The Buddha in defining "sexual misconduct" stated that the age of consent in ancient Indian society was 20. Asia has since considered it so, and the event is marked by ceremonies such as those in Seoul, Korea.
The Buddha is not likely to have been declaring a universal absolute truth, only a relative one: In the past and again in the future -- when humans are very long lived -- this age grows to 500. That may seem untenable; however, humans once lived to be 80,000 (Ref: Buddhist Birth Stories: Jataka Tales, translated by Rhys Davids).
PHOTOS: Nam Bo-ra, a university student and TV drama actress in traditional Korean costume, is crowned with a black crown-like headpiece by adult aides during a traditional ceremony (L) and a man (R) in traditional Korean costume uses his mobile phone after a ceremony celebrating the Coming-Of-Age Day at a university in Seoul May 18, 2009. The traditional Coming-Of-Age ceremony is a ceremony that endows young boys and girls at the age of 20, who have lived under the protection of families, with individual [autonomy] (Xinhua/Reuters). MORE PHOTOS
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