A lesbian Buddhist friend recently asked me for tips on how to “fill the void” between Buddhists and lesbian and gay people when she gave a speech at a Buddhist conference.
Her impression was that the Buddhists had little connection to GLBT folks. It's true that GLBT Buddhists are not as visible as gay, lesbian, bi and trans folks who follow Christ.
GLBT Christians have had to come together and speak out because conservative Christians are directly attacking us, singling us out as the worst sinners, using the issue of homosexuality to raise money, etc. It appears, at least within American Buddhism, that Buddhists are more tolerant about homosexuality. However, reality is more complex.
I shared the following four concepts with my friend, and I will post them here for discussion. I want to emphasize that I honor Buddhism and its followers, even though I consider myself Christian. Comments from all perspectives are welcome.
Note: This beautiful image is "Rainbow Buddha" by Elaine, used by permission from http://www.artbyelaine.co.uk/7029.html
1. Like Christianity, Buddhism can be used to support homophobia
There are definitely GLBT Buddhists in America, and some tend to have an idealized view of Buddhism. In our conversations, some blame Christianity for patriarchy, male dominance, and war. (Discrimination against lesbians and gays is part of sexism and patriarchy.) They're surprised when I say that in Japan I heard Buddhism used to justify male dominance and war.
Maybe the critical experience is conversion -- if you were raised Christian or in a Christian culture, converting to Buddhism is a fresh start and a chance to build your own spirituality. If you were raised Buddhist, then Christianity can set you free.
Here is an excerpt from an email on this subject that I sent to Toby Johnson,
a gay author, activist and friend. He's a follower of Buddhism,
although he once told me he is "as much a heretic to Buddhism as I am
to Christianity."
***
In Japan Buddhism was and is used to
support male dominance. Their native animistic, goddess-oriented
spirituality, Shinto, was used to justify World War II aggression
against Korea and China (maybe Thailand, too). The horrors equaled
some of those perpetrated in the name of Christ.
My point is that any religion can be abused. It's not that any particular religion is "good." All religions have the potential to benefit society if they are practiced with "good" intentions….
I do think that Buddhism has a special role to play in America now. It seems to have a very positive effect on some people who grew up Christian or Jewish, and became disillusioned with their original religion. For example, some people can't access Jesus' message of love if they were saturated from birth with destructive Christian dogma. Buddhism gives them a fresh start with God.
In Japan, I found that the opposite was true. I met quite a few Japanese feminists who rejected Buddhism because of its history of patriarchal oppression in their society and in their own personal experience. They found Christianity to be fresh and liberating. That was the atmosphere in which I chose to be baptized into Christianity in 1983 at an interdenominational English-speaking church in Kobe, Japan. Our church had members from all over the world.
***
2. Gay consciousness can be integrated with Buddhism
Great info on how to integrate gay consciousness with Buddhism can be found at Toby Johnson’s website. Toby is a psychologist and former monk who studied myth with Joseph Campbell. Here's an excerpt from his site:
"Johnson champions the Mahayana Buddhist World-savior myth of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara which portrays a lovely, androgynous (gay-like) young man, usually shown barechested in a relaxed meditation pose, who saves the world by willingly taking upon himself, out of compassion and kindness, all the incarnations of all sentient beings to free those beings from suffering. All human beings are incarnations of this one single Being (a mythological version of the planetary mind Gaia)."
3. Affirmation vs. tolerance of GLBT experience
I'm sure that there are many varieties of Buddhism, but do most of them actually affirm GLBT people? I haven't found much pro-active affirmation for GLBT people in Buddhist teachings or teachers.
A case in point is a lecture that I attended at the Gay and Lesbian Center in Los Angeles a few years ago. Lesbian pop singer k.d. lang introduced her Tibetan lama Chödak Gyatso Nubpa to discuss GLBT sexuality. His basic message was: We're all sinners, and the sin of homosexuality is no worse than other sins. This is the same message preached by many Christians. The lama also emphasized that he had taken a vow of celibacy, so for him all sex was bad. If a Catholic priest had given the same speech at the Center, there would have been a riot, but somehow it was acceptable to hear it from a Tibetan lama.
4. Buddhism may focus on oneness more than on unique GLBT gifts
Gay and lesbian Buddhists tend to focus on oneness and see the particularity of their sexual orientation as largely irrelevant. At least that’s my experience. On the other hand, people who pursue "gay spirituality" emphasize that GLBT people have a unique experience and/or role that is valuable to the greater whole. A debate about "gay spirituality" versus "everybody spirituality" has generated a flood of comments at the Jesus in Love Blog. Here are excerpts that relate it to Buddhism from Toby Johnson's comments at the blog:
***
"Having a different kind of consciousness of sexual
attraction and living differently from the "norm" encourages certain
talents and skills. One of those skills is the ability to see through
the assumptions of conventional society. This shows up in "camp" humor
and irony. Gay people tend to be able to step outside what everybody
else takes for granted and see through it. That can also be understood
as seeing from a broader perspective, i.e., seeing the "bigger
picture." …
What I think "gay spirituality" means is bringing our "gay talents"
to the area of religion…. It is a great skill--one pleasing to "God,"
I think--to be able to rise above your religious opinions and see
through to something higher and more subtle (this is what the Buddhists
call Enlightenment). It is a "gift from God" that gay people get to be
skilled at this.
