Mpt Ss 1Masturbation
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sukkavisaṭṭhi
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Exposition of the Sukkavisaṭṭhi Sutta (The Practice of Self-Stimulation)
Background
The Sukkavisaṭṭhi Sutta is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the Suttavibhaṅga of the Pātimokkha. This is one of the disciplinary rules established by the Buddha Gotama to protect the purity of the Sangha and the practice of celibacy (brahmacāriya).
The sutta was taught in the context of early Buddhism, when the Sangha consisted of bhikkhus committed to a pure life, avoiding sensual desires of the lowest kind (kāma). The Vinaya Pitaka regulates not only outward conduct, but emphasizes purification of mind (citta-parisuddhi) as the foundation of the path of practice.
Main Content
Sukkavisaṭṭhi (also called Aṅgavisaṭṭhi) refers to the act of masturbation or self-stimulation. In the Theravāda Vinaya, this conduct is considered a Saṅghādisesa offense, one of the rules requiring confession and communal confirmation of correction. Specifically, if a bhikkhu intentionally causes the emission of semen through self-stimulation, this is a significant fault.
The sutta clearly analyzes the three factors that constitute the violation: the specific action, intention (cetanā), and result (phala). Theravāda Buddhism does not regard natural desires as inherently sinful, but emphasizes that surrendering to them through action weakens the faculties (indriya) and obstructs progress in meditation.
This rule is explained in the context of three kinds of purity: purity of body (kāya-suddhi), purity of speech (vācī-suddhi), and purity of mind (mano-suddhi). A bhikkhu who violates this rule fails in all three areas, because the action is the result of impure intention.
Practical Meaning
The Sukkavisaṭṭhi Sutta teaches that the path of practice is not an unreasonable imposition, but a scientific path toward liberation.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.