7: The Book of the Sevens
V. A Great Sacrifice — AN 7.50: Sex
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1Then the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:
“Does Master Gotama claim to be celibate?”
“Brahmin, if anyone should be rightly said to live the celibate life unbroken, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, full and pure, it’s me.”
“But what, Master Gotama, is a break, taint, stain, or mar in celibacy?”
2“Firstly, an ascetic or brahmin who claims to be perfectly celibate does not mutually engage in sex with a female. However, they consent to being anointed, massaged, bathed, and rubbed by a female. They enjoy it and like it and find it satisfying. This is a break, taint, stain, or mar in celibacy. This is called one who lives the celibate life impurely, tied to the fetter of sex. They’re not freed from rebirth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re not freed from suffering, I say.
3-7Furthermore, an ascetic or brahmin who claims to be perfectly celibate does not mutually engage in sex with a female. Nor do they consent to massage and bathing. However, they giggle and play and have fun with females. … they gaze into a female’s eyes. … they listen through a wall or rampart to the sound of females laughing or chatting or singing or crying. … they recall when they used to laugh, chat, and have fun with females … they see a householder or their child amusing themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation. …
8They don’t see a householder or their child amusing themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation. However, they live the celibate life wishing to be reborn in one of the orders of gods. They think: ‘By this precept or observance or mortification or spiritual life, may I become one of the gods!’ They enjoy it and like it and find it satisfying. This is a break, taint, stain, or mar in celibacy. This is called one who lives the celibate life impurely, tied to the fetter of sex. They’re not free from rebirth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re not free from suffering, I say.
9As long as I saw that these seven sexual fetters — or even one of them — had not been given up in me, I didn’t announce my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.
10But when I saw that these seven sexual fetters — every one of them — had been given up in me, I announced my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.
Knowledge and vision arose in me: ‘My freedom is unshakable; this is my last rebirth; now there are no more future lives.’”
11When he said this, the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi said to the Buddha: “Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent! … From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”
1Atha kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
"bhavampi no gotamo brahmacārī paṭijānātī"ti?
"Yañhi taṁ, brāhmaṇa, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘akhaṇḍaṁ acchiddaṁ asabalaṁ akammāsaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caratī’ti, mameva taṁ, brāhmaṇa, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, akhaṇḍaṁ acchiddaṁ asabalaṁ akammāsaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carāmī’"ti.
"Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, brahmacariyassa khaṇḍampi chiddampi sabalampi kammāsampī"ti?
2"Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā sammā brahmacārī paṭijānamāno na heva kho mātugāmena saddhiṁ dvayaṁdvayasamāpattiṁ samāpajjati; api ca kho mātugāmassa ucchādanaparimaddananhāpanasambāhanaṁ sādiyati. So taṁ assādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati. Idampi kho, brāhmaṇa, brahmacariyassa khaṇḍampi chiddampi sabalampi kammāsampi. Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇa, aparisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carati, saṁyutto methunena saṁyogena na parimuccati jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, na parimuccati dukkhasmāti vadāmi. (1)
3Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa, idhekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā sammā brahmacārī paṭijānamāno na heva kho mātugāmena saddhiṁ dvayaṁdvayasamāpattiṁ samāpajjati, napi mātugāmassa ucchādanaparimaddananhāpanasambāhanaṁ sādiyati; api ca kho mātugāmena saddhiṁ sañjagghati saṅkīḷati saṅkelāyati … pe … . (2)
4Napi mātugāmena saddhiṁ sañjagghati saṅkīḷati saṅkelāyati; api ca kho mātugāmassa cakkhunā cakkhuṁ upanijjhāyati pekkhati … pe … . (3)
5Napi mātugāmassa cakkhunā cakkhuṁ upanijjhāyati pekkhati; api ca kho mātugāmassa saddaṁ suṇāti tirokuṭṭaṁ vā tiropākāraṁ vā hasantiyā vā bhaṇantiyā vā gāyantiyā vā rodantiyā vā … pe … . (4)
6Napi mātugāmassa saddaṁ suṇāti tirokuṭṭaṁ vā tiropākāraṁ vā hasantiyā vā bhaṇantiyā vā gāyantiyā vā rodantiyā vā; api ca kho yānissa tāni pubbe mātugāmena saddhiṁ hasitalapitakīḷitāni tāni anussarati … pe … . (5)
7Napi yānissa tāni pubbe mātugāmena saddhiṁ hasitalapitakīḷitāni tāni anussarati; api ca kho passati gahapatiṁ vā gahapatiputtaṁ vā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitaṁ samaṅgībhūtaṁ paricārayamānaṁ … pe … . (6)
8Napi passati gahapatiṁ vā gahapatiputtaṁ vā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitaṁ samaṅgībhūtaṁ paricārayamānaṁ; api ca kho aññataraṁ devanikāyaṁ paṇidhāya brahmacariyaṁ carati imināhaṁ sīlena vā vatena vā tapena vā brahmacariyena vā devo vā bhavissāmi devaññataro vāti. So taṁ assādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati. Idampi kho, brāhmaṇa, brahmacariyassa khaṇḍampi chiddampi sabalampi kammāsampi. Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇa, aparisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carati saṁyutto methunena saṁyogena, na parimuccati jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, na parimuccati dukkhasmāti vadāmi. (7)
9Yāvakīvañcāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, imesaṁ sattannaṁ methunasaṁyogānaṁ aññataraññataramethunasaṁyogaṁ attani appahīnaṁ samanupassiṁ, neva tāvāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddhoti paccaññāsiṁ.
10Yato ca khohaṁ, brāhmaṇa, imesaṁ sattannaṁ methunasaṁyogānaṁ aññataraññataramethunasaṁyogaṁ attani appahīnaṁ na samanupassiṁ, athāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddhoti paccaññāsiṁ.
‘Ñāṇañca pana me dassanaṁ udapādi, akuppā me vimutti, ayamantimā jāti, natthi dāni punabbhavo’"ti.
11Evaṁ vutte, jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama … pe … upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.
Sattamaṁ.