Āśrama (stage)

2022-04-15T03:27:23Z

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{{Short description|The ancient Indian concept of human life stages}}
{{About|the ancient Indian concept stages|spiritual hermitage|Ashram}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Hinduism}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}

'''''Āśrama''''' ({{lang-sa|आश्रम}}) is a system of stages of life discussed in [[Hinduism|Hindu]] texts of the ancient and medieval eras.<ref name=patrick>Patrick Olivelle (1993), The Āśram System: The History and Hermeneutics of a Religious Institution, Oxford University Press, {{oclc|466428084}}, pages 1–29, 84–111</ref> The four asramas are: ''[[Brahmacharya]]'' (student), ''[[Grihastha|Gṛhastha]]'' (householder), ''[[Vanaprastha]]'' (forest walker/forest dweller), and ''[[Sannyasa]]'' (renunciate).<ref name=rks/>

The ''Asrama'' system is one facet of the ''[[Dharma]]'' concept in Hinduism.<ref name=aw2/> It is also a component of the ethical theories in Indian philosophy, where it is combined with four proper goals of human life (''[[Puruṣārtha|Purushartha]]''), for fulfilment, happiness and spiritual liberation.<ref name=aw0/> Moreover, since the four asramas can be seen as the framework of an influential life-span model, they are also part of an indigenous developmental psychology which from its ancient beginnings until today has shaped the orientations and goals of many people, especially in India.<ref name="Chakkarath, Pradeep (2005), p. 39" /><ref>{{Cite book|last=Chakkarath|first=Pradeep|title=Indian thoughts on psychological human development. In G. Misra (Ed.), Psychology and Psychoanalysis in India (pp. 167-190).|date=2013|publisher=New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers.}}</ref>

==Asrama system==
Under the Asrama system, the human lifespan was divided into four periods.<ref name="Chakkarath, Pradeep (2005), p. 39">Chakkarath, Pradeep (2005), pp. 31-54.</ref><ref name="Rama, p. 467">Rama, p. 467.</ref> The goal of each period was the fulfilment and development of the individual. The classical system, in the ''Āśrama Upanishad'', the ''Vaikhanasa Dharmasutra'' and the later ''[[Dharmaśāstra|Dharmashastra]]'', presents these as sequential stages of human life and recommends ages for entry to each stage, while in the original system presented in the early ''[[Dharmasutras]]'' the Asramas were four alternative available ways of life, neither presented as sequential nor with age recommendations.<ref name=patrick/><ref>Barbara Holdrege (2004), Dharma, in The Hindu World (Editors: Sushil Mittal and Gene Thursby), Routledge, {{ISBN|0-415-21527-7}}, page 231</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+The Asrama system
|-
! Āśrama or stage
! Age (years)<ref name="Walters1998">{{Citation| author=J. Donald Walters | title=The Hindu Way of Awakening: Its Revelation, Its Symbols, an Essential View of Religion | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i7JqVy_Giz0C&pg=PA154 | access-date=12 July 2013 | year=1998 | publisher=Crystal Clarity Publishers | isbn=978-1-56589-745-8 | pages=154–}}</ref>
! Description
! Rituals of transition
|-
| ''[[Brahmacharya]]'' (student life)
| Till 25
| ''Brahmacharya'' represented the bachelor student stage of life. This stage focuses on education and included the practice of [[celibacy]].<ref name=rks>RK Sharma (1999), Indian Society, Institutions and Change, {{ISBN|978-8171566655}}, page 28</ref> The student went to a [[Gurukul]] (family/clan of the guru) and typically would live with a [[Guru]] (mentor), acquiring knowledge of science, philosophy, scriptures and logic, practicing self-discipline, working to earn [[dakshina]] to be paid for the ''guru'', learning to live a life of [[Dharma]] (righteousness, morals, duties).|| [[Upanayana]] at entry.<ref>Vivekjivandas, Sadhu. ''Hinduism: An Introduction – Part 2''. (Swaminarayan Aksharpith: Ahmedabad, 2010) p. 113. {{ISBN|978-81-7526-434-2}}</ref><ref>Brian Smith (1986), [https://www.jstor.org/stable/3270127 Ritual, Knowledge, and Being: Initiation and Veda Study in Ancient India], Numen, Vol. 33, Fasc. 1, pages 65–89</ref> [[Samavartana]] at exit.<ref>R Pandey (1969), Hindu Saṁskāras: Socio-Religious Study of the Hindu Sacraments (2nd Ed.), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|81-208-0434-1}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Grihastha]]'' (household life)
| 25–48
| This stage referred to the individual's married life, with the duties of maintaining a household, raising a family, educating one's children, and leading a family-centred and a [[Dharma|dharmic]] social life.<ref name=rks/><ref name=sgn>{{cite book |title=Axiological approach to the Vedas|author=Sahebrao Genu Nigal|year=1986 |publisher=Northern Book Centre|isbn=81-85119-18-X|pages=110–114 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mMZzmB4duPoC&q=vanaprastha&pg=PA112 }}</ref><ref name=mb>{{cite book |title=Social and cultural history of ancient India|author=Manilal Bose|chapter=5. Grihastha Ashrama, Vanprastha and Sanyasa|year=1998|publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn= 81-7022-598-1|pages= 68–79}}</ref> ''Grihastha'' stage was considered as the most important of all stages in sociological context, as human beings in this stage not only pursued a virtuous life, they produced food and wealth that sustained people in other stages of life, as well as the offsprings that continued mankind.<ref name=rks/><ref name=aw0>Alban Widgery (1930), [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2377977 The Principles of Hindu Ethics], International Journal of Ethics, 40(2): 232–245</ref> The stage also represented one where the most intense physical, sexual, emotional, occupational, social and material attachments exist in a human being's life.<ref>Mazumdar and Mazumdar (2005), Home in the Context of Religion, in Home and Identity in Late Life: International Perspectives (Editor: Graham D. Rowles et al.), Springer, {{ISBN|978-0826127150}}, pages 81–103</ref>||[[Hindu wedding]] at entry.
|-
| ''[[Vanaprastha]]'' (retired life)
| 48–72
| The retirement stage, where a person handed over household responsibilities to the next generation, took an advisory role, and gradually withdrew from the world.<ref name=alnu/><ref>Ralph Tench and William Sun (2014), Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility: Perspectives and Practice, {{ISBN|978-1783507955}}, page 346</ref> Vanaprastha stage was a transition phase from a householder's life with its greater emphasis on [[Artha]] and [[Kama]] (wealth, security, pleasure and desires) to one with greater emphasis on [[Moksha]] (spiritual liberation).<ref name=alnu>Albertina Nugteren (2005), Belief, Bounty, And Beauty: Rituals Around Sacred Trees in India, Brill Academic, {{ISBN|978-9004146013}}, pages 13–21</ref><ref name=saraoup>Saraswathi et al (2010), Reconceptualizing Lifespan Development through a Hindu Perspective, in Bridging Cultural and Developmental Approaches to Psychology (Editor: Lene Arnett Jensen), Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|978-0195383430}}, page 280-286</ref>
|
|-
| ''[[Sannyasa]]'' (renounced life)
| 72+ (or anytime)
| The stage was marked by renunciation of material desires and prejudices, represented by a state of disinterest and detachment from material life, generally without any meaningful property or home (Ascetic), and focused on [[Moksha]], peace and simple spiritual life.<ref>S. Radhakrishnan (1922), The Hindu Dharma, International Journal of Ethics, 33(1): 1–22</ref><ref>DP Bhawuk (2011), The Paths of Bondage and Liberation, in Spirituality and Indian Psychology, Springer, {{ISBN|978-1-4419-8109-7}}, pages 93–110</ref> Anyone could enter this stage after completing the ''Brahmacharya'' stage of life.<ref name=patrick/>
|
|-
|}

