Vibhaṅga (Bhikkhu) - Saṅghādisesa 4

Bhikkhu Vibhaṅga - Saṅghādisesa 4: Alluding To The Benefit Of Sexual Intercourse With Oneself

Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Brahmali. (More copyright information)

Origin story

1At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time Venerable Udāyī was associating with and visiting a number of families in Sāvatthī. One morning Udāyī robed up, took his bowl and robe, and went to the house of a beautiful widow where he sat down on the prepared seat. She then approached Udāyī, bowed, and sat down. And Udāyī instructed, inspired, and gladdened her with a teaching. She then said, “Venerable, please tell me what you need. I can give robe-cloth, almsfood, a dwelling, and medicinal supplies.”

2“It’s not hard for us to get those requisites. Give instead what’s hard for us to get.”

“What’s that, Venerable?”

“Sexual intercourse.”

“Is it wanted now?”

“Yes.”

Saying, “Come,” she entered her bedroom, took off her wrap, and lay back on the bed. Udāyī went up to her and spat out, “Who would touch this stinking wretch!” and he left.

3That woman then complained and criticized him, “These Sakyan monastics are shameless and immoral liars. They claim to have integrity, to be celibate and of good conduct, to be truthful, moral, and good. But they don’t have the good character of a monastic or brahmin. They’ve lost the plot! How could the ascetic Udāyī ask for sexual intercourse from me, but then spit out, ‘Who would touch this stinking wretch!’ and leave? What’s bad about me? How am I stinking? How am I inferior to anyone?”

4Other women, too, criticized him in the same way,

5The monks heard the criticism of those women, and the monks of few desires complained and criticized him, “How could Venerable Udāyī encourage a woman to satisfy his own desires?”

6Those monks rebuked Udāyī in many ways and then told the Buddha. The Buddha had the Sangha gathered and questioned Udāyī:

“Is it true, Udāyī, that you did this?”

“It’s true, Sir.”

The Buddha rebuked him, “It’s not suitable, foolish man, it’s not proper, it’s not worthy of a monastic, it’s not allowable, it’s not to be done. How could you do such a thing? Haven’t I given many teachings for the sake of dispassion, not for the sake of passion … the stilling of the fevers of sensual pleasure? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

7‘If a monk, overcome by lust and with a distorted mind, encourages a woman to satisfy his own desires, saying, “Sister, she provides the highest service who in this way satisfies one like me, who is virtuous, celibate, and of good character,” and if it is a reference to sexual intercourse, he commits an offense entailing suspension.’”

Definitions

8A: whoever … Monk: … The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case.

9Overcome by lust: having lust, longing for, in love with.

10Distorted: A lustful mind is distorted; an angry mind is distorted; a confused mind is distorted. But in this case “distorted” refers to the lustful mind.

11A woman: a human female, not a female spirit, not a female ghost, not a female animal. She understands and is capable of discerning bad speech and good speech, what is decent and what is indecent.

12A woman: near a woman, close to a woman.

13His own desires: his own sensual desires, for the sake of himself, aiming at himself, satisfying himself.

14The highest: this is the highest, this is the best, this is the foremost, this is the utmost, this is the most excellent.

15She: a aristocrat woman, a brahmin woman, a merchant woman, or a woman worker.

16One like me: a male aristocrat, a male brahmin, a male merchant, or a male worker.

17Who is virtuous: one who refrains from killing living beings, who refrains from stealing, who refrains from lying.

18Celibate: one who refrains from sexual intercourse.

19Of good character: he is one of good character because of that virtue and because of being celibate.

20In this way: with sexual intercourse.

21Satisfies: gives pleasure to.

22If it is a reference to sexual intercourse: if it is connected with the sexual act.

23He commits an offense entailing suspension: … Therefore, too, it is called “an offense entailing suspension”.

Permutations

Encouraging sexual intercourse to a single person or animal

24It is a woman, he perceives her as a woman, and he has lust. If the monk encourages the woman to satisfy his own desires, he commits an offense entailing suspension.

25It is a woman, but he is unsure of it … It is a woman, but he perceives her as a paṇḍaka … It is a woman, but he perceives her as a man … It is a woman, but he perceives her as an animal, and he has lust. If the monk encourages the woman to satisfy his own desires, he commits a serious offense.

26It is a paṇḍaka, he perceives him as a paṇḍaka, and he has lust. If the monk encourages the paṇḍaka to satisfy his own desires, he commits a serious offense.

27It is a paṇḍaka, but he is unsure of it … It is a paṇḍaka, but he perceives him as a man … It is a paṇḍaka, but he perceives him as an animal … It is a paṇḍaka, but he perceives him as a woman, and he has lust. If the monk encourages the paṇḍaka to satisfy his own desires, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

28It is a man … … To be expanded as above with appropriate adjustments. … It is an animal, he perceives it as an animal … It is an animal, but he is unsure of it … It is an animal, but he perceives it as a woman … It is an animal, but he perceives it as a paṇḍaka … It is an animal, but he perceives it as a man, and he has lust. If the monk encourages the animal to satisfy his own desires, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Encouraging sexual intercourse to two beings of the same kind

29It is two women, he perceives them both as women, and he has lust. If the monk encourages both women to satisfy his own desires, he commits two offenses entailing suspension. To be expanded as in Bhikkhu Sanghadisesa 2.45-53 with appropriate substitutions.

Encouraging sexual intercourse to two beings of different kinds

30It is a woman and a paṇḍaka, but he perceives both as women, and he has lust. If the monk encourages both of them to satisfy his own desires, he commits one offense entailing suspension and one offense of wrong conduct. To be expanded as in Bhikkhu Sanghadisesa 2.54-68 with appropriate substitutions.

Non-offenses

31There is no offense: if he says, “Support us with robe-cloth, almsfood, dwellings, and medicinal supplies;” if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

Summary verses of case studies

32 “How a barren woman, may she have a child,
And dear to, may I be fortunate;
What may I give, how may I support,
How may I get a good rebirth.”

Case studies

33On one occasion a barren woman said to a monk who associated with her family, “Sir, how can I get pregnant?”

“Well, Sister, give the highest gift.”

“What’s that?”

“Sexual intercourse.”