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Tantra and the Art of Zen Cooking
Environmental activist, Rachel Carson, sounded for us the alarm bell for the potential danger of pesticides. Modern science and technology are often used as weapons to conquer nature. Thus, pesticides are developed and used against what we perceive as our enemies. The problem is that man and insects share the same planet and what poisons the bugs may also poison man. The war against nature could turn suicidal. Thus, Carson said, “But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.”
Our war against sex is very similar to our war against nature. In fact, it is part of the war against nature. In this case, instead of trying to conquer some external object, we attempt to conquer ourselves. But the consequences of this conquest mindset is equally damning. Humans are sexual beings. We are also members of the animal kingdom. We cannot condemn our deep-seated sexual nature and needs without also condemning what it means to be human.
In the Buddhist tradition, there are two basic approaches to spirituality. One is dualistic. It is also the majority view. It treats sexual desire and sensual pleasure as the enemy and tries to eradicate them in an attempt to eliminate suffering. For example, verse 215 of the Dhammapada says:
From sensuality is born grief,
from sensuality is born…
