Traditional Buddhist texts teach that sexual expression and queerness bear ethical implications. The Buddha’s perfect body is said to be the result of his virtues. In Buddhism, the belief is that the fruits of one’s past moral actions are manifested in the body. Therefore, Buddhist orders emphasize creating and maintaining the monastic order as an ethically exemplary community capable of spiritual pursuits. Another might be anxieties about preserving the perceived purity and reputation of the celibate monastic order. One concern regarding the inclusion of LGBTQ persons in the Buddhist community is that their nonbinary gender does not fit neatly into the fourfold structure of the sangha. Evan Krause for Unsplash, CC BY-ND Queer exceptions In fact, until now, to be accepted into the Buddhist monastic community, one had to meet a list of requirements, including unambiguous genitalia.īuddhist monks in a lifelong practice of meditation and prayer. Such accounts can be found in early Buddhist literature dating back over 2,000 years. They were feared for their seductive powers and were denied monastic ordination. The attitude toward paṇḍakas, or queer people, in pre-modern Indian religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism, was largely disparaging. The term might also be translated as “queer.” A paṇḍaka could be someone who is impotent, either congenitally or periodically, or someone whose sexual desires are considered nontraditional. One example of those who do not fit into the binary gender arrangement is a group of queer people called “paṇḍaka.” This Sanskrit term can be translated literally as someone “without testicles.” Another interpretation might be those who fail to conform to culturally expected masculine roles. Those who do not fall into the gender category of man or woman cannot be neatly placed in this ideal Buddhist community. The seating arrangement puts monastics in front, with monks on one side and nuns on the other, and laypeople behind, also divided by gender. This framework holds true for public teachings as well. This gender structure also functions in monastic living arrangements: monks and nuns live, study and practice in separate quarters. The four pillars of the Buddhist community, or sangha – nuns or ordained female monastics, monks or ordained male monastics, laywomen and laymen – are arranged by gender. Yet Buddhist teachings often arrange followers by male and female genders. The famous declaration in the first-century text “Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa Sutra,” “In enlightenment there is no male or female,” illustrates this point well. The Buddhist ideal of enlightenment resists description in either language or logic, including its views on gender identities. In return, the lay community offers material support to the monastic community.īuddha in a seated posture. By virtue of their dedication, nuns and monks become respected role models for the lay community and provide guidance in Buddhist practice. Monasticism, whereby individuals dissolve all secular ties and devote themselves to full-time study and religious practice, represents the highest ideal of a Buddhist community. And my research demonstrates that queer life in the context of traditional Buddhist monastic ordination appears to be slowly changing. Gender and sexuality in Buddhism are central to my scholarship. In contemporary debates about gender, nonbinary definitions in particular, have reached many countries where this ancient religion is practiced. However, there is also plenty of discussion on the various expressions of human sexuality and sexual orientations in pre-modern Buddhist literature. Such representation may make it appear that Buddhist teachings and practices are grounded in heterosexual norms. The symbolic image of the silently meditating nun or chanting monk often embodies the Buddhist religion.
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