<p><a href="http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf" rel="nofollow"><strong>There are four conditions for wrong conduct in sexual pleasures.</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>i)</strong> There must be a man or woman with whom it is improper to
have sexual intercourse.</p>

<p><strong>ii)</strong> There must be intention to have sexual intercourse with such a
person.</p>

<p><strong>iii)</strong> Action must be taken to have such an intercourse.</p>

<p><strong>iv)</strong> There must be enjoyment from contact of the sexual organs.</p>

<p>With reference to the first condition, there are twenty kinds of
women with whom men should have no sexual relations. They can
be divided into three groups, namely: <strong>women under the
guardianship of parents, family members, relatives and authorities
charged with their care; married or betrothed women; bhikkhunis
and religious women observing the Holy Life. For all women, a
man forbidden by tradition or under religious rules is prohibited
as a partner.</strong> For any unwilling partner who is drugged or forced to
have sexual intercourse under threat of violence or coercion,
conditions (ii) &amp; (iv) exclude them from violation of the precept.</p>

<p><strong>Causes of Sexual Misconduct</strong></p>

<p>The root cause of sexual misconduct is always greed or lust,
accompanied by delusion.
Factors affecting the Gravity of Sexual Misconduct
The gravity of the offence is determined by the degree of lust
motivating the action and the qualities of the person against whom
the transgression is committed. When the lust is very strong, even
incest and rape can be committed, the most serious being the rape of
a female Arahant.</p>

<p>So to answer your questions,
consensuality is actually a requirement to break the 3rd precept. If a girl gets raped, she's not breaking the precept, but the man is.</p>

<p><strong>Case #1</strong>: Yes, if it violates the 1st condition</p>

<p><strong>Case #2</strong>: Yes, if it violates the 1st condition</p>

<p>Whether it's a long term relationship or just a one night stand is irrelevant to violating the 3rd precept. Lust is the root cause in both cases.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-30T12:31:16.220Z
I'm not quite following here, y is #1 is a definite yes for breaking the precept and #2 depends? Both have fulfilled the condition of consensuality  .#1 is more like both of them are taking it to another lvl and it could very well lead to a happy marriage.#2 is more like a mutual agreement to do it w/o any feelings attached.
Sunset_Limited
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-30T12:37:03.227Z
In #1, by 'relationship', were you referring to the relationship between the 2 of them or them being in other relationships?
Sankha Kulathantille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-30T12:38:37.463Z
I'm sorry I may not have made myself clear in this, I meant 2 of them, neither with other people nor other relationship.
Sunset_Limited
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-30T12:45:10.793Z
In that case, what's the difference between #1 and #2?
Sankha Kulathantille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-30T12:54:25.200Z
#1 - In a relationship, pretty much attached to each other but not yet married. #2 - Could be someone they just knew, could be just casual acquaintances but both agreed to have sex, no feelings involved.
Sunset_Limited
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-30T12:56:51.177Z
Lust is a feeling. It's still a relationship even if it's just for 1 night :)
Sankha Kulathantille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-30T13:01:59.747Z
Let us [continue this discussion in chat](http://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/22421/discussion-between-sunset-limited-and-sankha-kulathantille).
Sunset_Limited
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-29T16:37:22.007Z
2015-03-30T13:02:15.467Z
2015-03-30T13:02:15.467Z
Sankha Kulathantille
<p>Is it considered breaking the five precepts under these circumstances:</p>

<ol>
<li>Both are in a relationship, unmarried and it's purely consensual.  </li>
<li>Both are single and it's purely consensual.</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-29T16:17:33.223Z
by "in a relationship" I assume you mean "in a relationship with other people"? If so, see [here](http://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1371/18)
yuttadhammo
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-29T22:39:25.213Z
Bhante, I meant with each other not with other people.
Sunset_Limited
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-30T12:48:17.640Z
By #2 are you referring to prostitution? #1 and #2 seem to be the same otherwise.
Sankha Kulathantille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-30T12:49:36.907Z
No, nothing to do with prostitution at all.
Sunset_Limited
<ethics><five-precepts>
Does consensual sex break the five precepts?
# Does consensual sex break the five precepts?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-03-29)

Is it considered breaking the five precepts under these circumstances:

1. Both are in a relationship, unmarried and it's purely consensual.
2. Both are single and it's purely consensual.

**Tags:** ethics, five-precepts

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: by "in a relationship" I assume you mean "in a relationship with other people"? If so, see [here](http://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/1371/18)  
> **username_0**: Bhante, I meant with each other not with other people.  
> **username_2**: By #2 are you referring to prostitution? #1 and #2 seem to be the same otherwise.  
> **username_0**: No, nothing to do with prostitution at all.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-03-29. Score: 2

[**There are four conditions for wrong conduct in sexual pleasures.**](http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf/PDF_BuddhismCourse/11_%20Five%20Precepts.pdf)

**i)** There must be a man or woman with whom it is improper to
have sexual intercourse.

**ii)** There must be intention to have sexual intercourse with such a
person.

**iii)** Action must be taken to have such an intercourse.

**iv)** There must be enjoyment from contact of the sexual organs.

With reference to the first condition, there are twenty kinds of
women with whom men should have no sexual relations. They can
be divided into three groups, namely: **women under the
guardianship of parents, family members, relatives and authorities
charged with their care; married or betrothed women; bhikkhunis
and religious women observing the Holy Life. For all women, a
man forbidden by tradition or under religious rules is prohibited
as a partner.** For any unwilling partner who is drugged or forced to
have sexual intercourse under threat of violence or coercion,
conditions (ii) & (iv) exclude them from violation of the precept.

**Causes of Sexual Misconduct**

The root cause of sexual misconduct is always greed or lust,
accompanied by delusion.
Factors affecting the Gravity of Sexual Misconduct
The gravity of the offence is determined by the degree of lust
motivating the action and the qualities of the person against whom
the transgression is committed. When the lust is very strong, even
incest and rape can be committed, the most serious being the rape of
a female Arahant.

So to answer your questions,
consensuality is actually a requirement to break the 3rd precept. If a girl gets raped, she's not breaking the precept, but the man is.

**Case #1**: Yes, if it violates the 1st condition

**Case #2**: Yes, if it violates the 1st condition

Whether it's a long term relationship or just a one night stand is irrelevant to violating the 3rd precept. Lust is the root cause in both cases.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I'm not quite following here, y is #1 is a definite yes for breaking the precept and #2 depends? Both have fulfilled the condition of consensuality  .#1 is more like both of them are taking it to another lvl and it could very well lead to a happy marriage.#2 is more like a mutual agreement to do it w/o any feelings attached.  
> **username_2**: In #1, by 'relationship', were you referring to the relationship between the 2 of them or them being in other relationships?  
> **username_0**: I'm sorry I may not have made myself clear in this, I meant 2 of them, neither with other people nor other relationship.  
> **username_2**: In that case, what's the difference between #1 and #2?  
> **username_0**: #1 - In a relationship, pretty much attached to each other but not yet married. #2 - Could be someone they just knew, could be just casual acquaintances but both agreed to have sex, no feelings involved.  
> **username_2**: Lust is a feeling. It's still a relationship even if it's just for 1 night :)  
> **username_0**: Let us [continue this discussion in chat](http://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/22421/discussion-between-sunset-limited-and-sankha-kulathantille).  

---

