Hi Chlorf, it is not necessary that you must practice celibacy,
nor shun activities, in order to be enlightened. Neither do you
need isolation*. There are different levels of enlightenment.
However it is true that at the higher levels of enlightenment (say,
anagami and arhantship), sexual desire or sense desire disappears.
Those of the sotapanna and sakadagami level of enlightenment might
still engage in sexual activities.
More importantly you must grasp the gist of practice and have
the right view. Then dedicate quality time to practice letting go
and mindfulness everyday, i.e. meditation practice. In the day you
can still engage in your mundane activities, though try to let go
of addictive or unwholesome patterns of behaviours and be mindful
as much as possible.
*Buddha does not recommend isolation as being necessary, on the
other hand he encourage people in this way:
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was living
among the Sakyans.
Now there is a Sakyan town named Sakkara. There Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival,
having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was
sitting there, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, "This is half
of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable
companionship, admirable camaraderie."[1]
"Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Admirable friendship,
admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the
whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable people as
friends, companions, & comrades, he can be expected to develop
& pursue the noble eightfold path.
"And how
does a monk who has admirable people as friends, companions, &
comrades, develop & pursue the noble eightfold path? There is
the case where a monk develops right view dependent on seclusion,
dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in
relinquishment. He develops right resolve... right speech... right
action... right livelihood... right effort... right mindfulness...
right concentration dependent on seclusion, dependent on
dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in relinquishment.
This is how a monk who has admirable people as friends, companions,
& colleagues, develops & pursues the noble eightfold
path.
"And through this line of reasoning one may know how admirable
friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is
actually the whole of the holy life: It is in dependence on me as
an admirable friend that beings subject to birth have gained
release from birth, that beings subject to aging have gained
release from aging, that beings subject to death have gained
release from death, that beings subject to sorrow, lamentation,
pain, distress, & despair have gained release from sorrow,
lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. It is through this line
of reasoning that one may know how admirable friendship, admirable
companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the
holy life."
See also: MN
95;
AN 4.192;
AN 8.54;
AN 9.1; Ud
4.1;
Iti 17.