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- Anguttara Nikaya VII.48
- Saññoga Sutta
- Bondage
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
"I will teach you a Dhamma discourse on bondage & lack of bondage. Listen
& pay close attention. I will speak."
"Yes, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said: "A woman attends inwardly to her feminine faculties, her
feminine gestures, her feminine manners, feminine poise, feminine desires, feminine voice,
feminine charms. She is excited by that, delighted by that. Being excited & delighted
by that, she attends outwardly to masculine faculties, masculine gestures, masculine
manners, masculine poise, masculine desires, masculine voices, masculine charms. She is
excited by that, delighted by that. Being excited & delighted by that, she wants to be
bonded to what is outside her, wants whatever pleasure & happiness that arise based on
that bond. Delighting, caught up in her femininity, a woman goes into bondage with
reference to men. This is how a woman does not transcend her femininity.
"A man attends inwardly to his masculine faculties, masculine gestures, masculine
manners, masculine poise, masculine desires, masculine voice, masculine charms. He is
excited by that, delighted by that. Being excited & delighted by that, he attends
outwardly to feminine faculties, feminine gestures, feminine manners, feminine poise,
feminine desires, feminine voices, feminine charms. He is excited by that, delighted by
that. Being excited & delighted by that, he wants to be bonded to what is outside him,
wants whatever pleasure & happiness that arise based on that bond. Delighting, caught
up in his masculinity, a man goes into bondage with reference to women. This is how a man
does not transcend his masculinity.
"And how is there lack of bondage? A woman does not attend inwardly to her
feminine faculties...feminine charms. She is not excited by that, not delighted by
that...does not attend outwardly to masculine faculties...masculine charms. She is not
excited by that, not delighted by that...does not want to be bonded to what is outside
her, does not want whatever pleasure & happiness that arise based on that bond. Not
delighting, not caught up in her femininity, a woman does not go into bondage with
reference to men. This is how a woman transcends her femininity.
"A man does not attend inwardly to his masculine faculties...masculine charms. He
is not excited by that, not delighted by that...does not attend outwardly to feminine
faculties...feminine charms. He is not excited by that, not delighted by that...does not
want to be bonded to what is outside him, does not want whatever pleasure & happiness
that arise based on that bond. Not delighting, not caught up in his masculinity, a man
does not go into bondage with reference to women. This is how a man transcends his
masculinity.
"This is how there is lack of bondage. And this is the Dhamma discourse on bondage
& lack of bondage."