San Lo Bi Vb Pj 1Sexual Intercourse
Pāli / Sanskrit:Methunadhamma
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Exposition of the Methunadhamma Sutta (Vinaya Piṭaka)
Background
The Methunadhamma Sutta (Pāli: methunadhamma, meaning “sexual intercourse” or “sexual relation”) is a text in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. It is the section of discipline concerning the most serious offenses of those who have gone forth.
According to the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is divided into three collections: the Sutta Vibhaṅga, the main disciplinary section; the Khandhaka, the section of practical regulations; and the Parivāra, the supplementary section. San Lo Bi Vb, that is, Sutta Vibhaṅga, preserves the Buddha’s teachings on the nature of each prohibition. Pj 1 refers to the first Pārājika Dhamma, offenses that lead to exclusion from the Order.
This sutta was recorded for the purpose of guiding monks and nuns to understand clearly the boundaries of concentration and wisdom, so that they may practice in purity and protect the integrity of the Sangha.
Main Content
Methunadhamma is defined in the Vinaya Piṭaka as acts related to sexual desire between two persons. The sutta states clearly that for renunciants, bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, any sexual act, whether bodily or verbal and with lustful intent, constitutes Pārājika, a fatal violation of the monastic discipline.
In particular, the sutta clearly distinguishes between intention (cetanā) and action. Only when there is lustful intention can the offense be constituted. Accidental contact or speech without lustful intent does not constitute Pārājika, though it may still be another lighter offense, such as Pācittiya, an offense requiring confession.
The sutta also lists specific cases, from coarse actions to subtle expressions of desire, so that renunciants can accurately recognize the boundary of the rule. This reflects the Buddha’s care in protecting the concentration and wisdom of the Order.
Practical Meaning
Methunadhamma is not an accusation or condemnation of sexual desire as inherently evil. On the contrary, it is a lucid instrument by which those who have chosen the renunciant path may practice in purity, with a purified mind.
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