[Buddha-l] Buddhism and homosexuality/homophobia - request for information

[Vaj]

Hi Sharon:

On Jan 24, 2007, at 10:26 AM, Sharon Smith wrote:

> I would be most
> grateful for details of resources such as articles, websites and so  
> forth
> that I could investigate.
>

I don't know if this will be helpful or not, but I find it an  
interesting counterpoint to what you're likely to find out there on  
the subject. It primarily applies to a View that would be more the  
POV of Vajrayana than from that of Sutric Buddhism--indeed it  
ultimately does not stem from Buddhism but instead Hindu tantrism.

What I'm referring to is the fact that the kalachakra-tantra (KCT)  
contains within it a Shaivite text on yoga, the Shiva Swarodaya (SS).  
It delineates the relationship between breath and time from the POV  
of yoga (yoga-darshana). But it also contains a section on fertility  
in human beings and their different categories. It describes the  
various pranic reasons for the birth of people with different sexual  
orientations. In fact it defines 14 different classes of non- 
reproductive humans (napuMsaka). Homosexuals are but one of these  
classes and represent, according to the yogic theory of the SS/KCT a  
natural bioenergetic variation occurring in humans.

Observation of the animal kingdom seems to validate this fact.

But of course modern science does not recognize nor is it capable of  
measuring prana (unless of course you accept the research of Wilhelm  
Reich).

In any event, I feel there is textual evidence to show that  
homosexuality is a pranic phenomenon cognate with either sperm-egg  
fusion or gestation. It's a completely natural variation. Sutric  
Buddhism's opinions on the matter seem (to me) geared towards  
eliminating suffering from anal penetration in a largely male  
monastic setting, thus the prohibitions of the Vinaya.

Sincerely,

Steve