The Disadvantages of Sex (sutra)

Ven. Sujato (trans.) and Laurence Khantipalo Mills (trans.), Tissametteyya Sutra (Snp 4.7), SuttaCentral.org; Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Pat Macpherson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

To Tissametteyya on the Disadvantages of Sex

Tissa:

Attached to sex:

Sir, tell us of its disadvantages.

Having heard the Teaching then,

secluded we shall train ourselves.

The Buddha:

Attached to sex,

forgetful of the Teaching then

wrong things a person practices

and does not do what is noble.

• [Noble, aryan, conducive to the noble state: enlightenment, awakening.]

Who formerly fared alone

but now in sex indulges,

“Low” they say is that common worldly one,

like a vehicle swerving from the path.

That one who had renown and fame —

that with certainty diminishes,

having seen this, train yourselves,

renouncing sex.

Overcome by [lustful] thoughts,

that one broods as a beggar does,

and hearing the reproach of others, then

such a person is depressed.

For yourselves creating “arms”

of others reprimanding words,

so with great entanglement

sinks down into untruthfulness.

Well-known as “one who’s wise”

when vowing to the single life,

but later then engaged in sex

will be “a fool defiled.”

The disadvantage having known,

the sage, at start and afterwards,

should establish fast the single life,

having no recourse to sex.

So train yourselves in solitude,

for that is the life of noble ones,

but without conceiving oneself as “best” —

them near, indeed, is one to nirvana.

The sage who is rid of sense desires,

who to them is indifferent,

who has crossed the flood, is envied then,

by those enmeshed with pleasures of sense.

Second translation

Bhikkhu Sujato (trans.), "With Tissametteyya" (Snp 4.7)

“When someone indulges in sex,”

said Venerable Tissametteyya,

“tell us, sir: what trouble befalls?

After hearing your instruction,

we shall train in seclusion.”

“When someone indulges in sex,”

replied the Buddha,

“they forget their instructions

and go the wrong way —

which is something ignoble in them.

Someone who formerly lived alone

and then resorts to sex

is like a chariot careening off track,

whom the world calls a low, ordinary person.

Former fame and reputation

also fall away.

Seeing this, one trains

to give up sex.

Oppressed by thoughts,

one broods like a wretch.

When one hears what others are saying,

such a person is embarrassed.

Then one lashes out with verbal daggers

when reproached by others.

• This is their great blind spot; Gedha also at AN 5.103:3.2, where the sense is not “entanglement” but “cover from sight.” See Norman’s note on this verse for the apparent confusion between gedha, rodha, and the intermediary godha.

they sink to lies.

They once were considered astute,

• [A line used of Devadatta at Iti 89:4.1.]

committed to the solitary life.

But then one indulges in sex,

dragged along by desire like an idiot.

• Bhikkhu Bodhi follows the commentary and Niddesa in rendering parikissati as “afflicted,” as does Norman with “troubled,” both assuming a contracted parikilissati. But parikissati here is connected with wisdom (or lack thereof), not suffering. Surely, we should look to such passages as AN 4.186:2.6, where parikassati is the mind that “drags” a person around. Parikissati is the passive form.

Knowing this danger

• [in falling from a former state here, At Pli Tv Pvr 15:7.2 pubbāpara is defined in terms of changing and inconsistent behavior.]

a sage would firmly resolve to wander alone,

and would not resort to sex.

One would train oneself only in seclusion;

this, for the noble ones, is highest.

One who wouldn’t conceive of oneself as “best” due to that —

one has truly drawn near to nirvana.

People tied to sensual pleasures envy one —

the isolated, wandering sage

who has crossed the flood,

unconcerned for sensual pleasures.