Views of Homosexuality in Buddhism

By Admin

Date → Thursday, January 12, 2012

Tags → 3rd Precept , Buddha Net , Buddhist view on sex , De Silva , homosexual , same sex , Sex , sexual behaviour

Sukihotu,

I've discussed on this subject before, but I think it is still interesting to revisit this topic and see more views. Here is one article from De Silva. This is what he said,

Buddhism teaches to, and expects from, its followers acertain level of ethical behaviour. The minimum that is required of the layBuddhist is embodied in what is called the Five Precepts (panca sila),the third of which relates to sexual behaviour. Whether or not homosexuality,sexual behaviour between people of the same sex, would be breaking the thirdPrecept is what I would like to examine here.

Homosexualitywas known in ancient India; it is explicitly mentioned in the Vinaya (monasticdiscipline) and prohibited. It is not singled out for special condemnation, butrather simply mentioned along with a wide range of other sexual behaviour ascontravening the rule that requires monks and nuns to be celibate. Sexualbehaviour, whether with a member of the same or the opposite sex, where thesexual organ enters any of the bodily orifices (vagina, mouth or anus), ispunishable by expulsion from the monastic order. Other sexual behaviour likemutual masturbation or interfemural sex, while considered a serious offense,does not entail expulsion but must be confessed before the monastic community.

Atype of person called a pandaka is occasionally mentioned in theVinaya in contexts that make it clear that such a person is some kind of sexualnon-conformist. The Vinaya also stipulates thatpandakas are not allowed to be ordained, andif, inadvertently, one has been, he is expelled. According to commentary, thisis because pandakas are "full of passions,unquenchable lust and are dominated by the desire for sex." The word pandaka has been translated as eitherhermaphrodite or eunuch, while Zwilling has recently suggested that it maysimply mean a homosexual. It is more probable that ancient Indians, like mostmodern Asians, considered only the extremely effeminate, exhibitionisthomosexual (the screaming queen in popular perception) to be deviant while theless obvious homosexual was simply considered a little more opportunistic or alittle less fussy than other 'normal' males. 

As the Buddha seems to have had aprofound understanding of human nature and have been remarkably free fromprejudice, and as there is not evidence that homosexuals are any more libidinousor that they have any more difficulties in maintaining celibacy thanheterosexuals, it seems unlikely that the Buddha would exclude homosexuals perse from the monastic life. The term pandaka therefore probably does not refer tohomosexuals in general but rather to the effeminate, self-advertising andpromiscuous homosexual.

To read the rest of this article, pls click here to go to Buddha's net magazine article

To see some of my previous article on this topic, pls click and here.

May you be well and happy always

Mettacittena,
Bugs Tan
12th Jan 2012