Sadhu and swami
Sadhu and swami are terms used to describe individuals in Hinduism who have chosen a life of asceticism, renouncing worldly pleasures to pursue spiritual enlightenment. Sadhus, meaning "holy men" in modern Sanskrit, typically live a life of devotion and discipline, seeking liberation from the cycle of reincarnation (samsara) through a focus on self-control and philosophical knowledge (jnana). Although primarily associated with Hinduism, the sadhu lifestyle can also be adopted by followers of other religions.
Swami is an honorific title reserved for those who have achieved a level of spiritual mastery or have joined a specific religious order. Most sadhus and swamis reside in India and Nepal, where they engage in practices that involve austerity (tapas), celibacy, and often communal living in groups called mathas. Their lifestyle may include the use of cannabis as a means of connecting with the divine, and they often wear distinct robes and markings to signify their dedication.
The sadhu and swami way of life represents a historical tradition believed to date back thousands of years, reflecting a deep cultural and spiritual commitment to transcending material existence. These individuals play various roles in their communities, such as mediators, teachers, and social service providers, relying primarily on charity and donations for their sustenance. Their practices also resonate with certain aspects of Christian monasticism, as some early Christian converts adapted the sadhu lifestyle to deepen their spiritual connection.
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Sadhu and swami
The terms sadhu and swami refer to holy people who have renounced worldly pleasures in pursuit of the ideals of self-control and self-restraint. Both sadhus and swamis follow a lifestyle based on asceticism, which is the pursuit of higher spiritual aims through the avoidance of earthly distractions. Ascetics, including sadhus and swamis, often shun many of the comforts of modern life, including material possessions and physical pleasures. Most sadhus are Hindus, although they may follow any religion, including Christianity. Hindu sadhus follow an ascetic lifestyle so that their minds can be focused on finding salvation (moksha) in spiritual discipline. For Hindus, all life is engaged in a series of endless reincarnations called samsara. Sadhus often seek to stop this cycle by achieving a higher state of being in which they are liberated from the continuing cycle of death and rebirth. Sadhus often seek jnana, which is a form of philosophical knowledge gained through deep contemplation.
The term sadhu means "holy man" or "good man" in modern Sanskrit. The term for a female sadhu is sadhvi. Sadhu and sadhvi are broader terms for people who follow the ascetic lifestyle; swami is an honorific term given to someone who has joined a specific religious order or who has achieved spiritual mastery. Sadhus and swamis typically follow the sannyasa Hindu aesthetic, in which they renounce the world and its distractions. As such, they may also be called sannyasi (male) or sannyasini (female). The vast majority of sadhus live in Nepal or India, with an estimated four to five million residing in India.
Background
The sadhu and swami lifestyle is based upon a belief that spiritual enlightenment can be best achieved by renouncing the material needs of the world. By freeing themselves from earthly attachments, sadhus and swamis are able to focus on their liberation from need or desire. The practice is believed to date back to the eighteenth century BCE and represents perhaps the oldest form of monastic life in the world. According to Hindu tradition, sadhus are dedicated to completing the fourth of four life stages called ashramas. The first three ashramas include brahmacharya, in which an individual is engaged in the student life of learning; grihastha, in which an individual marries and creates a family; and vanaprastha, in which the children are prepared to take on the responsibilities as the heads of the family. Once these responsibilities have been completed, an individual may begin the sannyasa lifestyle of a sadhu. By undertaking the ascetic lifestyle, sadhus willingly give up on three of the four goals of Hindu existence: enjoyment, material success, and required good works (kama, artha, and dharma, respectively). Alternately, individuals who have elected to dedicate their entire lives to the sadhu life may move directly from the brahmacharya stage to sannyasa. However, most sadhu are age sixty or older.
Overview
People who elect to adopt the sadhu lifestyle not only renounce material goods but also retire from life in general. As such, initiation into the sadhu lifestyle often requires rites for death and rebirth. In India, this practice can have legal implications, and people who have renounced life are typically ineligible to receive property when relatives die. Their symbolic death is representative of their attempts to deny themselves not only from worldly possessions but also from family and all earthly connections. This aspect demands austerity (tapas) and celibacy from sadhus. Traditionally, sadhus carry only a few items necessary for their adopted lifestyle. These may include a staff (danda), a conch shell (sankha), a water pot (kamandalu), an alms bowl, prayer beads, religious texts and, if Christian, perhaps a rosary. Many sadhus also regularly smoke cannabis as a means of communicating with the Hindu gods. As a result, cannabis has assumed great religious significance for sadhus.
After undergoing these rites, sadhus wear yellow or red robes indicating their pursuit of sannyasa. Some sects of sadhus who follow a particular Hindu deity such as Shiva or Krishna will paint themselves in ash, chalk, or saffron in dedication to their patron god. Ash in particular is meant to be symbolic of an earthly death—that is, their self-removal from the temptations of life. Groups of sadhus who follow the same god may live in monastic groups called mathas. However, other sadhus choose to live alone, either engaging in a nomadic lifestyle and begging for food or living isolated in caves, forests, temples, or huts away from urban areas.
Sadhus can serve significant roles in Indian and Nepalese society. They may help to mediate conflicts, provide religious instruction, offer blessings, serve as scholars, or engage in social service projects. Some sadhus are expert singers of bhajans, or devotional songs. As sadhus have rejected all worldly material goods, they often subsist on charitable donations provided by sympathetic followers or people hoping for spiritual gain. Some sadhus resort to begging to survive.
Some early Christian converts in the Indian subcontinent decided to become sadhus so they could use the meditation skills associated with this lifestyle to be closer to God. In addition, the renunciation aesthetic followed by sadhus was appealing to these converts because it was similar to the monastic traditions of Christianity. Among the first of these Christian sadhus was Swami Sundar Singh. Singh believed that following a sadhu lifestyle would enable him to convert other Indians to Christianity by packaging Christian tenets within traditional regional customs.
Swami is a title given to a sadhu of particular esteem. Many swamis have earned renown as yogis or gurus. Yogis are practitioners of yoga, an ancient form of physical and spiritual exercise meant to instill discipline and the attainment of enlightenment. Gurus are respected teachers of Hindu philosophy. Gurus are known for their spiritual strength and discipline, and many students in either the brahmacharya or sannyasa stages of life seek out respected gurus to further their spiritual enrichment.
The term swami means "owner of oneself" in Sanskrit and is meant to indicate command over one's physical needs. Swamis often have mastered yogic exercises that enable the mind to ignore the bodily needs of thirst and hunger while withstanding cold, heat, and pain. Several swamis have earned international attention for their feats of discipline, such as standing upright without a break for years on end or sitting in meditation while balancing a pot of fire on their head.
Eric Bullard
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