Buddhism and sexuality
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Most variations of Buddhism do not go much into details of right and wrong regarding sexuality and other activities of life. The historical Buddha advised his students to avoid sexual misconduct, but at the same time largely avoided defining sexuality. The interpretation of sexual misconduct varies between the different schools and traditions, the cultures and even between individual teachers within the respective traditions.
Another variation in the view of sexuality is dependent if the Buddhist practitioner is an ordained monk or nun, since monastic Buddhism has very strict vows regarding celibacy. Lay Buddhists do not follow these vows, since sex is a very natural part of having a life in society with family and children. In Vajrayana, sexual intercourse can even be a part of the way to enlightenment.
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[edit] Celibacy and monasticism
Those who choose to practice Buddhism as ordained monks and nuns, also choose to live in celibacy.[1]
Sex is seen as a serious monastic transgression. Within Theravada Buddhism there are four principal transgressions: sex, theft, murder, and boasting of superhuman perfections, where sex is listed first.[2] Sexual misconduct for monks and nuns includes masturbation.[3] In the case of monasticism, abstaining completely from sex is seen as a necessity in order to reach enlightenment.
[edit] Lay Buddhism
The most common formulation of Buddhist ethics are the Five Precepts and the Eightfold Path, which say that one should neither be attached to nor crave sensual pleasure. These precepts take the form of voluntary, personal undertakings, not divine mandate or instruction. The third of the Five Precepts is "To refrain from committing sexual misconduct.[4] However, the "sexual misconduct" is such a broad term, and is subjected to interpretation relative to the social norms of the followers. Buddhism in its fundamental form, does not define what is right and what is wrong in absolute terms for lay followers. Therefore the interpretation of what kinds of sexual activity is acceptable for a layperson, is not a religious matter as far as Buddhism is concerned.[citation needed]
According to the Theravada traditions there are some statements attributed to Gautama Buddha on the nature of sexual misconduct. In a Everyman's Ethics, a collection of four specific suttas compiled and translated by Narada Thera, it is said that adultery is one of four evils the wise will never praise.[5] Within the Anguttara Nikaya on his teachings to Cunda the Silversmith this scope of misconduct is described:
"...one has intercourse with those under the protection of father, mother, brother, sister, relatives or clan, or of their religious community; or with those promised to someone else, protected by law, and even with those betrothed with a garland" [6]
This and other teachings within the Pali Canon are important and fundamental guidance for Theravada Buddhists.
[edit] Sexual Yoga
According to some Tibetan authorities, the physical practice of sexual yoga is necessary at the highest level for the attainment of Buddhahood.[7] The use of sexual yoga is highly regulated. It is only permitted after years of training.[8] The physical practice of sexual yoga is extremely rare, and has been historically.[9] A great majority of Tibetans believe that the only proper practice of tantric texts is metaphorically, not physically, in rituals and during meditative visualizations.[9] The dominant Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism holds that sexual yoga as an actual physical practice is the only way to attain Buddhahood in one lifetime. The founder of the sect Tsongkhapa did not, according to tradition, engage in this practice, but instead attained complete enlightenment at the moment of death, that being according to this school the nearest possible without sexual yoga. The school also taught that they are only appropriate for the most elite practitioners, who had directly realized emptiness and who had unusually strong compassion. The next largest school in Tibet, the Nyingma, holds that this is not necessary to achieve Buddhahood in one lifetime.[10] The fourteenth Dalai Lama of the Gelug sect, holds that the practice should only be done as a visualization.[9] Shingon, along with all non-tantric forms of Buddhism, does not recognize sexual yoga.
[edit] Homosexuality
Among Buddhists there is a wide diversity of opinion about homosexuality. Buddhism teaches that sensual enjoyment and desire in general, and sexual pleasure in particular, are hindrances to enlightenment, and inferior to the kinds of pleasure (see, e.g. pīti, a Pāli word often translated as "rapture") that are integral to the practice of jhāna. However, most Buddhists do not pursue skill in meditation or aim for enlightenment. For most, the goal is a pleasant life and, after death, a pleasant rebirth. For these Buddhists, enjoying sensual pleasures in a non-harmful way is the rule.
Some Buddhist leaders like the 14th Dalai Lama[citation needed] and Chan master Hsuan Hua, have explicitily spoken against the act of homosexuality, which is considered harmful to the individual.
In some forms[clarification needed] of Buddhism, the acceptability of homosexuality for a layperson is not a religious matter.[11] "Sexual misconduct" is a broad term, subject to interpretation according to followers' social norms. Early Buddhism appears to have beeing silent regarding homosexual relations.[12]
The situation is different for monastics. For them, the Vinaya (code of monastic discipline) bans all sexual activity, but does so in purely physiological terms, making no moral distinctions among the many possible forms of intercourse it lists.[13]
Some Buddhist orders may specifically prohibit transgender, homosexually active, or homosexually oriented people from ordination but accept homosexuality among laypersons.[citation needed]
The earliest texts mention the existence of "third gender" individuals; such a person would not be barred from ordination, and if already ordained,could simply changes orders.[14]
[edit] Western Buddhism
Western Buddhism is often relatively gay-friendly,[15] and the interpretation of what is sexual misconduct is an individual decision and not subject to judgment by any central authority, a view of accepting all peoples, but rejecting certain types of sexual acts is more predominant.[16]
When applying Buddhist philosophy to the question of homosexuality, western Buddhists often emphasize the importance the Buddha placed on tolerance, compassion, and seeking answers within one's mind.[16]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Saddhatissa, Hammalawa (December 1987). Buddhist Ethics: The Path to Nirvana. Wisdom Pubns; New Ed edition. pp. 88. ISBN 0-8617-1053-3.
- ^ Lopez, Donald S. Critical Terms for the Study of Buddhism. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. 2005
- ^ Olson, Carl. The Different Paths of Buddhism: A Narrative-Historical Introduction. New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. 2005
- ^ Higgins, Winton. "Buddhist Sexual Ethics". BuddhaNet Magazine. http://www.buddhanet.net/winton_s.htm. Retrieved 2007-01-15.
- ^ Thera, Narada. "Everyman's Ethics Four Discourses of the Buddha". Buddhist Publication Society. http://dharmaflower.net/_collection/everymanethics.pdf. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
- ^ Thanissaro Bhikkhu. "Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta". Access to Insight. http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.176.than.html. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
- ^ Routledge Encyclopedia of Buddhism, page 781
- ^ Peter Harvey, An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics. Cambridge University Press, 2000, page 142. [1]
- ^ a b c Thomas Laird, The Story of Tibet. Grove Press, 2006, page 81
- ^ Routledge Encyclopedia of Buddhism, page 781; the briefer statement in this article by Powers should be understood in the light of his fuller statement in his book Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, Snow Lion, 1995, pages 252f
- ^ GLBT in World Religions, Sermon by Rev. Gabriele Parks, along with Phil Manos and Bill Weber.[2]
- ^ James William Coleman, The New Buddhism: The Western Transformation of an Ancient Tradition. Oxford University Press 2002, page 146.
- ^ George E. Haggerty, Gay histories and cultures: an encyclopedia. Taylor and Francis 2000, pages 146–147.
- ^ Peter Harvey, An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics. Cambridge University Press, 2000, page 412.
- ^ Buddhism and homosexuality - Tibetan Buddhism. Western Buddhism.
- ^ a b Buddhist Sexual Ethics
[edit] External references
- Issues in Buddhist Sexual Ethics
- Introduction to Buddhist Sexual Ethics: Having Sex with Someone Else's Partner
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