Summary & Conclusion

    Sexual misconduct is the third Precept of the all-important Five Precepts and thus should not be taken lightly. Whether or not this third Precept is kept, all people who indulge in any sexual misconduct will end-up in the three evil realms, including the Hell if any illicit sex is frequently enjoyed. All Buddhist laymen who had taken the Five Precepts, will suffer greater sinful karma than non-Buddhists if they break any of their kept Precepts.      

    Overall, a sexual act is acceptable only if it fulfills all these six conditions: right partner (spouse), right time, right place, right contact ‘path’ (strictly only vagina), right volume (not excessive) and right moral values (socially acceptable). 

   Sexual misconduct encompasses all following sexual acts, mainly non-marital sex with non-spouse as partner:

• wrong partner, wrong 'path', wrong place, wrong time, wrong volume or wrong moral values.
• secretive or underground
• compelled, forced or violent
• partner is seduced, tricked, deceived or flirted into having sex
• paid, traded or transacted with money, gift or any incentive
• forbidden by any of these: their parents, spouse, relatives or sexual partner herself; the law or the society; the Dharma or the chastity Precept that the partner has vowed to uphold.

     Based on the Buddha’s teachings in many Mahayana Sutras and key Treatises, illicit sexual behaviour includes sex during menstruation, self-masturbation (be it by hand or sex-toy), perversion, deviant oral or anal sex, homosexuality, adultery, promiscuity (especially lust-driven one-night stand without ensuring the right partner etc) and almost all pre-marital sex. 

    Almost all pre-marital sex and loose, indiscriminate sexual activities are considered sexual misconduct, since such sexual acts:

• Are often forbidden, secretive, compelled, transacted or lust-driven and irresponsible without subsequent marriage (despite resultant pregnancy). Or the partner is forced, seduced, flirted, tricked, deceived, drunk or 'drugged' into sex. 
• Generally involve the wrong partner (over 90% risk) or wrong ‘path’ (mouth, anus) or wrong volume (exceeding 5 times) or wrong place or wrong time or wrong values (socially unacceptable). 

    All men's wrong sexual partner include: nun, relatives (incest), virgin (not one's wife), another man's wife, any female entrusted to his protection, prostitute, prisoner, fugitive, corpse, same sex (homosexual), hermaphrodite (with both sex organs), non-human (animal, ghost) and all female persons protected by their parents, siblings, son, husband, parents-in-law, relatives or by herself; or protected by the law or the Dharma (chastity precept).

    Hence, the vast majority (over 90%) of females who are not one’s wife are the wrong sexual partner. In fact, apart from one’s wife; no girl, hardly any young woman and few middle-aged women are the right sexual partner. 

    In spite of one’s wife as the right partner, if the place or time or contact ‘path’ or volume is wrong, it is also a sexual misconduct. The only approved sexual conduct is a legally married heterosexual couple's sex, driven by love rather than by lust, and with all conditions always set right.

    Conversely, if multiple conditions are wrong simultaneously, then that illicit sexual act is much more sinful. The overall weight of evil karma accumulated due to one's sexual misconduct depends on numerous factors:

• Seriousness of the sexual act sin (e.g. oral sex is much more sinful than fantasy, hand-masturbation)
• Number and nature of wrong conditions involved: wrong partner, wrong place, wrong time, wrong 'path', wrong volume or wrong values. (e.g. incest, rape crime are among the worst sexual sins)
• Total number of occasions indulged in illicit sex (once, rarely, occasionally or frequently?)
• Amount of one's enjoyment with illicit sex (the greater one's sexual pleasure, the greater the sin)
• Amount of one's affliction due to illicit sex (the greater one's attachment, the greater the sin)  

    Maitreya Buddha-to-be had warned us that these sexual misconduct sins are very grave : wrong partner --- with his mother, step/foster mother, another man’s entrusted wife, any woman up-holding precepts, Bhiksuni nun or novice nun; wrong contact ‘path’ --- involving the partner’s face or facial feature (mouth); wrong time --- during the partner’s Uposatha eight precepts’ observance, final stage of pregnancy or serious illness; wrong place --- at the monastery, near the temple, stupa or Buddha’s image.

    The Buddha had declared both oral sex and anal sex as sinful sexual misconduct, whether his partner is of the same sex (homosexual) or of the opposite sex (heterosexual). The Buddha had warned that any gay homosexual indulging in oral sex, anal sex or sodomy with boys, upon their death, will be reborn in the evil realms, particularly the Hell if such illicit sex is often enjoyed.

    Both Shakyamuni Buddha and Maitreya Buddha-to-be had declared the same sex as the wrong sexual partner and all gay homosexuals’ sexual act as illicit.

    In fact, the Buddha often discourage all sensual pleasures, especially sexual lust that bind all sentient beings to endless Samsara sufferings.

    Almost all people, including most Buddhists are largely unaware that all following sexual acts are sexual misconduct:

• All self-masturbation (mainly by hand); more sinful if one uses any sex toy or pornography as stimulus.

• All fantasy of illicit sex with the wrong partner, especially during masturbation or sexual act with one's spouse.

• All adultery and sexual promiscuity; especially lustful one-night stand without ensuring the right partner etc.

• Almost all pre-marital sex, mainly because it is normally secretive, forbidden or the partner is wrong (over 90% risk).  

• Even if a non-marital sexual act is driven by mutual love, it is generally a sexual misconduct as non-marital sex normally involve at least one of these six wrong conditions: wrong partner (over 90% chance); wrong contact 'path' (mouth, anus); wrong volume (exceeding 5 times); wrong place; wrong time; wrong values -- secretive, underground or forbidden by parents, spouse, relatives, the law, society or the Dharma.

• All men's sexual acts with the wrong partner: nun, relatives (incest), virgin (not one's wife), another man's wife, any female entrusted to his protection, prostitute, prisoner, fugitive, corpse, same sex (homosexual), hermaphrodite (with both sex organs), non-human (animal, ghost) and all female persons protected by their parents, siblings, son, husband, parents-in-law, relatives or by herself; or protected by the law or the Dharma (chastity precept).

• All homosexuals' sexual acts, especially oral sex and anal sex.

• All sexual acts with one’s spouse as the right partner but at the wrong place, wrong time, wrong 'path' or wrong volume.

• All sexual acts through the wrong contact 'path': mainly oral sex and anal sex, regardless of man-to-woman (heterosexual) or man-to-man (homosexual) or pederasty, sodomy with boys etc. Both Shakyamuni Buddha and Maitreya Buddha-to-be had declared the female genital (vagina) as the only right sexual 'path' and all other parts of the body or face are the wrong 'path'.

• All sexual acts at the wrong place: monastery; temple/stupa vicinity; near any Buddha or Bodhisattva's statue/picture; near any corpse; outdoor or in the public; indoor assembly area; or hard, rough, uneven floor causing discomfort.

• All sexual acts at the wrong time: wife's refusal, menstruation, pregnancy (especially advanced stage), breast-feeding confinement period, illness, chastity-precept or Uposatha eight precepts' observance.

• All sexual acts that has the wrong values: deviant, immoral or socially unacceptable, including seduction, flirtation, trickery, deception, drunk or ‘drugged’ partner, transaction, prostitution, violence, compulsion, perversion, adultery, promiscuity (lust-driven, loose, indiscriminate one-night stand); matching others with sexual partner (including pimps), secretive or underground, public performance and all sexual acts in the presence of an audience. 

 

CAUTION: If any pre-marital sex or adultery results in unwanted pregnancy and subsequent abortion, the sinner will incur far worse karma, since killing one's child during abortion is much more sinful than pre-marital sex itself. May all people worldwide refrain from all sins, be it sexual misconduct or abortion.

NOTE: The site owner conveniently uses the parentheses (brackets) to indicate her interpretation to add clarity to both original Chinese-translated sutras and her English-translated sutras' excerpt on this page, for the readers' ease of understanding. 

