In early Buddhist texts, hermaphrodites—those described as having “the sexual characteristics of both sexes” (Sanskrit: ubhato-byañjanaka)—are treated as a distinct category of human being. They are mentioned in the Vinaya alongside males, females, and paṇḍakas (another ambiguous gender/sexual category), and have been the subject of both regulatory and karmic considerations in the tradition.
Within the monastic code, hermaphrodites are prohibited from ordination. This restriction is not presented as a moral condemnation but as a practical matter: the concern that a hermaphrodite might arouse sexual desire in monks or nuns, thus jeopardizing the celibate harmony of the Saṅgha. The Vinaya Piṭaka explicitly says that, because of this risk, such individuals should not be ordained .
The Theravādin commentator Buddhaghosa expands on this by classifying hermaphrodites into male and female types — the former being unable to give birth, the latter capable of both conceiving and bearing children. He also claims that either type could be sexually attracted to both men and women. However, scholars such as Leonard Zwilling have noted that this likely conflates hermaphroditism with bisexuality, reflecting a pre-modern misunderstanding of sexual and gender diversity .
A 7th-century Mahāyāna text, the Ta-ch’eng tsao-hsiang kung-te ching, lists four karmic causes for hermaphroditism in men:
- Engaging in impure behavior where reverence was due.
- Desiring the bodies of other men.
- Indulging in lustful actions upon oneself.
- Selling oneself disguised as a woman.
This text connects homosexual behavior with hermaphroditism, viewing it as karmic consequence. Yet it also offers a redemptive path: deep repentance, building a Buddha image, and developing faith can prevent or reverse karmic outcomes, underscoring a theme of ethical transformation over condemnation .
However, certain texts such as the Milindapañha regard hermaphrodites (and paṇḍakas) as “obstructed” — unable to attain insight into the Dhamma even if they practice correctly. This places them alongside ghosts, cheats, and those who have committed grave moral offenses. The implication is that their spiritual path is hindered by karmic conditions, not necessarily by personal failure .
Overall, Buddhist texts reflect a tension between compassionate inclusion and karmic exclusion. While hermaphrodites are seen as having limited access to monastic life or ultimate liberation, their condition is viewed more as a karmic complication than a moral flaw. Importantly, transformation and merit-making are still presented as possible and meaningful paths forward.