The own basic sense about masturbation as misconduct

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Mirror
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Re: The own basic sense about masturbation as misconduct

Post by Mirror »

I think masturbation isn't worse than any other secular activity done for pleasure.

Personally I don't masturbate, because due to abstination I'm more peaceful. I don't have sexual thoughts (or only rarely) and my sexual desire is very weak. Most of the time, I'm free of sexual desire and thoughts completely. It's very peaceful and I can focus more on other things. Sexual thoughts used to distract me during meditation. Now it's gone.

The reason for abstaining from sensual pleasures is peace of mind.
Memento mori
Remember that you die
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Zhen Li
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Re: The own basic sense about masturbation as misconduct

Post by Zhen Li »

Mirror wrote: Wed Sep 14, 2022 12:05 am I think masturbation isn't worse than any other secular activity done for pleasure.

Personally I don't masturbate, because due to abstination I'm more peaceful. I don't have sexual thoughts (or only rarely) and my sexual desire is very weak. Most of the time, I'm free of sexual desire and thoughts completely. It's very peaceful and I can focus more on other things. Sexual thoughts used to distract me during meditation. Now it's gone.

The reason for abstaining from sensual pleasures is peace of mind.
This should not be news to Buddhists. Sensuality always has its downfalls. But since they're human the Dharma is still met with resistence even by its adherents. As Aśvaghoṣa put it:
People afflicted by hunger, like dogs with a bone, however much they chew on them, never become satisfied.
When desires are like skeletons of dry bones, who in possession of himself would delight in those desires? // Saundarananda 11.25//
I'm married, I am also not perfect in conduct. My Dharma gate doesn't depend on me giving up sensuality, but that doesn't make it "right." Rennyo put it thus:
It has been said that, one may know about chewing but not swallowing. ''This means," said Rennyo, "we have wives and children, and we eat fish and fowl. Though filled with evil, this is not an excuse for our behavior."
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