# Brahmacariya (The Spiritual Life / Holy Life) / Brahmacārī (Celibate) ## Ananda on Brahmacariya ![[Thag17.3 Ānandattheragāthā#^brahmacariya]] ## Fulfilling of the Holy Life ![[AN6.55 Soṇasutta#^reaching-arahat]] ## What Makes or Breaks a Successful Spiritual Life? > [!warning] 3 Qualities for maintaining spiritual life: Guarding sense doors, eating in moderation, Wakefulness — In Sāriputtasaddhivihārikasutta ([SN35.120](https://suttacentral.net/sn35.120/en/sujato)) > When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and said to him, > _Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:_ > > “Reverend Sāriputta, a mendicant pupil of mine has resigned the training and returned to a **==lesser life==**.” > > _“saddhivihāriko, āvuso sāriputta, bhikkhu sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya **==hīnāyāvatto==**”ti._ > > --- > “That’s how it is, reverend, when someone doesn’t **guard the sense doors (1)**, **eats too much (2)**, and is **not committed to wakefulness (3)**. > _“Evametaṁ, āvuso, hoti **==indriyesu aguttadvārassa==**, **==bhojane amattaññuno==**, **==jāgariyaṁ ananuyuttassa==**._ > > It’s quite **impossible** for such a mendicant to **maintain the full and pure spiritual life for the rest of their life**. > > _‘So vatāvuso, bhikkhu indriyesu aguttadvāro bhojane amattaññū jāgariyaṁ ananuyutto **yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ ==brahmacariyaṁ== santānessatī**’ti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati._ > > But it is quite possible for a mendicant to maintain the full and pure spiritual life for the rest of their life if they guard the sense doors, eat in moderation, and are committed to wakefulness. > > _‘So vatāvuso, bhikkhu indriyesu guttadvāro, bhojane mattaññū, jāgariyaṁ anuyutto yāvajīvaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ santānessatī’ti ṭhānametaṁ vijjati._ ## [[Kalyanamitta]] is the Whole of the Holy Life! ![[SN45.2 Upaḍḍhasutta#^half-of-the-path]] ## 8 Things NOT to do as a Brahmacārī ![[AN7.50 Methunasutta#^8-things]] ## What happens when one breaks Celibacy? ![[Sex#^falling-off]] ### Other Traditions #### 8 Maithuna from Ayurveda > [!info] > In Ayurveda, there is mention of Eight maithuna when one indulges, would cause physiological changes and increases the production of semen while one might be free from mental stains on sensuality and sexuality. > > These 8 are presented below: > > 1. **Darshan** or looking at women with passionate resolve, > 2. **Sparshan** or touching them, > 3. **Keli** or play (amorous sport), > 4. **Kirtan** or praising the qualities of the other sex, > 5. **Guhya-Bhashan** or talking in private, > 6. **Sankalpa** or determination, > 7. **Adhyavasaya** or nearing the other sex with the desire for gratification, and > 8. **Kriyanivritti** or the actual sexual act. > > _(Source: [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcVi_ISIEqE)_) #### 9 ways prescribed for total celibacy from Jain tradition > [!info] Nine ways prescribed to observe total celibacy (source: [Jain blog](https://jinavachan.blogspot.com/2012/10/panchindiya-sutra.html)) > - a. One should not stay where there are women, animals and eunuchs, > - b. One should not talk to women in a passionate manner, > - c. a man should occupy seat previously occupied by a woman after a minimum of 48 minutes (2 ghadi) and a woman should wait for 9 hours (3 prahar) before occupying a seat previously occupied by a man, > - d. One should not look at woman with insinuating glances, > - e. One should not sit close to a wall where couples are sleeping or engaged in passionate conversation, > - f. One should not remember previous passionate encounters, > - g. One should not eat tasty or intoxicating food, > - h. One should not overeat and > - i. One should not adorn the body in any way. ## Video - **(Great)** Sense restraint for practising Brahmacharya ([Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcVi_ISIEqE)) ## Suttas - [[AN7.50 Methunasutta]] - [[AN10.48 Pabbajitaabhiṇhasutta]] - Spiritual / [[Pabbajja|Renunciate]] happiness :) - [[SN36.31 Nirāmisasutta]] - [[MN137 Saḷāyatanavibhaṅgasutta]]