The Offense of Engaging in Sexual Intercourse during the Eight Precepts

Original text of the Sūtra on the Precepts for Upāsakas, Section Three: 若优婆塞自受八支。行淫者犯不可悔。八支无复邪正。一切皆犯。若优婆塞虽都不受戒。犯佛弟子净戒人者。虽无犯戒之罪。然后永不得受五戒。乃至出家受具足。

Explanation: If an upāsaka takes the eight precepts on his own before the Buddha, and engages in sexual conduct during this period, regardless of who the other person is—even his own wife—he commits an unredeemable offense. Because during the period of the eight precepts, all sexual desire is forbidden; whether it is proper sexual conduct with one's wife or improper sexual conduct with others, any sexual conduct constitutes an unredeemable offense. Although an upāsaka may not have taken any precepts, if he violates a person who holds pure precepts, although he does not incur the offense of breaking precepts, he will forever be unable to take the five precepts, and will even be unable to go forth and receive the full precepts.

 Original text: 佛告诸比丘。吾有二身。生身戒身。若善男子为吾生身。起七宝塔。至于梵天。若人亏之。其罪尚有可悔。亏吾戒身。其罪无量。受罪如伊罗龙王。

Explanation: The Buddha told the bhikṣus, "I have two bodies: the body of birth and the body of precepts. If a good man builds a seven-jeweled stūpa for my body of birth, reaching up to the Brahmā heaven, and someone damages it, that offense can still be repented and eradicated. But if someone damages my body of precepts (the precepts established by the Tathāgata), the offense is immeasurable, and the retribution he receives will be like that of the Dragon King Elāpattra."

What does it mean to damage the Buddha's body of precepts? It means to violate the precepts established by the Buddha, to break the Buddha's precepts, to damage the Tathāgata, and to fail the Tathāgata. Such an offense is immeasurable and boundless, like the retribution received by the Dragon King Elāpattra. The Dragon King Elāpattra has seven heads, and on each head grows an elā tree. Why does an elā tree grow on his heads? When the Dragon King Elāpattra was a bhikṣu in a past life, out of anger he deliberately damaged the leaves of an elā tree. For many kalpas he fell into the body of a dragon, with an elā tree growing from his head, suffering the agony of pus and blood flowing and maggots gnawing at it. Fortunately, he heard the Buddha's teaching and came to understand cause and effect, patiently accepting it and repenting; however, this karmic retribution will not end until the Buddha Maitreya appears in the world. Therefore, after studying Buddhism, one should no longer follow along with afflictions; following along with afflictions is damaging the Tathāgata's body of precepts, and the offense is immeasurable and boundless.