<p>Masturbation is not a sin (transgression) for laypeople in Buddhism. It is only a sin for monks.</p>
<p>Masturbation is incomparably far safer than engaging in sexual acts.</p>
<p>Uncommitted sex with others leads to separation from the loved and other negative emotions resulting in sticky addiction, humiliation, shame &amp; regret.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-21T02:56:39.117Z
2021-05-21T03:22:05.203Z
2021-05-21T03:22:05.203Z
Dhamma Dhatu
<p>First off, Buddhism and karmic faiths generally don't really have a concept of 'sin'. 'Sin' is a Western conception — a feature of Abrahamic (Jewish, Christian, Muslim) faiths — that points at behavior that is punishable by some divinity. In karmic faiths, behaviors contain the seeds of their own consequences. Behavior that leads one astray isn't 'sinful'; it is misguided, unskilled, steeped in ignorance, etc...</p>
<p>Masturbation isn't <em>sinful</em> for a Buddhist. The question for a Buddhist is whether the act leads one further into ignorance or towards realization.</p>
<p>Buddhist monastics set aside sexuality less because of its <em>outward</em> consequences — social evaluations, pregnancy, possible diseases, etc — than because of its <em>inward</em> consequences. Sexual activity produces strong emotions, and can lead to attachments, desires, cravings, etc. Sexuality does not easily lend itself to the cultivation of peace and detachment that lies at the core of Buddhist practice (though Tantric practitioners might disagree), and since monastics are intent on creating the best possible environment for realization, sexuality gets in their way.</p>
<p>This isn't as true for lay practitioners, who aren't as dedicated to the practice (at this point in their spiritual development), and who live within the conventional world of love, marriage, children, and such. Lay practitioners are advised (more or less) to keep sexuality from becoming the kind of obsessive behavior that causes harm to oneself or others. Affairs, 'playing around', abuse or degradation, etc, are not 'sins', but they can cause harm to others and foster unhealthy attitudes in oneself, and so one must 'take care.' In that same vein, there is nothing specifically wrong with masturbation, except that it too can foster unhealthy attitudes, and can have an impact on your relationships with others. If you are constantly thinking about masturbation and the pleasure it brings you, for instance, you will find it very difficult to maintain a calm, peaceful mindset, and who knows what effects that constant craving for pleasure might have on your worldview? One can be fixated on masturbation just as easily as one can be fixated on having sex with others; neither fixation is likely to work out for the best. Meditating through a bout of sexual energy might give you a lot of insight into whatever karmic forces are at play in your life...</p>
<p>P.s. Just so it's said, masturbation does <em><strong>not</strong></em> prevent sexual assaults. Masturbation certainly does not prevent anyone from <em>being</em> assaulted by others — I mean, how would that work? — and while masturbation might ease the momentary frustrations of some person who is likely to <em>commit</em> sexual assault, it is not a cure or solution. Sexual assault is not about sexuality; it's about power and dominance (in the same way we sometimes see dogs mount each other to establish leadership), and relieving the momentary sexual urge does nothing to relieve the deeper tanhā for subduing others. That is a hazardous misconception; please don't spread it.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-21T01:48:34.603Z
2021-05-21T01:48:34.603Z
Ted Wrigley
<p>I masturbate to avoid having sex with other people. I've masturbated quite a lot. I don't want to have sexual intercourse with anyone else though I love sex. I've been keeping my body away from sexual desire with other men and found masturbation as a good feeling. I've never had any imagination of anyone else or rarely (if it does, it should be a person that I really like or dating with but I just keep desire away from him, again rarely). I also have known that masturbation could prevent sexual assaults. Is this a sin or not?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-19T19:17:37.997Z
Hi! Welcome to the community. Does [this answer](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/44669/20675) help?
arturovm
<personal-practice><ethics><sexuality><desire>
Is masturbation a sin when we do it to avoid intercourse with other people?
# Is masturbation a sin when we do it to avoid intercourse with other people?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-05-19)

I masturbate to avoid having sex with other people. I've masturbated quite a lot. I don't want to have sexual intercourse with anyone else though I love sex. I've been keeping my body away from sexual desire with other men and found masturbation as a good feeling. I've never had any imagination of anyone else or rarely (if it does, it should be a person that I really like or dating with but I just keep desire away from him, again rarely). I also have known that masturbation could prevent sexual assaults. Is this a sin or not?

**Tags:** personal-practice, ethics, sexuality, desire

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Hi! Welcome to the community. Does [this answer](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/44669/20675) help?  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-05-21. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

First off, Buddhism and karmic faiths generally don't really have a concept of 'sin'. 'Sin' is a Western conception — a feature of Abrahamic (Jewish, Christian, Muslim) faiths — that points at behavior that is punishable by some divinity. In karmic faiths, behaviors contain the seeds of their own consequences. Behavior that leads one astray isn't 'sinful'; it is misguided, unskilled, steeped in ignorance, etc...

Masturbation isn't *sinful* for a Buddhist. The question for a Buddhist is whether the act leads one further into ignorance or towards realization.

Buddhist monastics set aside sexuality less because of its *outward* consequences — social evaluations, pregnancy, possible diseases, etc — than because of its *inward* consequences. Sexual activity produces strong emotions, and can lead to attachments, desires, cravings, etc. Sexuality does not easily lend itself to the cultivation of peace and detachment that lies at the core of Buddhist practice (though Tantric practitioners might disagree), and since monastics are intent on creating the best possible environment for realization, sexuality gets in their way.

This isn't as true for lay practitioners, who aren't as dedicated to the practice (at this point in their spiritual development), and who live within the conventional world of love, marriage, children, and such. Lay practitioners are advised (more or less) to keep sexuality from becoming the kind of obsessive behavior that causes harm to oneself or others. Affairs, 'playing around', abuse or degradation, etc, are not 'sins', but they can cause harm to others and foster unhealthy attitudes in oneself, and so one must 'take care.' In that same vein, there is nothing specifically wrong with masturbation, except that it too can foster unhealthy attitudes, and can have an impact on your relationships with others. If you are constantly thinking about masturbation and the pleasure it brings you, for instance, you will find it very difficult to maintain a calm, peaceful mindset, and who knows what effects that constant craving for pleasure might have on your worldview? One can be fixated on masturbation just as easily as one can be fixated on having sex with others; neither fixation is likely to work out for the best. Meditating through a bout of sexual energy might give you a lot of insight into whatever karmic forces are at play in your life...

P.s. Just so it's said, masturbation does ***not*** prevent sexual assaults. Masturbation certainly does not prevent anyone from *being* assaulted by others — I mean, how would that work? — and while masturbation might ease the momentary frustrations of some person who is likely to *commit* sexual assault, it is not a cure or solution. Sexual assault is not about sexuality; it's about power and dominance (in the same way we sometimes see dogs mount each other to establish leadership), and relieving the momentary sexual urge does nothing to relieve the deeper tanhā for subduing others. That is a hazardous misconception; please don't spread it.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2021-05-21. Score: 2

Masturbation is not a sin (transgression) for laypeople in Buddhism. It is only a sin for monks.

Masturbation is incomparably far safer than engaging in sexual acts.

Uncommitted sex with others leads to separation from the loved and other negative emotions resulting in sticky addiction, humiliation, shame & regret.


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