Dr.

Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law

University

HISTORY

WOMEN IN HINDUISM AND BUDDHISM:

AN OVERVIEW

Submitted to- Submitted by-

Dr. Vandana Singh Trisha Jaiswal
Associate Professor 220101161
History B.A. L.L.B.(Hons.)
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University 1st Semester, Section ‘B’
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to acknowledge and give my warmest thanks to my History teacher

cum advisor, Dr. Vandana Singh due to whom this work became possible. Her
guidance and advice carried me through all the stages of writing my project. I
would also like to thank my batchmates and friends for helping me at every
point of confusion.

I would also like to give special thanks to my parents and my family as a whole
for their continuous supports and understanding while I was undertaking my
research and writing my project. Their prayer for me is what sustained me this
far and helped me at every moment.

Finally, I would also like to thank God, the Almighty, for letting me through all
the difficulties. I have experienced your guidance day by day. You are the one
who let me finish my work. I will keep on trusting you for my future.

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 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the project report ‘Women in Hinduism and Buddhism :
An Overview’ submitted by me to the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law
University, Lucknow is the partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award
of degree of B.A. L.L.B.(Hons.) is a record of bona fide project carried out by
me under the guidance of Dr.Vandana Singh, our History subject professor. It is
also declared that the project is the piece of my hard work and dedication and is
unique.

Place: Lucknow Signature of the Candidate

Date: November 6 2022 Trisha Jaiswal

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………….5

AN OVERALL VIEW OF HINDUISM………………………………6

POSITION OF WOMEN IN HINDUISM……………………………8

Women in Vedic Period……………………………………………9
Women in Epics – Ramayana & Mahabharata…………………….10
Women in Puranas & Dharma Shastra period……………………..12
Hindu Goddesses as role models for Women……………………..13

AN OVERALLVIEW OF BUDDHISM……………………………..14

POSITION OF WOMEN IN BUDDHISM…………………………..16

Pre-Buddhist Position Of Women………………………………..16
Women in Buddhism…………………………………………….17

CONCLUSION………………………………………………………19

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INTRODUCTION
Since it was understood that gender influences roles of men and women in
society in addition to sex, conversations about gender and religion have been
around for a while. Numerous elements, including social, cultural, and regional
ones, have an impact on our perceptions of gender identity, but religion is one
of the most potent ones.

Given that Hinduism and Buddhism are among the world's oldest religious
systems, examining this contentious issue of women's place in these two
systems in greater detail can help us better understand how women have been
treated historically in all major religions.

Even though patriarchal systems are prevalent throughout the world, women
make up half the population and raise a sizable portion of the world's children.
The main issue is the matter of how women are viewed in society, therefore
when given the chance to do so, women (or we as women) inevitably examine
where we are in relation to that. One of the main issues still is women's status.
Although it varies depending on the location, women are highly revered in
various cultures. Since this is the case, feminists in particular support gender
equality.

According to Sri Ramakrishna, there is just one and only one religion, not like
my religion or your religion. There are numerous manifestations of this one
religion that endures forever. To the greatest extent possible, all religions must
therefore be respected and acknowledged. Since the two religions being
compared are different from one another, people often assume that if one
religion is true, the other is most likely false. Sri Ramakrishna clarifies that the
existence of one religion does not necessitate the refutation of another, despite
the fact that this is what some people believe. The conclusion that all religions
are the same and identical would not be accurate; rather, all religions, despite
their distinctions, are real and true, as demonstrated by the Himalayan Mountain
range as an example. It is conceivable to depict the Himalayas from the
perspectives of China, Tibet, or India, yet all three images will still capture the
mountain range as a whole. Because each commenter has a unique perspective
based on their interpretation of the Bible, there will be as many comments as
there are commenters on the topic.

