Eastern philosophy treats man as two parts, one a noble and divine part and the other the base and materialistic part. Since the divine side of man can not be taken to be the seat of evil, sin is associated with body, the base side of man. Thus the heart which is the central part of man is considered undefiled and untouched by evil. Sin is supposed to have the body as its abode and it includes the main vices such as perverse sexual relationships, gluttonness, extravagance, drunkenness, revelries and various other carnal desires.

But the Holy Bible refutes this view. The flesh as referred to in the Bible points to the whole man. Therefore the Bible exhorts that the whole man needs to be cleansed (2 Cor. 7:1; I Thes. 5:23). There is no reason to blame the body. Why do you hate the body? It is like your brother and truly there is no one better than your body. The body also is a gift and creation of God just like the soul. It is a wonderfully made instrument of the soul. Didn't the psalmist say "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made?" (Psalm 139:14)(NIV).

In the east and west, the cruel practise of inflicting injuries on their own bodies by sages and hermits, is indeed a great crime. There is no reason to treat the body as more sinful than any other part of man. It is only an enthusiastic servant of the soul. If the master is correct, the servant also will be correct. The damage to man's spirit originates only in his soul and not in his body.

From within, out of the heart of man, proceed evil thoughts. (Mark 7:21)(NKJV).