Buddhism Buddhism Further

							Buddhism

Further information: Sexuality and Buddhism and LGBT topics and Buddhism

The most common formulation of Buddhist ethics is the Five Precepts. These precepts take the
form of voluntary, personal undertakings, not divine mandate or instruction. The third of the
Precepts is "To refrain from committing sexual misconduct."[120] However, "sexual misconduct"
(Sanskrit: Kāmesu micchācāra literally "sense gratifications arising from the 5 senses"") is
subject to interpretation relative to the social norms of the followers.[121] In fact, Buddhism, in its
fundamental form, does not define what is right and what is wrong in absolute terms for lay
followers. Therefore the interpretation of what kinds of sexual activity are acceptable for a
layman is not a religious matter as far as Buddhism is concerned.[122]

Buddhism teaches that sensual enjoyment and desire in general, and sexual pleasure in particular,
are hindrances to enlightenment.[123] Buddhist monks and nuns of most traditions are expected to
refrain from all sexual activity and take vows of celibacy; lay people, however, are not expected
to refrain from any specific form of sexual activity, and there is no concept of sinfulness
attaching to sex.