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AN OVERALL VIEW OF HINDUISM
The earliest religious tradition that originated on the Indian subcontinent is
Hinduism. It is referred to by its adherents as sanatana dharma (an eternal-
everlasting canonical law) or simply dharma and is seen as a manner that God
suggested and incorporated at the creation of the world in order for humans to
live in harmony. Hindus view religion as no more important than normal
everyday activities. Religion is a part of life overall. Because of this, there is no
word in Sanskrit that denotes religion. The meaning of the word "dharma" is
more expansive. It consists of beliefs and methods concerning the truths and
guidance of the material and spiritual worlds.

Some people view Hinduism as an ethnic religion since it is only practiced on

the Indian subcontinent and because some of its adherents outside of the
continent are of Indian descent. There is no founder and no creed of Hinduism.
Hinduism has a documented history spanning more than 35 centuries.
Reliable accounts claim that approximately 2000 B.C., Aryans initially
conquered northwest India before moving on to the entire north of India. It may
be inferred that Hinduism is the new religious system as a result of the mixture
of religious beliefs and practices of Aryans and local worldviews of India. This
invasion also denotes the interaction of various cultures, in a sense an
amalgamation of cultures.

The religion's lack of a founder is one of its most significant characteristics.

Hinduism has elements of monotheism. According to Hindu philosophy, God,
the soul, and the universe are all one. Hinduism is renowned for recognizing the
existence of multiple deities and emphasizing the various facets of one deity.
Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are the creation, upkeep, and destruction aspects of
the Hindu trinity. Additionally, Hinduism acknowledges other religions' gods as
having distinct explanations rather than rejecting them. Hindus believe that God
is always present, powerful, eternal, everlasting, merciful, and abstract. His soul
encompasses the entire cosmos. Beyond all names and forms, he is. We exist
inside of Him; He is the soul of our souls.

Hinduism contains other sacred texts that distinguish out thanks to their unique
characteristics, in addition to the Vedas. Hinduism contains a substantial body
of texts. Sruti (revealed truth), which is heard, and Smriti (realized truth), which
is remembered, are the two principal terms under which those books are
separated. Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads are all part of Sruti.
The Vedas, which are regarded as the foundational religious texts, contain
chants for the Gods that personalize many natural phenomena, such as rain,

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wind, fire, and water. Vedas implies divine or holy wisdom in the original
language. The foundational texts of Hinduism are these sacred writings. The
Mahabharata and Ramayana epics are a concretization of the heroic characters'
conduct patterns that are referenced in various sacred books as
metaphorical/metaphysical issues and lifestyles. The Puranas discuss the Avatar
religion, which holds that Gods take on many human forms and meddle with
human affairs. Modern legal books called Dharma Sastras are more specifically
used to govern social interactions, define laws to be followed, and describe
social institutions. Manu Dharma Sastra is the most well-known example of this
genre.

Even though Hinduism is structured to accommodate various belief systems, all

Hindus must agree on a few fundamental principles. Every single Hindu is
required to believe in reincarnation and karma. It implies that rebirth happens
after death. However, depending on actions during the life that are decided by
karma, which is a term for global justice, it is conceivable to be born as an
animal, plant, or even an inanimate thing for a period. Samsara refers to the
cycle that consists of birth, death, and rebirth. The soul attempts to transition
from the transient material world to the eternal spiritual world. This is yoga,
which is also a kind of worship and a term for methods of rescuing people from
the problems and existence of the outside world. It divides into three parts:
labor, learning, and devotion. One of the fundamental beliefs and practices
holds that doing so reveals hidden abilities and gives people traits that go
beyond those that are characteristically human.

Caste is one of the fundamental tenets of Hinduism. There are four primary
subgroups: Vaisyas (merchant or husbandman class), Kshatriyas (royal and
military class), and Sudras (servant class). According to this theory, social
classes are the constituent components of the body of Brahma, the creator of
society. Brahmins are guides for religious rites as well as teachers of the society
who are in charge of teaching sacred texts, science, and philosophy. Meat and
alcohol are off limits to them. Kshatriyas serve as kings, protectors, and
weapons. Vaisyas are thighs; their responsibility is to uphold society's economy
and provide for the upper classes. Sudras are the servant class and have the
responsibility of servicing the upper castes.

