BUDDHISM AND HOMOSEXUALITY
Overview
People’s beliefs are greatly influenced by many factors; two of the most important are culture, tradition, and religion. Culture often trumps religion. For example, in the case of the worldwide Anglican Communion, many believers in the U.S. and Canadian provinces feel that the denomination is in a state of sin because it does not grant equal rights to homosexuals. Many believers in African provinces believe that Anglican Community is in a state of sin because some Anglicans support equal rights for lesbians and gays. Here we have a single religious movement, using the same Bible as their holy book, taking opposite views on homosexuality because of their differing cultures.
The same cultural overlay phenomenon may be happening in Buddhism as well. In the West, there appears to be a growing acceptance of same-sex sexual activity as moral; in Asia, cultural influences result in same-sex behavior being considered sexual misconduct.
Apparently, the Buddha did not leave any teachings on homosexual orientation or homosexual behavior. He strongly encouraged his followers to “be a lamp onto yourself” — to examine and test the truth of religious teachings before accepting them.
Buddhism is most concerned with whether an action is helpful, based on good intentions, and freedom from harm. Thus, a specific act can sometimes be either permissible or not permissible, depending upon its context. This differs from the positions taken by Christian faith groups. They often evaluate a specific action itself, based on whether it is good or evil according to a system of morality derived from that group’s interpretation of the Bible.
Many women, gays and lesbians have been attracted to Buddhism because of its relative lack of misogyny and homophobia, when compared to some other religions. But others report “virulently anti-gay sentiments and teachings from religious teachers in Tibetan and other Buddhist” schools.
Argument from basic Buddhist principles
A core teaching of Buddhism is the Buddha’s Eightfold Path.
The second of the eight steps
is called Samma sankappa: right thinking or right resolve. It has been stated as:
“You must renounce the pleasures of the senses; you must harbor no ill will toward anyone, and harm no living creature.”
When applied to sexual behavior, this step would seem to imply that one must:
Engage in no pleasurable activities at all, including both masturbation and sexual pursuits with another person.
Avoid harming another person. Sexual activity can harm others in various ways:
– It can easily spread STDs between sexual partners if safer sex techniques are not used.
– It can engender feelings of guilt, particularly if done outside of a loving, committed relationship.
– It can damage a marriage if it involves an extra-marital affair.
– It can result in emotional distress particularly if the sex is manipulative and not consensual.
– It can be profoundly injurious if one partner is too young.
The second step would seem to imply complete celibacy — abstaining from sex with another person of the same sex — if one is a homosexual — or with a person of the opposite sex — if one is a heterosexual. It one is sexually active, then the second step would seem to imply that the behavior must be consensual and safe. There is no special limitation here that applies uniquely to homosexuals. Persons of all sexual orientations are to remain celibate.
The fourth of the eight steps
is called Samma kammanta: Right conduct or right behavior. It has been stated as:
“Do not destroy any living creature; take only what is given to you; do not commit any unlawful sexual act.” 9
The prohibition against engaging in sexual misconduct is also listed as the third of the five Buddhist precepts. Sometimes it is expressed as simply forbidding adultery.
When applied to sexual behavior, this step would seem to imply that one must:
– Practice safe sex to minimize the chance of passing an STD to a sexual partner that could, in the case of HIV and HPV, cause death.
– Engage in only consensual sex. It is a bit of a stretch, but forced or manipulative sexual behavior could be interpreted as theft.
– Avoid “unlawful” sexual acts. This is a difficult phrase to interpret.
1) From a legal standpoint, the U.S. Supreme court decided (Lawrence v. Texas, 2003) that all private consensual sex between adults is lawful. Unlawful sex in the U.S. would include activity between an adult and a child, sex in public, sex that is forced, sex for money, etc.
2) From a moral standpoint, “unlawful” sex could involve many activities depending upon the specific faith group to which a person adheres.
To summarize:
Buddhism’s basic teaching discourages sex, and particularly condemns adultery, rape, non-consensual sex, and unsafe sex. This would seem to apply to same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples equally. However, some groups within Buddhism condemn homosexual sex because of cultural criteria.
A contrary view is seen in the Evangelical.us web site. 10 They suggest that Buddhism condemns homosexuality absolutely. Their web site states:
– “Homosexual behavior is a pleasure of the senses,” and is thus violates the second of the eight steps. While this is a true statement, it applies equally to sex between a man and a woman.
– “Homosexual acts harm,” and thus violate the second step again. Again, the author overlooks the fact that it is the specific behavior that causes the transmission of STDs, not necessarily the gender of the participants. In fact, STDs occur among lesbians at a far lower rate than among heterosexuals. Anal sex can transmit HIV infection very efficiently from a male to a female just as easily as it can from a male to a male.
Theravada Buddhism
This is one of the largest divisions of Buddhism. It is also known as the “Southern” School. Using information drawn from a presentation on legalizing same-sex marriages in Hawai’i, we find:
– The Buddha formulated 5 precepts of Right Conduct
– One of these is: “I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from sexual misconduct” (“not to go the wrong way for sexual pleasure” appears to be a better translation. 7
– The Buddha did not specifically define the term “sexual misconduct.”
– However, he did stress the importance of “above all, do no harm to others or to oneself”
– Some Buddhists conclude that sexual misconduct would include adultery, child molestation, incest, rape, sexual abuse in any form, and sexual harassment. Further, consensual sexual activity by a committed couple is not misconduct (whether engaged in by a heterosexual or homosexual couple). 1
From the Theravada Buddhist standpoint, all relationships: gay, lesbian or straight, are often considered personal matters of mutual consent. If a relationship promotes the happiness and well-being of both parties, then it is positive and acceptable. Many Buddhists believe that sexual orientation is beyond a person’s control, as are race and gender. They feel that gays and lesbians should have the same civil rights and benefits as do all other persons.
