasam ka kiya'. So all is as it should be, then rather than reject, fear and lean towards one or the other perhaps we need to be able to contemplate why it is so in the first place.

For me my path took on the more arduous challenge of touching the depths of all that is known as Samsara to understand how trasncendence can be sought through that rather than by avoiding it. Only then I feel can complete freedom be sought.

The sexual is a source not only of unhealthy fears/experiences and moral guilt for all humans but can never be esxperienced in 'balance' precisely because of that. And for that reason alone finding 'balance' is near impossible for most people. At best suppression and denial can happen which in no way is a resolution of any kind. Buddha and OSho's teaching have been pivotal in guiding me to understand that the 'middle' path holds a powerful key. But then the pendulum must first go through both its extremes to find the centre. Don't you agree?

This blog is a modest attempt to prise open the doors of all that hides in darkness under what is practised/experienced/feared as the sexual. It is an attempt to open the door wide enough so that the liberation and the transcendence through it becomes visible. Don't know how successful we are at that? :)

Just want to add that there are indeed many doors. What I write has come from the road I took. It is in no way meant to offend minimize anyone else's truth. And I do hope you will write more often and share your thoughts and insights.

Warm Regards

Thanks for the warm welcome, connectivity, Jasjit.

Could you please elabortae more on
"...( Guru Nanak Dev's words to be precise) that the ultimate blessing is when one recieves all- 'arth, dharma, kaam and moksha' within a lifetime." with specific sayings/quotes of Guru Saab which may give me some more clarity before reflecting on your, acumen filled, post.

With Prayers Abound for the continous success of this blog.

Warm Regards

Dear Charan

thank You for your blessings for this site :). I am trying to track the whole vakh to write to you the exact meaning of it. Will get back to you once I find it.

warm regards

Peace and Greetings to Jasjit, her team,and contributors at "Is It About Sex"

Thank you so much for initiating an interest in me to explore and share some more Gurmat based thoughts about "Arath, Dharam, Kaam, and Mokhsha"

Why Guru uses these four concepts collectively?

Backgground

From The Mahabharata
Santi Parva Section CCXXXVI

Two souls are mentioned in the Vedas and the sciences that is based upon them.

The first (which is called Jivatman;
embodied soul)
is endued with the four attributes already mentioned,
and has a longing for the four objects or purposes (viz.,
1) Religion (Faith)
2) Wealth,
3) Pleasure, (Sex) and
4) Emancipation.

This soul is called Manifest,

and it is born of the Unmanifest (Supreme Soul).

It is both intelligent and non-intelligent. I have thus told thee about
Sattwa (inert matter) and
Kshetrajna (immaterial spirit).

Both kinds of Soul, it is said in the Vedas, become attached to objects of the senses.
----------------------------------------------------

Use of these four objectives, motivations,"Arath, Dharam, Kaam, and Mokhsha" collectively seems to be for following reasons:

1) The one Universal Creator is the only giver of all these worldly sought after objectives
2) when we sing His glory, praises, these may be blessed if we want but should we want these and feel contented is a merit question
3) Thus the true devotee Guru Says doesn't long for these
4) Since these four objectives were sought by many treading the path of spirituality at that time and even now so Guru uses these collectively too

Dharam arath ar kaam mokh daytay nahee baar. ||2||

He does not hesitate to bless me with Dharmic faith, wealth, sexual success
and liberation. ||2||

bhagat araaDheh ayk rang gobind gupaal.

The devotees worship and adore the Lord of the Universe with single-minded love.Ang 816, Rom 15,bilaaval mehlaa 5 Sree Guru Granth Sahib,(SGGS)

Dharam arath sabh kaam mokh hai jan peechhai lag firtha-ee. ||1|| rahaa-o.

Dharmic Faith, wealth, Sex,( pleasure, success), and salvation, all walk like shadow after the Lord's slave. Pause. (Ang1320, Rom 7,kali-aan mehlaa 4,SGGS)
---------------

The purpose of life what Guru says

raaj na chaaha-o mukat na chaaha-o man pareet charan kamlaaray.

I do not seek power (Dharam ,Arath, Kaam or Moksha even) I do not seek liberation. My mind is in love with Your Lotus Feet.
Ang:534 Rom:4 Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl, SGGS

It seems starting from the first to the Mokhsa Guru has dicarded these as a worth pursuing objectives

I would appreciate more discussion on the usefulness of pursuing these objectives of Dharam, Arath, Kaam and Mokhsha

With Prayers Abound

Charan
------------------------
reference Sources
From The Mahabharata
Santi Parva Section CCXXXVI
Translated by Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli
http colon back slash back slashwww dot hinduism dot co dot zaback slash soul&its dot htm
www dot srigranth dot org

Dear Charan

Greetings! Sorry for the belated response but I have been away from the blog for a few days. Thank You for the comprehensive citations on 'arth, dharam. kama, moksha'. Much as I have tried to find the whole vakh I was referring to, it has been elusive and is yet to be spotted by me. However I remember that the first time I visited Nankana Sahib many years ago, I read a vakh from the Grath Sahib there for myself. These four words were referred to as the entirety of a complete blessing. Subsequently in in my search I found the reference to all four in many texts in different contexts.

What i understand today is that all four represent the four poles of Mahamaya's universe. All must be journeyed through by each soul for completion. Beyond them lies true liberation. But for that neither can be circumvented. To be scaled for their heights, their depths must be known first or transcendence is not possible. It is then that true leela (play) can be known.

In that Krishna is a true embodiment for he encomapsses all four and yet one cannot help but observe the leelaswaroop with which he engages with them. That is why I guess tha Mahabharta is such an intrinsic reference for all four. For within the Mahabharta is the Bhagvad Gita (Immortal Song)for it is the song of Leela. And Arjun, the warrior self we must all invoke, who faces the challenge of his/her consciousness (Krishna) on the chariot of his manifest life. Arth(worldy possessions) have brought Arjuna to the battlefield, Dharma (his spiritual discipline) challenges him as Gurus,cousins, elders and father figures make-up the enemy he must strike to kill. The paradox of right and wrong spirngs up for him amdist the confrontation and all his notions of dharma are challenged and he has to rise the highest calling of individual dharma and leave behind collective dharmic notions (Such as loyalty to Guru, obedience to elders and love for family). Kama or the invoilable laws of intimacy (in this case Draupadi's role in being the trigger to his Mahabharta)and finally Moksha or his notion of liberation are all at stake, tested, played out and purified right there. Krishna therefore plays the most unorthodox role as consciousness for Arjuna, because he bends every rule that Arjuna has held dear. That is the reference to where true transcendence lies at the absolute level. But for that Arjuna must stand amidst the four-arth, dharma, kama moksha- knowing and living them as he does.

Just my simple insight into these eternal wonders that we all must walk.

Much love