health and celibacy

[paul]

Specific sexual methods would not be mentioned in the suttas according with standards of shame and dread:
“ To be ashamed of what one ought to be ashamed of, to be ashamed of performing evil and unwholesome things: this is called moral shame. To be in dread of what one ought to be in dread of, to be in dread of performing evil and unwholesome things: this is called moral dread.” —Puggala-Pannatti. 79,80.
But whenever the ignobility of the home life is mentioned, that can be taken to include such activities. Therefore even in lay life the practitioner should make a clear division between conventional and ultimate reality.

[mario92]

Thank you, i think you mean by conventional reality, the fact of being a man, with the desire to know the opposite sex, only for gain or pleasure, or having formal relationship,etc.? I think this also is very dangerous. Ultimate reality as internal characteristics, of freedom from desire, and happiness, calmness, etc.? I hope to have success even if my mind tells me all the time the opposite.

[paul]

The temperament inclined towards sensual desire (rather than anger) will likely develop a desire state of mind in terms of the third foundation of mindfulness and that requires the establishment of a practice counter to desire as explained here:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el026.html

Conventional reality begins with name (which is an arbitrary designation) and is then connected to the institutions of human society whose function is the maintenance of the body. It purports to be ultimate and most people take it as such and live their lives attempting to achieve happiness through its goals. One of the biggest challenges for the practitioner who does not regularly frequent wilderness areas is to develop detachment to conventional reality. ---MN 121
Ultimate reality in this context is any thought that is concerned with dhamma and renunciation, for at that time the mind is turned in the direction of nibbana. So these two categories should be established.

[mario92]

Thank you paul , i was reading the maha satipatthana sutta and while reading it i became very relaxed.

[khemindas]

In my opinion western medicine creates a big myth, about use of sex, and harm of his absence. And the second, even if sex would help to health , and his absence would harm, it would not important, because spiritual development is more important then health.

[Garrib]

In my opinion western medicine creates a big myth, about use of sex, and harm of his absence. And the second, even if sex would help to health , and his absence would harm, it would not important, because spiritual development is more important then health.

I agree - no health problems I am aware of. And even if there were, it okay - still worth it!

[mario92]

In my opinion western medicine creates a big myth, about use of sex, and harm of his absence. And the second, even if sex would help to health , and his absence would harm, it would not important, because spiritual development is more important then health.

Thank you venerable

[DooDoot]

In my opinion western medicine creates a big myth, about use of sex, and harm of his absence. And the second, even if sex would help to health , and his absence would harm, it would not important, because spiritual development is more important then health.

I disagree with your answer because I doubt there can be concentration (samadhi) development with poor health. Or put another way, those with samadhi development generally have very good health. Generally, monks with poor health also have poor samadhi development. I once knew a monk who always had poor health but he remained a monk because he was an important translator. When he was monk, people would say he had lust because he showed obsession towards women & women's issues. Later in his life, he disrobed and found a wife and looked visibly more happy cuddling his wife. I think for this man, celibacy was the wrong path and lead to sickness due to repressed lust and repressed anger from repressing lust. In fact, this monk had cancer at a relatively young age. In the monastery he had very poor digestion. While I cannot correlate his health problems with celibacy, there might be a link. Regardless, I doubt poor health can assist spiritual development (unless it is the final resignation of attachment when terminally ill).

[binocular]

I disagree with your answer because I doubt there can be concentration (samadhi) development with poor health. Or put another way, those with samadhi development generally have very good health. Generally, monks with poor health also have poor samadhi development. I once knew a monk who always had poor health but he remained a monk because he was an important translator. When he was monk, people would say he had lust because he showed obsession towards women & women's issues. Later in his life, he disrobed and found a wife and looked visibly more happy cuddling his wife. I think for this man, celibacy was the wrong path and lead to sickness due to repressed lust and repressed anger from repressing lust. In fact, this monk had cancer at a relatively young age. In the monastery he had very poor digestion. While I cannot correlate his health problems with celibacy, there might be a link. Regardless, I doubt poor health can assist spiritual development (unless it is the final resignation of attachment when terminally ill).

And women should pay the price for men's health??

[binocular]

I know a Buddhist who is a big proponent of sex. Guess what he came down with? Prostate cancer.

