ASCETICISM [asceticism] , rejection of bodily pleasures through sustained self-denial and self-mortification, with the objective of strengthening spiritual life. Asceticism has been common in most major world religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity: all of these have special ascetic cults or ascetic ideals.
The most common ascetic practice is fasting , which is used for many purposes—to produce visions, as among the Crow; to mourn the dead, as among various African peoples; and to sharpen spiritual awareness, as among the early Christian saints.
More extreme forms have been flagellation (see flagellants ) and self-mutilation, usually intended to propitiate or reach accord with a god. Asceticism has been associated with taboo in many non-Western societies and in such well-developed religions as Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism. See Essenes ; fakir ; hermit ; Rechabites .
Bibliography: See W. J. Sheils, ed., Monks, Hermits and the Ascetic Tradition (1985).
Author not available, ASCETICISM., The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition 2006
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2006 Columbia University Press
