Results Of Masturbation?

Sila - morality
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Masturbation for the monks and nuns is prohibited by the vinaya. It is not prohibited for layman and laywomen.

What are the kammic results of masturbation?

Is it bad to masturbate as a lay person?

Does masturbation lead to the four apayas?

Is daily masturbation bad?

Is daily masturbation bad even when controlled?

Is masturbation something that should never be done at all?

Will masturbation hinder attainment of stream-entry?

Can one attain stream-entry even when one masturbates regularly?

Is masturbation something to be never done in uposotha days?

Should it be done more than once daily?

Should it be done 6 out of 7 days?

Does it lead to the animal realm?

Does it lead to the hell realm?

Does it lead to the peta realm?

Does it hinder attainment of the jhanas?

Does it lead to a female rebirth?

Is it bad even though it’s done in restraint?

Is it fine to do every now and then for lay people?

Does it generate bad kamma?

Does it generate habitual kamma if done daily?

If it generates habitual kamma if done daily then does it lead to the animal, peta or hell realm?

It would be for my lasting welfare and happiness if this was clarified, thank you all.

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As far as precepts are concerned. It is not a problem. However, there are courses of actions that are not wholesome that stay inline with the precepts. Gambling and going to legal prostitutes (with a caretaker/pimp) is not good to do and listed as ways to lead to the downfall by the Buddha (parabhavo). However, they are not against precepts.

Eating 1 kg of chocolate cake is allowed within the precepts (even for a monk). That does not mean it is good for you. We would call this indulging in the sensual pleasures. This includes a lay person’s sex with a legit wife.

When it comes to samsara and its escape. It is always best to refrain from such activities. Is that expected and easy to do? No. That is why they are not precepts. If you break one precept it is easy to break others. So the rules are simple for lay people to get 100%.
Yet even still, most people have problems with the 5 precepts. You are always welcome to upgrade to 5 precepts with celibacy. It is a practice. You can also do 8 precepts with celibacy.

A word of warning. Would you want to marry any woman you fantasize about? It is a strong act of wishing coupled with physical action and heavy pleasure. Next life, she could be a dog and you can be one of the many trying to get in.

I write about the 3rd precept extensively with a multi-life view.

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Wow, Bhante… It was enlightening in a sense. I’ll definitely re-read it a couple more times to jot it down my memory. The work on that pdf is without a doubt, worthy of praise!

My question is, what if the woman/women you fantasize about are fictional? What happens then?

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It is still probably a type of woman you don’t want to marry. Be careful what you wish for. Even if it is the right type. You still don’t want it if you are really serious. It is still wishing to be with “something”/someone. As a monk, I take the most extreme way when I explain these things. For lay people… as I said before… many things are considered “normal” but that does not mean it perpetuates dukkha and samasara.

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Well it’s make me worried bhante …we do fantasies but we want it as a human birth or Deva birth…but yes mind and kamma may be not working that way…vipaka is uncontrollable i think

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Good evening everyone! It seems, the link does not work. I’d really be interested in reading the PDF and also looked on the American Monk-website for another link to the PDF.
Is the PDF still available?

Many thanks and greeting!

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I recently restructured my website to be hosted on github for free. Some of my links are off.
I have added to archive.org now. Here is the new link.

The original link also works now too.

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Thank you so much! Never thought of habitual kamma that way and possible results after a change of society.

I used the search-option, but found no thread to “how to battle sexual desire”, so I ask here.
To reduce sexual desire I once tried to give it up. This worked for about six month, but was a struggle on a daily base. In fact I think I never thought so much about sex and felt desire then in this time.

I once asked in a forum how to reduce this desire. The answer was “reflect on the disgusting apsects of the body”. To be honest, this did not help me very much. If I imagine organs or watch a picture of a corpse, my thoughts may be about the disgusting aspect. But when sexual desire rises, it is a much stronger force. Also it’s not bound to a woman or any stimulis, it just comes up after some time, growing in strength with time.
Do you have any advice, how to handle that?

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I’m glad you liked it. The real issue is directing your mind when it is most important. It is nearly useless to practice asubha and then go ahead indulge in erotic thoughts, sights or sounds, or bodily actions.

