Karmic effect of pornography

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
justindesilva
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by justindesilva »

cappuccino wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 1:24 pm
HonestSeeker wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 11:46 am Pornography is terrible
Yes but you also think it’s great


You must merely convert yourself 100%
For those who are unable to experience sex with a social understanding pornography makes it possible secluded from society .
Hence the one who experience pornos exceeds limits of social blessngs of sex as sex is socially understood a means of extending humanity for the benefit of all.
Singalovada sutta and parabava sutta explain how sex degenerates if used in hiding or unsocially.
Cause_and_Effect
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by Cause_and_Effect »

HonestSeeker wrote: Tue May 03, 2022 2:32 pm I guess I have to be patient with this practice, sometimes just saying that I’m doing this and just not making so secretive itself is healing, I’m in relationship but she thinks this porn thing is nothing and isn’t even bothered, but that view is from the standpoint of one who doesn’t practice at all , anyways I thank you for all your time taken to give me advice, I just have to be patient with this I guess.
I've come across some women who have a problem with it, from those who dislike the possible impact it has on the real sex life to those who view it as "the lowest form of cheating" in that you are essentially releasing to another womans form.

Also I would say you can try to stop the porn use and if you really feel a need to masturbate just use imagination and memory. This step alone can significantly reduce the desire to masturbate without the artificial stimulation of pornography.

Regarding kammic effects I don't think they are good...Thanissaro talks about how sensuality in the Buddha's teaching is the desire and imagining more than the act itself so in that sense it is unwholesome and probably not much lesser than the sexual act itself if the mind is thinking about it much of the time.
"Therein monks, that Dimension should be known wherein the eye ceases and the perception of forms fades away...the ear... the nose...the tongue... the body ceases and the perception of touch fades away...

That Dimension should be known wherein mentality ceases and the perception of mind-objects fades away.
That Dimension should be known; that Dimension should be known."


(S. IV. 98) - The Dimension beyond the All
bpallister
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by bpallister »

i struggle with sexual misbehavior on the internet as well. it comes and it goes but i would like to eliminate it altogether. :anjali:
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cappuccino
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by cappuccino »

bpallister wrote: Mon May 22, 2023 11:45 pm i struggle with sexual misbehavior on the internet as well. it comes and it goes but i would like to eliminate it altogether.
Practice seeing inconstancy
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Kidet0
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by Kidet0 »

HonestSeeker wrote: Tue May 03, 2022 4:01 am Even 32 parts of the body meditation seems not helpful.
I don't know how you're doing the asubha meditation but I have some asubha resources if you would like. Perhaps some shocking visuals (and audios in some cases) would stir something in you, as they have in me. There are also audios of the Timsa Sutta and Assu Sutta, among others, which relate to grasping of the physical aggregate. In fact, I got some of it in some thread here on DW.

The shocking audio-visual material instills fear at first, but with applying the right thought, the fear turns into some sort of urgency which inspires one to brush up on their silā. With further contemplation, one develops a disenchantment/repulsion to gross pleasures like music and watching shows (entertainment).

The asubha practice takes effect slowly the way I see it. You might keep going back to the porn every other time but just keep practicing. One step back, two steps forward.

This body is foul and corruptible. For one indulging in sensual pleasures, the thought alone of departing from the body is unbearable.

Please DM if you would like me to share the asubha material.
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Pondera
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by Pondera »

I was dealing with this problem last year. I made a vow to only give in to masturbation in public.

I was arrested at a shopping mall and put in jail. Then, when I gave in to the urge in the mess hall, some of the inmates beat me up.

It was at this point that I learned the kammic retribution for my actions, and I learned how to stop.

Now that I’m out of prison, when I have the urge to masturbate, I think back to the humiliation and pain I endured by practicing the “right hand rule”.

