The Role of Women in Buddhism

During a discussion with Buddha about why he showed hesitation in permitting women into the sangha, Ananda asked, “Are you thinking women to be less able to reach enlightenment?�

“No Ananda,� Buddha answered. “Women have the same potential as men to become enlightened�

Sadly, you will find some Asian countries where the belief is that only men can discover enlightenment. In these areas, Buddhist women are able to only study Buddhism diligently and hope that they're reborn as men the next lifetime.

Advice For Laywomen

This guidelines have been given to laywomen through the Buddhist writings, Anguttara Nikaya:

· Be capable at your work.

· Work Work skillfully and diligently.

· Handle domestic help skillfully (if relevant) and treat them reasonably.

· Perform domestic duties efficiently.

· Be gracious to one’s in-laws and friends.

· Show faithfulness to one’s husband as well as be frugal with the family’s earnings.

· Discharge responsibilities with love and conscientiously.

· Accomplish moral discipline (practice the 5 precepts).

· Be generous (develop a mind free from stinginess or avarice; delight in charity, giving and sharing).

· Learn wisdom (perceive of the impermanence of all things.)

The Bhikkuni Sangha

An ordained Buddhist nun is called a bhikkuni.

Mahapajapati started the first bhikkuni order with a contingent of five hundred royal women.

200 years later, Emperor Ashoka’s son went to Sri Lanki, in the capacity of a Buddhist Missionary, and heard-tell of a princess who wished to join the sangha. To make that happen though, both bhikkus and bhikkunis were required. Additionally, it had been necessary for at least 5 bhikkunis be part of the core of the order. At her personal insistence, Emperor Ashoka’s daughter, a devout Buddhist nun, was sent to Sri Lanka to start the sangha there. Upon Sanghamitta’s arrival in Sri Lanka, she had been greeted by hundreds of other women who had been excited to join as well. With the beginning of that new Bhikkuni Sanghi, the 1st outside of India, Buddhist Women rejoiced the huge step forward.

Prior to the attack on their country during 1017, the Bhikkuni order in Sri Lanka flourished. Other Bhikkuni orders worldwide were established and had grown, only to meet their end due to war or takeover. In Tibet, Thailand, as well as other southeast Asian countries, the Bhikkuni lineage has been disrupted for more than a thousand yrs.. Starting in 2007, Buddhist leaders of every tradition met in Germany at the International Congress on Buddhist Women’s Role within the Sangha to re-establish the bhikkuni ordination. The Dalai Lama offered his total support and the delegates all voted to re-establish the Bhikkuni ordination. However, details have yet to be resolved. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, said, “If Buddha had been here now, I am sure he would grant his permission for bhikkuni ordination. However, the Buddha is not with us, so I can’t act as Buddha.�

How are Buddhist women treated today? Bhikkunis, in the majority of the world, are still kept in in an inferior position to bhikkus. It is hard to say whether the misogynistic quotes or stories actually occurred that way or were only made up by men in a patriarchal system, but the stories affect people’s attitudes just the same. They are there for any person to read, so whether or not the Buddha intended for men to have more power, they do This has been especially relevant in patriarchal countries such as Thailand, where there is no bhikkuni ordination, and where women who had been ordained in Sri Lanka are not acknowledged as bhikkunis by the Thai sangha.

Tricia Stirling has written this course for the Universal Life Church Seminary. This is an excerpt of one lesson (of 30) from the Master of Buddhist Studies Course offered through the Universal Life Church Seminary. We have many courses available and each one carries with it an earned degree.