Apech

But instead it was

It could have been so ...

Happens a lot to me - maybe I should stop sleeping with insects.

Not just actions but intentions also.

In what way are paper bags which rot down naturally more harmful than plastic?

Yes bad karma is an inexact and dubious expression but I think you know what I mean.

karma means action but the word is often used to mean the results of action. So simplistically harmful acts generate harmful consequences for self and others. So the question would be is looking at porn harming anyone?

As Stirling says its about what generates bad karma I guess. What do you think?

The energy body and physical body are closely interlinked. Is this not so? I guess there are two questions really, one about porn and one about masturbation itself. As I am (still) a Buddhist I tend also to think in terms of the lay vow regarding sexual misconduct. In the Tibetan texts I read which are Gampopa's Jewelled ornament of Liberation and Patrul Rinpoche's Words of my Perfect Teacher - the guidance is oddly unhelpful. I have always felt this about this precept and suppose it is because mostly these things are written for monks where obviously there's a prohibition on any sex. Gampopa for instance says there are three categories of sexual misconduct - that of 'family', 'owner' and Dharma. So the things he prohibits are - Incest (family) Sex with someone 'owned' by another - husband, king etc. And five sub categories relating to Dharma, which are: - with one's wife improper parts of the body, in an improper place, at an improper time, improper behaviour. The first means oral and anal sex (improper parts) The improper places are near a lama, or monastery, stupa and so on. Improper times are during a retreat, when pregnant, while nursing a child, when there is light (!) Improper number is more than five times a night !!!!! Improper behaviour means masturbating or having intercourse with a male or hermaphrodite in the mouth or anus. !!! This was written in the 11th Century and you can see what their priorities were then - for instance women were 'owned'. Elsewhere it is said you should not have sex with a prostitute paid for by someone else. The worst 'sin' was to have sex with your mother who is an arhat. This brings very bad karma. So note. Nothing about 'consent' or rape!!! Nothing about love as distinct to lust. Gampopa's book is helpful in every other area of dharma practice and so on - but on this subject just a little bizarre. Nothing about porn - I don't know if it existed as such and many religious icons show yab-yum intercourse (not porn of course).

As I said to ralis I was only stating my view. Of course many things are harmful energetically, drinking alcohol for instance, but people still do them. Also some forms of pornography involve exploitation of women in particular and so on. Which, I think, can create harmful energetic presence even for the viewer. Feel free to disagree.

I was stating my opinion, Ralis, not quoting any authority. You are free to disagree.

I think he means energetically harmful - which it is.

a group of DaoBums fighting in a forest

Apech of DaoBums with magic staff