Sexual Ethics in Contemporary Taiwanese Legal and Buddhist Contexts

Sexual ethics is an area of applied ethics that focuses on human sexuality and sexual behavior. Ethics and religion have been often closely linked, with religious views shaping perspectives on issues such as extramarital affairs, sex work, and homosexuality. Legal and ethical norms are in fact not separate, but overlap each other to some extent. This paper first introduces the perspectives of four prominent Buddhist masters in Taiwan in regard to the Buddhist third precept: avoiding sexual misconduct. Secondly, to demonstrate the varying interpretations of the third precept, I will then introduce two contemporary Taiwanese legal issues in order to contextualize the Buddhist third precept and its current interpretations. This paper specifically speaks to two changes in Taiwanese law regarding sex and sexuality, including the partial legalization of sex work in 2009, and the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2017. These social changes are collectively studied due to their relationship to the Buddhist third precept, and relevance to sexual autonomy within a legal context. In comparing Buddhist interpretations with legislation, it becomes clear that arguments put forward by some of Taiwan's Buddhist masters transcend their time and go beyond legal regulation. Their pioneering, and progressive, views are concerned with whether these intimate relationships are safe, fair, and harmless to others, rather than fitting within the literal meaning of sexual misconduct. Comparatively, some Buddhist masters had remained conservative on these contemporary controversial issues; nevertheless, they also demonstrated awareness of social change and have gradually and tactfully reinterpreted their teachings on sexual ethics for laypeople.

關鍵字

Taiwanese Buddhism ； sexual ethics ； laws ； Buddhist precepts

並列摘要

性／別倫理是一種應用倫理，聚焦於人類的性向與性行為。倫理與宗教往往緊密相連，因為宗教觀點形塑出人們對於婚外情、性工作與同性戀等性／別議題之看法。另一方面，法律規範與倫理規範亦是密不可分，於某程度相互重疊。本文首先簡述臺灣四位著名佛教法師──對佛教五戒之第三戒「邪淫戒」即避免不道德性行為──各自之觀點。其次，為凸顯其不同詮釋，我將介紹兩項當代臺灣的法律議題，並以之作為闡釋佛教五戒第三戒之脈絡背景。特別是臺灣法律在性／別性方面的兩項變革，包括2009年性工作的部分合法化，以及2017年同性婚姻的合法化。由於這些社會變遷與佛教五戒第三戒間均具有密切關係，且牽涉法律上之性自主概念，因此一併探究。藉由上述，佛學詮釋與法律制定之相互對照下，我們可以清楚地看到臺灣一些佛教法師所提出的論點超越了他們的時代，亦超越法律規範。他們先鋒而進步的觀點，關心的是這些親密關係是否安全、公平、對他人無害，而非拘泥於邪淫之文義解釋。相較之下，某些佛教法師就當代敏感議題維持保守立場，實對於社會變遷亦有所覺察，而採漸進與委婉的方式重新詮釋其關於在家居士性／別倫理之教導。