Are enlightened people impotent?

[yuuichi]

I’m really not sure. There aren’t a lot of sources saying whether or not a enlightened person is impotent (unable to have sex).

 

 

[manitou]

What's the basis for the question?

[Aetherous]

Also, what's enlightenment defined as here?

[yuuichi]

15 minutes ago, Aetherous said:

Also, what's enlightenment defined as here?

The attainment of nibbana.

 

i’ve heard some scary stories like the penis retracting into the body.

Edited December 15, 2018 by yuuichi

[sustainablefarm86]

I don't know, it seems like a practice in a different discipline? I think that by the time you're able to retract penis you probably will also be able to generate whatever feeling you want to generate with sex

Edited December 15, 2018 by King Jade

[Aetherous]

21 minutes ago, yuuichi said:

The attainment of nibbana.

 

i’ve heard some scary stories like the penis retracting into the body.

 

Well, that would be pretty gross. I don't think that happens. To me it seems most helpful to think of nibbana as freedom from attachment, aversion, and ignorance. What happens when you're not angry? Nothing scary...actually it's quite nice.

[Maddie]

3 hours ago, yuuichi said:

I’m really not sure. There aren’t a lot of sources saying whether or not a enlightened person is impotent (unable to have sex).

 

 

According to the Pali texts, yes this is the case.

 

Basically according to the Buddha once one has attained Nibbana they have let go of desire, and there is then therefore nothing in the mind with which to have desire for sensual things.

Edited December 15, 2018 by dmattwads

[yuuichi]

21 minutes ago, dmattwads said:

According to the Pali texts, yes this is the case.

 

Basically according to the Buddha once one has attained Nibbana they have let go of desire, and there is then therefore nothing in the mind with which to have desire for sensual things.

 

Buddha cultivated Xing but he did not cultivate Ming. So does this not prove that becoming an arhat without cultivating Ming is disastrous to the body?

[lifeforce]

41 minutes ago, yuuichi said:

 

Buddha cultivated Xing but he did not cultivate Ming. So does this not prove that becoming an arhat without cultivating Ming is disastrous to the body?

 

Funnily enough, when I used to practice meditation at a Thai Forest monastery, the monks looked gaunt and weak. I decided soon after that this wasn't a path I wished to pursue.

[manitou]

1 hour ago, dmattwads said:

According to the Pali texts, yes this is the case.

 

Basically according to the Buddha once one has attained Nibbana they have let go of desire, and there is then therefore nothing in the mind with which to have desire for sensual things.

 

 

This is actually a pretty good question when looked at from this perspective, when one looks at enlightenment as lacking in desire, and the realization that all is present in this moment, and the self realization that you are the creative force in the universe.  the other side of the coin, does that mean that the pregnant idea which caused the big bang was less than enlightened?  Not sure we'll ever be able to get our brains around this.

[Maddie]

57 minutes ago, manitou said:

 does that mean that the pregnant idea which caused the big bang was less than enlightened?

 

According to the Buddha dhamma that is totally the reason that any universe comes into existence, is due for the desire for there to be one in which to be reborn into, which of course is within and part of Samsara and therefore not Nibbana, not enlightenment.

[yuuichi]

Lets return to the topic please. The last few posts have nothing to do with the topic.

[Nintendao]

Disappearing penis is just the beginning. Eventually most all the body stops. Besides, boning each other is kids stuff. In heaven there are way more intense things. When entire universe is one's own womb, then previous posts is still on topic.

 

Don't worry though! The effect can be reverted if desired. It is only something I've read about, but supposedly it happened to some advanced meditator that still wanted to have children after all, and everything worked out fine.

Edited December 15, 2018 by Nintendao
2nd edit changed "mediator" to "meditator" damn spell check

[Aetherous]

3 hours ago, dmattwads said:

According to the Pali texts, yes this is the case.

 

Basically according to the Buddha once one has attained Nibbana they have let go of desire, and there is then therefore nothing in the mind with which to have desire for sensual things.

 

Does it say that they become impotent?

I imagine someone could still have sex and enjoy it without having craving.

[Maddie]

3 minutes ago, Aetherous said:

 

Does it say that they become impotent?

I imagine someone could still have sex and enjoy it without having craving.

