Thank you for this additional clarification, Sir. When one starts to study the Buddha Dhamma, it can be shocking to realize that it is possible to eliminate all desires. Most people are frightened by this idea. They might think, “Why should I let go of my desires?” or “Does this mean I won’t love my wife anymore?” This reaction resembles that of someone who has never taken a bath in their life, fearing the experience of being washed. Many people believe it is impossible.
I remember when I spoke about Lord Buddha to people, they thought that such a person does not exist. No human can lose cravings unless they have medical conditions. I said to myself, these people are like thieves who think that everyone steals and, therefore, stealing is the normal thing to do for them. It is extremely difficult to understand the Buddha Dhamma.
However, for the sake of monks who have not overcome the Kāma ragā, Lord Buddha established pācittiya 6 in the Vinaya. This rule prohibits all bhikkhus from sleeping in the same house as a woman. The reason for this rule comes from an incident. Venerable Arahant Anuruddha needed a place to sleep at night. A woman suggested that he spend the night at her inn. This woman was in love with Venerable Anuruddha. She found him attractive and wanted to have sex with him. She asked him to sleep in the main house and tried to seduce him. Obviously, as an arahant, Venerable Anuruddha did not feel the slightest desire. The Lord Buddha put this rule for the sake of the bhikkhus puthujunas who might be tempted and break the parajika 1. Let us not forget that those who commit a parajika are expelled for life from the Sangha. A sotāpanna is incapable of committing an action which will result in his expulsion or which will prevent him from becoming a bhikkhu. For example, a man who has seduced a bhikkunis cannot be accepted into the Sangha. The same thing for a woman who seduced a bhikkhu. A sotāpanna is incapable of doing that.
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Venerable Anuruddha was walking through the Kosalan country on his way to Sāvatthī, when one evening he arrived at a certain village.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā anuruddho kosalesu janapade sāvatthiṁ gacchanto sāyaṁ aññataraṁ gāmaṁ upagacchi.
Just then a woman in that village had prepared her guesthouse. Sp 2.55: Āvasathāgāranti āgantukānaṁ vasanāgāraṁ, “A house for visitors to stay.”
Tena kho pana samayena tasmiṁ gāme aññatarissā itthiyā āvasathāgāraṁ paññattaṁ hoti.
Anuruddha went to that woman and said, “If it’s not inconvenient for you, I’d like to stay in your guesthouse for one night.”
Atha kho āyasmā anuruddho yena sā itthī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ itthiṁ etadavoca—“sace te, bhagini, agaru, vaseyyāma ekarattaṁ āvasathāgāre”ti.
“Please stay, venerable.”
“Vaseyyātha, bhante”ti.
Other travelers also went to that woman and said, “Ma’am, if it’s not troublesome for you, we’d like to stay in your guesthouse for one night.”
Aññepi addhikā yena sā itthī tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ itthiṁ etadavocuṁ—“sace te, ayye, agaru vaseyyāma ekarattaṁ āvasathāgāre”ti.
“Sirs, a monastic is already staying there. If he agrees, you may stay.”
“Eso kho ayyo samaṇo paṭhamaṁ upagato; sace so anujānāti, vaseyyāthā”ti.
Those travelers then approached Anuruddha and said, “If you don’t mind, venerable, we’d like to stay one night in the guesthouse.”
Atha kho te addhikā yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavocuṁ—“sace te, bhante, agaru, vaseyyāma ekarattaṁ āvasathāgāre”ti.
“No problem.”
“Vaseyyātha, āvuso”ti.
Now as soon as that woman had seen Anuruddha, she had fallen in love with him.
Atha kho sā itthī āyasmante anuruddhe saha dassanena paṭibaddhacittā ahosi.
She now went to him and said, “Sir, you won’t be comfortable surrounded by these people.
Atha kho sā itthī yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca—“ayyo, bhante, imehi manussehi ākiṇṇo na phāsu viharissati.
Why don’t I prepare a bed for you in the main house?”
Sādhāhaṁ, bhante, ayyassa mañcakaṁ abbhantaraṁ paññapeyyan”ti.
Anuruddha consented by remaining silent.
Adhivāsesi kho āyasmā anuruddho tuṇhībhāvena.
After preparing a bed in the main house, she put on jewelery and perfume, and she went to Anuruddha and said,
Atha kho sā itthī āyasmato anuruddhassa mañcakaṁ abbhantaraṁ paññapetvā alaṅkatappaṭiyattā gandhagandhinī yenāyasmā anuruddho tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca—
“You’re attractive, sir, and so am I.
“ayyo, bhante, abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko, ahañcamhi abhirūpā dassanīyā pāsādikā.
Why don’t you take me as your wife?”
Sādhāhaṁ, bhante, ayyassa pajāpati bhaveyyan”ti.
But Anuruddha remained silent.
Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā anuruddho tuṇhī ahosi.
She said the same thing a second time, but again got no response.
Dutiyampi kho …pe…
And a third time she said,
tatiyampi kho sā itthī āyasmantaṁ anuruddhaṁ etadavoca—
“You’re attractive, sir, and so am I.
“ayyo, bhante, abhirūpo dassanīyo pāsādiko, ahañcamhi abhirūpā dassanīyā pāsādikā.
Why don’t you take me and all this property?”
Sādhu, bhante, ayyo mañceva paṭicchatu sabbañca sāpateyyan”ti.
Once again Anuruddha remained silent.
Tatiyampi kho āyasmā anuruddho tuṇhī ahosi.
She then threw off her wrap, and she walked back and forth, stood, sat down, and lay down in front of him.
Atha kho sā itthī sāṭakaṁ nikkhipitvā āyasmato anuruddhassa purato caṅkamatipi tiṭṭhatipi nisīdatipi seyyampi kappeti.
But Anuruddha controlled his senses and neither looked at nor spoke to her.
Atha kho āyasmā anuruddho indriyāni okkhipitvā taṁ itthiṁ neva olokesi napi ālapi.
Then that woman said, “It’s astonishing and amazing.
Atha kho sā itthī—“acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho.
Many people pay a hundred or a thousand coins to be with me.
Bahū me manussā satenapi sahassenapi pahiṇanti.
But this monastic doesn’t want me and all this property, even when I beg him!”
Ayaṁ pana samaṇo—mayā sāmaṁ yāciyamāno—na icchati mañceva paṭicchituṁ sabbañca sāpateyyan”ti