I am tempted to quote that story that everyone probably already knows: Two monks were at the edge of a river they wished to cross when a woman approached them. She said that she probably wouldn't be able to cross on her own and would appreciate some help. The younger of the monks remained silent and let the more established practitioner speak - he said that yes, he could carry her across. He did so without much fanfare and bid her farewell on the other side of the river. Then the younger monk exploded. The older monk had been defiled by touching her! He'd renounced sex and yet had his hands all over that woman! That went directly against his vows! The older monk calmly replied: "I put her down a long time ago. Why are you still carrying her?" If you define yourself by the negation of something, you are still its slave. The Vinaya prohibits bhikkhus from doing such a thing. "Now at that time a certain monk, tormented by dissatisfaction, cut off his own male organ. They told this matter to the Lord. He said: "This foolish man, monks, cut off one thing when another should have been cut off. Monks, one should not cut off one's own male organ. Whoever should cut it off, there is a grave offence." (Vinaya Piṭaka, Mahāvagga 110. Horner trans.) People have done a lot of wacky things in religious history to try and control the sexual urge artificially. If I remember my reading of history, there was a Doukhobor Sect in Russia who cut off women's nipples so they wouldn't be distracted by them. Then, they went naked and burned their houses and clothing to protest the Government. Gotta be a better way! Fanatacism and misunderstanding are also available to Buddhist monks.
Perhaps the whole thing of 'renunciation' of sexuality is the trouble here. Sexual repression has been shown by psychology to be a breeding ground for neurosis. The basic mis-trust of 'the flesh' is common to many religions. IMO it leads to grave imbalances, and this goon cutting off his dick is an inevitable manifestation of giving currrency to what are basically anti-life and anti-sex ideas. It's not something that is confined to Buddhism - many other religous folks have done similar things in the past, including for example, the very influential Christian theologian Origen. I think they're only carrying what is an insane notion to it's logical conclusion. Wierd kind of resonance too with Jesus saying 'if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out'.
look what it brought christian priests to do! Reprsion of sexual urges is bad but getting past it is fine. Wanting love and finding it are two very difrent things.
Technically the jury is still out on Origen. Our one source for this tidbit is Eusebias, who is not the most trustworthy source when it comes to folks he considered heretics. Could be true, might not be, but I over all agree.
I could find much more stupidity in catholics and christianity than buddhist. But you are talking about a MONK not just the ordinary buddhist. I'm a buddhist and I don't meditate really, i practice sex, all the other stuff. I'm not a monk. so you can't say being buddhist is stupid. Only certain individuals are, just like any other religion. =)
