Restraint

Through practice of restraint the mind is purified and there is freedom from thoughtless and compulsive activity. Failure to practice such restraint results in slavery to the cycle of birth and death, with rebirth into the lowest of states. As [yama]

, the rules comprising restraint are the basic requirements of ethics and are basic to all religions. They regulate social behaviour and are: ahimsa (harmlessness, non-hurting); truthfulness; asteya (not stealing); chastity; freedom from greed. Another source quotes ten yamas, the additional five being fortitude, kindness, straight-forwardness, moderation in diet and purity (bodily cleansing).

The first component of the eightfold path of yoga.