Celibacy

Help required with personal difficulties.
Locked
User avatar
AdmiralJim
Posts: 162
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 6:11 pm
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

Celibacy

Post by AdmiralJim »

Hi guys,
I decided not too long ago that I am probably going to go for ordination. However I have a bank loan to pay off in the meantime, I thought that I should try to be celibate in the meantime to see if I can actually cope with it. I would like some advice from perhaps those who are already ordained, in terms of practical tips how to remain celibate.
I don't know where we are going but it will be nice when we get there
User avatar
Virgo
Posts: 4844
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:47 am
Location: Uni-verse

Re: Celibacy

Post by Virgo »

Well, to start, your gonna want to stay away from the women. That means mentally too, as in no fantasising. Why? Everytime the chitta has contact with the thought of a beatiful partner, it accumulates, and then, when you wake up in the middle of the night, it is a lot harder to not break your vow. Lust is a fire, and you don't want to feed it at all. You must keep the flames low burning. Guard your six sense doors so you do not receive any stimulation that might arouse you through them, whether it be visual, olfactory, mental, or whatever. Also, don't eat too much and don't eat onions.

Kevin
User avatar
dharmagoat
Posts: 2159
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:39 pm

Re: Celibacy

Post by dharmagoat »

Stay busy. It is all about maintaining focus.
User avatar
明安 Myoan
Former staff member
Posts: 2855
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2012 7:11 am
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Celibacy

Post by 明安 Myoan »

We usually only notice lust in its grossest form, but like every other effect that's blatant enough for us to see, it has causes that are themselves effects of more and more subtle causes. You can disarm this process at any point with mindfulness, but the trick is knowing what you're looking for, and having the energy to see through it.

As was said, little glances here and there, flirtatious talk, a split-second daydream, these all can snowball.

I have a real problem with flirting and getting carried away by lust. It used to undermine friendships or at least make them have an uncomfortable undercurrent of sexual tension all the time. It's more under control now, but still a work in process. I've also found viewing all people as your family members helps a lot, as well as fostering warmheartedness towards them :)

Also, depending on how strong your lust is, you may fall on your face over and over and over in your attempt. Lust has a way of flaring up unexpectedly and sweeping you away. Only a few moments may pass between chanting om mani padme hung and pleasuring yourself :rolling: All the more reason to be mindful of your warning signs/thoughts or triggers, and coolly see them for what they are.

I remember a story of a person suffering greatly from lust asking either the Buddha or a master for advice, and he said to notice the cool and warm feelings in the body. There may be a strong electric feeling in your loins that is really largely a mental preoccupation. Imagining that warmth spreading back out through the body helps cool the fire.

So yeah, just be mindful, and especially be kind with yourself when you fail. Guilt didn't do a single thing for me for 10 years. Now, gentle patience and persistent mindfulness has been bearing modest fruit.

Good luck!!
Namu Amida Butsu
Andrew108
Posts: 1502
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 7:41 pm

Re: Celibacy

Post by Andrew108 »

AdmiralJim wrote:Hi guys,
I decided not too long ago that I am probably going to go for ordination. However I have a bank loan to pay off in the meantime, I thought that I should try to be celibate in the meantime to see if I can actually cope with it. I would like some advice from perhaps those who are already ordained, in terms of practical tips how to remain celibate.
I guess you will be ordaining within the Tibetan monastic tradition? If you are young then I think you will experience a lot of problems holding the vow of celibacy. The institution into which you ordain is very important in helping you maintain your vows. If I were to be a renunciate then I would ordain within the Theravadan tradition. The reason being that the daily routines and practice schedules and focus is on renunciation and the formal adoption and maintenance of vows. Within the Tibetan tradition it is somewhat more flexible and this can lead to breakdowns in discipline. It's not just about keeping celibacy but there are a whole host of other rules that one maintains. The maintenance of the rules is the core of the practice.
In a monastic situation purification of vow transgressions is very important. You cannot be a monk by yourself. You need a sangha for the purification of transgressions to work. The sangha that is best for this type of situation is a Theravadan sangha. I don't know if you were thinking of ordaining at Samye Ling but I remember visiting there and seeing monks working in the tea and gift shop and so on. This was some years ago so maybe it's changed. But anyway if you want to be a renunciate then I would suggest going the whole way and training within the Therevadan tradition. My prejudice is that I respect and revere Theravadan monks but not really monks ordained within the Tibetan tradition.
The Blessed One said:

