..續本文上一頁 a less complete kind may be considered secondary infringements.
從倫理立場來看，這項戒律的主要目的是保障婚姻關系，使其不受外來的幹擾，並增進婚姻中的信任與忠誠。而從心靈立場來看，這項戒律有助于抑止龐大的性欲，以便能更進一步走向禁欲，完成僧侶們所恪守的獨身( brahmacariya)。對于在家衆來說，這項戒律則意味著：不與不正當的伴侶發生性關系。對于不邪淫戒，最主要違犯是完全的性結合，其他較不完全而有相關性的行爲，則被認爲是較爲次級的違犯。
The main question raised by the precept concerns who is to count as an illicit partner. The Buddha”s statement defines the illicit partner from the perspective of the man, but later treatises elaborate the matter for both sexes.33
這項戒律所牽涉的主要問題是：誰算是「不正當的伴侶」？佛陀的教法是從男性的角度界定「不正當的伴侶」的意義；而後來的注釋書則進一步發展這些論述，讓它們的適用範圍同時擴及男性與女性。
For a man, three kinds of women are considered illicit partners:
從男性的角度來說，有叁種女性是不正當的伴侶：
(1) A woman who is married to another man. This includes, besides a woman already married to a man, a woman who is not his legal wife but is generally recognized as his consort, who lives with him or is kept by him or is in some way acknowledged as his partner. All these women are illicit partners for men other than their own husbands. This class would also include a woman engaged to another man. But a widow or porced woman is not out of bounds, provided she is not excluded for other reasons.
(1)已與另一位男性結婚的女性。除了已婚女性之外，這一項的範疇還包括雖然還沒有正式婚姻關系，但已被大家公認是另一位男性的配偶的女性，她可能與他一起居住、受他照顧，或是以某種方式被承認是他的伴侶。這些女性對男性來說，是除了她們自己丈夫外的非法伴侶。這一項的範疇還包括已經訂婚的女性。然而，寡婦和離婚的女性並不被認爲是不正當的伴侶，除非有其他的因素出現。
(2) A woman still under protection. This is a girl or woman who is under the protection of her mother, father, relatives, or others rightfully entitled to be her guardians. This provision rules out elopements or secret marriages contrary to the wishes of the protecting party.
(2)仍受其他人保護的女性。這裏指的是仍在父母、親戚、或其他合法監護人的保護之下的女孩或婦女。由于這項規定，私奔或是違反保護人的意願而私訂終身，都是不可以的。
(3) A woman prohibited by convention. This includes close female relatives forbidden as partners by social tradition, nuns and other women under a vow of celibacy, and those prohibited as partners by the law of the land.
(3)習俗上所不容做爲伴侶的女性。這包括了：社會傳統所禁止成爲伴侶的女性近親、比庫尼，或其他守獨身戒的女性，以及當地法律所禁止成爲伴侶的女性。從女性角度來看，有兩種男性應被視爲不正當的伴侶：
From the standpoint of a woman, two kinds of men are considered illicit partners:
(1) For a married woman any man other than her husband is out of bounds. Thus a married woman violates the precept if she breaks her vow of fidelity to her husband. But a widow or porcee is free to remarry.
(1)對于已婚的女性來說，除了丈夫以外的男性，都是此戒所約束的對象。因此，如果她違反了對于丈夫的忠誠誓言，她就犯了戒。但是寡婦或離婚的女性，是可以自由再嫁的。
(2) For any woman any man forbidden by convention, such as close relatives and those under a vow of celibacy, is an illicit partner.
Besides these, any case of forced, violent, or coercive sexual union constitutes a transgression. But in such a case the violation falls only on the offender, not on the one compelled to submit.
(2)對于所有的女性來說，習俗上所不容做爲伴侶的男性 —例如：近親或守獨身戒的男性，都是不正當的伴侶。除此之外，所有因爲脅迫、暴力或是強製的性結合，都是犯了不邪淫戒。但在這種案例中，犯戒的只是侵犯者，受到強迫而屈就的人並沒有犯戒。
The positive virtue corresponding to the abstinence is, for laypeople, marital fidelity. Husband and wife should each be faithful and devoted to the other, content with the relationship, and should not risk a breakup to the union by seeking outside partners. The principle does not, however, confine sexual relations to the marital union. It is flexible enough to allow for variations depending on social convention. The essential purpose, as was said, is to prevent sexual relations which are hurtful to others. When mature independent people, though unmarried, enter into a sexual relationship through free consent, so long as no other person is intentionally harmed, no breach of the training factor is involved.
對在家衆來說，與不邪淫相對應的正面德行是婚姻上的忠誠。夫妻之間應對彼此忠誠、相互奉獻，對于彼此的關系感到滿足，不去尋找其他伴侶而破壞彼此的婚姻關系。然而，這條戒律並不禁止婚姻中的性關系，隨著社會風俗的不同，它也容許做出彈性的調整。因爲正如我們所說過的，這項戒律的主要目的，是防止會讓他人受到傷害的性關系。當兩個雖然沒有結婚、但成熟而獨立的人，出于自由而同意發生性關系，也沒有其他人被有意地傷害，那幺此一道支便未被違反。
Ordained monks and nuns, incl…
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