Three guptis (restraints or preservation)

Three guptis (restraints or preservation) are prescribed in the scriptures, which curb sinful activities. It is restraining yoga which is mental, vocal and physical faculties^[1].

1. Manogupti (Mental restraint): The ascetic should prevent his mind with full awareness from wishing thoughts of causing injury or destruction of others. One should guard his mind from impture thoughts like anger, hate, greed, jealous and ego. Four types of thoughts or words are there namely: truth, untruth, partial truth and neither truth or untruth. One should be proper selective while inviting thoughts.

2. Vacanagupti (Vocal restraints): It is regulation of speech. No words harming or embarrassing others should be uttered.

3. Kayagupti (Physical restraints): It is regulation of body movements. One should prevent bodily activities directed at misfortune, causing misery to or destruction of other living beings. While walking, jogging or moving anywhere, one should be alert enough not to kill, harm any bugs, insect on the path.

Guptis and Samitis are closely related. Samitis purify our actions and Guptis prohibit any seenful activities by our body, mind or speech and so included for practicing Samvar. Both are very much useful to the spiritual aspirants. They are included in observing right conduct.

Yati dharmas, ten religious virtues also called as dasalaksanadharma^[2] according to Tattvarthasutra which stipulates these attributes as the topmost (uttam) religion were discussed earlier under “spiritual practices for householders”.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

samyagyoganigraho guptiḥ | Tattvartha-sutra 9.4

[2]:

uttamakṣamāmārdavārjavasatya śaicasaṃyama tapastyāgā kiñcanya brahmacaryāṇi dharmaḥ | Tattvartha-sutra 9.5