Lzh Mg Bi Pm Pj 1Sexual Intercourse
Pāli / Sanskrit:Methunadhamma
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The Discourse on Sexual Intercourse (Methunadhamma)
Background
This text is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, particularly within the section on Pātimokkha Samvara (the Pātimokkha — the foundational code of discipline) for monks and nuns. This is not a doctrinal sutta but rather a rule of conduct (Sīla), reflecting the Theravāda Buddhist understanding of the ideal practice for those who have gone forth into the homeless life. The context in which this rule arose is connected to specific circumstances within the early monastic community, when certain monks and nuns did not observe the restrictions pertaining to the pure way of life.
The Vinaya Piṭaka was compiled in order to protect the integrity of the Sangha (the community) and to uphold the fundamental principles of the practice leading to liberation. Methunadhamma (the Dhamma of sexual intercourse) is regarded as one of the central matters relating to the observance of celibacy (Brahmacariyā) — a foundational vow for those who have gone forth into the monastic life.
Principal Content
Methunadhamma (the Dhamma of sexual intercourse) in the Vinaya Piṭaka refers to the strict regulations pertaining to the sexual conduct of monks and nuns. For those who have gone forth from the household life, engaging in any sexual act — whether in thought or in deed — is considered a transgression of one of the gravest prohibitions (Pārājika or Saṅghādisesa, depending upon the degree and circumstances).
The text makes clear that celibacy (Brahmacariyavrata) is an inseparable part of the monastic way of life. This is not due to any aversion toward the body, but rather arises from a profound understanding of the way in which sensual desire (kāma) — including carnal desire — is one of the three roots (mūla) of all suffering. Methunadhamma is regarded as an engagement with the current of craving for continued existence (bhava-taṇhā), thereby giving rise to new bonds and fetters for the mind.
The regulations in the Vinaya Piṭaka concerning Methunadhamma also encompass related actions, such as seeking out opportunities to engage in such conduct, or performing acts that arouse sensual excitement. These are considered transgressions falling under Saṅghādisesa — the category of offenses requiring the community of monks or nuns to perform a formal ceremony of public confession and expiation.
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