The problem is that a lot of lefties romanticize Buddhism and fail to understand that many sects of Buddhism can be extremely dogmatic, homophobic, abusive and misogynistic as the worst religions. There is a lot of sexual and physical abuse that goes on in Buddhist monasteries.
The Dalai Lama (who is not the authority on all of Buddhism just his particular sect) explains that homosexuality is considered a deviant act according to Buddhist scriptures. If you want to be a good Buddhist, then you have to refrain from homosexuality as well as certain sexual acts in a male-female marriage like oral and anal sex.
Compassionate or confusing? The Dalai Lama on same-sex marriage
The real difference between the two comments is that the latter is addressed to Buddhists, while the former is not. As he told ‘The Age’ in a 1999
interview:
“
They [his Californian followers] want me to condone homosexuality. But I am a Buddhist and, for a Buddhist, a relationship between two men is wrong. Some sexual conduct in marriage is also wrong," he says. “For example, using one's mouth and the other hole.” “This too is wrong," he adds, shaking his hand up and down vigorously. I look at the translator, perplexed. “Masturbation, madam,'' he says. The Dalai Lama laughs as I blush. “If an individual has no faith, that is a different matter," he says. “If two men really love each other and are not religious, then that is OK by me."
Much to the dismay of flaky Westerners, it turns out that the Dalai Lama’s religious beliefs are just as sexually limiting as those of pretty much any other major religious sect. The real difference between the Pope and the Dalai Lama is that, for reasons of pragmatism or of doctrine,
the Dalai Lama maintains a sharp distinction between morality for Buddhists, and morality for the rest of us. His latest comments show that the Dalai Lama still maintains this double-standard for believers,
stating that:
“People who have belief or who have special traditions, then you should follow according to your own tradition. Like Buddhism, there are different kinds of sexual misconduct, so you should follow properly.”