May this method help you keep your hands off yourself :namaste:
Like the three marks of conditioned existence, this world in itself is filthy, hostile, and crowded
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confusedlayman
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by confusedlayman »

karmic effect is even if u have very good habits.. u will come to sensual realm. hard to enter brahma world
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
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confusedlayman
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by confusedlayman »

haha i understand it now.
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
Cause_and_Effect
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by Cause_and_Effect »

Kidet0 wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 1:30 am
The shocking audio-visual material instills fear at first, but with applying the right thought, the fear turns into some sort of urgency which inspires one to brush up on their silā. With further contemplation, one develops a disenchantment/repulsion to gross pleasures like music and watching shows (entertainment).

I'm familiar with asubha practices relating to the body, but I'm curious as to how one develops it towards music and entertainment?
For me music can certainly be elevating, and although it need be let go of eventually certain forms clearly can be a path connecting to at least the lower divine worlds and transcending the mundane in this realm.
"Therein monks, that Dimension should be known wherein the eye ceases and the perception of forms fades away...the ear... the nose...the tongue... the body ceases and the perception of touch fades away...

That Dimension should be known wherein mentality ceases and the perception of mind-objects fades away.
That Dimension should be known; that Dimension should be known."


(S. IV. 98) - The Dimension beyond the All
Dhammapardon
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by Dhammapardon »

HonestSeeker wrote: Tue May 03, 2022 4:01 am Hello all,
I am hoping to have an honest answer to my question, I am usually doing a lot of metta practice and I help a lot of people and do a lot of good karma in daily life, But I do have problems though, I watch porn once a week. no matter how much I try to avoid this, I end up watching porn and playing stupid porn games on the internet, I don’t have any intention of harming anyone, and I keep trying to quit this bad habit by reading about how porn actors and actresses are being exploited so that I can develop compassion and stop doing this, but I end up watching porn regardless and it’s getting to a point where I’m just sick and tired and I’m probably making bad karma from this addiction. I sometimes feel like a cow being led to slaughter at the whims of the butcher of sensual desire. Please give me advice, I have tried noting that this is not myself and it is likely caused by previous actions in the past , yet it doesn’t help break the habit. Even 32 parts of the body meditation seems not helpful. Was hoping to get some advice from an experienced practitioner of dhamma
Hello

You might try a few things.
Be mindful of how often you think about porn. Is it something happening throughout the day or just at the end of a long week the mind goes there after kicking off the shoes? If its often, be aware how often. If its not often, be aware how not often.
Notice it immediately and try to observe something that made it come up. You can build a deeper understanding of what leads to the behavior by watching where it comes from when it comes up and then dealing with those originators.
Replace the thought the moment it arises with another thought. Such as about what you're immediately occupied with rather than the mind's wanderings. Like a small peg dislodges a large peg.
Pull the experience apart when it happens. When I give in to urges it's usually because I enjoy them as an accumulation of sense experience. As many senses combined as possible for a well-rounded experience; eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind all combined. Pulling each sense apart and take an examination of it like "This part is what the eye is doing, this part is what the body is doing, this part is what the mind is doing" really helps take the infatuation out of the combined sense experience.
You already have a good advantage being ardent, diligent, and resolute. keep experimenting til you find what works.
:anjali:

Probably works to some degree for music and tv entertainments too.
Just as a bird, wherever it goes, flies with its wings as its only burden; so too is he content with a set of robes to provide for his body and almsfood to provide for his hunger. Wherever he goes, he takes only his barest necessities along. This is how a monk is content.(DN11)
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Kidet0
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by Kidet0 »

Cause_and_Effect wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 8:02 pm I'm familiar with asubha practices relating to the body, but I'm curious as to how one develops it towards music and entertainment?
Since I began asubha, I usually get a feeling of physical sickness when compulsive sexual desire rears its ugly head. This triggers the consequences of sensual indulgence to be remembered almost instantly. Therefore, I tend to shun those thoughts by thinking, "Nothing happened, they're just thoughts."

