Buddhism and sexuality

18th century depiction of the Yab-Yum, a Tibetan Buddhist motif of the creation of the universe as a sexual union between male and female primordial forces

Buddhism categorizes sexuality, in particular sexual arousal and pleasure, as a type of kama, or earthly pleasure, that must be abandoned to achieve enlightenment. Many Buddhists avoid drawing a distinction between monastic sexual abstinence and other forms of religious self-discipline, while some traditions actively incorporate sexual concepts or acts in a yogic or ritualistic context.