Kerry Trembath wrote
that Buddhists base ethical decisions on the consequences of one’s actions, how we would feel if the action was done to us, and whether the action is helpful to our goal of Nirvana. 7 He commented that Buddhist leaders have generally interpreted coercive sex, sexual harassment, child molestation and adultery to be sexual misconduct. But heterosexual or homosexual consensual sex within a relationship is acceptable. He concludes:
– “Unfortunately, it cannot be said that homosexuals in countries where Buddhists are in the majority are any more free from prejudice and discrimination than they are in other countries. Everywhere it has taken root, Buddhism has absorbed aspects of the dominant culture, and this has sometimes been to its detriment. Neither is it true to say that people who espouse Buddhism are themselves any more free from prejudiced views than those of other persuasions. However it is clear that there is nothing in the Buddha’s teachings to justify condemnation of homosexuality or homosexual acts. It seems to me that many gays and lesbians, particularly in Western countries, are drawn to Buddhism because of its tolerance and its reluctance to draw rigid moral lines, although of course I have no hard evidence for this. … The same principles would be used to evaluate all relationships and sexual behaviour, whether heterosexual or homosexual.”
Another Buddhist practitioner, A.L. De Silva, writes:
“As homosexuality is not explicitly mentioned in any of the Buddha’s discourses (more than 20 volumes in the Pali Text Society’s English translation), we can only assume that it is meant to be evaluated in the same way that heterosexuality is. And indeed it seems that this is why it is not specifically mentioned. In the case of the lay man and woman where there is mutual consent, where adultery is not involved and where the sexual act is an expression of love, respect, loyalty and warmth, it would not be breaking the third Precept. And it is the same when the two people are of the same gender. Likewise promiscuity, license and the disregard for the feelings of others would make a sexual act unskillful whether it be heterosexual or homosexual. All the principles we would use to evaluate a heterosexual relationship we would also use to evaluate a homosexual one. In Buddhism we could say that it is not the object of one’s sexual desire that determines whether a sexual act is unskillful or not, but rather the quality of the emotions and intentions involved.”
“However, the Buddha sometimes advised against certain behavior not because it is wrong from the point of view of ethics but because it would put one at odds with social norms or because its is subject to legal sanctions. In these cases, the Buddha says that refraining from such behavior will free one from the anxiety and embarrassment caused by social disapproval or the fear of punitive action. Homosexuality would certainly come under this type of behavior. In this case, the homosexual has to decide whether she or he is going to acquiesce to what society expects or to try to change public attitudes. In Western societies where attitudes towards sex in general have been strongly influenced by the tribal taboos of the Old Testament and, in the New Testament, by the ideas of highly neurotic people like St. Paul, there is a strong case for changing public attitudes.”
However, the above discussion is only applicable to lay Buddhists. Very different rules apply for Buddhist monks. They are required to abstain from all types of sexual behavior — opposite-sex and same-sex.
Zen Buddhism
“The Zen tradition deals with sexuality within the broader category of sensual indulgence…Both hedonism and ascetic masochism are violations of the Middle Path.” 2 Sexual practices which harm, manipulate, or exploit others is forbidden (e.g. sex with children, with persons who are engaged or married to others, with persons unable to give informed consent, etc.). Zen Buddhism does not “make a distinction between heterosexual and homosexual” sex. It encourages sexual relationships that are “mutually loving and supportive.”
Robert Aitken, co-founder and teacher of the Honolulu Diamond Shangha testified before the Hawai’ian Commission on Sexual Orientation and the Law on 1995-OCT-11. He commented that Zen Buddhist monks, nuns and devout lay persons accept 16 precepts, one of which is “I take up the way of not misusing sex.” 6 He interpreted this guideline as forbidding sex that is self-centered, exploitive, non-consensual, unwholesome or destructive, in either a heterosexual or homosexual context. “Loving relationships between unmarried men are treated very positively in Buddhist scriptures.” However, these are not “of an overtly sexual nature.”
References – Books
– Diana Paw U, “Another Buddhist Perspective on Same-Gender Marriage”, Hawai’i Association of International Buddhists (HAIB), 1995-OCT-11.
– Gay Zen Buddhist Group at: hometown.aol.com
– The Gay Buddhist Fellowship is a “forum that brings together the diverse Buddhist traditions to address the spiritual concerns of gay men in the [San Francisco] bay area, the United States and the [rest of] the world.” See: www.gaybuddhist.org They have a list of “Buddhist links and locations”
– Dennis Conkin, “Dalai Lama urges ‘respect, compassion and full human rights for all,’ including gays,” at: quietmountain.com
– Robert Aitken, “A Zen Buddhist perspective on same-gender marriage,” at: www.qrd.org
– Kerry Trembath, “Buddhism and homosexuality,” at: www.enabling.org
– Newsweek, 1999-AUG-16.
– Sara Wenner, “Basic beliefs of Buddhism,” Minnesota State University, (2001) at: www.mnsu.edu
– “Buddhism and Homosexuality,” at www.evangelical.us
– “Dalai Lama Speaks,” CBC News, 2007-NOV-04, at: www.cbc.ca Includes video and dozens of viewers’ comments.
– A.L. De Silva, “Homosexuality and Theravada Buddhism,” Buddha Net, at: www.buddhanet.net
– Source : www.religioustolerance.org