大正藏 No.721《正法念处经》卷第一、六、七、十二   元魏婆罗门瞿昙般若流支 译  

 http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/07/0721.asp

佛言：“云何邪淫？此邪淫人，若于自妻，非道而行；或于他妻，道、非道行；若于他作，心生随喜；若设方便，强教他作，是名邪淫。……

若彼邪淫，乐行多作，堕于地狱、畜生、饿鬼。若生人中，余残  果报，妻不随顺；若得二根(阴阳人、两性人)，世间所恶。……

如是十种不善业道，不饶益业，一切皆以邪见为本。……

        乐邪欲行，生彼大量受苦恼处，地狱之中，受大苦恼。……

何者邪行？谓于妇女不应行处，口中行淫(口交)；彼人以是恶业  因缘，身坏命终，堕于恶处合大地狱。……

何者邪行？谓于妇女，非道行淫(大便处.肛交)，彼不随顺，自力强逼。彼人以是恶业因缘，身坏命终，堕于恶处合大地狱。……

何者邪行？所谓有人，取他儿子，强逼邪行，自既力多，令彼啼哭。彼人以是恶业因缘，身坏命终，堕于恶处合大地狱。……

何者邪行？谓男行男(男同性恋)；彼人以是恶业因缘，身坏命终，堕于恶处合大地狱。……

今说邪行，乐行多作，若人多欲，或于口中、若粪门中、非妇女根，淫彼妇女。彼人以是恶业因缘，身坏命终，堕于恶处合大地狱。......

何者邪行？所谓有人，起淫欲心，忆念自妻，淫他妇女。彼人以是恶业因缘，身坏命终，堕于恶处合大地狱。……

      一切恶中，邪见、邪行，最为深重。”

True Dharma Contemplation Sutra    (Saddharma-smrty-upasthana-sutra)   

般若流支  Prajnaruchi translated this sutra’s 70 fascicles in 538-543 A.D.

Translation summary: According to the Buddha:

“Sexual misconduct includes these acts: if a man has oral or anal sex with his wife; if he has any form of sex with another man’s wife; if he compels or forces others to do any sexual act (that may or may not be deviant, perverted, distasteful or uncomfortable to his partner).

All, including passive partner (at the receiving end), who enjoy any sexual misconduct and do it many times, will be reborn in the hell, animals and hungry ghosts’ realms. After suffering in the evil realms, when he is reborn as human again, his wife will be unfaithful. Some sinners (especially homosexuals) also risk future rebirth as a human hermaphrodite (with both sex organs) ostracized by the world.

Wrong view is the root of the problem, causing all the ten evil karmas.

All who enjoy illicit sexual behaviour will be reborn in the Hell and suffer tremendously. Sexual sinners include men who indulge in deviant sexual contact through the non female-genital path, namely oral sex and anal sex, whether with women (heterosexual) or with men (homosexual) or pederasty, sodomy with boys. All lust-driven adultery with other women, despite with his wife in his heart is sexual misconduct. All gay homosexuals’ sexual acts were declared illicit by the Buddha. The evil karma from any of the above sexual misconduct if often enjoyed will lead the sinners to the Hell, upon their death.

Among all grave sins, wrong view and sexual misconduct are the worst incurring the heaviest evil karma.”

 

大正藏 No.1488《优婆塞戒经》卷第六 业品第二十四之一 北凉中印度三藏昙无谶译   
http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/09/1488.asp

佛言：“若于非时、非处、非女、处女、他妇、若属自身，是名邪淫。......         

若畜生、若破坏、若属僧、若系狱、若亡逃、若师妇、若出家人；近如是人，名为邪淫。……

若到三道[口处.口交、大便处.肛交、阴道.性交]，是得淫罪。

若自、若他，在于道边、塔边、祠边、大会之处， 作非梵行，得邪淫罪。

若为父母、兄弟、国王之所守护，或先与他期、或先许他、或先受财、或先受请；木埿画像、及以死尸如是人边，作非梵行，得邪淫罪。

若属自身而作他想，属他之人而作自想，亦名邪淫。 

如是邪淫亦有轻重；从重烦恼则得重罪，从轻烦恼则得轻罪。”

Upasaka Precepts Sutra      Ancient Translator: Dharmakshema  (385～433AD) 昙无谶

Translation summary: According to the Buddha:

“All these acts are called sexual misconduct: sex at the wrong time (Uposatha eight precepts’ observance etc); wrong place (near any temple or Buddha statue); wrong partner like non-female (homosexual, pederasty or sodomy with a boy), virgin (who is not his wife) or another man’s wife; or if he indulges in sexual self-gratification (masturbation, sex toys).

These acts are also called sexual misconduct: sex with any animal, decomposed corpse, prisoner, fugitive, teacher’s wife, monk or nun; or at the monastery (despite one’s wife as the right partner).

In any one of the above situations, if a sexual act involves any of these three ‘paths’ (mouth, anus or genitals), he has committed a grave sin.

Regardless of whether he masturbates himself or has sex with his partner, if he did it at the road-side or in any public area; or by the side of a stupa, temple or place of worship; he has also committed a sexual sin.

Sexual misconduct also includes sex with any female person protected by her parents, brothers (siblings, relatives) or the king/law ---- even if beforehand, knowing his sex motive, she has consented to it or has accepted his date or invitation, gift or money.

Any form of sexual act (including self-masturbation or husband-and-wife’s natural sex) near a corpse or near any Buddha/Bodhisattva picture or statue is illicit too.

Even one’s fantasy of committing illicit sex with the wrong partner, especially during one's self-masturbation or sexual act with one's actual partner, is a sexual misconduct due to such wrong thoughts.

Such sexual misconduct can be light or serious, depending on the extent of one’s attachment or vexation. Heavy affliction (e.g. lustful) will cause heavy sin while light affliction (e.g. rarely fantasize) will cause light sin. ”

       

大正藏   No.1476 《佛说优婆塞五戒相经》 一卷  宋元嘉年求那跋摩 译

http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/09/1476.asp

佛言：“若优婆塞与人女、非人女、畜生女，三处行邪淫，犯不可悔。

若人男、非人男、畜生男、黄门、二根，二处行淫，犯不可悔。……  

三处者：口处、大便、小便处(阴道)。除是三处，余处行欲皆可悔。......

若优婆塞，有男子僮使人等，共彼行婬二处(口处、大便处)，犯不可悔罪。……

若人死乃至畜生死者，身根未坏，共彼行邪淫，女者三处犯不可悔。” 

The Buddha Defines Upasaka's Five Precepts Sutra

Translation summary: According to the Buddha:

“If a Buddhist layman Upasaka has sexual contact with a female person (not his wife), female non-person (ghost etc) or female animal (dog etc) through any of these three ‘paths’ (mouth, anus, genitals), he has committed a grave sin that cannot be atoned despite repentance.

If he has sex with a male person, male non-person (ghost etc), male animal, castrated/malfunction-organ man or a hermaphrodite (with both sex organs) through any of these two ‘paths’ (mouth, anus), he has also committed a grave sin that cannot be atoned despite repentance.

The three ‘paths’ defined as sexual misconduct are mouth, anus and urine area (including genitals like vagina). Sexual wrongdoing involving other parts of the body (excluding these three ‘paths’) can be repented.

If a Buddhist layman Upasaka has oral or anal sex with any man including his male servant, it is a grave sin that cannot be atoned, despite repentance.

Sex with a woman corpse or animal corpse through any of these three ‘paths’ (mouth, anus, genitals) that have not decomposed yet, is also a grave sin that cannot be atoned despite repentance.

[The first four Precepts killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and lying are sins in itself due to its evil nature 性罪,  regardless of whether it is declared illicit by the Buddha. Hence, committing any such evil is a serious sin, regardless of whether one is a Buddhist or an Upasaka who holds the Five Precepts. But, an Upasaka who breaks any of these four Precepts he has taken, will suffer an additional sin of Precept-breaking on top of his sin's evil nature, thus resulting in overall more sinful karma than those who do not uphold such Precepts.]

