Lzh Sarv Bu Pm 2 Pc 5Teaching Someone of the Opposite Gender Alone
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dhammadesanā
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Sutta on Teaching the Dharma to Someone of the Opposite Gender
Background
This sutta appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka, the book of discipline of early Buddhism, specifically in the Pātimokkha, the rules. It is not a sutta teaching the nature of the Dharma, but an analysis of the care required in the actions of bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs when they come into contact with people of the opposite gender.
The historical background shows that from the founding of the Sangha, the Buddha recognized the challenges of tendencies and emotional stirrings when men and women interact. This is not because the Buddhadharma regards sexuality as treacherous or evil in a contemptuous way, but because the Buddhadharma clearly sees that bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs have left the household life in pursuit of liberation (nirvana). Any distraction from this goal is an obstacle on the path of practice.
Main Content
This sutta revolves around Dhammadesanā, the teaching of the Dharma, the Buddha’s teaching, to a person of the opposite gender. The Vinaya Piṭaka states that teaching the Dharma alone with someone of the opposite gender must be done carefully and with proper preparation.
Specifically, a bhikkhu should not be alone in a closed space with a woman in order to teach the Dharma, nor should a bhikkhunī be alone with a man to teach the Dharma. If Dharma instruction is necessary, it should be conducted in the presence of a third person, in a public space, or with other measures that protect both the integrity of the monastic and respect for the person being taught.
The reason behind this rule is very practical: feelings may arise, conversations may drift into other topics, or misunderstandings may occur. In the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka values the protection of the honor of the religious community and of individual practitioners.
Practical Meaning
This sutta is not a story or a philosophical discourse, but a concrete practical principle.
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