Book 4 (Part I)

43 The only difficult question is that of continence, which is com- plicated by many considerations, such as that of energy; but every- body’s mind is hopelessly muddled on this subject, which some people confuse with erotology, and others with sociology. There will be no clear thinking on this matter until it is understood as being solely a branch of athletics. We may then dismiss Yama and Niyama with this advice: let the student decide for himself what form of life, what moral code, will least tend to excite his mind; but once he has for- mulated it, let him stick to it, avoiding opportunism ; and let him be very careful to take no credit for what he does or refrains from doing—— it is a purely practical code, of no value in itself. The cleanliness which assists the surgeon in his work would prevent the engineer from doing his at all. (Ethical questions are adequately dealt with in “Thien Tao” in “ Konx Om Pax," and should be there studied. Also see Liber XXX of the A. A. Also in Liber CCXX, the “Book of the Law,” it is said: “ DO WHAT THOU WILT shall be the Whole ofthe Law.” Remember that for the purpose of this treatise the Whole object of Yama and Niyama is to live so that no emotion or passion disturbs the mind.)