Lzh Mu Bi Vb Pc 5Teaching Someone of the Opposite Gender Alone
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dhammadesanā
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The Discourse on Teaching the Dharma to One of the Opposite Gender (Dhammadesanā)
Background
This discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, specifically the Pātimokkha Saṃvara, the restraints concerning attitude and action. The context arises when bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, those who have gone forth, must be exemplary in social interactions, especially with persons of another gender.
The Buddha established these rules to protect the purity of the practitioner (brahmacariya) and maintain the honor of the Sangha. In the historical context, as the Buddha-Dharma developed, bhikkhus needed to be careful in every action so as not to arouse suspicion or misunderstanding from the public. This is not only a matter of discipline, but also a matter of ethics and effectiveness in spreading the true Dharma.
Main Content
The Dhammadesanā rule, teaching the Dharma, addresses regulations concerning how a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī should meet and teach the Dharma to persons of the opposite gender, especially when alone. The prohibitions in the Pātimokkha, especially the Pācittiya rules, lighter faults that still require confession, clearly state that a male bhikkhu should not lie down or sit in a secluded place with a woman without a witness.
However, the rule acknowledges that teaching the Dharma is a central work of the Sangha. Therefore, the prohibition focuses chiefly on the manner of teaching, not on teaching the Dharma itself. If a teacher must teach the Dharma to a woman, or conversely, they should:
Teach in a public place, or with a witness present. Maintain an appropriate distance. Focus on the content of the Dharma rather than personal conversation. Teach with compassion and without any intention of greed or hatred.
This principle reflects a profound reality: practice and the teaching of the Dharma should not be obstructed, but the method of practice must conform to the highest ethical principles.
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