noun
abandoned
buildings with a classical austerity
2. asceticism, economy, rigidity, abstinence, self-discipline, chastity, sobriety, continence, puritanism, solemnity, self-denial, strictness, abstemiousness,chasteness, exactingness, Spartanism
the years of
austerity which followed the war
Collins
Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd
Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
In my high
school days, when I first learnt about the word Austerity, I can remember its 2nd meaning: Strictness, but never
the 1st: Simplicity.
Back then, I can hardly see how Strictness is related
to Simplicity.
As my spiritual life unfolds, I find this word popping up in
spiritual literature frequently, and I take it for granted, especially in the
context of spirituality, to mean strictness/self-dsicipline/ascetism, since
this is the meaning I can only remember since high school days anyway.
However last month, while watching the documentary on the
life of forest ascetics featuring Ajahn Chah, I caught this word ringing
in my head again and found myself searching it online.
Refreshing as the morning mist, the beauty of the word Austerity dawns upon me. The once
diverse meanings "Strictness; Simplicity" of this
word, now after yrs of spiritual practice, present themselves to me in one unity.
Of course, when one is self-disciplined, abstained and
strict (which is different from harsh), one lives a simple life, clutter-free,
trouble-free, worry-free.
The rules are meant to protect us, the righteous man stands
unstained.
Morality, self-discipline and simplicity.
These qualities of spirituality encapsulated in one word
- Austerity.
Austerity - the
true essence of Spirituality!
What a beautiful word
it is!
Austerity - the mantra for my spiritual practice 2012
Dear friends, your comments based on personal
experience and insights of the word are welcomed. Pls post them below:
