THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN BUDDHISM

INTRODUCTION

The position of women in Buddhism is very significant to know about at the time of Buddhism. In the
pre-Buddhistic era women were low and without honour. A daughter was nothing but a source of anxiety to
her parent. Later of their marriage a woman was no longer regarded bounded. She was an individual in
command of her own life until the dissolution of the body. The position of women in Buddhism was ascetic
regions and have not devoted much attention to the duties and ideals of lay women. Buddha was reluctant to
admit women to his church. Buddhism and Jainism placed nun under a more regorous discipline then monks
without monks nun should not staty alone.
The Mother
Women enjoyed greater respect and authority than ever hither to accorded them. Although their
activities were confined with in certain sphers – principally the domestic, social and religious their position is
general began to improve.1
The Daughter :
The Buddhist epoch’s is marked by a striking difference in the position of women as a daughter. The
fathers responsibility for the selection of his daughter’s husband lapsed to some extent and the girls themselves
came lapsed to some extent, and the girls themselves came to have more voice in the matter. 2 The position of
the unmarried women was immensely improved by the establishment of the order of Alms women. Buddhism
was so consistently unshakable in its oversion from superstition that those Samana – Brahmans who gave
advice touching the taking in marriage or the giving in marriage were said to again of their livelihood by “low
ants and lying practice”.3
The newly married girl went away with her husband to live in his parent’s house in accordance with
the Joint family system customary in those time, Here she was to show humality and defence to her parents –
in – law, so complete that a good and dutiful daughter – in –law is to be willful to her father – in –law, and
pleasant to her mother-in-law, which is correct on either theory of her position as a daughter or a mistress. 4
The Wife:
The practice of marriages were monogamous but there was no condemnation of polygamy. In this
time any one can afford to support more than one wife. The position of women, a wife who combined the two
qualities of chastity and devotion was looked upon us a Jewal both under Brahmanism, and under the actual
and the ideal so matchless that she was comparable to the faith. 5 The fact was chronicled The fact was
chronicled that even if a women were possed of the power of beauty, with kin and children, but not of virtue,
her relation would not let her stay in the family but would cause for over throw, and also she has transgressed
beyond all bounds. Buddhism declared that women hood was no bar to salvation. The nuns of the Thadagar
the majority consists of women who had renounced the world during their main hood. According Buddhism
wife has to serve her husband (1) by respect (2) by courtesy (3) by faithfulness 9$) by handing over authority
to her (5) by providing her with adornment.6
The Women Worker
That a certain women was the keeper of a paddy-field: and she gathered and parched the healds of rice,
doing the work herself.7
The Widow:
Buddhism was most antagonisitc. It began tentatively, not definitude for bidding remarriage, but
encouraging a widow, for the sake of her future happiness to live a life of chastity and celibacy until her death.
The position of women in Buddhist India was more enviable and more honourable than it had been in pre-
Buddhism time. Daughter and widows were no longer regarded with such undisguised despair and contumely
on the contrary, both they and wives commanded more independence, and a wider liberty to guide and follow
their own lives.8

1
I.B. Horner, Women Under Primitive Buddhism (Delhi : Motilal Banarsidas Publisher, 1990), 1-3.
2
Ibid., 19,29.
3
Ibid., 29.
4
Ibid., 29-34.
5
Ibid., 35-37.
6
Ibid., 40,41.
7
Ibid., 83.
8
Ibid., 79-82.
THE BUDDHIST ORDER OF ALMS WOMEN
Admission into the Order
Buddha was asked to admit women by the repeated application of his aunt, Mahaprajapati after having
been denied her wish three times, Mahaprajapati had her hair cut off, put on yellow garments, and come
sorrowful, sad and weeping, to Ananda, who decided to plead her cause. Eight rules were laid down by which
nuns were made strongly dependent on the male followers. 9
Women admitted to the Sangha
A women of the world is anxious to exhibit her from and shape, whether walking, standing, sitting or
sleeping. Hence by the time of the rise of Buddhism the existence of nunneries in India was not without
precedent. He organised his followers into four orders, monk, nuns, laymen, and lay women. 10
Salutation
An alms women, even if of a hundred years standing, shall make salutation to, shall rise up shall
perform all proper duties towards an alms man, if only just initiated.
Uposatha Ceremony and Exhortation
Every hald month an alms women is to await from the chepter of Almsmen two things. The asking as
to (the date of) Uposatha ceremony, and the (time when the almsman) will come to give the exhortation.
Pavarana
Alms women with respect to three matters, namely what has been seen, and what has been heard, and
what has been suspected. This is a rule ………… never to transgress Almsman. 11
Life in the Order
All the Gotamas disciples, Ananda was the most popular among the alms women in addition, since the
alms women, by the time that Gotamas death was approaching had undesirable won for themselves a
recgonised position in the order, notice of the affection which Ananda inspired in them could not well be pores
over in enumerating his good qualities. Gotmas method with women and the example he set to men must have
been powerful forces in raising the status of women. 12
The Order and the Laity
The order of lay and alms women lay women did not live in seclusion an the fetching was an
inspiration to lead the good life by willing to follow the things of the mind. 13
The Bhikkuni Sangha
The order of Buddhist nun will not be out of place as is well-known, the Buddha was not at all in
favour of admitting women as nun in his church and agreed to do so most reluctantly only after the repeated
requests of his foster mother and aunt Mahaprajapati. 14
Bathing
Each alms women was expected to take a bathe either in the Vihara bathing place, or in River of a
pound but there is no indication of how often she should do so. 15
Prajapati, The First Buddhism
The position of women the essential spirit of Buddhism absolutely includes all beings male and female
in its vision of enlightenment. The first Buddhist nun is said to be Prajapati, Shakamuni Buddhas aunt who
had raised him after the death of his mother Maya. Instead of letting his dear stepmother join his Sangha when
she asked to become one of his disciples, Shankamunis response was a declaration of the mental inferiority of
women, saying they lacked the capacity to understand and practice the teaching of non-attachment to self.
Sangha was the actually his first teacher Prajapati as the first nun and other women of the place who joined the
Sangh along with her.16

Submitted To : Rev. George Livingston

Submitted By : Resham Lal Sonwane, M.Div. II

9
H. Hackmann, Lic. Theol., Buddhism as a religions (Delhi : Low Price Publication, 1993), 28.
10
Paul, Carus. The Gospel of Buddha (Chennai : Samata Books and Sri Mira trust, 1977), 77-78.
11
I.B. Horner, op.cit.,119.
12
Ibid., 295.
13
Ibid., 296.
14
S.R. Goyal, A History of Inidan Buddhism (Jodhpur: Kusmanjali Prakashan, 1919), 167.
15
I.B. Horner, op.cit., 219.
16
Katherine.K.Young, Today’s women in world Religions (Delhi : Satguru Publication, 1997), 150-153.