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AN 7.47
PTS: A iv 54
Methuna Sutta: The Discourse on Coupling
(The seven bonds of sexuality)
translated from the Pali by
Piya Tan

(Originating in Sāvatthī.)

Then the brahmin Jāṇussoṇī approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When this courteous and friendly exchange was concluded, the brahmin Jāṇussoṇī sat down at one side. Sitting thus at one side, the brahmin Jāṇūssoṇī said this to the Blessed One:

"Does the Blessed One profess to be a brahmachari (brahmacārī)?"

"Brahmin, if one speaking rightly were to say of anyone, thus: 'He lives the perfect and pure brahmachari life, unbroken, untorn [consistent], unmixed [not altering the rules], spotless,'[1] he, brahmin, would be speaking rightly of me. For, I, brahmin, live the perfect and pure brahmachari life, unbroken, untorn [consistent], unmixed [not altering the rules], spotless."

"But, master Gotama, what is the break, the tear, the mottle, the blotch of the holy life [brahma-charya]?"[2]

"Here, brahmin, a certain ascetic or brahmin, declares himself to be a total brahmachari. For, he does not indulge in coupling [in sexual intercourse] with women. But he consents to being rubbed, massaged, bathed, and kneaded by women.[3] He relishes it, longs for it, and savours it.[4] This, brahmin, is a break, and a tear, and a mottle, and a blotch of the holy life. This, brahmin, is called one who leads the impure holy life, who is devoted to the indulgence of coupling. He is not freed from birth, decay-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, physical pain, mental pain: he is not freed from suffering, I say!

"Furthermore, brahmin, a certain ascetic or brahmin, declares himself to be a total brahmachari. Nor does he indulge in coupling with women. Nor does he consent to being rubbed, massaged, bathed, and kneaded by women. But he jokes with women, plays with them, jests with them.[5] He relishes it, longs for it, and savours it. This, brahmin, is a break, and a tear, and a mottle, and a blotch of the holy life. This, brahmin, is called one who leads the impure holy life, who is devoted to the indulgence of coupling. He is not freed from birth, decay-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, physical pain, mental pain: he is not freed from suffering, I say!

"Furthermore, brahmin, a certain ascetic or brahmin, declares himself to be a complete brahma-chari. For, he does not indulge in coupling with women. Nor does he consent to being rubbed, massaged, bathed, and kneaded by women, too. Nor does he joke, play or jest with women. But he gazes and looks on eye to eye at women.[6] He relishes it, longs for it, and savours it. This, brahmin, is a break, and a tear, and a mottle, and a blotch of the holy life. This, brahmin, is called one who leads the impure holy life, who is devoted to the indulgence of coupling. He is not freed from birth, decay-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, physical pain, mental pain: he is not freed from suffering, I say!

"Furthermore, brahmin, a certain ascetic or brahmin, declares himself to be a complete brahma-chari. For, he does not indulge in coupling with women. Nor does he consent to being rubbed, massaged, bathed, and kneaded by women, too. Nor does he joke, play or jest with women. Nor does he gaze or look on eye to eye at women. But he listens to the sounds of women through a wall or through a fence as they laugh, or talk, or sing or weep.[7] He relishes it, longs for it, and savours it. This, brahmin, is a break, and a tear, and a mottle, and a blotch of the holy life. This, brahmin, is called one who leads the impure holy life, who is devoted to the indulgence of cou-pling. He is not freed from birth, decay-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, physical pain, mental pain: he is not freed from suffering, I say!

"Furthermore, brahmin, a certain ascetic or brahmin, declares himself to be a complete brahma-chari. For, he does not indulge in coupling with women. Nor does he consent to being rubbed, massaged, bathed, and kneaded by women, too. Nor does he joke, play or jest with women. Nor does he gaze or look on eye to eye at women. Nor does he listen to the sounds of women through a wall or through a fence as they laugh, or talk, or sing or weep. But he recollects his erstwhile laughing and chatting and playing with women.[8] He relishes it, longs for it, and savours it. This, brahmin, is a break, and a tear, and a mottle, and a blotch of the holy life. This, brahmin, is called one who leads the impure holy life, who is devoted to the indulgence of coupling. He is not freed from birth, decay-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, physical pain, mental pain: he is not freed from suffering, I say!

"Furthermore, brahmin, a certain ascetic or brahmin, declares himself to be a complete brahma-chari. For, he does not indulge in coupling with women. Nor does he consent to being rubbed, massaged, bathed, and kneaded by women, too. Nor does he joke, play or jest with women. Nor does he gaze or look on eye to eye at women. Nor does he listen to the sounds of women through a wall or through a fence as they laugh, or talk, or sing or weep. Nor does he recollect the previous laughing and chatting and playing with women. But he sees a houselord or a houselord’s son being entertained, showered and serviced with the cords of sense-pleasures.[9] He relishes it, longs for it, and savours it. This, brahmin, is a break, and a tear, and a mottle, and a blotch of the holy life. This, brahmin, is called one who leads the impure holy life, who is devoted to the indulgence of coupling. He is not freed from birth, decay-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, physical pain, mental pain: he is not freed from suffering, I say!

