Synopsis The present title ‘Religious Asceticism’ is an in-depth study of different asceticism in psycho-spiritual perspective. It is commonly practiced by different religions all over the world. It examines in depth the facets of asceticism in different religion and is dealt specially with oriental and western asceticism. The first part of this book deals with oriental asceticism while the second part deals with western asceticism. The popular conception of asceticism has grown up in connection with the experience of it linked with a distinct attitude towards life. In this thought the material body is inherently evil and the spiritual element is alone good. The object of ascetic exercise is not the training of the body, but its ultimate extinction, that the soul may be free.