What's Buddhism point of view about LGBT and same sex marriage?

[anon99031074]

Lust is the catalyst for sexual misconduct

Usually, unless we are talking about really malicious stuff like rape, where malice may be the catalyst. But nevertheless, the precept deals with sexual behavior, and not merely lust. Throughout the suttas examples of what it means to break the third precept are given, and they all deal with unethical behavior like seducing a married person. You lust whether you sleep with your wife or sleep with someone elses wife, but the former is not breaking the third precept, the latter is.

hope that helps.

Years back I saw a film “Spring, Summer, Fall. Winter”

Yeah, I have seen that movie too. The director/writer is not Buddhist, but I thought it was a lovely little film. At least until I discovered that they actually kill that frog in the film. Creating a spiritual film where you kill an animal to make it is a really, really bad idea, and it certainly is not a source of authentic Buddhist teaching.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

The only thing that will drive a person to sexual misconduct, is lust

Lust overrides logical thinking.

Jim

 

[anon99031074]

The only thing that will drive a person to sexual misconduct, is lust

Lust overrides logical thinking.

Jim

No. There are plenty of other motivating factors. Someone may sleep with their best friends partner because they are angry with them, for revenge. Sure, they need to be lustful enough to get an erection (if they are male), but that is not the cause of their action. If the one taking revenge is female, she may experience no lust at all, just anger and resentment.

 

[Salibi]

I see. Thanks for the info, it’s much appreciated.

 

[PetraG]

I see that Buddhist teachings don’t tell us much about LGBT and Buddha didn’t have a clear view on LGBT.

As far as I understand it, Buddhism gives moral principles but not any definitive exhaustive lists of the exact ramifications of those principles. Sexual misconduct is forbidden but I don’t think there are descriptions down to the letter given concerning what that means.
Is this accurate or is it off-base?

 

[anon99031074]

As far as I understand it, Buddhism gives moral principles but not any definitive exhaustive lists of the exact ramifications of those principles. Sexual misconduct is forbidden but I don’t think there are descriptions down to the letter given concerning what that means.
Is this accurate or is it off-base?

There are rather extensive lists of what constitutes sexual misconduct in the early Buddhist canonical texts. Sleeping with someone who is married, engaged, under the guardianship of their parents (i.e. minors), sleeping with someone who has taken a monastic vow/are under the guardianship of their religious order, etc. It also follows from other Buddhist moral principles that one needs to be non-violent, truthful, kind when communicating, non-intoxicated, etc.

So there are plenty of examples of what constitutes abusing one’s sexuality, and there are sound moral principles that could be used in any modern situation that ancients could not have foreseen. A lay practitioner will try to follow these principles whether they are gay or strait. The sexual orientation is immaterial.