Furthermore, brahmin, a certain ascetic or brahmin, declares himself to be a complete brahma-chari. For, he does not indulge in coupling with women. Nor does he consent to being rubbed, massaged, bathed, and kneaded by women, too. Nor does he joke, play or jest with women. Nor does he gaze or look on eye to eye at women. Nor does he listen to the sounds of women through a wall or through a fence as they laugh, or talk, or sing or weep. Nor does he recollect the previous laughing and chatting and playing with women. Nor does he see a houselord or a houselord’s son being entertained, showered and serviced with the cords of sense-pleasures. But he lives the holy life aspiring for rebirth in one of the groups of devas, thinking, 'By this rule or vow or austerity or holy life, I shall become a deva or one amongst them.'[10] He relishes it, longs for it, and savours it. This, brahmin, is a break, and a tear, and a mottle, and a blotch of the holy life.

This, brahmin, is called one who leads the impure holy life, who is devoted to the indulgence of coupling. He is not freed from birth, decay-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, physical pain, mental pain: he is not freed from suffering, I say!

"And as along as I noticed that one or other of these seven bonds of sexuality[11] unabandoned in me, to that extent, brahmin, I did not claim to be supremely awakened in the peerless full self-awakening in this world with its gods, with its Māra, with its Brahmā, this generation with its recluses and brahmins, its rulers[12] and people.

"But, brahmin, when I did not notice any of these seven bonds of sexuality unabandoned in me, to that extent, brahmin, I have claimed to be supremely awakened in the peerless full self-awakening in this world with its gods, with its Māra, with its Brahmā, this generation with its recluses and brahmins, its rulers and people.

"And the knowledge and vision arose in me, 'Unshakable is the liberation of mind. This is my last birth. There is no more rebirth here'"

When this was spoken, the brahmin Jāṇussoṇī said this to the Blessed One:

"Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent! Master Gotama! Just as if one were to place upright what had been overturned, were to reveal what was hidden, were to show the way to one who was lost, or were to hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way, in numerous ways, has the Dharma been made clear by master Gotama. I go to tmaster Gotama for refuge, to the Dharma, and to the community of monks. May master Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge, from this day forth, for life."

— evaṁ —

Anmerkungen   

1.
Akhaṇḍaṁ acchiddaṁ asabalaṁ akammāsaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahma,cariyaṁ caratî ti: the contrary case is mentioned in the foll question at the end of this section. See Intro (7)
2.
On the brahmacari, see Intro (7.1)
3.
Api ca kho mātu,gāmassa ucchādana,parimaddana,nahāpana,sambāhanaṁ sādiyati, ie rubbing powders into the body, massaging it with oils, bathing in perfumed water, kneading the limbs (DA 88, summarized); also at D 1:7,19; A 4:54,16; Nm 380,9.
4.
So tad assādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittim āpajjati, as at A 1:267 f, 2:126-129, 160. The last clause also at D 2:253-256; A 4:54 f; Nm 34; Dhs 484.
5.
Api ca kho mātugāmena saddhiṁ sañjagghati saṅkīḷati saṅkelāyati.
6.
Api ca kho mātugāmassa cakkhunā cakkhuṁ upanijjhāyati pekkhati.
7.
Api ca kho mātugāmassa saddaṁ suṇāti, tiro,kuḍḍaṁ vā tiro,pākāraṁ vā hasantiyā vā bhaṇantiyā vā gāyantiyā vā rodantiyā vā.
8.
Api ca kho yāni’ssa tāni pubbe mātugāmena saddhiṃ hasita,lapita,kīḷitāni, tāsi anussarati.
9.
Api ca kho passati gahapatiṁ vā gahapati,puttaṁ vā pañcahi kāma,guṇehi samappitaṁ samaṅgī,bhūtaṁ paricāriyamānaṃ. The verb paricāriyamānaṃ here refers not just being “entertained” by the serving of food (which is a common sense), but also a clearly sexual connotation as well (Olivelle 1999:58 & n29): cf paricārenti at Ambaṭṭha S (D 3.2.10a/1:105 n) = SD 21.3.
10.
Api ca kho aññataraṁ deva,nikāyaṁ paṇīdhāya brahma,cariyaṁ carati iminā’haṃ sīlena vā vatena vā tapena vā brahma,cariyena vā devo vā bhavissāmi dev’aññataro vā ‘ti. Comy: That is, he wishes to become a deva,rajah or a deva,putra (lesser celestial being) (AA 4:32). The whole passage is stock: see D 3:239; M 1:102; S 4:180; A 4:18; cf A 9.72/4:459.
11.
"Bonds of sexuality," methuna,saṁyoga; see Intro esp (1).
12.
deva, here in the sense of “devas by convention” (sammati-deva), ie kings. The other 2 types of deva are “gods by rebirth” (upapatti-deva) and “gods by purification” (visuddhi-deva), ie the Buddhas, Pratyeka Buddhas and arhats (Nc 307 KhA 123).

A detailed essay and additional explaining you may find in the treatise to the Sutta Methuna Sutta: The Discourse on Coupling, by Piya Tan.

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