Hinduism views worship as an individual activity. Since there is no group

prayer, visiting a temple is not a necessary activity. Caste and place of residence
have an impact on a person's devotional practices. Three times per day,
offerings of food, flowers, or incense are made to God in a space designated for
symbols, idols, or images of the Almighty. Other popular forms of personal
worship include yoga and pilgrimage, which are tied to life events like birth,
puberty, marriage, and death.

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POSITION OF WOMEN IN HINDUISM
Hindu sacred scriptures differ greatly in terms of composition period, authors,
book genres, acceptance of commentaries, and interpretations of the first written
books, which are also revered by various sects. Because of this, the place of
women in Hinduism can be a little unclear when it's ignored. However, as the
Vedas are the first source, they are considered to be more accurate and the
fundamental sacred text for all Hindus. It is also asserted that the Vedas do not
contain offensive applications towards women, just smriti-style sacred literature
that are only comments, not revelation. Hindu sacred texts were mostly written
and created by men, with very little help from women, as were the comments
and interpretations. In contrast, it was not necessary for people to be called with
the names of their father; there are opposite examples of the situation, such as
Arjuna called Kaunteya, Lord Krishna as Devakiputra, and Sanskrit
grammarian Panini as Daakshiputra. The patriarchal system previously
mentioned has been affecting women for a very long time, so since Hinduism is
one of the oldest traditions, it got its share of the situation. As is known, women
can appear in sacred writings as both the destroyer, maleficent, and an
aggressive character as well as the power, a sign of fertility and kindness. The
idea of Shakti, which implies strength and power as well as divine and creation,
is considered to be feminine, and it is believed that Shakti is a feminine concept
that symbolizes strength and power as well as divine and creation, and it is
thought that masculine power originates from the female.
When it comes to Gods, they hold a significant place in religion and are
regarded as having traits from both sexes.

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WOMEN IN VEDIC PERIOD
Women enjoyed a relatively good status in society throughout the early Vedic
period (2000 B.C. to 1000 B.C.), if not equality. In Aryan society, when men
were primarily warriors, women maintained society's order and were respected.
Male offspring were in fact favored more than female ones, and girls were
treated almost equally to boys. They received the appropriate schooling. Even in
the Rig Veda, women were seen as having the same rights as males to openly
express their opinions in public assemblies and to acquire, comprehend, and
attain the ultimate reality (the knowledge of the Vedas). Back then, women had
the option of getting married, choosing their husbands among candidates, and
participating in religious rites as a couple, or they might choose to remain
unmarried and devote themselves to religious study. Although monogamy was
the norm, polygamy was also observed among the more affluent members of
society. Women have the right to speak up in domestic disputes. For either a
woman or a man, divorce was not an option.

Widows were permitted to remarry since sati (widow burning) was not
practiced and was not referenced in the Vedas. However, it is advisable for a
widow to be more pious and to restrain oneself. In addition, it is said that Manu
made no mention of sati in his legislation. The phrase was generally praised in
puranas and other legal texts. According to popular belief, child marriage was
unknown at the time. Women had economic freedom; two examples of women's
work were sewing garments at home or assisting their husbands in the
agricultural industry. However, in general, women were not favored when it
came to inheritance or property. Unmarried women may inherit one-fourth of
their brothers, but married women could not receive any inheritance from their
husbands or fathers and had no claim to any family property. Women only gave
a damn about their inheritance as wives or daughters.