 

大正藏 No.694《佛说大乘造像功德经》卷下   大唐于阗三藏提云般若奉 制译

http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/07/0694.asp

佛言：“弥勒！有四种业，能令丈夫受二形身[阴阳人、两性人]，一切  人中最为其下。

何等为四？一者、于尊敬所而有烝秽；二者、于男子身非处染着[同性恋口交、肛交]；三者、即于自己而行欲事[手淫或用性具]；四者、詃卖女色而与他人。若有众生曾行此事，深自咎责，悔先所犯，起净信心，造佛形像，乃至成佛不受此身。

弥勒！复有四缘，令诸男子其心常生女人爱欲（男性同性恋），乐他于己行丈夫事[男与男邪淫]。

何等为四？一者、或嫌或戏，谤毁于人；二者、乐作女人，衣服庄饰；三者、于亲族女行淫秽事；四者、实无胜德，妄受其礼。以此因缘，令诸丈夫，起于如是别异烦恼。若悔先犯，更不造新，心生信乐，作佛形像，其罪既灭，此心亦息。”

“These are the four bad karmas that cause men to reborn as hermaphrodites (with both sex organs) who are the most inferior among all people. First, pollute or defile any respectable place of worship (e.g. had sex near the temple or the Buddha statue). Second, male-to-male’s oral or anal sex (homosexuals, pederasty or sodomy). Third, sexual self-gratification or self-masturbation. Fourth, sell woman’s sex-appeal to entice any man (e.g. pimps)

These are the four bad karmas that cause men to reborn as homosexuals who desire other men and indulge in man-to-man sexual act. First, slander people for fun or out of aversion. Second, like to be a woman, to dress up or adorn oneself. Third, commit incest with a female relative. Fourth, absurdly let others prostrate to them, despite not possessing superior, noble qualities deserving such reverence.

Any of these four sins will cause men to reborn as homosexual and suffer affliction due to his abnormal orientation. If a homosexual can repent his past bad deeds, vow never to commit such sins again; sincerely and happily sponsor the Buddha’s image production/printing (ideally for free distribution), then his sinful karma will be cleared and he can finally be relieved of such homosexual inclination." 

 

大正藏  No.1509《大智度论》龙树菩萨造  后秦龟兹国三藏法师鸠摩罗什奉诏 译

初品中戒相义 第二十二之一  卷第十三

http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/10/1509.asp

邪淫者，若女人为父母、兄弟、姊妹、夫主、儿子，世间法、王法守护，若犯者是名邪淫。

若有虽不守护，以法为守。云何法守？一切出家女人，在家受一日戒，是名法守。

若以力、若以财、若诳诱；若自有妻，受戒、有娠、乳儿、非道，如是犯者名为邪淫。

如是种种，乃至以华鬘与淫女为要，如是犯者名为邪淫。.....

有娠妇人，以其身重，厌本所习，又为伤娠。乳儿时淫其母，乳则竭，又以心着淫欲，不复护儿。

非道之处，则非女根，女心不乐，强以非理，故名邪淫。   

Great Wisdom Perfection Treatise  (Mahaprajnaparamita-Upadesha)

龙树菩萨  Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva created this Treatise, based on many sutras.

鸠摩罗什  Kumarajiva (344-413 A.D.) translated all 100 fascicles in 402-405 A.D.

Translation summary: According to Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva:

"Sexual misconduct includes sex with any female protected by her parents, siblings, husband, son, country’s law, world’s morals or the Dharma.

All nuns and laywomen keeping the Eight Precepts for a day (Uposatha) are protected by the Dharma. 

Anyone who forces, tricks or seduces his partner or uses money to buy sex (from prostitutes etc) is also guilty of sexual misconduct.

Sex with one’s wife at the wrong time when she is observing the Eight Precepts (Uposatha), pregnant, breast feeding; or through the wrong ‘paths’ (mouth, anus) is also illicit sexual behavior.

All above situations as well as all sex-related transactions are considered sexual misconduct, including giving his sexual partner (not his wife) any incentive for sex, even just a flower garland.

A pregnant woman (especially in advanced stage) normally dislikes sexual contact, due to her much heavier body and to avoid hurting her foetus.

Sex with a breast-feeding mother will dry-up her breast-milk and will also distract the lust-aroused mother from taking good care of her new-born infant.

As the wrong “paths” (mouth, anus) are not genitals, the women (and also men) are normally unhappy with any oral or anal sex forced upon them. Hence, all such unnatural, unreasonable, selfish acts are classified as sexual misconduct."

 

大正藏 No.1579《瑜伽师地论》卷第八、五十九、六十  

弥勒菩萨说  三藏法师玄奘奉 诏译       http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/11/1579.asp

复次欲邪行者者，此是总句，于诸父母等所守护者。犹如父母，于己处女，为适事他故，勤加守护，时时观察，不令与余共为鄙秽。若彼没已，复为至亲兄弟姊妹之所守护；此若无者，复为余亲之所守护。此若无者，恐损家族，便自守护。       

或彼舅姑(公婆)，为自儿故，勤加守护。有治罚者，谓诸国王，若执理者，以治罚法而守护故。有障碍者，谓守门者所守护故。                   

此中略显未适(嫁)他者，三种守护：一、尊重至亲眷属、自己之所守护；二、王执理家之所守护；三、诸守门者之所守护。他妻妾者，谓已适(嫁)他；他所摄者，谓即未适(嫁)他，为三守护之所守护。

若由凶诈者，谓矫乱已而行邪行。若由强力者，谓对父母等公然强逼。

若由隐伏者，谓不对彼，窃相欣欲；而行欲行者，谓两两交会，即于此事。

非理欲心而行邪行者，谓于非道、非处、非时，自妻妾所，而为罪失。

此中略义者，谓略显示，若彼所行，若行差别，若欲邪行应知。......

若行不应行，名欲邪行。或于非支、非时、非处、非量、非理，如是一切皆欲邪行。

若于母等、母等所护，如经广说名不应行。

一切男及不男，属自、属他，皆不应行。除产门外，所有余分，皆名非支。          

若秽下时、胎圆满时、饮儿乳时、受斋戒时、或有病时，谓所有病匪宜习欲，是名非时。

若诸尊重所集会处、或灵庙中、或大众前、或坚鞭地高下不平.令不安隐，如是等处，说名非处。

过量而行，名为非量。是中量者，极至于五；此外一切皆名过量。

不依世礼，故名非理。若自行欲、若媒合他，此二皆名欲邪行摄。若有公显、或复隐窃、或因诳谄方便矫乱、或因委托，而行邪行，如是皆名欲邪行罪。......

复次行不应行中，若母、母亲、委信他妻、或住禁戒、或苾刍尼、或勤策女、或复正学，如是一切，由其事故名重欲邪行。非支行中，若于面门，由其事故名重欲邪行。非时行中，若受斋戒、若胎圆满、若有重病，由其事故名重欲邪行。非处行中，若佛灵庙、若僧伽蓝，由其事故名重欲邪行。......

复次若有见闻不应行事，便不如理分别取相，遂贪欲缠之所缠缚，而行非法，名贪所生欲邪行罪。......

或为存活、希求财谷、金银珍宝，而行邪行，如是一切，名贪所生欲邪行罪。

Spiritual Practice Master Stages Treatise   (Yogacharabhumi Shastra)     

This discourse was expounded by Ajita Bodhisattva or Buddha-to-be Maitreya. 弥勒菩萨

玄奘  Hsuan-tsang or Xuan-zang (599-664 A.D.) translated 100 fascicles in 646-648 A.D.

