There
are 10 great sins one has to avoid, stop doing them, in order to have
a better worldly life as well as to practice Bhavana.
But
many of the practitioners of Bhavana, may not agree to some of the
'Great Sins' needed to be avoided, as a pre-condition to the practice
of Bhavana. But then, another partitioner would find this
'Abstinence' from the 'Sins' is not enough in themselves, to develop
one's mind in the Bhavana. The Practitioner of the Bhavana would find
more things to be avoided, more things to be 'Abstained' from, as he
develops himself in the practice.
First
let us examine, the Great Sins, and to how to avoid or abstain from
them, when practicing. Then, let s look, how one himself finding that
more things have to be avoided or abstained from, in order to develop
one's mind.
Quote:
Now
what is unskillful? (1). Taking life is unskillful, (2).
taking what is not given is unskillful, (3). sexual misconduct is
unskillful, (4). lying is unskillful, (5). abusive speech is
unskillful, (6). divisive tale-bearing is unskillful, (7).
idle chatter is unskillful. (8). Covetousness is unskillful, (9). ill will is unskillful, (10). wrong views are
unskillful. These things are termed unskillful.
And
what are the roots of what is unskillful? Greed is a root of what is
unskillful, aversion is a root of what is unskillful, delusion is a
root of what is unskillful. These are termed the roots of what is
unskillful.
And
what is skillful? Abstaining from taking life is skillful, abstaining
from taking what is not given... from sexual misconduct... from
lying... from abusive speech... from divisive tale-bearing...
abstaining from idle chatter is skillful. Lack of covetousness...
lack of ill will... right views are skillful. These things are termed
skillful.
And
what are the roots of what is skillful? Lack of greed is a root of
what is skillful, lack of aversion is a root of what is skillful,
lack of delusion is a root of what is skillful. These are termed the
roots of what is skillful.
Translated
from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
The
End Of The Quote.
When
we come the these sins, i.e. (1). Taking life is unskillful,
(2). taking what is not given is unskillful, (4). lying is
unskillful, there is no question, that one has to abstain from
them.
Then what is meant by, (3). sexual misconduct is unskillful
?
If one is having legal sex, then it is not considered as a sin, as
in having sex with one's wife.
Though,
Legal sex is not considered, as an obstacle to one's worldly
activities as a lay person, and not termed as a sin, but when it
comes to the practice of Bhavana, one has to abstain from all the
activities of Sex, including legal sex, and even including the mere thinking of the same.
Hence, when a lay person goes to practice of Bhavana in a Buddhist
temple, on a full moon day (Uposatha Day), he has to take the Eight
Precept (Sila), of 'Abstaining', thus avoiding sex in full, instead
of the Five Precepts a lay parson would follow, in his normal worldly
life, as one has to Practice Bhavana on that day. If we compare the
relevant precepts regarding the sex, in both instances, it would
become much clearer:-
In
the Five Precepts, it is the third Precept:
3.
Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I
undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.
In
the Eight Precepts, it is the third Precept:
3.
Abrahmacariya veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I
undertake the precept to refrain from sexual activity.
So,
one must understand that, **refraining from sexual misconduct.** is
very different from, refraining from sexual activity.
Even
if one has mere thinking on sex, then he would not be practicing
Bhavana, hence, he has to refrain from all the activities of sex, in
order to practice. This one has to find himself, in the Bhavana
practice itself.
In
The Eight Precept a lay person would take on such an occasion, this
3rd precept of abrahmacariya is explained as follows:-
Quote:
3.
"Bhikkhus. Ariyan disciples in this Religion reflect thus:
"'All
arahants, for as long as life lasts, have given up that which is an
obstacle to the Brahma-faring (abrahma-cariya). Their practice is
like that of a Brahma. They are far from sexual intercourse, which is
a practice of lay people.'
"All
of you have given up that which is an obstacle to the Brahma-faring
and behave like a Brahma. Your behavior is far from sexual
intercourse. For all of this day and night, in this manner, you will
be known as having followed the arahants, and the Uposatha will have
been observed by you. This is the third factor of the Uposatha."
translated
from the Pali by Ñanavara Thera and Bhikkhu Kantasilo
End
Of The Quote.
This
situation one has to find out for himself, as many practitioners, try
to justify having sex, as not an obstacle to the practice of
Bhavana, which I thinking is driven by the sexual urge itself, where
one's mind deceiving oneself, otherwise, one would end up as a
continuous practitioner, instead of become an attainer of Samadi.
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