***
In closing, I repeat that I honor Buddhists
and the Buddhist path. Perhaps surprisingly, GLBT Buddhists seem to be
some of the most enthusiastic supporters of my gay-Jesus books and
websites. I am writing from my limited perspective as an appreciative
outsider to Buddhism, and I welcome comments from others with different
viewpoints. May the discussion enlighten everyone!
______
Cross-posted at the Jesus in Love Blog
P.S. After I originally posted this, I discovered that others are also blogging lately about Buddhism and homosexuality.
The Buddhist Blog does an excellent job of explaining Buddhist sexual ethics -- including the Dalai Lama’s less-than-enlightened statements on gay and lesbian sexuality. Don’t miss the great comments!
http://thebuddhistblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/buddhism-and-homosexuality.html
The Saint Sinner Shiksa blog offers a more personal account on “Is there something in particular that attracts homosexual women to Buddhism?”
http://sinnersaintshiksa.blogspot.com/2008/08/buddhist-pride.html
Thanks, Riverwolf, for introducing these blogs!
Posted by: Kittredge Cherry | August 27, 2008 at 02:41 PM
I'm a gay man and consider myself a fairly traditional Buddhist. I know a few gay Buddhists, and the priest I took the precepts from is openly gay and in a relationship. This is a complete non-issue in our tradition. Frankly, I don't feel that being gay makes me any more spiritual than anyone else. I have different experiences because of it, and they have shaped my point of view, but I'm not willing to lay claim to some kind of mystical "specialness" arising from my sexuality. I like the fact that I have been able to casually "out" myself to fellow Buddhists, have it be a total non-issue, and be able to go on about my business.
One thing I'll mention is that there are many different "denominations" within Buddhism, and they are all quite distinct from one another. This is especially so when comparing traditions across cultures - Tibetan Buddhism and Japanese Buddhism are two very different animals, for instance.
While I have no illusions about Buddhism being a totally peaceful and tolerant past (or present, for that matter), no other path has come close to having the impact on me and my life that this one has.
Posted by: Mark | August 30, 2008 at 06:11 PM
Buddhists learn from the Four Noble Truths that human existence is subjected to constant uncontrollable changes - because everything is a result of millions of converging conditions. Life is unstable, insecure, and prone to unhappiness, pain and suffering as long as we have attachments and clinging to things and ideas, they are all impermanent, come and go.
Straights and gays are equally prone to dejection, disappointment, loss, pain and suffering due to their thirsts.
Since Buddhists value true happiness over transient sensual pleasures, such fleeting pleasures while real and enjoyable are consider inferior and should be abandoned with insight.
The monks and nuns vow to celibacy since they choose a vigorous life-style to de-couple from sensual cravings, while lay-followers will gradually reduce their thirst for sensual gratification.
Buddhists do not "suppress" the sensual desires, instead a peaceful and cool pleasure of meditative stillness is cultivated to replace and displace the old sensual desires gradually. At the early stages, socially sanctioned consensual sexual acts are not considered sinful, just less than desirable, like any form of addictive sensual cravings.
Thus Buddhists attitude towards GLBT should be tolerance, understanding and compassion, because until we are free from our own cravings and other unwholesome mental states, we are no better. We are equally prone to suffering although some people's addiction problems are stronger than others. And one day when we are successful in getting rid of the unwholesome thoughts, we will have even greater compassion to others still suffering from delusion, but not out of superiority but higher insight.
Posted by: Novice | August 31, 2008 at 07:00 PM
I am a Buddhist and a Gay man. In my tradition, the New Kadampa Tradition, begin gay is a non issue. I was the Administration Director for my Center in 2007 and my spouse of 13 years was and is accepted without question. I know of several Resident Teacher and Administration Directors that are Gay. There are also several gay monks and nuns in our tradition.
I would say one thing that makes Buddhist more tolerant, is our realization that we all suffer. Every Sentient being is separated from the things we enjoy and encounter things that we dislike. This is the nature of suffering. Since suffering is at the core of our existence, why would I want to create more suffering by attacking or viewing someone who is different as moral corrupt or evil (a sinner). Because I am a Buddhist does not make me special or "elect".
I am reminded of a prayer:
"Of this I am certain; Brahmans, Dogs, and Outcast are inseparably one."
Posted by: Torin | September 04, 2008 at 03:54 AM
I am a gay Buddhist, Recently I have been contemplating the Heart Sutra and what it means to follow a practice of mind, body, and spirit. As a homosexual I feel the physical and mental states we reach may differentiate from traditional heterosexual values. To say that there is no mind, body, or form only consciousness, and no old age or death, may be how many Lesbian and Gay people view themselves for the moment without any attachments to Earthly beginnings. My understanding of LGBT Buddhism teaches me that it may not be enough to include there is no gay or straight to a teaching like the Heart Sutra, We must also contemplate in a divine sense what it means to detatch from a homosexual mind, body and spirit, so that we may become reunited and acquainted with a more natural form of being. One that maybe more than inclusive or outspoken of an LGBT community, yet one that affirms and confirms a homosexual divination through out all of our relationships in the univere.
Posted by: Robben Wainer | December 20, 2014 at 08:08 PM