==Asrama and Purushartha==
The Asramas system is one facet of the complex [[Dharma]] concept in Hinduism.<ref name=aw2>Alban Widgery (1930), [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2377977 The Principles of Hindu Ethics], International Journal of Ethics, 40(2): 237–239</ref> It is integrated with the concept of [[Puruṣārtha|Purushartha]], or four proper aims of life in Hindu philosophy, namely, [[Dharma]] (piety, morality, duties), [[Artha]] (wealth, health, means of life), [[Kama]] (love, relationships, emotions) and [[Moksha]] (liberation, freedom, self-realization).<ref name=aw2/> Each of the four Asramas of life are a form of personal and social environment, each stage with ethical guidelines, duties and responsibilities, for the individual and for the society. Each Asrama stage places different levels of emphasis on the four proper goals of life, with different stages viewed as steps to the attainment of the ideal in Hindu philosophy, namely Moksha.<ref>Alban Widgery (1930), [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2377977 The Principles of Hindu Ethics], International Journal of Ethics, 40(2): 239–240</ref>

Neither ancient nor medieval texts of India state that any of the first three Asramas must devote itself solely to a specific goal of life (''Purushartha'').<ref name=paol>Patrick Olivelle (1993), The Āśram System: The History and Hermeneutics of a Religious Institution, Oxford University Press, {{oclc|466428084}}, pages 216–219</ref> The fourth stage of ''Sannyasa'' is different, and the overwhelming consensus in ancient and medieval texts is that ''Sannyas'' stage of life must entirely be devoted to ''Moksha'' aided by ''Dharma''.<ref name=paol/>

''Dharma'' is held primary for all stages. ''Moksha'' is the ultimate noble goal, recommended for everyone, to be sought at any stage of life. On the other two, the texts are unclear.<ref name=paol/> With the exception of [[Kamasutra]], most texts make no recommendation on the relative preference on Artha or Kama, that an individual must emphasise in what stage of life. The Kamasutra states,<ref name=paol/>

