Wet Dream Forum

Buddhism

Asian societies shaped by Buddhist traditions takes a strong ethical stand in human affairs and sexual behavior in particular. However, unlike most other world religions, most variations of Buddhism do not go into details what is right and what is wrong in mundane activities of life. Masturbation (or any other detail of human sexual conduct for that matter) is not specifically mentioned in any of the religious scriptures. The most common formulation of Buddhist ethics are the Five Precepts and the Eightfold Path, one should neither be attached to nor crave sensual pleasure. These precepts take the form of voluntary, personal undertakings, not divine mandate or instruction. The third of the Five Precepts is "To refrain from committing sexual misconduct". It is possible that masturbation itself could constitute "sexual misconduct". However, "sexual misconduct" is such a broad term, and is subject to interpretation relative to the social norms of the followers. 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 whether masturbation for a layperson is right or wrong is not a religious matter as far as Buddhism is concerned.

Rules and vows for fully ordained Buddhist monks

The craving for sensual pleasure is described in the Second Noble Truth as the cause of suffering, as they are attachments. Masturbation can be a distraction or means of avoidance of spiritual practice or development. To provide a complete focus on spiritual practice, fully ordained Buddhist monks may, depending on their tradition, be bound by hundreds of further detailed rules or vows that may include a ban on sexual relations, including masturbation. As for laypeople, however the matter is more of a personal choice defined by the circumstances. It can be argued that even for a layperson, excessive focus on sexual pleasure by way of masturbation can be said to be an attachment, and not following the middle path.