[242] **"Having seen this too, one should train to abandon sexual intercourse" (etampi disvā sikkhetha methunaṃ vippahātave):** "This" means: the fame and renown that were his formerly, in his state as an ascetic, and — afterwards, for one who, having repudiated the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Saṅgha, and the training (sikkhā), has reverted to the lower life — the loss of fame and loss of renown: having seen, having beheld, having weighed, having judged, having clarified, and having made evident this success (sampatti) and failure (vipatti) — thus, "having seen this too." **"Should train" (sikkhetha):** there are three trainings — the training in higher morality (adhisīla-sikkhā), the training in higher mentality (adhicitta-sikkhā), and the training in higher wisdom (adhipaññā-sikkhā).
What is the training in higher morality? Here a bhikkhu is virtuous; he dwells restrained by the restraint of the Pāṭimokkha, possessed of proper conduct and resort, seeing danger in faults even of the slightest measure; having undertaken them, he trains in the training rules. The lesser aggregate of virtue, the greater aggregate of virtue; virtue as the foundation, the beginning, the course of conduct, self-control, restraint, the mouth, the chief of the attainment of wholesome states — this is the training in higher morality.
What is the training in higher mentality? Here a bhikkhu, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, accompanied by thought and examination, with rapture (pīti) and pleasure born of seclusion. With the stilling of thought and examination, he enters and dwells in the second jhāna, having internal confidence and unification of mind (citta), without thought, without examination, with rapture and pleasure born of concentration (samādhi); … the third jhāna; … the fourth jhāna. This is the training in higher mentality.
What is the training in higher wisdom? Here a bhikkhu is wise, possessed of wisdom directed to arising and passing away, noble, penetrative, leading to the complete destruction of suffering (dukkha). He understands as it really is: "This is suffering"; he understands as it really is: "This is the origin of suffering"; he understands as it really is: "This is the cessation of suffering"; he understands as it really is: "This is the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering"; he understands as it really is: "These are the taints (āsava)"; he understands as it really is: "This is the origin of the taints"; he understands as it really is: "This is the cessation of the taints"; he understands as it really is: "This is the way of practice leading to the cessation of the taints." This is the training in higher wisdom.
**"Sexual intercourse" (methunaṃ):** what is called sexual intercourse (methunadhamma) is that unrighteous practice (asaddhamma) … for that reason it is called sexual intercourse. **"Having seen this too, one should train to abandon sexual intercourse":** for the abandoning, the calming, the relinquishing, the tranquilizing of sexual intercourse, one should train in higher morality, one should train in higher mentality, one should train in higher wisdom. Adverting to these three trainings, one should train; knowing, one should train; seeing, one should train; reviewing, one should train; resolving the mind, one should train; being resolved through faith, one should train; exerting energy, one should train; establishing mindfulness, one should train; concentrating the mind, one should train; understanding with wisdom, one should train; directly knowing what is to be directly known, one should train; fully understanding what is to be fully understood, one should train; abandoning what is to be abandoned, one should train; developing what is to be developed, one should train; realizing what is to be realized, one should train; one should practice these, conduct oneself well in them, and, having undertaken them, proceed accordingly — thus, "having seen this too, one should train to abandon sexual intercourse." Therefore the Blessed One said:
Whatever fame and renown were his before,
that too is lost to him;
having seen this too, one should train
to abandon sexual intercourse.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.