Heartland

Published in the original heartland website on 12 April 2004

Excerpts from a Dharma talk by Ajahn Brahmavamso

The following excerpt (or transcript) was taken from a Dharma talk present by Venerable Ajahn Brahmavamso during the Global Buddhist Conference 2000 in Singapore, which was held on the 3rd and 4th June 2000. The excerpts are taken from a cassette recordings taped during the conference and I would like to apologize, firstly, for any mistake in transcribing it. Also I would like to confess that I did not transcribe his entire talk.

Ajahn Brahmavamso was born Peter Betts in London. He trained under Ajahn Chah in Thailand and was ordained in 1975. He now resides in Perth, Australia and is the Abbot of the Bodhinayana Monastry.

Excepts of his Dharma talk

Firstly, I am not gay, but wearing this robe in Western Australia, I can known as queer! [laughter from audience]

First of all, on the topic of homosexuality and queerness, I would like to raise a point that people should never address these questions from a position of fear and many times that we are afraid to confront this issue deeply, is simply because of fear.

The first thing I would like to say from the Buddhist perspective is that, whenever we have a hard decision to make or hard choice to make, we must look at our minds to see if we have, what the Buddha calls, “perversions of thought”; that we should not make our decisions or actions out of fear, out of desire, out of ill-will and stupidity. And particularly attitudes to homosexuals, whether its your friends or children or other people in society, should not be thought of from the position of fear.

Having confronted homosexuality just by being in a Western country, this subject has to come up, which monks and nuns and everyone has to confront. Because there are some people who will become your disciples and even want to become monks or nuns and join the Sangha, some of them are homosexuals, or some of your disciples’ children are homosexuals.

Very often, they ask the question, “Is homosexuality breaking the 5 precepts?” Particularly, this concerns the 3rd precept, which concerns sexual misconduct. However, the studies of Buddhist meaning of the term sexual misconduct certainly does not include homosexual activities. And its fascinating that the Buddha was certainly aware about homosexuality in his time. There were many cases mentioned in old scriptures, especially the Vinaya (the code of ethics for monks and nuns) of homosexual acts and those who were that way inclined and he certainly never included it under the 5 precepts.

When we talk about the 3rd precept, of sexual misconduct, it literally concerns adultery or illicit sex, especially between a man or a woman who were not married and that concern sexual relations that were considered inappropriate at that time, but it certainly does not include homosexual and lesbian activities.

So when we look at the ethical issues of homosexuality, we cannot use the 5 precepts as they don’t apply. The fact that it was not mentioned was an indication that the Buddha did not think that it was that bad after all an activity to be included in the 5 precepts. And so we have to logically treat homosexual and lesbian relationships to the same category as heterosexual relationship. In other words, the law of karma, the understanding of goodness and that which brings forth happiness in future lives and happiness in this life… which mean we have to look at homosexuality in the same light as heterosexuality, in other words if its a loving, caring, non-exploitative relationship, with consenting adults at appropriate age, there seems to be nothing morally wrong with it.

And indeed there are nothing in the sutras, or the Vinaya of the Buddhist Theravada tradition that there is anything wrong with it, nor in the commentaries.

In fact, there are many disciples in Perth who have homosexual relationships and they are very happy to know that they are accepted into the Buddhist order, and that they can come and practice Dharma, and indeed they are jolly good Buddhist who serves the Buddhist community in Western Australia and other places with the diligence and care which is very commendable. And they do learn from the talks and guidance of Buddhism very wonderful ways to live with their partners in a wholesome environment, in a caring relation, which have benefited themselves and others…

And indeed that because such people do feel attracted to Buddhism and that they can find a way of practicing their lives within the Buddhist order, it is a service we can give, not just to some people, but to all people. And many of you notice how inclusive and embracing the Buddha was. He would embrace into the followers of the Sangha, prostitutes and criminals simply because he has a very non-judgmental and encouraging teaching to give to everybody…

And if anyone has a son or daughter or friend who is a homosexual, and as far as the precepts are concern, there is nothing wrong. As far as karma is concern, it depends on how you are homosexual, not that they are homosexuals and please do not be afraid of them. Please look at them with Buddhist compassion and understanding, and please know how hard it is to be a homosexual in today’s world, in some places, where they are not understood, where they are looked upon with fear. And Buddhist compassion must be able to accept them for who they are and encourage them, if they are going to be a homosexual, be a compassionate, be a kind and be a moral homosexual.

Some questions for the Ajahn Brahmavamso

How do we help those people with homophobia to overcome their fears, especially parents of gay sons or daughters?

From my own experience, I learned to overcome those fears by meeting with gay people and to get to know them and be friends with them. And please, you don’t have to be gay to be friend to a gay person! And as such you can learn from their experiences.

And as to how we can help parents to understand gays, I remember some time ago, one parent was very upset that their son was gay and came to me for advice. And I told them: “When you chant loving kindness (in the Theravada tradition), you would say, “May all beings be happy and well. May all beings be free from suffering.” Isn’t your son one of those beings? Why do you distinguish people who are gay, and you hate your son, but would give love to animals and cows and be a vegetarian? Surely, you can extend your loving kindness to all beings, including your son?

Is it bad karma to born homosexual?

In Buddhism, it is said that its bad karma to have to be born again [laughter and loud applause].

Its not what we are born as, Singaporeans or Englishmen, or where, it is what we do with that birth that is important. So if you are born with those tendencies, accept those tendencies and learn from them and certainly make sure that your homosexual activities are kind, warm and loving, and that you don’t abuse those sexual urges. I think that the greatest danger of homosexuality is the abuse of their sexuality, just as sometimes men’s sexuality is abused with prostitutes.

So you cannot say what the karmic cause is for homosexuals, it is just such a complex cause and effect system. So don’t go looking at the past and at what has happened to me. That is why when someone comes to a Buddhist monk with a problem, they don’t usually get too much sympathy, “Oh, you poor thing!”. I would say “What are you doing about it?”. See what you can do to make it a worthwhile lifestyle.