What kind of sports do Buddhists play?

Answer:

by: Venerable Nicolas Thanissaro

Buddhist monks and nuns generally do not play sports at all as it is seen as childish behaviour - although practising yoga or other ways of maintaining health and fitness are generally seen as a good thing for monks / nuns to do privately (for possible exceptions to this see the film The Cup (details at the following link www.imdb.com/title/tt0201840/ - I don't know if this is fact or fiction!)

For lay Buddhists any sort of sport or fitness activity would be acceptable as long as it doesn't involve mortal risks or cruelty (fox hunting would not be allowed). The Buddha taught however, that if one becomes a sport junkie (i.e. become addicted to playing or watching sport to the extent that you don't go to work any more) that this is potentially damaging to your spiritual path.