A Matter of Interpretation

I came across an article in the Net that states that all religions do not support homosexuality, lesbianism or even the right to change one's gender and I wonder about the stand that probably would be made by Buddhism. Taking into consideration the Buddhist five precepts (pañca-sikkhāpada) or five virtues (pañca-sīla) for layman into consideration : I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking life, to abstain from taking what is not given, to abstain from sexual misconduct, to abstain from false speech and to abstain from intoxicants as well as The Four Noble Truths as taught by the Buddha in the Dharmacakra Pravartana Sūtra that states, among other things, that there is suffering in this world which arises from attachment to desires, I wonder especially if having sex with someone of the same gender would be considered as sexual misconduct or if the act is intoxicating and would cause much suffering...

Comments