Ka Bu Pm Pc 65Lying Down With a Woman

Mātugāmasahaseyya Sutta (Lying Down With a Woman)

Background

The Mātugāmasahaseyya Sutta is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pātimokkha of the bhikkhus, the basic ethical code for male monastics in the Theravāda tradition. The clauses in the Pātimokkha are not loose sermons, but concrete rules of conduct built on real situations that arose in the early Sangha community.

This sutta reflects disputes and disciplinary issues that the Buddha and his disciples had to face in the process of forming the monastic community. Its historical background is connected with the development of the Sangha and the need to establish clear principles to protect purity and concentration in the life of practice.

Main Content

This clause prescribes that a bhikkhu may not lie down with a woman in the same dwelling place (ekamantam sahaseyya). This is not merely a prohibition of an action, but a protection against potential risks that may affect mindfulness and concentration (samādhi).

This rule is understood in the context of the practice of brahmacariya, the pure and celibate life. Its purpose is not to judge or discriminate against women, but to protect the spiritual concentration of the practitioner. The Pāli text shows that the Buddha placed special importance on external conditions that support the development of the inner life in purity and mindfulness (sati).

Bhikkhus who violate this are regarded as committing a Pācittiya offense, a kind of fault requiring public confession before the Sangha. This is not as severe a penalty as Pārājika, but it shows the Sangha’s concern for the purity of the holy life.

Practical Meaning

In the spirit of Theravāda, this clause has a deep meaning beyond the outward prohibition. It teaches that the practitioner must actively manage the surrounding environment in order to support concentration.