Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum

Hi, sorry if I'm going off-topic a little here, but I have a question regarding sexual fantasies in dreams and involuntary nocturnal emissions. I'd like to know what Buddhist scriptures have said about this(if at all) for someone who is completely abstaining from the point of view of ethics and Sila, but the thing I'm more interested to know is how do monks(or anyone else who's keeping the relevant precepts) deal with it and whether there are techniques to reduce or eradicate this problem?

Generalizing the above, what about dreams with one being violent or with other unwholesome actions? Again, sorry for being

Thanks in advance,
Dhammabodhi

Dhammabodhi wrote:Hi, sorry if I'm going off-topic a little here, but I have a question regarding sexual fantasies in dreams and involuntary nocturnal emissions. I'd like to know what Buddhist scriptures have said about this(if at all) for someone who is completely abstaining from the point of view of ethics and Sila, but the thing I'm more interested to know is how do monks(or anyone else who's keeping the relevant precepts) deal with it and whether there are techniques to reduce or eradicate this problem?

I don't believe scriptures explicitly describe sexual fantasies or nocturnal emissions. Points-of-view are based on commentaries, which derive various implications from the suttas. I believe that traditional Theravada commentaries regard sexual fantasies in dreams and nocturnal emissions as a mildly unwholesome action that ceases to occur for an Arahant, whose mind is fully purified. Eradicating sub-conscious sexual fantasies, though, among a layperson is not a reasonable goal.

tiltbillings wrote:His take on lay sexuality in general leave something to be desired

Pun intended?

Dhammabodhi wrote:I have a question regarding sexual fantasies in dreams and involuntary nocturnal emissions. I'd like to know what Buddhist scriptures have said about this(if at all) for someone who is completely abstaining from the point of view of ethics and Sila

I seem to recall there are rules in the Vinaya concerning this.

Peter wrote:

tiltbillings wrote:His take on lay sexuality in general leave something to be desired

Pun intended?

Of course.

44 posts and 3 days later and the OP hasn't come by to clarify their question. Glad I didn't waste time with it. Sorry to see you fine folks getting yourselves tied in knots over what you think they might have been asking.

I see that happening quite often on discussion boards. Oh well, nothing wrong with a good conversation.


Dhammakid

Hi Peter

Peter wrote:44 posts and 3 days later and the OP hasn't come by to clarify their question. Glad I didn't waste time with it. Sorry to see you fine folks getting yourselves tied in knots over what you think they might have been asking.

No knots tied or untied!
Kind regards

Ben

Here's the facts:

- Masturbation is built upon Sensual desire. Good luck having a beat while considering how best to mow the lawn and hang out the washing.
- Sensual desire is a hinderance to practise.
- Kamma-Vipaka has it that a volitional action in the present will have an effect in the future. This is how habits are formed.

Nobody is going to burn in hell for having a beat, nor for having appropriate sexual relations with their partner - But it doesn't lead to Nibbana. Sensual desire is a hinderance.

BlackBird wrote: - Sensual desire is a hinderance to practise.

It may be a hindrance, but that does not mean it has to hinder anything.

Dhammabodhi wrote:Hi, sorry if I'm going off-topic a little here, but I have a question regarding sexual fantasies in dreams and involuntary nocturnal emissions. I'd like to know what Buddhist scriptures have said about this(if at all) for someone who is completely abstaining from the point of view of ethics and Sila, but the thing I'm more interested to know is how do monks(or anyone else who's keeping the relevant precepts) deal with it and whether there are techniques to reduce or eradicate this problem?

Hi Dhammabodhi,

this is the first Saṅghādisesa rule:
Intentional emission of semen, except while dreaming, entails initial and subsequent meetings of the Community.

You can read Thanissaro Bhikkhu's explanation of it in chapter five of Buddhist Monastic Code I: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... .ch05.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

tiltbillings wrote:

BlackBird wrote: - Sensual desire is a hinderance to practise.

It may be a hindrance, but that does not mean it has to hinder anything.

That doesn't sound right to me. If it's a hindrance then surely by definition it must hinder something. In the Nivaranasutta, SN. v. 97, the Buddha says of the five hindrances that they are "Makers of blindness, causing lack of vision, causing lack of knowledge, detrimental to wisdom, tending to vexation, leading away from Nibbana."

I take this to mean that hindering is an intrinsic property of the hindrances. 'Makers of blindness' is what the hindrances actually are, not something they might be. 'Leading away from Nibbana' is what the hindrances actually do, not something they might do.

How do you understand the passage?

What is the nature of a hindrance?

Exactly what do you mean by "nature"?

metta
Chris

sabhava.