Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum

Posted: **Sun Apr 29, 2012 11:15 pm**

And the Blessed One said: [3]
“Guard against looking on a woman. [4]
“If ye see a woman, let it be as though ye saw her not,
and have no conversation with her. [5]
“The samana who looks on a woman as a woman,
or touches her as a woman, has broken his vow
and is no longer a disciple of the Tathagata. [8]
“Lust beclouds a man’s heart,
when it is confused with woman’s beauty,
and the mind is dazed. [11]
“Better far with red-hot irons bore out both your eyes,
than encourage in yourself sensual thoughts,
or look upon a woman’s form with lustful desires. [12]
“Better fall into the fierce tiger’s mouth,
or under the sharp knife of the executioner,
than dwell with a woman and excite in yourself lustful thoughts. [13]
“By regarding her tears and her smiles as enemies,
her stooping form, her hanging arms, and her disentangled hair
as toils designed to entrap man’s heart. [16]
“Therefore, I say, restrain the heart,
give it no unbridled license.” [17]

End Chapter 33″
http://reluctant-messenger.com/gospel_b ... ter_33.htm

Your thoughts, please

Posted: **Sun Apr 29, 2012 11:31 pm**

Some of this "text" was taken from the Pali Mahavagga, but most of it was taken from a Chinese version of the Asvaghosa's Life of the Buddha, and all of it has be reworked by Paul Carus in his putting together his book. Also, keep in mind if this actually reflects what the Buddha said, it was directed towards monks, not laity.

Posted: **Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:09 am**

paarsurrey wrote:http://reluctant-messenger.com/gospel_b ... ter_33.htm

Your thoughts, please

You may wish to look at an alternative and authoritative translations of the Nikayas rather than relying on Carus' work.
kind regards,

Ben

Posted: **Mon Apr 30, 2012 3:11 am**

paarsurrey wrote:Your thoughts, please

It may be a good conceptual support for a monk to deal with his way of life subject to limiting rules.

Kind regards

Posted: **Mon Apr 30, 2012 3:44 am**

Hello paarsurrey. Tilt Billings's guidance is sound. If you are interested in learning about how sense restraint is practiced within a Buddhist context you may wish to look more closely here: http://www.aimwell.org/Books/Mahasi/Mal ... putta.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also see this previous thread: http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 13&start=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Posted: **Mon Apr 30, 2012 5:27 am**

Throughout the Suttas, there are examples of great nuns - have a look here:

http://www.dhammatalks.net/accesstoinsi ... el292.html

Such admonitions as above even if actually spoken by the Buddha, would like ground said, serve to help the monks guard their senses and not fall prey to temptation.

Mind you, desires and temptations should not be repressed in Buddhism, but instead seen into and relinquished. The restraint refers to not acting them out.

Posted: **Mon Apr 30, 2012 8:30 am**

Dan74 wrote:Throughout the Suttas, there are examples of great nuns -.

Yes indeed. Here's an example of a verse by woman:

Sumangala's Mother

So freed! So freed!
So thoroughly freed am I
—from my pestle,
my shameless husband
& his sun-shade making,
my moldy old pot
with its water-snake smell.
Aversion & passion
I cut with a chop.
Having come to the foot of a tree,
I meditate, absorbed in the bliss:
"What bliss!"

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

Posted: **Mon Apr 30, 2012 8:36 am**

....and another:

SN 5.2 -Soma Sutta: Sister Soma

At Savatthi. Then, early in the morning, Soma the nun put on her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Savatthi for alms. When she had gone for alms in Savatthi and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind to spend the day. Having gone deep into the Grove of the Blind, she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day's abiding.

Then Mara the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall away from concentration, approached her & addressed her in verse:

That
which is
to be attained by seers
— the place so very hard to reach —
women
can't
— with their two-inch discernment —
attain.

Then the thought occurred to Soma the nun: "Now who has recited this verse — a human being or a non-human one?" Then it occurred to her: "This is Mara the Evil One, who has recited this verse wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in me, wanting to make me fall away from concentration."

Then, having understood that "This is Mara the Evil One," she replied to him in verses:

What
difference
does being a woman make
when the mind's well-centered,
when knowledge is progressing,
seeing clearly, rightly,
into the Dhamma.

Anyone who thinks
'I'm a woman'
or 'a man'
or 'Am I anything at all?' —
that's who Mara's
fit to address.

Then Mara the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, "Soma the nun knows me" — vanished right there.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

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