Translation summary: According to the Buddha-to-be Maitreya:

        “An unmarried female person is normally protected by her parents; or siblings if her parents pass away; or other relatives if her siblings are non-existent. If there is no relative to protect her, then the single woman will protect herself. All single women have three types of protection. First protection is by her respected, close relatives or by herself. Second protection is by the country’s law and the people enforcing it (government, police, judge and prosecutor). Third protection is the obstruction by the person guarding the door of her home.

On the other hand, a married woman is normally protected by her husband, or parents-in-law, if her husband is absent.

        Sexual misconduct includes all forms of sex by trickery, deception, force, violence and rape crime. Sexual misconduct also includes all secretive, concealed or underground sex relationships (such as one-night stand, pre-marital sex, adultery) and even post-marital sex with his wife at the wrong place, wrong time or wrong sexual ‘path’.

        The above examples are only a broad indication of illicit sexual behaviour and all people prone to any such act or deviant sex ought to know (so as to repent and avoid future suffering in the evil realms).

If a person did what he should not do, then it is misconduct. In summary, sexual misconduct refers to all sexual acts done with the wrong partner, or through the wrong contact ‘path’, or at the wrong time or wrong place, or wrong volume, or wrong values (immoral).

As declared in many sutras, a man should not have sex with (wrong partner like) his mother or close relatives, girls or women protected by their mothers or relatives. All gay homosexuals should not engage in any sexual activity, regardless of their ‘sexual role’ involving his or his partner’s (mouth, anus or male organ). Apart from the female genital vagina, all other parts of the body (especially mouth, anus) are the ‘wrong sex-contact paths’.

Wrong time refers to her menstruation period; advanced pregnancy; breast-feeding; Uposatha eight precepts’ observance and all types of illness.

Wrong place refers to all respectable places’ assembly hall or meeting room; temple or worship area; public places; in the presence of an audience and on the floor that is hard, rough or uneven resulting in discomfort.

Wrong volume refers to excessive sex beyond five times.

Wrong values refer to all socially unacceptable sexual acts including deviant, perverted and immoral sex.

Sexual misconduct encompasses self-masturbation as well as matching others with sex partners. Sexual misconduct sin also includes these situations: public performance; secretive or underground sexual relation; flatter, trick or deceive anyone into sex (e.g. pretending to love her or false promise to marry her); sex with any female person entrusted to his care or protection (e.g. guardian of his friend’s wife, fiancée, girl-friend, sister or daughter).

Sexual misconduct sins that are very grave: wrong partner --- with his mother, step/foster mother, another man’s entrusted wife, any woman up-holding precepts, Bhiksuni or novice nun; wrong contact ‘path’ --- involving the partner’s face or facial feature (mouth); wrong time --- during the partner’s Uposatha eight precepts’ observance, final stage of pregnancy or serious illness; wrong place --- at the monastery, near the temple, stupa or Buddha’s image.

If one learns about any deviant or perverted sexual act (from the pornography or hear-say), and practises such immoral act indiscriminately, being overcome by lust --- this is called greed-driven sexual misconduct sin. All sex-trade for survival reason and sex-transaction in the hope or with the request of receiving money, food, gold, silver, jewellery or treasure; are also called greed-driven sexual misconduct sin. ”

 

大正藏 No.727《十不善业道经》马鸣菩萨 集 
西天译经三藏朝散大夫试鸿胪少卿宣梵大师赐紫沙门臣日称等奉诏 译
http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/07/0727.asp   
云何欲邪行？于此罪中，而有四类：非处、非时、非分、非往。
非处者，谓于诸佛、菩萨、经像、和尚、阇梨、父母所止，或相邻近，皆所不应。
非时者，谓于昼日、或偶月事、怀妊、新产、彼不乐欲、及病恼等、或受净住、八关斋戒，皆非其宜。
非分者，谓于面门、及以非道、童男、处女、自执持等，俱不应作。
非往者，谓于他妻、及比丘尼、亲族、异趣、及炫卖等、设自境界，作非梵行，所不应理。如上当知。

Ten Bad Karmas Sutra
马鸣菩萨  Asvaghosa Bodhisattva compiled this sutra, based on other relevant sutras.  
Translation summary: According to the Asvaghosa Bodhisattva:
"There are four categories of sexual misconduct sin: wrong place, wrong time, wrong ‘path’ and wrong partner.
Wrong place refers to those area in the vicinity of any sutra, Buddha or Bodhisattva’ image, temple grounds and monastery where the monks, Preceptor and Dharma-Teacher reside. All places, even contiguous bedrooms, are considered wrong if their parents forbid their sexual act.
Wrong time refers to day-time, monthly menstruation, pregnancy, confinement period just after new-born delivery, partner’s refusal or aversion, affliction, illness, upholding celibacy precept or Uposatha Eight Precepts.
Wrong ‘path’ refers to the partner’s face or facial features (mouth), non female-genital (anus etc), boy or virgin, self-masturbation using any sex-device (sex-toys) etc --- all these are forbidden.
Wrong partner refers to others’ wife, Bhiksuni or nun, relatives, non-humans (animals, ghosts etc), prostitutes and sexual self-gratification by fantasizing or/and using any stimuli (mainly pornography).
All should be aware of the above illicit sexual behavior."

大正藏  No.1646《成实论》卷第七、八   诃梨跋摩造   姚秦三藏鸠摩罗什 译

三业品 第一百   七不善律仪品 第一百一十一    十不善道品 第一百一十六  

http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/12/1646.asp            

问曰：若为与乐便得福者，如淫他妻令其生乐，亦应得福？

答曰：淫欲名决定不善，若人令他行不善法，是则为苦，非为乐也。乐名今乐、后乐；非现在少乐，以此因缘后得大苦。...... 谓淫欲是决定不善，生大苦故。...... 

众生皆贪染心，故而受淫欲。......

成就邪淫，谓非道行淫及淫女等。......

邪淫名，若众生非妻与之行淫，是名邪淫。又虽是其妻，于非道行淫，亦名邪淫。又一切女人皆有守护，若父母、兄弟、夫主、儿息等；出家女人，为王等守护。

Honest Truths Treatise  (Satyasiddhi-shastra)         

诃梨跋摩    Harivarman created this Treatise.

鸠摩罗什    Kumarajiva (344-413 A.D.) translated this sutra’s 16 fascicles in 402-412 A.D.

Translation summary:

Since giving joy to others means good deed deserving merit, then if a man makes his wife happy during their sexual activity, will he gain merit? All sexual desires are definitely bad, not wholesome. If a person makes others do any bad deed, he is giving her suffering, not joy. True joy means not only happy now, but also happy in future (lives); not slight happiness now but huge suffering in their future lives due to such bad karma. All lusts are certainly bad, since such karma will cause tremendous suffering (in future).

All sentient beings are driven by greed or desires and thus defiled by their lust.

Sexual contact through any wrong ‘path’ (mainly mouth, anus), even with his wife is declared sexual misconduct (in many sutras). 

In short, sexual misconduct encompasses any sexual act with all female persons who are not his wife (including prostitutes). This is because all female persons are protected in one way or another --- by their parents, brothers, husbands, sons etc. All nuns are protected by the country’s law, government etc.

 

大正藏 No.148《国王不梨先泥十梦经》东晋西域沙门竺昙无兰 译 
http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/01/0148.asp

佛言：“后世人当不畏法禁、淫泆、贪利、嫉姤、不知厌足、少义理、无慈心、喜怒、不知惭愧。”

King Pasendi’s Ten Dreams Sutra

Translation summary: According to the Buddha:

“In future, the people will not fear the penal law and prohibition. Besides being unafraid to break the law, the people in future will be lustful, licentious, sexually promiscuous, greedy for benefits (money etc), jealous, avaricious (no contentment), loose in morals, unprincipled, unkind, irritable and have no sense of guilt or shame.”  