[Aloka]

I know a Buddhist who is a big proponent of sex. Guess what he came down with? Prostate cancer.

More about prostate cancer - which judging from a few men I've known who've been succesfully treated,doesn't seem to have any connection to their sexual activity as three of them have been celibate and two are married

Causes of prostate cancer

It is not known exactly what causes prostate cancer, although a number of things can increase your risk of developing the condition.

These include:

Age –risk rises as you get older and most cases are diagnosed in men over 50 years of age.

Ethnic group –prostate cancer is more common among men of African-Caribbean and African descent than in men of Asian descent.

Family history –having a brother or father who developed prostate cancer under the age of 60 seems to increase the risk of you developing it. Research also shows that having a close female relative who developed breast cancer may also increase your risk of developing prostate cancer.

Obesity – recent research suggests that there may be a link between obesity and prostate cancer.

Exercise – men who regularly exercise have also been found to be at lower risk of developing prostate cancer.

Diet – research is ongoing into the links between diet and prostate cancer. There is evidence that a diet high in calcium is linked to an increased risk of developing prostate cancer.

In addition, some research has shown that prostate cancer rates appear to be lower in men who eat foods containing certain nutrients including lycopene, found in cooked tomatoes and other red fruit, and selenium, found in brazil nuts. However, more research is needed.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cancer-of- ... auses.aspx

[DooDoot]

And women should pay the price for men's health??

I don't understand your comment. Could you please explain more (rather than give rise to me making an inference, such as you a lesbian or radical feminist)? Thanks. Healthy love is healthy for most people; such as children who receive lots of hugs & cuddles from their parents. In my understanding, the lady was very keen on the relationship with the monk, which is why he disrobed. Generally, it takes two to tango. They both appear happier than before.

[Lucas Oliveira]

Where of an evening they gathered and carried away for supper, there next morning the rice stood ripe and grown again. Where in the morning they gathered and carried away for breakfast, there in the evening it stood ripe and grown again. No break was to be seen [where the husks had been broken off].

Then those beings feasting on this rice in the clearings, feeding on it, nourished by it, so continued for a long long while. And in measure as they, thus feeding, went on existing, so did the bodies of those beings become even more solid, and the divergence in their comeliness more pronounced. In the female appeared the distinctive features of the female, in the male those of the male. Then truly did woman contemplate man too closely, and man, woman. In them contemplating over much the one the other, passion arose and burning entered their body. They in consequence thereof followed their lusts. And beings seeing them so doing threw, some, sand, some, ashes, some, cowdung, crying: Perish, foul one! Perish, foul one! How can a being treat a being so? Even so now when men, in certain districts, when a bride is led away, throw either sand, or ashes, or cowdung, they do but follow an ancient enduring primordial form, not recognizing the significance thereof.

That which was reckoned immoral at that time, Vāseṭṭha, is now reckoned to be moral. Those beings who at that time followed their lusts, were not allowed to enter village or town either for a whole month or even for two months. And inasmuch as those beings at that time quickly incurred blame for immorality, they set to work to make huts, to conceal just that immorality.

Agañña Sutta (DN 27) - A Book of Genesis
https://suttacentral.net/en/dn27

[binocular]

And women should pay the price for men's health??

I don't understand your comment. Could you please explain more (rather than give rise to me making an inference, such as you a lesbian or radical feminist)? Thanks. Healthy love is healthy for most people; such as children who receive lots of hugs & cuddles from their parents.

Educate yourself about the health consequences of using hormonal contraceptives, having abortions, and giving birth.
Perhaps also try to imagine what it is like to live in constant fear of unwanted pregnancy, all this as the price a woman has to pay to earn the man's "love".

In my understanding, the lady was very keen on the relationship with the monk, which is why he disrobed. Generally, it takes two to tango. They both appear happier than before.

Men generally prefer stupid women who will gladly risk their own health and life, and the health and life of the unborn.
Oh, and ever heard about keeping up appearances?

[Aloka]

Men generally prefer stupid women who will gladly risk their own health and life, and the health and life of the unborn.

In my own experience as a woman, that's complete nonsense - and its really sad if you feel that you've only ever had relationships with men like that, binocular.