Following are some scriptures that positively support women:

• “Goddess, skilled in all her works1.”
• “O, Agni, may this woman find a husband. Then verily King Soma makes
her happy, may she bear sons, chief lady of the household, blessed and
bearing rule beside her consort.”2

1 Atharva Veda, 7, 47, 1. https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/av/av07047.htm

2 Atharva Veda, 2, 36, 3. https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/av/av02036.htm

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WOMEN IN EPICS – RAMAYANA &
MAHABHARATA
Women were adored, revered, and referred to as the source of religion in epics
like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Women with fortitude, bravery,
audacity, and tenacity like Kaikeye, Sita, Rukmani, Satyabhama, Sabitri, and
Draupadi step forward. While the Ramayana epic depicts the ideal lady and
praises a wife's love to her husband, the Mahabharata describes what women are
expected to do and how they should treat their husbands. Some of them are
discussed below:
• SITA - Rama is thought of as being law-abiding and modest, and Sita is
always willing to take the brunt of his self-justified actions. Sita was the
Princess of Mithila and the famous Rajarishi King Janaka's daughter.
With her extensive education and growing faith in the power of
observation, Sita was a wise woman in her own right. We fail to
recognise that Sita's calmness was never a weakness; rather, it
represented her strength, love, patience, and affectionate acceptance of
the shortcomings of those around her, which resulted from her
unwavering belief that they required her even while she did not. By
exercising her intelligence and power only when she felt it was essential,
Sita demonstrates that she was never a subservient wife and once again
demonstrates her immaculate sense of judgement. Rama forms his bonds
with the inhabitants of Ayodhya, the Vanaras of Kishkinda, and his most
dependable ally, Hanuman, through Sita. Without Sita, the Ramayana
would not exist. Without Sita, the Ramayana and Rama are incomplete.

• KAIKEYI - The epic The Ramayana owes much of its advancements to

women, and Kaikeyi is one of them. Kaikeyi has been shown in a variety
of retellings as the picture of spite, envy, and heartlessness. She is forever
remembered as the cunning monster who shattered the family's harmony
and happiness. She has been used as a scapegoat to perpetuate the
stereotype of catfights, envy, and misery that a woman may bring to a
home as well as an example to demonstrate that poorly placed trust and
pledges never turn out well. King Ashvapati of Kekeya, which included
portions of modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan, was the father of
Kaikeyi. Kaikeyi, who has seven brothers, was raised in a society that
primarily considered the feelings, judgments, and egos of men. She grew
up to be a smart, brave, and caring young woman who was well-known
for her bold and unapologetic attitude despite continually being
overshadowed by her powerful father and overachieving brothers.
Despite being Dasharatha's second consort, Kaikeyi was consistently
given preferential treatment by Dasharatha, who himself says that

10
 Kaikeyi is the reason he does not treat his three queens equally. However,
we can remember Kaikeyi as the feminist ideal of her era—a vivacious
and courageous princess who became a queen, ostracised by everyone but
still managed to rise above everything. We may never know Kaikeyi's
true tale, whether she was the one who was influencing or the one who
was influenced.

• DRAUPADI - Draupadi has always been represented as the furious,

strong, and contentious heroine who never hesitated to speak out against
the injustices she encountered. We observe the raging fire within her,
naturally given that she was born of fire, in contrast to the stoic and
collected Sita. As the princess of Panchal, Draupadi was given the name
Panchali. She was the sister of the formidable warrior Dhrishtadyumna
and the daughter of King Drupada. She was a byproduct of hatred and the
desire for vengeance. According to tradition, Draupadi married five men
as a consequence of a blessing she allegedly got in her previous birth. She
had previously prayed to Shiva, the god of good overpowering evil, for
the blessing of marriage to the ideal partner, that is, one who is without
flaws. Shiva provided her with five men instead, who together were the
ideal guy, as there was no such thing as a flawless man.
After the Pandavas wed Draupadi, Krishna became a significant guiding
influence in their lives. Having endured the merciless injustice of being
assaulted in court and the disappointment and agony when none of her
five husbands intervened to save her, Draupadi was a product of
circumstance, the result of her father's hate, and a victim of the Kauravas'
errant morality.
This event may have been what ultimately shaped Draupadi as a person.
She came to the realization that she was on her own and that not even one
of her husbands could be relied upon to look out for her.
She was so hard-hearted when it came to seeing her objectives and goals
realized because of this great letdown. Dushasana and Duryodhana were
both doomed by Draupadi's attack at once.
It is true that Draupadi's vicious quest for vengeance was what ultimately
sparked the Kurukshetra War, and one could say that she was one of the
war's indirect principal reasons. But there's no denying that Draupadi is
still one of history's most significant and potent heroines—not only in
India, but globally.

