The position of women in Buddhism

 P. Wattegama

 "The admission of women into the Buddhist monastic order as Bhikkhunis was a radical step taken by the Buddha to publicly proclaim the spiritual equality of men and women. Having set up the Order Buddha encouraged promising Bhikkhunis to develop their full potential morally and intellectually."

In the Indian society at the time of the Buddha women had been relegated to a inferior position. This had been the result of the influence of the Brahmanic ideology of feminine subordination. Available evidence clearly indicates that women had enjoyed high esteem and held dignified positions in matters concerning education and religion during the early vedic period.

Women had been associated in the compilation of Vedic hymns and the teaching of the Vedas. Upanishads contain information regarding the participation of women in learned discussions.

These privileges diminished in course of time and during the period of the Brahmanas, women were reduced to near vassalage. A viewpoint had developed that the woman should remain perpetually in the protection of a man through all her life. According to “Laws of Manu” (Manusmrti), a woman should remain in the protection of her parents during her adolescence of her husband in marriage and of her sons in her old age. A woman at no stage merited the liberty of autonomous life.

It is inspiring to observe, in surveying particularly the society-oriented exhortations, how the Buddha endeavoured to mitigate the near enslavement of woman and elevate her to a position of worth in society. The Buddha identified the potential inherent in women as mothers to strengthen the moral foundation of society. While seeking to remove the veil of prejudice by admonition, the Buddha strengthened the position of women by giving them equal status in the performance of religious functions, a privilege denied by Brahmins.

The Buddha designated women by the honorific title ‘Matugama’ (Motherfolk). Many other religions portrayed woman as the temptress who enticed man to sin. The corresponding scenario as depicted in the Agganna Sutta (D.N.27) is the union of the man and woman by mutual inclination.

The Buddha endeavoured whenever the opportunity arose to dispel puritanical notions of inauspicious influence of women on family and society. The Buddha’s comments to King Kosala who appeared to be disappointed by the tidings of the birth of a daughter to his Queen is eloquent of Buddha’s faith in the personal and moral integrity of women.

The Buddha stated on this occasion: “Your Majesty, a woman has the potential to excel man in virtue and wisdom. Nurture your daughter to reach that eminence.”

The admission of women into the Buddhist monastic order as Bhikkhunis was a radical step taken by the Buddha to publicly proclaim the spiritual equality of men and women. The eight “Chief Rules” (Garu dhamma) imposed on Bhikkhunis was simply a concession to the inveterate prejudices of the day. But subsequent events show that they had given way on occasions to enable the show of veneration due to Bhikkhunis of eminence. Having set up the Order of Bhikkhunis, the Buddha encouraged promising Bhikkhunis to develop their full potential morally and intellectually. Sutta Pitaka contains a number of Suttas delivered by Bhikkhunis.

Contemporary socio-religious system which regulated marital relations imposed duties partially on the wife. Buddhist marital relationships, as clearly defined in the Singalovada Sutta (D.N.31), in a truly egalitarian spirit, prescribe mutual duties and obligations on both partners.

Unlike some other religions Buddhism does not possess any norms in the nature of legal principles governing marriage, property or personal rights. Buddhist marriage is purely a secular affair and not a sacrament.

However, in societies where personal laws prevail Buddhist women enjoy certain legal rights relating to marriage and property equating them with men suggestive of the possible influence of the Buddhist spirit of gender equality in such society over a period of time.

The many admonitions of the Buddha that are found in the canonical texts clearly indicate that the teachings of the Buddha and the practical steps taken in the organisation of the Sangha and the lay congregation contributed to restore to the Indian womanhood the basic human rights and the social esteem that had either been robbed of them or denied to them by the pre-Buddhist social and religious regimes that fostered the superiority of the male.