I've been a musical nerd amost all my life. A couple years ago I used to listen to a piece of music over and over, relishing the beautiful arrangements and obsessively studying musical scores for prolonged periods of time. That music was a great source of distraction (songs playing in mind) thus hindering concentration, especially in my early days ofmeditation.

Now, after starting asubha, when the impulse to listen to music or consume entertainment arises, the remembrance of the drawbacks of sensuality also arises soon after. A feeling of sickness similar to that described for sexual desire follows suit. But that doesn't always happen, especially when the mind feels dull. That's the link between asubha and entertainment for me.

There have been similar experiences when desiring to see, smell, taste, and cognize the respective pleasant sense objects.
Manu Flores
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by Manu Flores »

Dear Dhamma Brother!

You got many sensible answers and here comes one more.
I also struggle with porn. Although I have practiced Vipassana meditation for many years, this habit hasn't gone away completely. But it has decreased and that's what's matters for me.

1st: If we start craving because our addiction hasn't gone away yet, we are just craving, thus augmenting our demerit.

2nd: As friend capuccino said, don't try to push anything away, try to keep calm and aware when the urge arises. By getting better at seeing it as it is, and it is dukkha, we'll become more and more disenchanted with it.

3rd: I believe only metta practice might not be enough. I'd recommend practicing anapana and/or vipassana since they are good to clean the mind from this stains. (ps: metta is excellent)

4th and maybe the most important: keep the aim in mind, our efforts and acquired wisdom about the subject will at some point bear fruit but we can't predict or define when it's going to happen. If you are 30 or less you also come from a generation where porn watching is unfortunately a widespread and unregulated disease.

We're together in this, friends,
keep walking the path

much metta to you all

:anjali:
bpallister
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by bpallister »

I struggle greatly with this too, especially lately.
justindesilva
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Re: Karmic effect of pornography

Post by justindesilva »

Manu Flores wrote: Tue Sep 26, 2023 8:55 pm Dear Dhamma Brother!

You got many sensible answers and here comes one more.
I also struggle with porn. Although I have practiced Vipassana meditation for many years, this habit hasn't gone away completely. But it has decreased and that's what's matters for me.

1st: If we start craving because our addiction hasn't gone away yet, we are just craving, thus augmenting our demerit.

2nd: As friend capuccino said, don't try to push anything away, try to keep calm and aware when the urge arises. By getting better at seeing it as it is, and it is dukkha, we'll become more and more disenchanted with it.

3rd: I believe only metta practice might not be enough. I'd recommend practicing anapana and/or vipassana since they are good to clean the mind from this stains. (ps: metta is excellent)

4th and maybe the most important: keep the aim in mind, our efforts and acquired wisdom about the subject will at some point bear fruit but we can't predict or define when it's going to happen. If you are 30 or less you also come from a generation where porn watching is unfortunately a widespread and unregulated disease.

We're together in this, friends,
keep walking the path

much metta to you all

:anjali:
We all struggle with deviations of sexual feelings with such modes as pornography . It is a temporary mode explained as vedana , an aggregate explained to be like a bubble , disappearing immediately . (Phena sutta )
We got to realise by meditation (Asubha bhavana) that we beings are a system to convert matter as greens and meats, by consuming them an converting to faecus and urine, where wec create stirage and deliver daiky to the earths system . That been the function of us beings can be realised with paticcasamuppada and the function is executed with 8fnp.
We can get away from pornos etc by realising that we are a storage of garbage in nature changing from moment to moment whete feelings of sex is temporary and mere suffering , a temporary means of satisfaction creating dukka
.Apart from buddhism a geologist and mineralogist by name Vernadski has written a thesis on biosphere explaining that all living beings live in the biosphere of the earth , to recycle gasses as nitrogen , carbon and oxygen and mineraks by conversion to salts ad nitrates and carbonates while it is the functions of humans too.
Anattalakkhana sutta highlighted by phena sutta explains that we are a ssystem if energy converting through freqencies of electro magnetic function , to make it more understanding .
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