I am grateful to have some info on the buddists. Thank you.
Wiccans? Zoroastrians? Jains?
Nothing I’ve read about Wicca addresses masturbation specifically, but the Wiccan Rede is “do what thou wilt, an’ it harm none.”
Seeing as how masturbation itself is usually pretty harmless, it’s probably a safe bet that Wiccans are okay with it, as long as no one gets hurt.
“Stop that! You’ll put someone’s eye out!”
My Wiccan Friend: “There is a great spell which requires you to masturbate”
how can masterbation be harmless Persephone? according to the moslem site above
- Being cautious not to develop any of the medical symptoms that may result from masturbation such as weak eyesight, weak nervous system, and/or back pain. More importantly, feeling of guilt and anxiety that can be complicated by missing obligatory prayers because of the need to shower (ghusl) after every incidence of masturbation.
I had a sore back this morning. Had to tell my wife it was through giving the kids too many piggy-back rides
I had a really nice answer all typed-up, but I lost it.
Anyway, to resume what I had written:
Buddhist morals are relativistic. There is no absolute evil, there are no sins. There is a goal, however, and anything that stands in the way of that goal is considered harmful. As such, activities and practices that either cause suffering, foster passions, or produce environments that are not conducive for practice are to be avoided.
As far as lay Buddhists are concerned, I do not believe there are any specific injunctions against masturbation anywhere in the scriptures. However, according to the Vinaya Pitaka, monks are to refrain from it. The Vinaya was the code that regulated monastic life at the time of the Buddha. It is extremely detailed, I read somewhere it is significantly longer than the Japanese civil code! The particular reference to masturbation is in the Sanghadisesa chapter:
The purpose of the meeting in question is determining proper action towards the offender.
In Shintoism, you are unlikely to find taboos concerning masturbation. The great impurities are death, blood and childbirth. Even though, in practice, Shintoism is mostly an amalgam of folk traditions, superstitions, and beliefs there is a book, the Engishiki that deals with ceremonies and to some extent rules of conduct. Incest and bestiality are forbidden, but I doubt masturbation gets a mention.
By this, of course, I mean to sum up what I had written.
Not enough sleep. Linguistic wires crossing.
Later Stoicism was opposed to it, but I don’t think earlier Stoicism was. Epicureanism didn’t take a postiion on it, I don’t think.
There seems to be a general principal that appears to cover the matter for Epicureans:
- No pleasure is a bad thing in itself, but the things which produce certain pleasures entail disturbances many times greater than the pleasures themselves.
Right, and Epicurus was sceptical of sexual activity…any sexual activity, for just that reason. He also said…addressed to a young man, from the “Vatican Sayings”
Here’s a better site. Warning: not for the irony-impaired.
Qadgop - the reason for this thread wouldn’t be that you are looking to change your own religion to something more… tolerant… ? 
Presumably if Christianity and Judaism frown on masturbation because of Onan and “spilling seed” (or imaginary tiny foetuses) then there’s no problem with women doing it? Or, like Queen Victoria and lesbianism, did they simply assume women would never dream of doing such things?
You read my mind istara, about women being exempted.
I was also wondering what the rules were for men who’ve had vasectomies (I realize that getting the vasectomy might be a no-no, but once done, no seed can be spilled), or men who are naturally infertile.
istara:
You are correct that in Judaism, at least, female masturbation (and lesbianism) is not considered sinful. (Can’t speak for Christianity.) It is considered “immodest,” but that’s about character refinement, not religious legality.
Chaim Mattis Keller
Yeah, my Unitarian faith has just been soooo restricting to me! 
Thanks for all the replies, I have been educated. Hope to read more here!