The Ordination of Women in Buddhism
Ananda, conversing with Buddha on Mahapajapati’s behalf, asked why he showed hesitation in admitting women into the sangha. Ananda asked, “Do you feel women have less potential to become enlightened?”
Buddha replied in the negative. “The potential of women for enlightenment is the same as men.”
Sadly, you will find some Asian countries where the belief is that only men will be able to discover enlightenment. For these unfortunate women, their only hope is to practice Buddhism diligently and be born as a man for their next lifetime.
Laywomen
Written in the Anguttara Nikaya, Buddhist scripture, the following advice is bestowed upon laywomen:
· Be competent at your work.
· Work with diligence and skill.
· Handle domestic help skillfully (when relevant) and always treat them reasonably.
· Be efficient during the performance of your domestic duties.
· Be a gracious host to the friends as well as family of your husband.
· Show faithfulness to one’s husband and be frugal with the family’s earnings.
· Be faithful that you may become enlightened.
· Be morally disciplined (observe the five precepts).
· Practice generosity (develop a mind free of stinginess or avarice; find joy in charity, giving and sharing).
· Learn to be wise as well as recognize that absolutely nothing is ever forever.
The Bhikkuni Sangha
An ordained Buddhist nun is referred to as a bhikkuni.
The first bhikkuni order started with Mahapajapati supported by her band of five hundred women of noble birth.
When the Emperor Ashoka sent his son to Sri Lanka as a Buddhist Missionary, 200 years later, he learned about a princess who shared a desire to become a member of the joining the sangha. But in order for it to be created, both bhikkus and bhikkunis were necessary. In addition to this, a minimum of 5 bhikkunis, who would be the basis of the order, was also necessary. The Emperor Ashoka’s daughter, a devout Buddhist nun, was sent to Sri Lanka (at her own insistence), to create the sangha there. Upon Sanghamitta’s arrival in Sri Lanka, she was joined by hundreds of other women who had been excited to join as well. That had been a major step forward for Buddhist Women, marking the establishment of the first Bhikkuni Sangha outside of India.
The Bhikkuni order in Sri Lanka flourished until the country was attacked in 1017. Many additional thriving Bhikkuni orders around the world met with their downfall as a result of war or hostile takeover. The Bhikkuni lineage has been broken for more than a thousand yrs. in Thailand, Tibet as well as many other southeast Asian countries. Starting in 2007, Buddhist leaders of all traditions met in Germany at the International Congress on Buddhist Women’s Role in the Sangha to re-establish the bhikkuni ordination. The meeting had been absolutely successful – the Dalai Lama awarded his total support and each of the delegates had been in total agreement to re-establish the bhikkuni ordination. Having said that, where there are individuals, you find ‘details’ which need to be worked out. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, said, “If Buddha were with us now, I am certain he would grant his permission for bhikkuni ordination. But Buddha is not here, so I cannot act as Buddha.”
So where does this leave Buddhist women today? Bhikkunis, in the majority of the world, are still in in an inferior position to bhikkus. Nobody can say whether Buddha intended for women to be treated as ‘lesser than’ or if the stories were just woven out of whole cloth by those wanting to stay in power, but they are treated as genuine, regardless. Those people who seek power will find it where they can, so Buddha’s true intentions may never be known, regarding the subjugation of women. That has been especially relevant in patriarchal countries such as Thailand, where there’s no bhikkuni ordination, and where women who were ordained in Sri Lanka aren’t 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.
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