{{Quote|
The life span of a man is one hundred years. Dividing that time, he should attend to three aims of life in such a way that they support, rather than hinder each other. In his youth he should attend to profitable aims ([[artha]]) such as learning, in his prime to pleasure ([[kama]]), and in his old age to [[dharma]] and [[moksha]].|Kamasutr 1.2.1 – 1.2.4|Translated by Patrick Olivelle <ref name=paol/>}}

==Alternate classification system of life stages==
{{unreferenced section|date=October 2015}}
{|class="wikitable"
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF", align="center";
!colspan="4"|Developmental stages of life{{citation needed|date=April 2014}}
!colspan="1"| [[Periodic function|Period]]
!colspan="1"| Ashrama (stages of dutiful life)
!colspan="1"| [[Purushartha]] (Saving of life)
!colspan="1"| [[Description]]
|-
!bgcolor="#EFEFEF" colspan="4"|Saisava
|0–2 years
|
|
|No moral codes during this period
|-
!bgcolor="#EFEFEF" colspan="4"| Balya
|3–12 years
|[[Brahmacharya]]
|[[Dharma]]
|[[Vidyarambha]], Learning of [[alphabet]], arithmetic, basic education
|-
!bgcolor="#EFEFEF" rowspan="2" colspan="2"| Kaumara (13–19)
!bgcolor="#EFEFEF" colspan="2"| Kaishora
|13–15 years||Brahmacharya||Dharma and Moksha||
|-
!bgcolor="#EFEFEF" colspan="2"| Tarunya
|16–19 years||Brahmacharya||Dharma and Moksha||
|-
!bgcolor="#EFEFEF" rowspan="2" colspan="2"| Yauvana (20–59)
!bgcolor="#EFEFEF" colspan="2"|Yauvana-I (Tarunayauvana)
|20–29 years||Brahmacharya or [[Grihastha]]||Dharma, [[Artha]] and Moksha||
|-
!bgcolor="#EFEFEF" colspan="2"|Yauvana-II (Praudhayauvana)
|30–59 years||Grihastha||Dharma, Artha and [[Kama]] and Moksha||
|-
!bgcolor="#EFEFEF" rowspan="2" colspan="2"| Vardhakya (60+ )
!bgcolor="#EFEFEF" colspan="2"|Vardhakya (Period-I)
|60–79 years||[[Vanaprastha]]||Dharma and Moksha||
|-
!bgcolor="#EFEFEF" colspan="2"|Vardhakya (Period-II)
|80+ years||[[Sanyasa]]||Dharma and [[Moksha]]||
|-
|}

==See also==
{{col div|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Brahmacharya]]
* [[Grihastha]]
* [[Vanaprastha]]
* [[Sannyasa]]
* [[Purushartha]]
* [[Yamas]]
* [[Niyamas]]
* [[Hinduism]]
* [[Varna in Hinduism]]
{{Div col end}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
* Chakkarath, Pradeep (2005). What can Western psychology Learn from Indigenous Psychologies? Lessons from Hindu psychology. In W. Friedlmeier, P. Chakkarath, & B. Schwarz (Eds.), ''Culture and Human Development: The Importance of Cross-cultural Research to the Social Sciences'' (pp. 31–51). New York: Psychology Press.
* Chakkarath, Pradeep (2013). Indian Thoughts on Psychological Human Development. In G. Misra (Ed.), ''Psychology and Psychoanalysis in India'' (pp. 167–190). New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers.
*{{Citation
| last =Kriyananda
| first =Swami
| year =1998
| title =The Hindu Way of Awakening
| publisher =Crystal Clarity Publishers
| isbn =1-56589-745-5
}}
*{{Citation
| last =Rama
| first =Swami
| year =1985
| title =Perennial Psychology of the Bhagavad Gita
| publisher =Himalayan Institute Press
| isbn =0-89389-090-1
| url-access =registration
| url =https://archive.org/details/perennialpsychol00rama
}}

==Further reading==
* [[Patrick Olivelle]] (1993), The Āśrama System: The History and Hermeneutics of a Religious Institution, Oxford University Press, {{oclc|466428084}}
* [[Alain Daniélou]] (1993), Virtue, Success, Pleasure, and Liberation, {{ISBN|978-0892812189}}

==External links==
{{wiktionary|ashrama|आश्रम}}
* [http://www.yogabasics.com/learn/the-four-ashramas-of-yoga.html Four ashrama of yoga]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150125224425/http://www.hinduism.co.za/pravritt.htm Pravritti-Nivritti] Social action, inward contemplation and Asramas
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070701104831/http://hinduism.iskcon.com/practice/702.htm The Four Ashrams] – ISKCON

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Human life stages]]
[[Category:Ashramas| ]]
[[Category:Hindu philosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Stage theories]]

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Āśrama (stage)