I remember that before I left the home life, there was one day when the Venerable Master asked me to go his quarters to do something. When I went there, I did not dare to enter the room because I heard many people's voices inside as if there were a meeting going on. So I sat on the doorstep and waited and waited. I waited for a long time. Finally, the Venerable Master popped his head out of the window and said, "Why don't you come up? Why are you sitting there like that? What are you waiting for?" When I entered, I found that there was nobody inside the room except for the Venerable Master. However, at that time, I did not ask why it had been so noisy just now, as if a lot of people were having a meeting.

A few years later, when I had already left the home life, there was a time when the Venerable Master transmitted the Forty-Two Hands and Eyes on the Precept Platform and all the Bhikshunis were there. Then, the Venerable Master told one of the Bhikshunis, "Do you know that your precept protecting spirits always come to me to complain that you did such and such a thing? All this while, I have been very tolerant of you." Thereupon, I realized, "Oh! No wonder there were so many people having a meeting inside the Venerable Master's room! Every disciple's precept-protecting spirits went to complain to the Venerable Master. How terrible!"

Therefore, we must know that there are gods and spirits three feet above our heads. After receiving the precepts, we must maintain them because there are many precept-protecting spirits all around us. That's why the Venerable Master was so busy every day. If it was not this precept-protecting spirit who came to lodge a complaint, it was that precept-protecting spirit who came to report something. Hence, on the Six Days of Purity, we must practice pure conduct, take baths and maintain proper behavior.   

3. Conjugal relations are not permitted on your parents' birthdays and death anniversaries, as well as on your mother's Day of Suffering. The latter actually refers to your own birthday, because it was the day on which your mother underwent suffering. When we think of how much our mothers suffered when they gave birth to us, how could we bear to indulge ourselves? That is why, on such days, we must practice the conduct of purity, take baths, maintain proper behavior and recollect our parents' kindness in our birth and upbringing.

4. Conjugal relations are not permitted before and after giving birth. People in ancient times paid great attention to such ethical conduct, but nowadays people say that such conduct 'consumes' them. In fact, people in the past had a lot of wisdom. When a woman has conceived, husband and wife must stay in separate rooms. The mother-to-be must not look at improper sights or listen to improper sounds. This is the proper behavior for nourishing the fetus. If the mother can maintain such proper behavior, then the baby will be born with regular and upright features and will not fall sick easily.  

After giving birth, it is even more essential to take good care of one's physical health, and for that reason the couple should still not stay in the same room. If the woman does not take care of herself, she will have a lot of illnesses. The Treasured Manual of Longevity and Health contains a lot of such information presented according to astronomy and the twenty-four solar terms. All of you should take a look at it.

5. Conjugal relations are not permitted in the daytime. People must not engage in such behavior during the day.  

6. Conjugal relations are not permitted when one is seriously injured, such as with damaged muscles and bones. One must also practice abstinence for a period of one hundred days after one has recovered from an illness. When a woman is pregnant, she must sleep separately from her husband and nourish her fetus, so that if a male child is born, he will have an upright and dignified bearing; and if it is a girl, she will have graceful and respectful behavior. When such a child grows up, he/she will unlikely commit lustful acts. If the parents do not observe abstinence, then a miscarriage could occur. It would be easy for the child to absorb some poison into his/her system, such as scabies.

Here is an example. In the sixth year of the Republic, there was a wealthy merchant's son who studied western medicine in Japan. His grades were very good and he was always first in his class. Once, this young man was traveling in a tramcar in Japan, but before the vehicle stopped, he jumped out and thereby injured his arm. Since he was a medical student, he knew how to treat himself, and so he recovered very quickly. However, western-trained doctors did not understand that whenever a person has sustained bone injuries, he must not indulge in conjugal relations for one hundred days. Although this western-trained young man was an outstanding student, he had not studied Chinese medicine, and so he was ignorant concerning such matters.  

Later on, he returned to China to attend his mother's birthday. As he did not know that he must not indulge in conjugal relations after sustaining bone injuries, he got intimate with his wife, and the next day, he was found lying dead by her side. So this is what is meant by inappropriate time and inappropriate place. Therefore, we must not simply give in to our desires, but exercise restraint.  

7. The above is also an example of having traveled a long distance. After experiencing temperature extremes, vigorous exercise and over-exertion of one's body, engaging in conjugal relations would have deleterious effects on the body.  

 ~ To be continued