 

大正藏  No.396《佛说法灭尽经》僧祐录中失译经人名今附宋录

http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/05/0396.asp

佛告阿难：“吾涅槃后，法欲灭时，五逆浊世，魔道兴盛，魔作沙门坏乱吾道。......

无有道德，淫泆浊乱，男女不别；令道薄淡，皆由斯辈。”

The Buddha Declares Dharma Gross Destruction Sutra   Unknown Ancient Translator
Translation summary: The Buddha told Ananda,
“After my parinirvana, during the Dharma-ending-age in this world of the Five Turbidities, the Maras will flourish and emerge as Sramanas (monks) to ruin and mess-up my (Buddhism) Way ......
Lacking moral values, they will indulge in sexual promiscuity and socially unacceptable sex (mainly oral sex, anal sex), regardless of with the men (homosexuals) or with the women (heterosexuals) as their partners. My Way will diminish all due to such generation people.”

大正藏 No.1488《优婆塞戒经》 卷第三   北凉中印度三藏昙无谶 译

优婆塞戒经受戒品 第十四         http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/09/1488.asp                        

佛言：“若复有人乐为邪淫，是人不能护自他身、一切众生见皆生疑、所作之事妄语在先、于一切时常受苦恼、心常散乱、不能修善、喜失财物、所有妻子心不恋慕、寿命短促，是名邪淫现在恶果。

舍此身已，处在地狱，受恶色力、饥渴长命、无量苦恼，是名后世恶业果报。

若得人身，恶色恶口、人不喜见、不能守护妻妾男女；是一恶人因缘力故，一切外物不得自在。”

Upasaka Precepts Sutra           Ancient Translator: Dharmakshema (385～433AD)  昙无谶

Translation summary: According to the Buddha:

“Those people who indulge in sexual misconduct suffer these bad fruits during their present life-time: he is unable to protect himself or others (e.g. from AIDS or other sexually transmitted infections); all sentient beings who see him are suspicious of him; everything that he does, he starts by telling lies; he often feel troubled or tormented at all times; he often lack focus and his mind is often scattered or confused; he cannot cultivate goodness or practice wholesome deeds; he loses his money and properties; his wife does not adore him; and his life is shortened.

After leaving his human body upon death, he will reborn in the Hell with ugly appearance and suffer hunger, thirst, long-life and unlimited torture --- this is called evil karma retribution in future life-times’.

When he is eventually reborn as human again, he will be ugly-looking, harsh in speech, dislikeable/unpopular, unable to protect his wife and children (from illicit sexual behavior). As a cause-and-effect of one evil person’s karmic force, he will be poor and deprived of all external possessions.”

 

大正藏  No.81《分别善恶报应经》卷上、下    http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/01/0081.asp

西天中印度惹烂驮啰国密林寺三藏明教大师赐紫沙门臣天息灾奉 诏译

佛言：“复云何业获地狱报？有十种法，云何十种？一、不善身业；二、不善口业；三、不善意业；四、恒起身见；五、恒起边见；六、邪见不息；七、作恶不纤；八、淫欲邪行；九、毁谤圣贤；十、坏灭正法；如是十业获地狱报。......

复次邪欲报有十种。何等为十？一、欲心炽盛；二、妻不贞良；三、不善增长；四、善法消灭；五、男女纵逸；六、资财密散；七、心多疑虑；八、远离善友；九、亲族不信；十、命终三涂。”

Discern Good from Bad Retribution Sutra 

Translation summary: According to the Buddha:

“These are the ten types of evil karma that cause one’s retribution in the Hell: bad behavior; bad speech; bad thoughts; fixed self-view that an embodied self exists; fixed extreme/diametric view of perpetuity or cessation; persistent wrong view; major evil deeds; sexual misconduct; slander any sage or the enlightened; harm or destroy the true Dharma.

Sexual misconduct causes these ten retributions: burning desires and lust; wife is unfaithful and not virtuous; unwholesome traits/deeds grow; wholesome qualities vanish; sexual debauchery and promiscuity; money and properties dispersed rapidly; frequent misgiving feelings; separated or distance from virtuous friends; relatives’ distrust; upon-death end-up in the three evil realms. ”

  

Objective of this website page on sexual misconduct:

The Site Owner has recently compiled and translated into English these relevant excerpts in many Mahayana Sutras/Treatises in the hope of convincing millions of people worldwide, especially Theravada Buddhism authors to correct their long-time, entrenched wrong views on homosexuality and sexual behavior, currently published both online and in printed Buddhist books. The following 'Buddhism A to Z' website (and published book) is a typical example of the Theravada Buddhism authors’ misinterpretation and misrepresentation of the Buddha’s teachings on the third Precept 'sexual misconduct'. Buddhawords.com Site Owner is very concerned about such serious error as it will mislead millions of people into committing sexual misconduct sin and breaking the third Precept, unknowingly.

 

Buddhism A to Z   http://www.buddhisma2z.com/index.html

The purpose of this website is to offer concise and authentic information on Buddhist doctrine, the Buddhist perspective on various contemporary issues and subjects pertaining to Buddhism.

HOMOSEXUALITY   http://www.buddhisma2z.com/content.php?id=176
With its emphasis on psychology and cause and effect, Buddhism judges acts, including sexual acts, by the intention behind them and the effect they have. A sexual act motivated by love, mutuality and the desire to give and share would be judged positive no matter what the gender of the two persons involved. Therefore, homosexuality as such is not considered immoral in Buddhism or against the third Precept.   WRONG INTERPRETATION!

SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR   http://www.buddhisma2z.com/content.php?id=370
From the Buddhist perspective, therefore, sex before marriage or during menstruation, masturbation, homosexuality, with a person of a lower caste (forbidden in Hinduism) or sexual promiscuity, while perhaps being inadvisable, socially unacceptable or not conducive to spiritual development, would not per se be breaking the third Precept.   WRONG INTERPRETATION!

 

Buddhawords.com Site Owner's Comments:

The above underlined statements in red published in 'Buddhism A to Z' website and printed book are the authors' opinion or interpretation;  and are definitely not authentic Dharma,  as the Buddha had never said so, in both Theravada Sutta/Pali Canon and Mahayana Sutra/Treatise.

 

HOMOSEXUALITY   True Dharma based on the Buddha's teachings in the Mahayana Sutras:

A sexual act motivated by love, mutuality and the desire to give and share would be judged positive only if it involves the right partner (opposite sex, wife) at the right place, right time, right contact 'path' (strictly only vagina), right volume (not excessive) and right moral values. The gender of the two persons involved in sexual act certainly does matter.  Both Shakyamuni Buddha and Maitreya Buddha-to-be had declared the same sex as the wrong sexual partner and all gay homosexuals’ sexual act as Illicit.  Therefore, homosexuals' oral or anal sex as such is declared unacceptable in Buddhism and against the third Precept.  

 

SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR  True Dharma based on the Buddha's teachings in the Mahayana Sutras:

From the overall Buddhist perspective, sex before marriage (generally) or sex during menstruation, masturbation, homosexuality or sexual promiscuity would per se be breaking the third Precept. 

 

Two short reminders for all people not to misquote or misrepresent the Buddha's teachings:

 

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.023.than.html

Abhasita Sutta: What Was Not Said  (AN 2.23)

translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.    Access to Insight, 8 August 2010

"Monks, these two slander the Tathagata. Which two? He who explains what was not said or spoken by the Tathagata as said or spoken by the Tathagata. And he who explains what was said or spoken by the Tathagata as not said or spoken by the Tathagata. These are two who slander the Tathagata."

 

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.025.than.html

Neyyatha Sutta: A Meaning to be Inferred  (AN 2.25) 

translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.    Access to Insight, 8 August 2010

"Monks, these two slander the Tathagata. Which two? He who explains a discourse whose meaning needs to be inferred as one whose meaning has already been fully drawn out. And he who explains a discourse whose meaning has already been fully drawn out as one whose meaning needs to be inferred. These are two who slander the Tathagata." 