Monks have monasteries where women are not so visible. Monks have rules and self sense of hiriotappa . This can help.

You could move to a monastery and take 8 precepts . You can try a retreat and see the difference. The rules for bhikkhus are far more strict with big penalties . This can help one a great deal. It can be a sink or swim thing too.

This sutta puts everything in perspective of what you needs to do.

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html

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Regardless of the Kammic results, in our digital age, consuming pornography has become very easy and accessible in the simplest and most effortless ways. Since most people who fall into the trap of this addictive habit consume such content in their activities, as Bhante Subhūti has aptly pointed out, you should also be aware that what you watch is brainwashing you and causing inner turmoil. If you immerse yourself in it too much, this habit and the effects of the materials you consume will carry over into your daily life. The simplest example of this is that your perception of the female gender will become distorted. You may develop an intensified obsession, finding it increasingly difficult to view women without being overwhelmed by sexual impulses. This loss of self-control can profoundly affect your interactions and overall well-being.

Moreover, convincing yourself that you have control over this habit is akin to staying up late, only to regret it when you wake up early for work. You may promise yourself, “Next time, I’ll sleep early,” yet find yourself repeating the same mistake. This cycle of self-deception, driven by unchecked desire, can lead to a psychological crisis—one that fosters self-loathing and brings about a host of negative consequences. So, do not sacrifice your mental and physical well-being, or hinder your progress in the path, for the sake of a fleeting pleasure that lasts mere seconds.

Do not allow it to evolve into a compulsive habit that dictates your actions. While complete cessation may be beneficial for many (especially in an abrupt manner), if it proves too challenging, a gradual approach to eliminating it from your life [may] yield an easier efficacy.

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This topic came up for me again, and it so happened that I was discussing it with myself and thinking about it, but with the broad sense of desire, not just sexual desire alone. I would like to say that sensory desire is truly an obstacle on the way. I believe I should add an important point, given that what I’ve stated is somewhat harsh, and some might perceive it as having a tone of firmness. The matter is that enhancing sensory desire (Here referring specifically to the “sexual” one, but it includes the broader notion) creates a habit, and this habit will persist with a person in the future and will not bring satisfaction. As a layperson, there is no explicit rule that forbids this sexual activity, but it is rooted in other principles which it restricts.

In SN 46.40, the Lord Buddha describes the contrast between the hindrances and the awakening factors. The hindrances cause blindness, leading away from Nibbāna, while the awakening factors cultivate wisdom and understanding, guiding one toward Nibbāna.

Regarding the subject we are discussing, I will only refer to the part (in the sutta) that specifically pertains to this topic.

Bhikkhus, these five hindrances are makers of blindness, causing lack of vision, causing lack of knowledge, detrimental to wisdom, tending to vexation, leading away from Nibbāna. What five? The hindrance of sensual desire is a maker of blindness … The hindrance of ill will … The hindrance of sloth and torpor … The hindrance of restlessness and remorse … The hindrance of doubt is a maker of blindness … leading away from Nibbāna. These five hindrances are makers of blindness, causing lack of vision, causing lack of knowledge, detrimental to wisdom, tending to vexation, leading away from Nibbāna.

The main issue is that this habit attracts individuals with different motivations, and what is even more absurd is that, although it is primarily “based on sexual arousal and the desire to satisfy it,” many people indulge in it simply due to feelings of boredom and a tendency to escape from the world. I want to be cautious in making any definitive statements, as completely quitting such an “unskilled” activity might be very harmful for a sample of people who already struggle with feelings of guilt and self-hatred.

I admit this – I may come across as hypocritical, and I accept that. And for that, I hope you can find it in you to excuse/remit my behavior. Recognizing the truth is one thing, but living by it is a whole different challenge. It’s like asking others to take the direct path out of a dense, dark tropical rainforest, but finding yourself (the one advising and providing the instructions) so lost in the heart of that forest. I must admit, I am just as vulnerable to temptation as anyone else, bound to sensuality in ways I wish I weren’t. However, if there’s one lesson I’ve learned from it, it’s that sensuality has brought me far more pain than pleasure.