Via Lion's Roar: What is the Buddhist view on sexuality?

The Buddhist flag (right) debuted in Sri Lanka in 1855 and was adopted internationally in 1952. The rainbow pride flag, designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978, has become a symbol of LGBTIQ hope and progress worldwide.

 

Last week, Taiwan became the first — and only — predominantly Buddhist country to rule in favor of gay marriage. Despite Buddhism’s traditionally conservative roots, in the West, we usually think of it as an LGBTQ-positive spirituality. Western Buddhist teachers have encouraged an understanding of the Buddha’s teachings that helps us “heal, find our true selves, and free ourselves from roles and ideals that do not fit our real nature,” as Roshi Enkyo Pat O’Hara has written. But, forward-thinking Buddhists are challenged to reconcile their inclusive values with traditionally conservative Buddhist texts that seem to place restrictions where, when, how and with whom one should have sex. How do we respect tradition without compromising our values? As José Ignacio Cabezón explains, when we disagree with Buddhist teachings, we get a chance to initiate illuminating discussions. May this Weekend Reader illuminate your view of sex and sexuality. —Sam Littlefair, associate editor, LionsRoar.com

The Five Mindfulness Trainings Thich Nhat Hanh’s Five Mindfulness Trainings are an expression of the Buddha’s traditional five precepts (the core of Buddhist ethics), updated for the modern world. He updates the third precept, “avoid sexual misconduct,” to, simply, “true love.” ... Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I am committed to cultivating responsibility and learning ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. Knowing that sexual desire is not love, and that sexual activity motivated by craving always harms myself as well as others, I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without true love and a deep, long-term commitment made known to my family and friends. [...]

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Revisiting Traditional Buddhist Views
on Sex and Sexuality

 

In a historic 1997 meeting with LGBTQ community leaders, the Dalai Lama acknowledged that it’s time to revisit traditional Buddhist texts that prohibit gay sex. Buddhist scholar José Ignacio Cabezón explores the Dalai Lama’s words and the traditional Buddhist views on sexuality. ...

The texts are not the endpoint of reflection, but rather the beginning of it, and the great masters of old are not irrelevant "dead brown men," but living conversation partners whose thought, as reflected in their writings, can help us reconstruct our lives so that they lead to the flourishing of self, of others, and of the communities in which we live. [...]
 

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Is My Sangha Inclusive? When Rev. Kiyonobu Joshin Kuwahara investigated whether LGBTQ members of his community felt unwelcome due to conservative traditional views, he discovered an opportunity to have inspiring conversations. ... The LGBTQ community has not been openly accepted in Japan—those who stand out are forced to adapt themselves to the norm. I knew there were a number of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender members in the Buddhist Churches of America. However, I was not sure if they felt accepted within their respective sanghas or if they were comfortable being open about their sexuality in that context. [...]

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Via Daily Dharma: An Unedited Life

We think we know our own life, but what we know is only an edited version, colored by our emotions and narrow vision. How close can we come to the original draft?

—Gregg Krech, “Naikan Therapy”

Via Daily Dharma: A Noble Person's Mindset

A noble person does not do good because of willpower. She does it through a combination of, on the one hand, modesty about self, and, on the other hand, faith in a higher purpose, a higher meaning, in powers more potent than self-will.

—David Brazier, “Other-Power”

Via Google: Gilbert Baker, criador da bandeira LGBT, é homenageado com doodle

O artista e ativista americano, que completaria hoje 66 anos, criou um dos maiores símbolos de representatividade do mundo

Via Daily Dharma: Facing the Dark Sides

It is only when one identifies totally with mumyo, the heart of darkness, that the walls of the proud ego-self are shattered and the true light of wisdom can shine through in one’s actions.

—Reverend Patti Nakai, “Confronting the Heart of Darkness”

Via Ram Dass

Ultimately you live simultaneously in all of the planes of consciousness all the time, so that in a way, it’s like a vertical cut up – you look at somebody, they’re there; they’re not there.

