Understanding Self-Mortification in Buddhism
It is for this reason that the Lord Buddha should want to start his sermon by instructing the ‘group of five’ that indulgence of the senses is unsuitable, base, ignoble, without benefit, unsuitable fo
…ices range from fasting to unusual clothing choices and often only increase one's suffering. Hence, the Buddha emphasizes avoiding such non-Buddhist practices to attain true enlightenment and peace.