Bu Ss 11. The training rule on masturbation
Pāli / Sanskrit:Sukkavisaṭṭhi
A monk who intentionally ejaculates is to be suspended. The introductory narrative to this and the next four rules, as well as a number of other rules in the monastic code, feature the monk Udāyī, who had a serious problem with keeping his sexual urges in check. Either that or he is a literary stand-in for the real offenders.
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Exegesis of the Sukkavisaṭṭhi (The Rule on Emission of Semen)
Background
In the Pātimokkha (the Code of Discipline for Bhikkhus), this rule is recorded under Saṅghādisesa — offenses requiring formal handling by the monastic community. The history of this rule's formation is connected with the bhikkhu Udāyī, a monk who experienced considerable difficulty in restraining sexual desire. Udāyī is regarded as a specific symbol or illustration of those who are unable to manage the turbulent stirrings of sexual instinct.
The rules associated with Udāyī are not arbitrary strictures or unreasonably difficult to observe. Rather, they reflect the wisdom of the elder masters in recognizing the practical challenges that bhikkhus must face. The Buddha and the Elders understood that the monastic path is a difficult one, especially when it requires the relinquishment of desires that the world regards as normal.
Main Content
The rule of Sukkavisaṭṭhi stipulates: if a bhikkhu intentionally brings about an emission of semen (sukkavisaṭṭhi), he is placed in a state of Saṅghādisesa — that is, he must undergo suspension by the community. This is not a minor fault that may be expiated through personal confession alone; it requires a formal procedure carried out by the entire Saṅgha (monastic community).
The term "intentionally" (sañcicca) is the key element. The Vinaya does not penalize occurrences that happen involuntarily or during sleep; it censures only those acts performed with clear awareness and deliberate intention. This reveals the compassion and understanding of the Buddhadharma — it does not imprison unconscious transgression, but focuses instead on the training of the mind and the will.
Emission of semen represents the active indulgence of sexual desire, an act contrary to the vow of celibacy (brahmacharya) undertaken by one who has gone forth. The principle of celibacy is not merely physical abstinence but encompasses the purity of mind, which is the foundation for the cultivation of concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā).
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