It does.

 

Without desire there would be no motivating factor whatsoever to have sex in the first place.

[Aetherous]

1 minute ago, dmattwads said:

It does.

 

Do you have a reference?

[Maddie]

11 minutes ago, Aetherous said:

 

Do you have a reference?

 

There are sutta references yes, but I do not have time to dig for them at the moment, though I can later.

 

For now I think a sequence of logic will suffice. Arousal is the result of anticipation of intercourse. Anticipation of intercourse is the result of craving. The craving of intercourse is the result of clinging. An Arahant has by definition let go of all clinging and craving. With the absence of these factors of clinging and craving where would or could arousal come from?

 

*edit: the Paticca-samuppada-vibhanga Sutta would be a good reference and gets at what I was explaining.

Edited December 15, 2018 by dmattwads

[yuuichi]

What is the dude sticks a finger up his ass like in prostate examinations and then becomes hard that way? There’s no craving there, but it happens.

[Aetherous]

31 minutes ago, dmattwads said:

There are sutta references yes, but I do not have time to dig for them at the moment, though I can later.

 

Yes please, once you have time. While I totally understand the logic you're presenting, I think an absence of craving might not work that way in reality.

[Maddie]

2 minutes ago, Aetherous said:

 

Yes please, once you have time. While I totally understand the logic you're presenting, I think an absence of craving might not work that way in reality.

 

As in you don't think it's possible to attain such a state in real life?

[Aetherous]

25 minutes ago, dmattwads said:

As in you don't think it's possible to attain such a state in real life?

 

I don't think enlightened ones are impotent, and I think they can still have sex...they just don't cling mentally.

[Nungali]

7 hours ago, yuuichi said:

I’m really not sure. There aren’t a lot of sources saying whether or not a enlightened person is impotent (unable to have sex).

 

 

 

An enlightened person is able to gave sex .......   unless they are impotent .

 

Being able to have sex is not a barrier to enlightenment  ...... although it can be a hindrance  or distraction  (or obsession for some), in that case, the obsession must be overcome to move toward enlightenment .   Obsession is one of the six major 'distractions' :

 

Around  the central unified light of enlightenment   are  the sectors or pathways to enlightenment, ( moving to wards a central light ) via  ;

 

1) Knowledge     -    2) Will     -    3)  Love     -   4) Courage     -   5) Speech  -   6)  Work .  (and  all should be united, ultimately, in silence ) .

 

In Yoga ( the art of uniting  or union with the central idea ) these are ;

 

 

1) Gnana            _   20   Raja     -      3) Bhakti    -    4) Courage    -   5)  Mantra   -    6 )  Karma 

 

 

In Magick (the art of  uniting or union with the central idea) these are :

 

1) Kabbalah     -    2) Sacred magick -   3 ) Worship  -   4)  Ordeals -  5 ) incantations  -   6) service .   (and should be united, ultimately, in silence ) .

 

 

Failures (or hindrances, blocks, etc ) in each area in turn results in ;

 

1) unclarity to insanity    -       2)  distraction to  obsession   -  3)   fascination to  fanaticism   -   4) fear  to    paralysis  -  5) chatter and gossip   - 6)  laziness to atrophy    

 

(dispersing outwards into darkness )

[Nungali]

 

Onl

6 hours ago, yuuichi said:

The attainment of nibbana.

 

i’ve heard some scary stories like the penis retracting into the body.

 

Only in extreme circumstances   ( like extreme  cold )     

 

 

 

 

[thelerner]

I think they're important, as role models and teachers.

Wait.. was that impotent?  are they?   really?

[Nungali]

5 hours ago, dmattwads said:

According to the Pali texts, yes this is the case.

 

Basically according to the Buddha once one has attained Nibbana they have let go of desire, and there is then therefore nothing in the mind with which to have desire for sensual things.

 

One can still experience *   without desire though .  It is desire that drives one to repeat certain experiences In that case , we are 'trapped in'  or 'hooked on'  specific aspects of the experience.

 

We can be driven by more than  'desire' .     - although some Buddhists might disagree .

 

* its the whole point of being here in the first place , isnt it ?   (unless one has some gnostical '  fall of man' type concept )