"What is the All? Simply the eye & forms, ear & sounds, nose & aromas, tongue & flavors, body & tactile sensations, intellect & ideas. This, monks, is called the All. Anyone who would say, 'Repudiating this All, I will describe another,' if questioned on what exactly might be the grounds for his statement, would be unable to explain, and furthermore, would be put to grief. Why? Because it lies beyond range." Sabba Sutta.
User avatar
seeker242
Posts: 2092
Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2012 2:50 pm
Location: South Florida, USA

Re: Celibacy

Post by seeker242 »

Practical! Keep in mind that even the most beautiful people have nasty foul smelling diarrhea, puss, urine, snot, bile, phlegm. They have some nasty farts too. Disgusting really. One day they will be a dead and bloated corpse. Who wants that, that's nasty. But if you chose to ignore the foul dying body. What do you get from indulging in lust? A temporary good feeling that last for only a moment and is then gone and nothing at all has changed... All of that energy spent...for nothing! What a waste.
One should not kill any living being, nor cause it to be killed, nor should one incite any other to kill. Do never injure any being, whether strong or weak, in this entire universe!
greentara
Posts: 933
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2012 4:03 am

Re: Celibacy

Post by greentara »

It may be a hard task initially but is it possible to view all women as your mother?
User avatar
catmoon
Former staff member
Posts: 3423
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2009 3:20 am
Location: British Columbia

Re: Celibacy

Post by catmoon »

greentara wrote:It may be a hard task initially but is it possible to view all women as your mother?
Not only that, it seems it is possible to regard all people as your kind mothers, at least in the sense that in one lifetime or another, that has been the case. One caveat though, I've heard some prominent teachers mention that the success of this method relies somewhat on a good relationship with your mother. If your Mom was someone you never really liked or got along with, its a much more difficult practice and it may be wise to select another path..
Sergeant Schultz knew everything there was to know.
User avatar
viniketa
Posts: 820
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:39 am
Location: USA

Re: Celibacy

Post by viniketa »

A modest beginning might be to abstain from all non-responsible sex. Before engaging in any sexual relationship, ask yourself these two questions: Is there any way in which a sentient being may be harmed by this action? In what way does this action benefit all sentient beings? If those questions cannot be answered satisfactorily, do not engage in the action. You may find that your sexual activity declines over time if you are seriously mindful of your decisions to engage in sex.
If they can sever like and dislike, along with greed, anger, and delusion, regardless of their difference in nature, they will all accomplish the Buddha Path.. ~ Sutra of Complete Enlightenment
User avatar
Thrasymachus
Posts: 272
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:28 am
Location: Dover, NJ

Re: Celibacy

Post by Thrasymachus »

I do it without being ordained or trying per-say. In general I don't like other people and I don't drink, so I don't meet women or flirt with them.
JKhedrup
Posts: 2328
Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 8:28 am

Re: Celibacy

Post by JKhedrup »

I try to view attractive women as being like family. Also when I notice an attraction I return to my breathing and try to see the attraction for what it is - a mind that arises but a moment later will pass away.
That being said, compared to many others I have had a pretty easy time with celibacy. It is definitely not my major challenge in being a monk. The major challenge for me is living in an institutional framework, not always being able to say what I think, and being able to go where I want to go when I want to. (Though people in high demand jobs might struggle with many of the same things!)
Locked

Return to “Help Required”