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QUALITIES, ETC., OF SAINTLY SOULS
perception; (3) perfect knowledge; (4) quality of being neither light nor heavy; (5) infinite capacity for giving place (penetrability); (6) extreme refinement beyond sense-perception: (7) infinite power: (8) immunity from disturbance of all kinds.
III. HEAD OF GROUPS OF SAINTS
These have thirty-six special qualities, besides many others.
1. Twelve Tapas: (1) Anasana: not taking food. (2) Anavapta: eating less than what one may desire. (3) Vrata-parisamkhyāna: a pledge taken by a saint on the way to receive food, that he will accept it only if a particular thing is fulfilled, otherwise go without it. This pledge, of course, is secret and extempore. (4) Rasa-parityaga: renunciation and suppression of taste and of tasteful things. Six such things are specially mentioned: milk, ghee (clarified butter), curds, sugar, salt, and oil. (5) Virikta-sayyāsana: sitting and sleeping alone. (6) Kaya-klesa: mortification of the body; not by deliberately hurting it, but by controlling it through refusing it many comforts.
These six are called external tapas.
(7) Prayaschitta: penance in expiation of any fault, committed consciously or unconsciously. (8) Vinaya: eager zeal and belief in the pursuit of (i) right faith: (ii) right knowledge; (iii) right conduct; (iv) proper tapa or restraint; and also loving obedience and ready submission to one's superiors. (9) Vaiyapṛitya: sincere service and actual attendance on old, infirm, and sick sadhus. (10) Svadhyāya: reading the Scripture.
