Saṁyogasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.51

Numbered Discourses 7.51

5. Mahāyaññavagga

5. A Great Sacrifice

Saṁyogasutta

Yoking and Unyoking

“Saṁyogavisaṁyogaṁ vo, bhikkhave, dhammapariyāyaṁ desessāmi.

“Mendicants, I will teach you an exposition of the teaching on yoking and unyoking.

Taṁ suṇātha …pe…

Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak. …

katamo ca so, bhikkhave, saṁyogo visaṁyogo dhammapariyāyo?

And what is the exposition of the teaching on yoking and unyoking?

Itthī, bhikkhave, ajjhattaṁ itthindriyaṁ manasi karoti—

A woman focuses on her own femininity:

itthikuttaṁ itthākappaṁ itthividhaṁ itthicchandaṁ itthissaraṁ itthālaṅkāraṁ.

her feminine moves, feminine appearance, feminine ways, feminine desires, feminine voice, and feminine adornment.

Sā tattha rajjati tatrābhiramati.

She’s stimulated by this and takes pleasure in it.

Sā tattha rattā tatrābhiratā bahiddhā purisindriyaṁ manasi karoti—

So she focuses on the masculinity of others:

purisakuttaṁ purisākappaṁ purisavidhaṁ purisacchandaṁ purisassaraṁ purisālaṅkāraṁ.

masculine moves, masculine appearance, masculine ways, masculine desires, masculine voice, and masculine adornment.

Sā tattha rajjati tatrābhiramati.

She’s stimulated by this and takes pleasure in it.

Sā tattha rattā tatrābhiratā bahiddhā saṁyogaṁ ākaṅkhati.

So she desires to yoke herself to another.

Yañcassā saṁyogapaccayā uppajjati sukhaṁ somanassaṁ tañca ākaṅkhati.

And she desires the pleasure and happiness that comes from such yoking.

Itthatte, bhikkhave, abhiratā sattā purisesu saṁyogaṁ gatā.

Sentient beings who relish their femininity are yoked to men.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, itthī itthattaṁ nātivattati.

This is how a woman does not transcend her femininity.

Puriso, bhikkhave, ajjhattaṁ purisindriyaṁ manasi karoti—

A man focuses on his own masculinity:

purisakuttaṁ purisākappaṁ purisavidhaṁ purisacchandaṁ purisassaraṁ purisālaṅkāraṁ.

his masculine moves, masculine appearance, masculine ways, masculine desires, masculine voice, and masculine adornment.

So tattha rajjati tatrābhiramati.

He’s stimulated by this and takes pleasure in it.

So tattha ratto tatrābhirato bahiddhā itthindriyaṁ manasi karoti—

So he focuses on the femininity of others:

itthikuttaṁ itthākappaṁ itthividhaṁ itthicchandaṁ itthissaraṁ itthālaṅkāraṁ.

feminine moves, feminine appearance, feminine ways, feminine desires, feminine voice, and feminine adornment.

So tattha rajjati tatrābhiramati.

He’s stimulated by this and takes pleasure in it.

So tattha ratto tatrābhirato bahiddhā saṁyogaṁ ākaṅkhati.

So he desires to yoke himself to another.

Yañcassa saṁyogapaccayā uppajjati sukhaṁ somanassaṁ tañca ākaṅkhati.

And he desires the pleasure and happiness that comes from such yoking.

Purisatte, bhikkhave, abhiratā sattā itthīsu saṁyogaṁ gatā.

Sentient beings who relish their masculinity are yoked to women.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puriso purisattaṁ nātivattati.

This is how a man does not transcend his masculinity.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, saṁyogo hoti.

This is how yoking comes about.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, visaṁyogo hoti?

And how does unyoking come about?

Itthī, bhikkhave, ajjhattaṁ itthindriyaṁ na manasi karoti—

A woman doesn’t focus on her own femininity:

itthikuttaṁ itthākappaṁ itthividhaṁ itthicchandaṁ itthissaraṁ itthālaṅkāraṁ.

her feminine moves, feminine appearance, feminine ways, feminine desires, feminine voice, and feminine adornment.

Sā tattha na rajjati, sā tatra nābhiramati.

She isn’t stimulated by this and takes no pleasure in it.

Sā tattha arattā tatra anabhiratā bahiddhā purisindriyaṁ na manasi karoti—

So she doesn’t focus on the masculinity of others:

purisakuttaṁ purisākappaṁ purisavidhaṁ purisacchandaṁ purisassaraṁ purisālaṅkāraṁ.

masculine moves, masculine appearance, masculine ways, masculine desires, masculine voice, and masculine adornment.

Sā tattha na rajjati, tatra nābhiramati.

She isn’t stimulated by this and takes no pleasure in it.

Sā tattha arattā tatra anabhiratā bahiddhā saṁyogaṁ nākaṅkhati.

So she doesn’t desire to yoke herself to another.

Yañcassā saṁyogapaccayā uppajjati sukhaṁ somanassaṁ tañca nākaṅkhati.

Nor does she desire the pleasure and happiness that comes from such yoking.

Itthatte, bhikkhave, anabhiratā sattā purisesu visaṁyogaṁ gatā.

Sentient beings who do not relish their femininity are not yoked to men.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, itthī itthattaṁ ativattati.

This is how a woman transcends her femininity.

Puriso, bhikkhave, ajjhattaṁ purisindriyaṁ na manasi karoti—

A man doesn’t focus on his own masculinity:

purisakuttaṁ purisākappaṁ purisavidhaṁ purisacchandaṁ purisassaraṁ purisālaṅkāraṁ.

masculine moves, masculine appearance, masculine ways, masculine desires, masculine voice, and masculine adornment.

So tattha na rajjati, so tatra nābhiramati.

He isn’t stimulated by this and takes no pleasure in it.

So tattha aratto tatra anabhirato bahiddhā itthindriyaṁ na manasi karoti—

So he doesn’t focus on the femininity of others:

itthikuttaṁ itthākappaṁ itthividhaṁ itthicchandaṁ itthissaraṁ itthālaṅkāraṁ.

feminine moves, feminine appearance, feminine ways, feminine desires, feminine voice, and feminine adornment.

So tattha na rajjati, tatra nābhiramati.

He isn’t stimulated by this and takes no pleasure in it.

So tattha aratto tatra anabhirato bahiddhā saṁyogaṁ nākaṅkhati.

So he doesn’t desire to yoke himself to another.

Yañcassa saṁyogapaccayā uppajjati sukhaṁ somanassaṁ tañca nākaṅkhati.

Nor does he desire the pleasure and happiness that comes from such yoking.

Purisatte, bhikkhave, anabhiratā sattā itthīsu visaṁyogaṁ gatā.

Sentient beings who do not relish their masculinity are not yoked to women.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puriso purisattaṁ ativattati.

This is how a man transcends his masculinity.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, visaṁyogo hoti.

This is how unyoking comes about.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, saṁyogo visaṁyogo dhammapariyāyo”ti.

This is the exposition of the teaching on yoking and unyoking.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.