 

Access to Insight, 8 June 2010  http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html

Simsapa Sutta: The Simsapa Leaves    (SN 56.31) (excerpt)

translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.        Alternate translation: Walshe

Once, the Blessed One was staying at Kosambi in the simsapa forest.

Then, picking up a few simsapa leaves with his hand, he asked the monks,

"What do you think, monks: Which are more numerous, the few simsapa leaves in my hand or those overhead in the simsapa forest?"

"The leaves in the hand of the Blessed One are few in number, lord.

Those overhead in the simsapa forest are more numerous."                                                          

"In the same way, monks, those things that I have known with direct knowledge but have not taught are far more numerous [than what I have taught]. ”

 

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an08/an08.040.than.html

Vipaka Sutta: Results   (AN 8.40)   (excerpt)

translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.     Access to Insight, 4 July 2010 

(The Buddha told his monks) Illicit sexual behavior — when indulged in, developed, & pursued — is something that leads to hell, leads to rebirth as a common animal, leads to the realm of the hungry shades. The slightest of all the results coming from illicit sexual behavior is that, when one becomes a human being, it leads to rivalry & revenge.

 

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.12.0.than.html

Lohicca Sutta: To Lohicca   (DN 12)   (excerpt) 

translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.      Access to Insight, 8 June 2010  

(The Buddha said)

For one of wrong view, I tell you, there is one of two destinations: either hell or the animal womb.

 

Access to Insight, 2 May 2011  http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn16/sn16.013.than.html

Saddhammapatirupaka Sutta: A Counterfeit of the True Dhamma  (SN 16.13) (excerpt)

translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.       Alternate translation: Walshe 

(The Buddha told Ven. Maha-Kassapa) "There is no disappearance of the true Dhamma as long as a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has not arisen in the world, but there is the disappearance of the true Dhamma when a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has arisen in the world. Just as there is no disappearance of gold as long as a counterfeit of gold has not arisen in the world, but there is the disappearance of gold when a counterfeit of gold has arisen in the world, in the same way there is no disappearance of the true Dhamma as long as a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has not arisen in the world, but there is the disappearance of the true Dhamma when a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has arisen in the world.
"It's not the earth property that makes the true Dhamma disappear. It's not the water property... the fire property... the wind property that makes the true Dhamma disappear. It's worthless people who arise right here [within the Sangha] who make the true Dhamma disappear. The true Dhamma doesn't disappear the way a boat sinks all at once.”

The Dharmafarers  http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/40a.16-Ahita-Thera-S-a5.88-piya.pdf

(Ahita) Thera Sutta:  The Discourse on the Elder  (excerpt)

Translated from the Pali by Piya Tan c2007   (Ahitāya) Thera Sutta (A5.88/3:114-116) = Sutta Discovery 40.16.

[Even famous teachers can have wrong views]

The elder with wrong view

Bhikshus, the conduct [the way] of an elder, accomplished in five qualities, is not beneficial for the many, not for the good of the many, not for the happiness of the many: it is for the loss and suffering of gods and humans. What are the five?

(1) The elder is of long standing, long gone forth.

He is well known, famous, with a following of great crowds of householders and renunciants.

He is a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodging, and support for the sick and medical requisites.

He is deeply learned, an expert, a store of learning.

Those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, both in the spirit and the letter [both in meaning and phrasing], that affirms the holy life fully complete and pure — such teachings he has learned much, remembered, recited verbally, investigated with the mind, and penetrated well by view.

But he is of wrong view and deviant vision.

Having made the masses turn away from true Dharma, he establishes them in what is not true Dharma.

(2) Thinking, “The elder monk is of long standing, long gone forth,” they come to hold this wrong view, too.

(3) Thinking, “The elder monk is well known, famous, with a great following of householders and renunciants,” they come to hold this wrong view, too.

(4) Thinking, “The elder monk is a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine and medication,” they come to hold this wrong view, too.

(5) Thinking, “The elder monk is learned, an expert, a store of learning,” they come to hold this wrong view, too.

Bhikshus, the conduct [the way] of an elder, accomplished in these five qualities, is not beneficial for the many, not for the good of the many, not for the happiness of the many: it is for the loss and suffering of gods and humans.

 

大正藏 No.395《佛说当来变经》 西晋月氏国三藏竺法护 译     

http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/05/0395.asp   

佛言：“佛之雅典，深法之化，不用多言，案本说经，不舍正句，希言屡中，不失佛意。”    

The Buddha Declares Future Certain Changes Sutra

Ancient Translator: Dharmaraksha [200-300 A.D.]   竺法护

Translation summary: According to the Buddha:

“The Buddha’s refined sutras contain profound Dharma. All people who expound any sutra (Dharma-Teachers, authors) need not elaborate but just follow closely to the Buddha’s words in the sutra (or sutta). Should not skip any key sentence in the sutra (or sutta) and should also constantly minimise using one’s own words to explain, to ensure no misinterpretation of the Buddha’s teachings and no distortion of His intended meaning. "

(This is a gentle reminder to all Dharma-Teachers and authors etc not to explain, interpret or elaborate unnecessarily, so as to avoid any unwitting misrepresentation of the Buddha’s teachings.) 

  

大正藏 No.721《正法念处经》卷第十四    地狱品  

元魏婆罗门瞿昙般若流支 译       http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/07/0721.asp 

佛言：“彼十不善.恶业道行，并五逆业，皆共和集大地狱行，入阿鼻狱。 ……    

若人毁呰一切智人、毁辟支佛、毁阿罗汉、若毁法律，非法说法，复教他人，令住随喜；彼人非法复说为法，常毁圣人。彼人以是恶业因缘，身坏命终，堕于恶处，在彼(阿鼻)地狱。”

True Dharma Contemplation Sutra    (Saddharma-smrty-upasthana-sutra)        

Ancient Translator: Prajnaruchi   般若流支 

Translation summary: According to the Buddha:

“Those who slander all wise people, Arhat or Pratyekabuddha; or slander the Dharma and Precepts-discipline by teaching people non-dharma (one’s opinion or misinterpretation) as the true Dharma, cause people to rejoice (especially those whose unacceptable conduct is misinterpreted as acceptable). Due to their misrepresentation of the Dharma which means frequent slander of the sages/Buddhas, they will upon their death, plunge into the Avici Hell.                                                                     

 

大正藏 No.643《佛说观佛三昧海经》观佛心品第四  卷第五 

东晋天竺三藏佛陀跋陀罗译        http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/07/0643.asp

    佛告阿难：“云何名尖石地狱？尖石地狱者，有二十五石山，一一石山有八冰池，一一冰池有五毒龙。

世间自有愚痴众生。比丘、比丘尼、沙弥、沙弥尼、式叉摩尼、优婆塞、优婆夷、九十五种诸梵志等，法说非法，非法说法；或犯轻戒久不忏悔，心无惭愧犹如猨猴。

此人罪报命欲终时，心下气满腹胀如鼓，饮食噎吐水浆不下；即作是念，得一石尖塞我咽喉不亦快乎。作是念时，狱卒罗刹化作良医，幻捉石尖作大药丸，着其口中告言闭口。心生欢喜，气绝命终，生石山间（地狱）。无量尖石从背上入，从胸前出。狱卒复以铁叉，叉口以石内中。一日一夜，六十亿死，六十亿生。此是生报，从此命终，堕黑绳地狱。”                         

The Buddha Expounds Visualize Buddha Samadhi Sea Sutra

Ancient Translator: Buddhabhadra (394-468 A.D.)   佛陀跋陀罗

Translation summary: According to the Buddha:

“There are foolish people in the world. Bhiksus (monks), bhiksunis (nuns), (sramaṇera) novice monks, (sramaṇerika) novice nuns, Upasaka laymen, Upasika laywomen and ninety-five types of (Brahmacarin) heretic spiritual practitioners etc ---- who misrepresent the true Dharma as non-dharma and misrepresent non-dharma (one’s opinion or interpretation) as the true Dharma instead; or break minor precepts without repentance for a long time and without feeling any sense of guilt or shame like the orang-u-tan ---- upon their death, will plunge to the Hell due to such grave sins.” 

