San Lo Bu Pm Pj 1Sexual Intercourse
Pāli / Sanskrit:Methunadhamma
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Exposition of Methunadhamma (The Matter of Sexual Intercourse)
Background
Methunadhamma, or "the matter related to sexual intercourse," appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the Pātimokkha and among the Pārājika rules, the grave offenses. It is not an independent scripture but part of the disciplinary system that arose to govern the community of bhikkhus after the Buddha established the Sangha.
The historical origin of these rules is connected with specific events. As Buddhism developed, issues related to sexual conduct arose in the Sangha, causing the Buddha to establish clear regulations to protect the purity of the discipline. During the Buddha's lifetime, such acts were regarded as the most serious violations, leading to loss of membership in the Sangha.
Main Content
In the Pātimokkha, Methunadhamma is established as one of the absolute prohibitions for bhikkhus. Any bhikkhu who engages in sexual conduct, whether intercourse or any form connected with sexual pleasure, is considered to have committed a Pārājika, a grave offense, which means expulsion from the Sangha without opportunity for reinstatement.
This rule is built upon a fundamental principle: a bhikkhu, having gone forth, has abandoned household life and worldly pleasures, including sexual pleasure. Preserving purity in action, speech, and thought is regarded as the foundation for the practice of the Dharma. This rule is not an unreasonable punishment but an expression of commitment to the noble path of practice.
The Pātimokkha clearly states that the purpose of keeping the precepts is not to create anger or suffering, but to protect the purity of the Sangha and establish favorable conditions for the practice of liberation. The regulations related to Methunadhamma express this stance most clearly.
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