<p>That was referenced in <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/36550/254">this answer</a>.</p>

<p>The word used there is <em>abrahmacariyā</em> and associated with celibacy.</p>

<p>That word used that way (celibacy) in the 3rd of the eight precepts -- see the references at the start of <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/35116/254">this answer</a> -- a different word is used in the 3rd of the five precepts.</p>

<p>I think it has a broader meaning than celibacy though, e.g. it's used in <a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn45.2/en/sujato" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 54.2</a> -- so instead of or as well as "celibate" it's translated "the holy life" or "the spiritual life" -- I think it refers to a monk's life, including keeping the rules of the vinaya and the company of other monks.</p>

<p>Where it's used in SN 45.8, I note that the three types of wrong action which are listed there -- i.e. killing, stealing, and sexual intercourse -- correspond to <a href="https://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut019.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">parajika</a> offenses which result in someone's automatically losing their status as a monk or nun.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-17T11:10:45.413Z
Thanks, the answer is satisfying.
Malik A
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-12T10:55:08.470Z
this answer sounds wrong, which is why i original marked it down. there appears nothing in SN 45.2 that refers to a kalyāṇa­mittatā as exclusively a monk
Dhamma Dhatu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-16T18:09:13.603Z
2020-01-16T18:16:42.743Z
2020-01-16T18:16:42.743Z
ChrisW
<p>I remember reading in a sutta that the Buddha said not engaging in the sexual act is considered right action. Does anybody know the place where that is written? I don’t remember where I read it.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-16T18:01:46.287Z
See [Is the Noble Eightfold Path a path of celibacy?](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/36548/is-the-noble-eightfold-path-a-path-of-celibacy?r=SearchResults) and [Is celibacy intrinsic to Buddhism?](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2902/254)
Andriy Volkov
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-16T18:31:03.810Z
I added the `reference-request` tag because I think that's what you were asking -- i.e. simply asking for a reference to the sutta where "not engaging in the sexual act" is "right action".
ChrisW
<reference-request><sexual-misconduct>
Is the sexual act contrary to achieving enlightenment?
# Is the sexual act contrary to achieving enlightenment?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-01-16)

I remember reading in a sutta that the Buddha said not engaging in the sexual act is considered right action. Does anybody know the place where that is written? I don’t remember where I read it.

**Tags:** reference-request, sexual-misconduct

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: See [Is the Noble Eightfold Path a path of celibacy?](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/36548/is-the-noble-eightfold-path-a-path-of-celibacy?r=SearchResults) and [Is celibacy intrinsic to Buddhism?](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/2902/254)  
> **username_2**: I added the `reference-request` tag because I think that's what you were asking -- i.e. simply asking for a reference to the sutta where "not engaging in the sexual act" is "right action".  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-01-16. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

That was referenced in [this answer](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/36550/254).

The word used there is *abrahmacariyā* and associated with celibacy.

That word used that way (celibacy) in the 3rd of the eight precepts -- see the references at the start of [this answer](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/35116/254) -- a different word is used in the 3rd of the five precepts.

I think it has a broader meaning than celibacy though, e.g. it's used in [SN 54.2](https://suttacentral.net/sn45.2/en/sujato) -- so instead of or as well as "celibate" it's translated "the holy life" or "the spiritual life" -- I think it refers to a monk's life, including keeping the rules of the vinaya and the company of other monks.

Where it's used in SN 45.8, I note that the three types of wrong action which are listed there -- i.e. killing, stealing, and sexual intercourse -- correspond to [parajika](https://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebsut019.htm) offenses which result in someone's automatically losing their status as a monk or nun.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks, the answer is satisfying.  
> **username_3**: this answer sounds wrong, which is why i original marked it down. there appears nothing in SN 45.2 that refers to a kalyāṇa­mittatā as exclusively a monk  

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