 (This is a useful reminder not to misrepresent Mahayana Dharma as non-dharma; since the true Dharma covers all authentic Buddha’s teachings available in not only the Pali Canon or Theravada suttas, but also the Mahayana sutras and key Treatises.)

 

大正藏  No.840《称赞大乘功德经》大唐三藏法师玄奘奉 诏译   

http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/07/0840.asp

    佛言：“菩萨哀愍一切有情，于生死中轮转无救。初发无上菩提心时，一切天人、阿素洛等，皆应供养；已能映夺，一切声闻、独觉极果；已能摧伏一切魔军，诸恶魔王皆大惊怖。”

    时德严华闻佛语已，重请佛言：“何谓魔军？惟愿世尊哀愍为说。”

    佛告德严华：“若有闻说大乘法教，不生随喜、不乐听闻、不求悟入、不能信受、反加轻笑、毁訾、凌蔑、离间、谤讟、捶打、驱摈；应知此等皆是魔军，是则名为乐非法者、性鄙劣者、求外道者、行邪行者、坏正见者。应知此等谤毁大乘，当堕地狱受诸剧苦。从彼出已，生饿鬼中，经百千劫，常食粪秽。后生人中，盲、聋、喑痖、支体不具。……

    曾闻大乘，而诽谤者，经无量劫，堕大地狱、傍生、饿鬼。”

Extol Great-Vehicle Virtuous-Merit Sutra    

Ancient Translator: Hsuan-tsang (599-664 A.D.)  玄奘

Translation summary: According to the Buddha:

    “The Bodhisattvas sympathize with all sentient beings for transmigrating helplessly in their birth-and-death cycles. Any person who has just aroused their Bodhi-mind deserves offerings from all devas (divine beings), people and asuras. Such initial Bodhi-mind aroused person (despite yet to become an enlightened sage or Bodhisattva) not only already outshines both Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas; but also is already able to subdue all maras' armies, thus shocking all evil maras. 

All those people who not only disbelieve, dislike, reject but also sneer, defame, slander, insult, scorn, expel, repel or beat up any Great-Vehicle Dharma teaching they come across, are actually the Maras' armies. These people who like non-dharma or counterfeit of the true Dharma, are narrow-minded, crude and inferior. Due to their wrong views and wrong deeds, they are similar to the non-Buddhist doctrines’ heretics.

As a result of slandering the Mahayana Dharma, they will surely suffer all types of torture in the Hell, followed by rebirth as hungry ghosts often eating faeces for hundreds or thousands of kalpas. When they are eventually reborn as humans again, they will be handicapped such as blind, deaf, mute, crippled or deformed.

Those who had ever slandered any Great-Vehicle Dharma that they came across will suffer for countless kalpas in the evil realms of big Hell (Avici), animals and hungry ghosts.”

[In both Theravada suttas and Mahayana sutras, the Buddha had related many incidents of himself in his past lives as a Bodhisattva or initial Bodhi-mind aroused person. Any person or Arhat who aspires the Buddha-hood, has to first arouse the Bodhi-mind, then practice diligently to become an altruistic Bodhisattva and for kalpas ‘walk the Bodhisattva Path’ that is the Mahayana Great-Vehicle Way. To become a Bodhisattva, one must first sincerely and regularly arouse the altruistic mind which aspires the Buddha-hood mainly for the sake of saving infinite sentient beings. Such unsurpassed Bodhi-mind arousal leading to one's selfless deeds, often arise from one’s great compassion to liberate all countless sentient beings from their endless birth-and-death transmigration sufferings. The key purpose of the Buddha expounding the Mahayana Sutras is to teach the sentient beings the right Way to Buddha-hood; including wise guidance on arousing the Bodhi-mind, upholding the Bodhisattva precepts and cultivating the fifty-two stages of ‘Bodhisattva Path’ , the final stage being Buddha-hood.  If all Buddhas do not expound the Mahayana sutras, then nobody can attain the Buddha-hood in the future kalpas, which means no Buddha will exist in the extremely distant future. This is certainly contrary to all Buddhdas' wishes.]  

大正藏  No.841《说妙法决定业障经》大唐至相寺沙门释智严 译

http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/07/0841.asp

佛告夫人：“敷演大乘经典之处，若有众生闻说大乘，心不乐闻、调弄诽谤；

当知则是邪魔眷属。诽谤大乘经典心故，死堕阿鼻，受苦无量。

复生饿鬼，食火屎尿，无量劫中受苦毕已，后生人中，盲、聋、喑痖、病癞、不具。”

Splendid Dharma On Deciding Karmic Obstacles Sutra

Translation summary: According to the Buddha:

“All those people who dislike, mock or slander any Great-Vehicle Sutra that they come across, are actually the evil Mara's relatives. As a result of slandering the Great-Vehicle Mahayana Sutra, upon death, they will plunge into the Avici Hell and suffer unlimited torture.

After the Hell, they will reborn as hungry ghosts feeding on faeces and urine. Only after suffering for countless kalpas in these evil realms, then they will reborn as humans again but with handicap such as blind, deaf, mute, leper or crippled. ”

 

大正藏  No.275《大乘方广总持经》隋天竺三藏毗尼多流支 译  

http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/04/0275.asp

佛言：“过去、未来及今现在，十方世界，无量诸佛亦常宣说，若有众生于佛所说，言非佛说，及谤法僧，而此谤者当堕恶道受地狱苦。……

若彼愚人于佛大乘，乃至诽谤一四句偈，当知是业定堕地狱。何以故？毁谤佛法及法师故，以是因缘，常处恶道，永不见佛。以曾诽谤佛法僧故，亦于初发菩提心者，能作障碍令退正道，当知是人，以大罪业而自    庄严，于无量劫，身堕地狱受大苦报。……

若有愚人谤微妙法，即是谤佛，亦名谤僧。又作是说，此法是，彼法非。如是说者，亦名谤法。”

Great-Vehicle Expansive Total Upholding Sutra

Ancient Translator: Tripitaka Master Vinitaruci (?–594)   毗尼多流支

Translation summary: According to the Buddha:

“Countless Buddhas of the (three periods) past, present, future and in all ten directions’ worlds, often declare this (reality as a warning): If there are sentient beings who claim that the Buddha’s actual words are not really the Buddha's words, it means they are slandering both the Dharma and the Sangha. These slanderers will surely plunge into the evil realms and suffer in the Hell.

If foolish people slander the Buddha’s Mahayana Sutra or even just His four-line verse, you should know that they will certainly plunge into the Hell. Why is that so? The reason being they have slandered (the Triple Gems) the Buddha, the Dharma and the Dharma Teachers (Sangha). As a cause and effect, they will always remain in the evil realms and will never see any Buddha. Due to them ever slandered the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha; they could have hindered those people who have just aroused the Bodhi-mind, by causing them to regress or turn away from the right Way. You should know that such people self-decorate with vast sinful karmas and thus for countless kalpas, will suffer huge retribution in the Hell.

If there are foolish people who slander any subtle or profound Dharma (mainly Mahayana's), it means they also slander both the Buddha and the Sangha. By claiming that ‘this Dharma is true, that Dharma is false’, it is also known as Dharma slander.”

(Important Reminder not to say “Theravada Dharma is correct and Mahayana Dharma is incorrect”. 

Both Dharma Schools were truly expounded by the Buddha to suit the people’s different interests and aspiration.)

