San Sarv Bu Pm Tf 11 Pc 65Lying Down With a Woman

Source Status

This item has only been regenerated from the descriptive information and the truncated ending of the Vietnamese text. The descriptive information indicates that the Vietnamese title is “Lying Down With a Woman,” the English title is “Lying Down With a Woman,” the Pāli title is “Mātugāmasahaseyya,” and that it belongs to the Sanskrit Comparative Vinaya, code San Sarv Bu Pm Tf 11 Pc 65. The ending shows that the content relates to bhikkhus avoiding circumstances that may weaken the mind of practice, cause suspicion in the community, and protect the sense faculties from sensual desire.

There is no full source text in the data for comparison, so the conditions of offence, exceptions, context of formulation, or technical terminology beyond what has been stated cannot be determined with certainty. This is an AI interpretation, not a translation of the original Vinaya text.

Context

The monastic life is founded upon celibate conduct, that is, the guarding of body, speech, and mind in a direction that leads out of sensual craving and attachment. Therefore, rules connected with staying together, lying down together, or having private contact with the opposite sex are often aimed not only at external conduct, but also at protecting the mind from conditions that easily arouse desire. A single moment without guarding may weaken the stability that a practitioner has cultivated over a long time.

The title “Lying Down With a Woman” indicates a close and sensitive situation. In ordinary life, being in the same resting space can already create intimacy; for a monastic, this needs even more to be placed under the light of the precepts. A sleeping or resting space is where body and mind easily relax, vigilance decreases, and boundaries may become unclear. Thus the rule emphasizes guarding conditions before a heavier fault has the opportunity to arise.

Content That Can Be Determined from the Descriptive Information

From the Pāli title “Mātugāmasahaseyya” and the English title, the theme can be determined as lying down together or sleeping in the same place with a woman. The descriptive information places this item in the Comparative Vinaya, so the content is understood as a disciplinary regulation. The ending says that bhikkhus must avoid suspicious situations or circumstances that may cause misunderstanding in the local community. At the same time, it emphasizes that protecting the mind and sense faculties is the foundation for progress on the path to liberation.

The main points can be determined at a general level: a male monastic should avoid circumstances of lying down together with a woman; the reason is not only to prevent impure conduct, but also to prevent suspicion, protect the reputation of the Sangha, and keep the mind from being governed by sensual desire. The ending mentions a term “Aniruddhasaññā,” but because the source has not been compared, it should not be confirmed as an original term of the rule. This interpretation preserves only the meaning: avoid matters which, even if one considers them not wrong, may still be suspected or become conditions for unwholesomeness.

From the data it is not possible to determine precisely whether “together” means the same bed, the same room, the same roofed space, or the same area; nor is it possible to determine exceptions due to illness, danger, travel, or unavoidable circumstances.

Meaning for Practice

The meaning for practice in this item is to guard against conditions before the mind becomes agitated. In practice, knowing how to avoid unfavorable conditions is not weakness, but wisdom. Practitioners understand that body and mind are affected by circumstances. A bhikkhu may have a pure aspiration, but if he often places himself in intimate, concealed, or easily misunderstood situations, that aspiration is tested unnecessarily.

Sensual desire does not always appear coarsely. It may begin with a feeling of being noticed, being close, being comforted, or being regarded as special. If not recognized early, such feelings can become attachment. The rule against lying down with a woman therefore protects not merely an outward form, but the inner space in which the practitioner cultivates renunciation.

For the community, this rule preserves confidence. Laypeople support the Sangha not only with material things, but also with reverence for the celibate life. When monastics are careful in sensitive situations, they do not place others in the position of having to suspect, gossip, or lose faith. Transparency in conduct is part of compassion, because it helps the community remain at peace.

For laypeople studying Buddhism, the lesson may be understood more broadly as maintaining proper boundaries in relationships. Not every closeness is wrong, but every closeness should be illuminated by mindfulness, responsibility, and respect for limits. A person who practices does not take circumstances lightly, because circumstances are part of the causes and conditions that create karma.

Comparative Note

There is no full source text in the data, so details about persons, places, circumstances of formulation, conditions of offence, or handling procedures cannot be added. Terms in the ending such as “Aniruddhasaññā” need to be checked before being regarded as definite Vinaya terminology. When the full source is available, it will be necessary to compare the scope of “lying down together,” the subjects to whom it applies, the level of offence, cases of exemption, and differences among Vinaya traditions. Until the original text can be compared, this version should be used only as a preliminary interpretation of the principle of guarding celibate conduct, avoiding suspicion, and preserving the mind of renunciation in monastic life.