There’s an interesting series of stages in Karma Yoga, the yoga of living daily life as an exercise in becoming pungent, where you develop a witness – a place in yourself that watches your whole melodrama, your dance. It doesn’t judge you, it doesn’t try to change you, it’s not trying to become enlightened, it’s just watching the whole thing.

- Ram Dass -

Via Daily Dharma: Freedom from Who We Think We Are

What gets in the way of this movement toward our authentic self, more than anything, is our insistence on identifying with the small self—preserving our narrow world of being special, of needing to look and feel a particular way.

—Ezra Bayda, “No One Special To Be”

Via Impact: A Zen Master's Advice On Coping With Trump

“Trump’s grand and vulgar self-absorption is inviting all of us to examine our own selfishness. His ignorance calls us to attend to our own blind spots. The fears that he stokes and the isolation he promotes goad us to be braver, more generous.” 

- Thich Nhat Hanh

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Via Daily Dharma: Don't Bully Yourself

It never works to bully the body, or the heart, into poses it’s not ready to enter.

—Anne Cushman, “The Yoga of Creativity”

Via Daily Dharma: Making Our Own Contribution to World Peace

I came to the realization that fighting against the system, at least in my mind, wasn’t working. Somehow I had to recognize that I was a part of the system and the system was a part of me. In the end, I got great satisfaction out of knowing that my little peace might be making a contribution to world peace.

—Ed Winchester, from Tracy Cochran's “The Pentagon Meditation Club”

Via Ram Dass

When we first understand there’s a journey, a path, we tend to get somewhat hysterical. We want to sell it to everybody, change everybody, and whichever path we buy first, we try to convert everybody to it. The zeal is based on our lack of faith, 'cause we’re not sure of what we’re doing, so we figure if we convince everybody else...

But we’re all kind of moving into a new space, we’re sort of finished with the first wild hysteria, and we’re settling down into humdrum process of living out our incarnation as consciously as we know how to do. If in the course it turns out this is your last round to get enlightened, fine. If not, that’s the way it is. Nothing you can do about it.

You can’t bulldoze anybody to beat the system – you are the system. The desire to beat the system is part of it.

- Ram Dass -

Via Daily Dharma: When Things Don't Bring Us Happiness Inbox x

We keep assuming that because things aren’t bringing us happiness, they’re the wrong things, rather than recognizing that the pursuit itself is futile—that regardless of what we achieve in the pursuit of stuff, it’s never going to bring about an enduring state of happiness.

—Daniel Gilbert, “The Pleasure Paradox”

Via Daily Dharma: Taking Care of What Is Not Broken

The most comfortable and wisest people are those who watch their health when they are healthy; guard their country when it is untroubled; and cultivate their fields well when weeds are nonexistent or scarce.

—Venerable Chwasan, “The Grace in This World”

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Via Daily Dharma: Challenging Your Ego

When you challenge ego-mind, be firm but gentle, penetrating but never aggressive. Just say to your ego-mind, “Show me your face!” When no mind shows up saying, “Here I am,” ego-mind will begin to lose its hold on you and your struggles will lighten up.

—Dzigar Kongtrul, “Searching for Self”

Those who dance...

Via Daily Dharma: Embracing Difference

Diversity strengthens us. Diversity is not something to be tolerated—it is to be celebrated. We should welcome it with curiosity, delight, and joy. This is what fear fears.

—Gyalwang Drukpa, “How to Combat Fear”

Via Daily Dharma: We're All in the Same Boat

We’re all in the same boat. I don’t know how to save the world, yet I must save the world. I don’t know how to save myself, yet I must save myself. I don’t know where my soul resides, yet I must discover my soul because I live within it.

—Josh Fox, “What Makes Humanity Worth Saving”

Via Ram Dass

When you look at another person, what do you see? Body? That’s desire. What do you see? Personality? …That’s attachment.

Beyond body, beyond personality, way back in here, way back behind all the things you think you are, here we are. That’s the being you serve.

- Ram Dass -