Bi Pc 44. Using a dildo
Pāli / Sanskrit:Jatumaṭṭhaka
A nun who uses a dildo must confess the offense.
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Explanation of the Jatumaṭṭhaka Sutta (Bi Pc 4)
Background
The Jatumaṭṭhaka Sutta belongs to the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha (the code of discipline for female monastics) in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. It is part of the Vinaya Piṭaka, proclaimed by the Blessed One for the protection of the purity of the learned Saṅgha of monks and nuns.
The historical context of this sutta arises from specific situations encountered by nuns in the course of their monastic life. Theravāda Buddhism places great importance on monastics maintaining the precepts (Sīla) as an indispensable foundation for progress toward liberation. The rules are not punishments or rigid moral impositions, but principles that support the attainment of concentration (Samādhi) and wisdom (Paññā)—the three fundamental roots of cultivation in the Buddha's teaching.
With regard to nuns, the Blessed One specifically designated eight fundamental grave rules (Gurudhammatthā) and seven Pācittiya rules (rules involving confession upon transgression) pertaining to matters of sexuality. These regulations are intended to assist nuns in maintaining the holy life (brahmacariya), keeping away from conduct that is harmful to the mind, and cultivating a life of pure celibacy.
Principal Content
The Jatumaṭṭhaka Sutta establishes that if a nun makes use of a sexual implement (dildo) or similar objects for the purpose of gratifying sexual desire, such an act is regarded as a Pācittiya offense—one of the rules involving confession upon transgression, which is less grave than a Pārājika offense yet nonetheless requires public acknowledgment before the community of nuns.
According to the texts of the Vinaya Piṭaka, a Pācittiya is a class of offense requiring the transgressor to personally confess (ñatti) before the other nuns of the Saṅgha. This confession is not intended to bring about humiliation, but is a compassionate mode of practice that enables the transgressor to clearly recognize her fault, thereby strengthening her resolve to uphold the precepts in the future.
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