大正藏  No.1646《成实论》诃梨跋摩造   姚秦三藏鸠摩罗什 译

大小利业品 第九十九  卷第七     http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/12/1646.asp

但能空发菩提心者，以为罗汉所敬。如一沙弥担持衣钵，逐阿罗汉行；

是沙弥发无上心，阿罗汉即取衣钵自担，随其后行。

Honest Truths Treatise  (Satyasiddhi-shastra)

鸠摩罗什 Kumarajiva (344-413 A.D.) translated this sutra’s 16 fascicles in 402-412 A.D.

Translation summary:

All Arhats respect those who are able to arouse the Bodhi-mind. For instance, there was once a novice monk walking behind an Arhat, carrying his robe and bowl. But as soon as this novice monk had aroused the supreme Bodhi-mind, the Arhat walked behind him, carrying his robe and bowl instead.

(Arousing the Bodhi-mind or bodhi-citta is one’s initial altruistic vows to attain the Buddha-hood so as to save and liberate all countless sentient beings from their endless Samsara sufferings.) 

大正藏 No.374《大般涅槃经》卷第六  如来性品 第四之三北凉天竺三藏昙无谶 译     http://read.goodweb.cn/sutra/05/0374.asp 

    （迦叶菩萨言）“如佛所说是：诸比丘当依四法。何等为四？依法不依人、依义不依语、依智不依识、依了义经.不依不了义经。”......

（佛言）“依了义经，不依不了义经。不了义经者谓声闻乘，闻佛如来深密藏处，悉生疑怪，不知是藏出大智海，犹如婴儿，无所别知，是则名为不了义也。

了义者名为菩萨；真实智慧随于自心，无碍大智，犹如大人，无所不知，是名了义。又声闻乘名不了义，无上大乘乃名了义。......声闻乘法则不应依，何以故？如来为欲度众生故，以方便力说声闻乘，犹如长者教子半字。善男子，声闻乘者，犹如初耕未得果实，如是名为不了义也；是故不应依声闻乘。大乘之法则应依止，何以故？如来为欲度众生故，以方便力说于大乘，是故应依，是名了义。如是四依应当证知。......

我为肉眼诸众生等说是四依，终不为于有慧眼者。是故我今说是四依；法者即是法性；义者即是如来常住不变；智者了知一切众生悉有佛性；了义者了达一切大乘经典。”

Mahaparinirvana Sutra  (Mahayana version is different from the Theravada version)
Ancient Translator: Dharmakshema  (385～433 A.D.)  昙无谶

Translation summary on the Four Dharmas to rely upon  四依法 : 

In order for the people to clearly identify the true Dharma to practice after the Buddha’s parinirvana, the Buddha had expounded these Four Reliances for Mahayana Buddhists to abide by:  

(1) Rely on the Sutras' Dharma (Buddha's original teachings) or the dharma nature's Universal Truth of all phenomena. Do not rely on any person or Teacher who contradicts the Sutras' Dharma.

(2) Rely on the Dharma's Truth meaning, especially the Foremost Truth that is the Middle Way. Or rely on the Tathagata's eternal same abiding. Do not rely on merely the people's spoken or written words, regardless of their eloquence (including the Theravada or Voice-Heard Vehicle's words).    

(3) Rely on one’s wisdom-insights or realization that all sentient beings possess the Buddha nature. Do not rely on just one's knowledge or mind-consciousness (sixth consciousness refers to one's perception and discrimination). 

(4) Rely on the Great-Vehicle Mahayana Sutras with the Ultimate Truth (that can lead one to the Buddha-hood enlightenment) or Masters who possess clear understanding and deep insights of all Great-Vehicle Sutras. Do not rely on Theravada Suttas with the Provisional Truth (that can lead one to only liberation from the six-realms' karmic Samsara, but not to Buddha-hood).

The Buddha uses the following analogies to explain why His followers should rely on ideally only the supreme Great-Vehicle Mahayana Dharma and not the Theravada Dharma in their cultivation:  

• Like babies who cannot differentiate, Theravada practitioners are unable to discern or appreciate the Buddha's extremely wise, profound Great-Vehicle Dharma and thus tend to be doubtful or suspicious of the Mahayana Sutras.
  

• Theravada practitioner is like one’s initial farming at the very start, that is far from yielding the crops or fruits.

      (This is because the Buddha had often declared the supreme Buddha-hood as the ideal ultimate goal and fruit for everyone.)   

• The Buddha initially taught the Theravada path as a skilful means to liberate or deliver the people from their Samsara transmigration (in the shortest possible time). It is similar to a parent teaching his (baby) child just one word, to begin with.    

• Conversely, the Bodhisattvas (enlightened sages) possess great, genuine wisdom and vast knowledge ---like the adults, compared to the ‘child-like’ Theravada practitioners with little knowledge.

(Understandably, the Buddha needs to impart many times much greater knowledge, including 'The Way to Buddha-hood', to the Great-Vehicle Mahayana practitioners, in order for them to cultivate for kalpas to attain all fifty-two stages of the 'Bodhisattva Path' . In contrast, the Theravada practitioners just need to focus their cultivation on a much smaller scope to attain the four fruitions of the Arhat path. Hence, all Mahayana Sutras add up to over 100,000 pages long while all Theravada Suttas add up to maximum 10,000 pages long.)                  

                                                                    

Site Owner's Recommendation to derive the right Buddhism perspective on 'sexual misconduct' Precept:

To gain a complete, accurate Buddhism perspective on any key issue, one must take into account the Buddha’s comprehensive teachings in the Mahayana sutras since the Theravada suttas constitute only half the picture. Like Theravada, Mahayana is a major school of Buddhism that Theravada authors should not overlook or brush aside, in their interpretation of sexual acts that will or will not break the third Precept.

Hence, to publish the right Buddhism perspective on the Five Precepts, especially on any moral or controversial issue related to the third Precept 'sexual misconduct', it is pertinent for Theravada authors to quote the Buddha’s teachings in both Theravada Suttas and Mahayana Sutras & Treatises. Theravada authors should consult ideally Masters who are highly knowledgeable about relevant Mahayana sutras and thus able to contribute authentic Mahayana inputs to complement the authors’ Theravada perspective, to achieve the right interpretation on sexual misconduct coverage and classification.

Quoting only the Buddha’s actual words in both Theravada suttas and Mahayana sutras will ensure the right view with clear understanding and certainty on what is right versus what is wrong. In the absence of relevant Buddha’s teachings in the Pali Canon on homosexuality, masturbation, pre-marital sex, adultery and sexual promiscuity, all authors must be careful not to present their views as the Buddha’s view or as the right Buddhism perspective, especially when their views clearly contradict the Buddha’s teachings evidenced in many Mahayana sutras and key Treatises translated by different enlightened Tripitaka Masters. Since the Buddha’s view on all matters is the only right view, therefore all different views must be wrong views. Those opinionated authors who still obstinately and foolishly cling onto their wrong views, despite knowing their interpretations contradict the Buddha’s words in many Mahayana sutras and key Treatises, should conscientiously clarify in all their publications that due to a lack of relevant Buddha’s quotes in the Pali Canon, they are expressing their personal opinion or interpretation which incidentally oppose the Buddha’s teachings in many Mahayana Sutras and key Treatises.

Immediate corrective action to rectify one’s misinterpretation of the Buddha’s teachings in any publication (be it online or printed book) is the reflection of a truly, responsible practicing Buddhist. Most importantly, immediate corrective action will repair or minimize the horrifying damage in spreading like wild fire one’s misrepresentation of the Buddha’s teachings on a key moral Precept. No effort should be spared in correcting one’s misrepresentation of the Dharma or Buddhism on any of the Five Precepts (heavy karma), particularly the third Precept, to avoid misleading millions of people to the evil realms, especially the Hell, upon their death.

If you would like clarification on any input posted on any page in this website, please feel free to contact the site owner.

With Metta from a Bodhisattva-Precepts Upholder Disciple in Singapore.    

新加坡的一位菩萨戒弟子 合十

July 2011