Are food and shelter prerequisites to leading a spiritual life?
► A.M. Bhattacharyya, an active member of Hindu community: From the Hindu viewpoint, plain living and high thinking are the characteristics of a spiritual life. Mohandas Gandhi, reverently known as Mahatma (Great-soul), led an exemplary spiritual life. He lived on simple vegetarian food, covered his body with a plain garment and resided in a modest cottage. More than two millenniums ago, Sage Patanjali formulated a step-by-step spiritual process a person should practice to move up in a spiritual life. This system of yoga, known as raja yoga, has eight limbs or parts. So, this process is called “eight-limbed yoga.” A spiritual aspirant has to practice and master all parts, step by step, to attain the fullest spiritual illumination. The first step is to embrace ethical principles, such as nonharming, truthfulness, nontheft, continence and generosity. Next is the observance of internal and external cleanliness, contentment, austerity, study of Scriptures and devotion to God. After establi
