Dictionary of all Scriptures & Myths

ASRAMAS, FOUR LIFE-STAGES

Symbolic of four successive states of consciousness of the ego as he progresses upward to final union with the Supreme Self.

“The four ds'ramas, or life-stages, according to which every Indian Brâhman was under obligation to devote himself, first as a brahmac'ârin to the study of the Veda, then as grihastha to the duties of the sacrifice and other good works, next as vanaprastha to the practice of asceticism in the jungle, and finally towards the end of life as parivrâjaka (bhikshu, sannyâsin) to a wandering existence without possessions or home, awaiting only his soul's release and its reception into the supreme âtman." - DEUSSEN, Phil. of Upanishads, p. 60.

The Brahman is the spiritual ego, which expresses itself first in the personality under the Divine law of truth and right (veda); second, in the individuality sacrificing the lower for the higher and following the law of the soul's growth; third, in the super-individuality, a centralised consciousness without vehicle and therefore having no outward expression; fourth, in the highest individuality which is a centre of consciousness also without a vehicle, on the buddhic plane. The four orders or states of consciousness in the soul's evolution must be conceived of as all existing together at the same time in the same human being. All the states are incomplete and but partially evolved. The two lower states have bodies in which to acquire experience and manifest on the mental plane; but the two higher states are without any vehicles or mechanism of manifestation. They are 'houseless" on their own planes, and entirely with-drawn from external existence. The highest state is unattached to a particular ego, but is common to all egos in the present epoch.

"These four life-stages of the Brahman, as student, householder, anchorite and wandering beggar,-were at a later time very significantly named asramas, i.e. 'places of mortification.' The whole life should be passed in a series of gradually intensifying ascetic stages, through which a man, more and more purified from all earthly attachment should become fitted for his 'home (astam), as the other world is designated. The entire history of mankind does not produce much that approaches in grandeur to this thought." - Ibid., p. 367.

See Also

ARHATS
ASCETICS
BRAHMA-CARIN
FOREST
HERMIT
HOUSE-HOLDER
INITIATIONS
MONK
ORDERS (four)
SANNYASINS
SNATIKA
STUDENT
VEDA
YELLOW DRESS