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**Piediahef** · 01-05-2012, 01:00 PM

Why sex is not a right action for sangha members?

To get back on topic, some idle speculation from a different angle.

Maybe this rule is simply a reflection of the Indian culture for practitioners at the time. Think about it, historically, his initial followers were probably all practitioners of one form of asceticism or another that were popular in India at the time, and are all male. Not allowing sex was probably just a natural extension of the culture of practitioners at that time. And since celibacy does not prevent one from learning his way, he probably didn't see a reason to relax the cultural rule. Why needlessly cause his followers to throw up their hands and leave?

When Buddha first started taking on followers, he only took men and did not allow women to join him. It is not until later that he was persuaded to allow women. It was not that he has any prejudice against women, but simply a reflection of his space and time. If no one tried to persuade him to allow women, you might be wondering today why sangha does not allow women.

01-05-2012, 01:00 PM	#27
Piediahef Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 431 Senior Member	Why sex is not a right action for sangha members? To get back on topic, some idle speculation from a different angle. Maybe this rule is simply a reflection of the Indian culture for practitioners at the time. Think about it, historically, his initial followers were probably all practitioners of one form of asceticism or another that were popular in India at the time, and are all male. Not allowing sex was probably just a natural extension of the culture of practitioners at that time. And since celibacy does not prevent one from learning his way, he probably didn't see a reason to relax the cultural rule. Why needlessly cause his followers to throw up their hands and leave? When Buddha first started taking on followers, he only took men and did not allow women to join him. It is not until later that he was persuaded to allow women. It was not that he has any prejudice against women, but simply a reflection of his space and time. If no one tried to persuade him to allow women, you might be wondering today why sangha does not allow women.
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