Stream-entry requires celibacy?

To me basing on AN10.75 it seems that stream-entry means that one will work through all defilements in the scope of the next few lives. So, perhaps in one of the next lives one will work on celibacy to achieve it completely.

That’s why AN10.75 says if Isidatta had the purity of Purana, he would be an Arahant. But because he had not - he had one more life to work through that. It’s obvious, since both of them were once-returners according to the Buddha - one more life to work through last big defilement.

If Isidatta had achieved Purāṇa’s level of ethical conduct, Purāṇa could not have even known Isidatta’s destination. And if Purāṇa had achieved Isidatta’s level of wisdom, Isidatta could not have even known Purāṇa’s destination. So both individuals were lacking in one respect.”

That’s why stream-enterers and once-returners means people who are so deep in the Dhamma that conditions are such, there is no way they will not reach Nibbana eventually in the next few lives/one more life. But different stream-enterers and once-returners have completely different defilements to work through. That’s why people who have different defilements, criticise the “other defilement camp”.

Thing is all defilements are just defilements, something to be overcome. No one argues here that non-celibacy is better than celibacy, quite the opposite. But what most people argue is that non-celibacy is not worst than having issues with anger, conceit, lack of wisdom etc. I personally know people who have good celibacy, but are very toxic socially for example, causing lots of harm in this way. So, Sadhu for their celibacy, but they have different things to work through. We are all imperfect beings unless we reach Arahanthood, as Ajahn Brahm says, crooked trees, or as Ajahn Sona says, people with a few fingers missing, experiencing their own incomplete nature. This is nature of being a human being on the path.

People who are in certain defilement camp usually fall into extreme views relating to their own deepest defilement (defending it), and attacking fiercly the defilement they have already overcome or are deeply overcoming it in this life. This is typical human trait, to always defend it’s own ego. It’s natural, but it’s good to be aware of that and have more compassion and understanding from people from the other camps, who work with different defilements and have other virtues, other incomplete but beautiful natures.

So dear fellows from HH, perhaps you are great celibates, or are working deeply on that, really Sadhu for that! But don’t fall into conceit and perhaps try to appreciate others who have different virtues, like for example gentleness. :slight_smile: :folded_hands: You might also consider sharing your Dhamma in a way that is not so divisive, I think it would greatly benefit your group in the long run as well as sasana as a whole. :slight_smile:

Personally I’m just a lay person who can barely keep 5 precepts, so I deeply respect sila and practice of all the monastics and lay people who are much further on the path than me. But still I hope these thoughts might be helpful to some. May all beings be happy. :folded_hands:

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