User:Lbaumgartner928/sandbox

The 3rd of the 5 precepts in Buddhism warns against any sensual misconduct, though the exact definition of it is unclear. Buddhists have been more open compared to other religions about the subject of sex and that has expanded over time. As with Christianity, although a traditionalist would assume that one should not have sex before marriage, many Buddhists do. There are different branches of Buddhism, like tantric and puritan, and they have very different views on the subject of sex, yet managed to get along. Tantric is a Sanskrit word; it is typically translated as two things or person being bound together. In the time of Gotama, the man who came to be known as Buddha, sex was not taboo. The world the prince lived in was filled with earthly pleasures. Women naked from the waist above were in the court solely to serve the prince. Gotama's father even constructed a chamber of love. Prince Gotama and founded the beginnings of Buddhism, which included the denial of earthly pleasures in order to follow the Middle Way. The stark contrast between the way Buddha lived his life before and after rejecting the material world may arguably be one of the reasons Buddhism evolved the way it did. In the present, the mother of a Buddha does not have to be a virgin; she must have never had a child, however.

The purity of women is especially valued in South Asia, where Hinduism is most commonly practiced. Because of this, women are often denied access to higher education because it requires being in the presence of men more often than not. This has much to do with the rule of pardah. However, with time there have been changes in the ideology of Hinduism. The idea of a pure virgin is very valued, but it is also important that women are fertile and able to bear sons. It's seen as destructive for women to menstruate unless they have a husband, who may turn it into something more productive. An aspect of Hinduism is men exerting control over women and furthermore, their offspring and possessions. Hinduism has the distinction of being one of the oldest religions. However, adultery is only condemned if it effects family matters. This may possibly be a reflection of the reasons male control over females is so important.