by Jaya (part-1)
“Buddhism and Women”
All over the world today we realize various types of discriminations against the women. Men dominated culture does hardly any justice to women in some parts of the world. Especially the Islam world is considered most dangerous for women with liberal ideologies. In fact it’s hard to practice any liberal living in most Islam societies. Same way some other cultures around the world has various types of discriminations.
Let’s look at how Buddhism treats women in a series of articles starting today. We would like to look at various aspects such as historical, cultural, religious teachings based and modern day events. The first article we share with you today is a work by Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera. Enjoy our article series and remember to share it with your friends and family who would like to be a part of our valuable Buddhist community.
“A female child may prove even to be a better offspring than a male”
Undoubtedly, the Buddha was vehement in contradicting such attitude. The nun (bhikkhuni) to whom Mara addressed these words, gave the following reply: ‘When one’s mind is well concentrated and wisdom never fails, does the fact of being a woman make any difference?’ King Kosala was very disappointed when he heard that his Queen had given birth to a baby girl. He had expected a boy. To console the sad King, the Buddha said:
‘A female child, O Lord of men, may prove
Even a better offspring than a male.
For she may grow up wise and virtuous,
Her husband’s mother reverencing, true wife,
The boy that she may bear may do great deeds,
And rule great realms, yes, such a son
Of noble wife becomes his country’s guide,’ – (Samyutta Nikaya)
Nowadays many religionists like to claim that their religions give women equal rights. We only have to look at the world around us today to see the position of women in many societies. It seems that they have no property rights, are discriminated in various fields and generally suffer abuse in many subtle forms. Even in western countries, women like the Suffragettes had to fight very hard for their rights. According to Buddhism, it is not justifiable to regard women as inferior. The Buddha Himself was born as a woman on several occasions during His previous births in Samsara and even as a woman He developed the noble qualities and wisdom until He gained Enlightenment or Buddhahood.