BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

Saṅghādisesa Chapter 52. Should any bhikkhu, overcome by lust, with altered mind, engagein bodily contact with a woman, or in holding her hand, holding a lockof her hair, or caressing any of her limbs, it entails initial andsubsequent meetings of the Community.This rule has sometimes been viewed as a sign of prejudice against women. But, asthe origin story makes clear, the Buddha formulated the rule not because womenare bad, but because bhikkhus sometimes can be."Now at that time, Ven. Udāyin was living in the wilderness. His dwelling wasbeautiful, attractive, and appealing. The inner chamber was in the middle, entirelysurrounded by the outer chamber. The bed and bench, the mattress and pillow werewell arranged, the water for washing and drinking well placed, the surrounding areawell swept. Many people came to look at it. Even a certain brahman together withhis wife went to Ven. Udāyin and on arrival said, 'We would like to look at yourdwelling.'"'Very well then, brahman, have a look.' Taking the key, unfastening the lock, andopening the door, he entered the dwelling. The brahman entered after Ven. Udāyin;the brahman lady after the brahman. Then Ven. Udāyin, opening some of thewindows and closing others, walking around the inner room and coming up frombehind, rubbed up against the brahman lady limb by limb."Then, after exchanging pleasantries with Ven. Udāyin, te brahman left. Delighted,he burst out with words of delight: 'How grand are these Sakyan contemplativeswho live in the wilderness like this! And how grand is Ven. Udāyin who lives in thewilderness like this!'"When this was said, his wife said to him, 'From where does he get his grandeur?He rubbed up against me limb by limb just the way you do!'"So the brahman criticized and complained and spread it about: 'They're shameless,these bhikkhus — immoral, liars!... How can this contemplative Udāyin rub upagainst my wife limb by limb? It isn't possible to go with your family wives,daughters, girls, daughters-in-law, and female slaves to a monastery or dwelling. Iffamily wives, daughters, girls, daughters-in-law, and female slaves go to amonastery or dwelling, the Sakyan-son monks will molest them!'"There are two ways in which a bhikkhu can come into contact with a woman: eitheractively (the bhikkhu makes the contact) or passively (the woman does). Becausethe Vibhaṅga uses different terms to analyze these two possibilities, we will discussthem separately.Active contact. The full offense for active contact here is composed of four factors.85