Dear LLL,

Thank you for your e-mail. I am happy that you have brought up this matter as I realise how important it is in the context of what is happening today in the world.

As human beings, we have bodies that crave for all kinds of pleasures (not only sex) - for food, pleasant smells, sounds, etc. If we deny ourselves these as being sinful, then we repress natural desires. Instead of repressing these natural desires, we must seek to understand how and why they arise and to realise that it is not in our best interests to pander to physical desires. The victim of maya (illusion) sees the body as real and craves to satisfy a longing for kama which covers all kinds of sensual pleasure.

As the being matures spiritually, maya is replaced with vidya (knowledge) and panna (wisdom). With spiritual maturity, the body is seen as an illusion and the being naturally grows out of craving. Here we see the spiritually advanced being renounces sex upon maturity, just as a child stops playing with toys as he or she grows up.

There is nothing intrinsically wrong with sex. What is wrong is attachment and slavery to it, in believing that indulgence in sex can bring ultimate happiness. This is the problem with the exploitation of sex by the mass entertainment industry today - extending the myth that sex can bring lasting happiness.

The third of the Five Precepts we recite in daily Buddhist practice is: “I undertake the training rule to refrain from sexual misconduct.” First, we note that there is no compulsion, no fear of punishment for infringement of any divine law but rather, when we recognise the danger of attachment to sex, we freely take the steps (training rule) to grow out of it, i.e. “I undertake.” In short, homosexuality is no different from other forms of sexual activity. They all have inherent dangers of increasing tanha (craving) and must be avoided through the development of Samma Ditthi (Right Understanding) and by following the Majjhima Patipada (Middle Path).