The
Pali Canon (the standard collection of
scriptures in the
Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the
Pāli language, and the most complete extant
early Buddhist canon) bars both female and male monastics from both homosexual and heterosexual activities. Among Buddhists there is a wide diversity of opinion about homosexuality and gay marriage. According to the
Pāli Canon and
Āgama (the Early Buddhist scriptures), there is not any saying that same-sex or opposite sex relations have anything to do with sexual misconduct. Scholars argue that early Buddhism did not see sexual orientation as a moral issue and that tolerance aligns with core values of Buddhism as a whole. The
history of homosexuality in Buddhist societies includes cultures of acceptance and non-acceptance in different locations and times. However, the Dalai Lama later clarified his position stating gay marriage is "OK", provided it's not in contradiction with the values of one's chosen religion. Some contemporary Buddhists oppose or opposed same-sex marriage including Chan master
Hsuan Hua.
Support Some of the first gay marriages of the modern period were performed by Buddhists. The first known modern Buddhist same-sex marriage took place in the early 1970s through the Buddhist Church of San Francisco part of the Shin Tradition.
Hsing Yun, founder of the
Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order, has called for tolerance towards the LGBT community. The Plum Village Tradition founded by founded by
Thích Nhất Hạnh and
Chân Không formally accepts LGBT individuals starting an initiative called "The Rainbow Family". Heavily Buddhist Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage in 2019 with the prominent support of Buddhist Nun Chao-hwei Shih.
Nepal, a country with relatively significant Buddhist influences, legalized
Same-sex marriage on 24th April, 2024. Heavily Buddhist
Thailand legalized same-sex marriage in 2024. Same-sex marriages are also performed in places where it is not yet recognized, for example, same-sex marriages are performed at
Shunkō-in, a
Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple in
Kyoto and Shozenji Temple in Moriguchi City, Osaka. The Buddhist Church of San Francisco first performed a gay marriage ceremony in the 1970s while American
Soka Gakkai Buddhists have performed same-sex union ceremonies since the 1990s. There has also been support for same-sex marriage from the
European Buddhist Union the
Buddhist Churches of America, many
Shin Buddhist groups, and The Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils (FABC) in Australia. ==Divorce==