Buddhist Enlightenment For Women

When Ananda came to the Buddha speaking on Mahapajapati’s behalf, he asked why Buddha was reluctant to accept women into the sangha. Ananda asked, “Do you think women are inherently less capable of becoming enlightened?”

“No Ananda,” Buddha replied. “Women have equal ability as men to reach enlightenment”

Having said that, in many Asian countries, it's a strongly-held belief that only men can reach enlightenment. Buddhist women, living in these communities, can only practice consistently as a Buddhist, then hope to come back reborn as a man.

Advice For Laywomen

Written in the Anguttara Nikaya, a Buddhist scripture, this advice has been bestowed upon laywomen:

· Be capable at your work.

· Work Work skillfully and diligently.

· Be fair and/or skillful whenever managing your domestic help, if applicable.

· Be efficient in the execution of your domestic duties.

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

· Show faithfulness to one’s husband and be frugal with the family’s money.

· Accomplish faith (knowing the possibility of enlightenment, and with the awareness of the enlightenment of the Buddha).

· Observe the 5 precepts and practice moral discipline.

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

· Learn wisdom (be aware of the impermanence of everything.)

The Bhikkuni Sangha

When Buddhist nuns become ordained, they're known as bhikkuni.

Mahapajapati began the 1st bhikkuni order together with a group of 500 royal women.

After the Emperor Ashoka sent his son to Sri Lanka to act as a Buddhist Missionary, two hundred years later, he learned about a princess who expressed a desire to become a member of the becoming a member of the sangha. To make this happen though, both bhikkus and bhikkunis were required. In addition to this, a minimum of 5 bhikkunis, who would be the foundation for the order, were necessary. To create the sangha, the Emperor Ashoka’s daughter, already a Buddhist nun, requested to be sent to Sri Lanka. Hundreds of women living in Sri Lanka, enthusiastic about joining Ashoka’s daughter Sanghamitta, met up with her immediately upon her arrival. With the establishment of that new Bhikkuni Sanghi, the first outside of India, Buddhist Women rejoiced the huge advance made.

The Bhikkuni order was thriving until the attack on their country during the year 1017. Additional Bhikkuni orders worldwide were established and flourished, only to meet their end from war or takeover. For more than a thousand years, the Bhikkuni lineage continues to be broken throughout countries such as Tibet, Thailand and various Asian countries. In an attempt to re-establish the Bhikkuni ordination, Buddhist leaders of all traditions conducted a summit in Germany during the International Congress on Buddhist Women’s Role within the Sangha. It was a tremendous success, with the Dalai Lama’s support of the re-establishment, and all of the delegates unanimously agreeing that the bhikkuni ordination ought to be re-established. But many of the details are still being worked out. The Dalai Lama said that if Buddha had been present, he would likely agree, but because he isn’t, he (the Dalai Lama) can’t act as Buddha.

How are Buddhist women treated now? Bhikkunis, within the majority of the world, are still kept in in an inferior position to bhikkus. Nobody can say if Buddha intended for women to be treated as ‘lesser than’ or if the stories were merely woven out of whole cloth by those wanting to stay in power, but they are treated as real, regardless. They're there for anyone to read, so whether or not the Buddha intended for men to have a lot more power, they do This is especially relevant in patriarchal countries such as Thailand, where there's no bhikkuni ordination, and where women who were ordained in Sri Lanka are not acknowledged as bhikkunis by the Thai sangha.

By: Nicci Striker

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

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 www.ulcseminary.org/store/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=153>Buddhist Studies Course offered through the Universal Life Church Seminary. We have many courses available and each one carries with it an earned degree.