Item 3 in Ten Major Bodhisattva Precepts

Do not engage in sexual misconduct

Avoid sexual conduct violating vows, consent, trust or welfare.

Position
3
Form
Mixed formulation
Obligation
Context-dependent
Wording status
Translation
Intended audience
Practitioners formally undertaking this East Asian Mahāyāna precept lineage
Last reviewed
28 June 2027

Names and terminology

Canonical name: Third grave precept

Original term: Third grave precept

Transliteration: Third grave precept

Source wording

<p>Avoid sexual conduct violating vows, consent, trust or welfare.</p><p><em>Editorial paraphrase; consult the linked source for full wording and context.</em></p>

Translation

Literal meaning

Avoid sexual conduct violating vows, consent, trust or welfare.

Broader interpretation

Avoid sexual conduct violating vows, consent, trust or welfare.

Historical context

This principle belongs to Ten Major Bodhisattva Precepts and must be read within that framework's setting.

Practical meaning

Avoid sexual conduct violating vows, consent, trust or welfare.

Ethical purpose

Avoid sexual conduct violating vows, consent, trust or welfare.

Exceptions and disputes

Ancient institutional wording requires careful modern interpretation, especially where safeguarding, criticism and individual rights are involved.

Variations across schools or traditions

Other Mahāyāna texts transmit different bodhisattva-precept systems; this page concerns the Brahmā's Net ten grave precepts.

Modern application

Avoid sexual conduct violating vows, consent, trust or welfare. Modern application should consider consent, evidence, proportionality, power and consequences.

Criticism and difficult cases

Ancient institutional wording requires careful modern interpretation, especially where safeguarding, criticism and individual rights are involved.

Truth By Reason analysis

Avoid sexual conduct violating vows, consent, trust or welfare. Application should preserve the ethical purpose while avoiding coercion, discrimination and preventable harm.

Ethical themes

  • Sexual conduct
  • Human dignity

Sources