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WOMEN IN PURANAS & DHARMA-
SHASTRA PERIOD
Women's status started to decline throughout this time period. During this time,
women began to lose their rights to receive either secular or religious education.
Male offspring gained greater value and importance than female ones. Manu in
particular stole practically all of the rights that women had in their hands by
using his law book. "Women must be under the father during childhood, the
husband during adolescence, and the son during old age," he writes in the law
book. She will never be worthy of freedom. 46 Due to women's lack of
education, child marriages took place. Widows were not permitted to marry, and
the practice of sati quickly gained popularity. The generally accepted notion that
husbands are God to their wives. As a result, polygyny rates rose. Women lost
their ability to earn a living, were barred from any religious activity, and were
forbidden from going on pilgrimages.

According to sacred tradition, man was the seed and woman the soil, and both
were considered as equally producing. Manu contends that the seed is more
significant because it determines the features of the final result.

The incorrect view of religion and the wrongdoings of Brahmins, the rigorous
implementation of the caste system, the lack of educational opportunities for
women, and the continual immigration of foreigners into India are reasons for
the current state of women.

Some verses are given below as an example:

• “Men must make their women dependent day and night, and keep under
their own control those who are attached to sensory objects. Her father
guards her in childhood, her husband guards her in youth, and her sons
guard her in old age. A woman is not fit for independence3.”
• “A female child, young woman or old woman is not supposed to work
independently even at her place of residence4.”

Beyond sacred writings, which are often contradictory, women were well-
positioned from the start of the Vedic era. Until the appearance of Shudras or
the slave population, women were an integral component of life in terms of
output. The higher status/noble segment of a community, however, always
enjoyed a better condition than the rest, and aristocratic women had a better
chance to receive an education or be treated well.

3 Manu-smriti, 9, 2-3. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/manu/manu09.htm

4 Manu-smriti, 5, 150. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/manu/manu05.htm

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HINDU GODDESSES AS ROLE MODELS
FOR WOMEN
Women in Hindu tradition have two sides, as was said at the beginning of the
section. She might possess every good quality or all the bad ones, like being
forgiving, wicked, prolific, violent, destructive, and so forth.

Goddesses are described in the texts as having two distinguishing

characteristics: Shakti and Prakriti. Prakriti is concerned with the material state,
whereas Shakti is concerned with creation. If a male is in charge of those
defending and inventive traits, it is acknowledged as being for the best. In
contrast to Kali and Shitala, who are violent and unpredictable, goddesses like
Lakshmi, Sita, and Parvati were respected by their husbands.

Some instances can help us see the dualism. The image of Ardhanarishvara
shows him to be a hybrid of the two genders. Shiva is on his right side, while
Parvati is on his left. His male and female sides are viewed as equally
significant, thus it stands to reason that they are, at the very least, equally
human in spirit.

Hindu religious texts have some female role models. In texts, moms and wives
are the most prominent female role models, followed by daughters and
sisters. Women's relationships with males—such as husbands, sons, fathers, and
brothers—are frequently mentioned when discussing female role models.
Women's roles generally include submission to or submission to the control of
the males mentioned above, and because these males are revered, women can
draw strength and inspiration from them.

In the Ramayana tale, Rama's wife went with her husband into exile after he
was banished. She was abducted by a bad person while on the road, and she set
herself ablaze to show her devotion to her spouse. After being saved from the
flames, her husband received her. The moral of the narrative is that women can
only be saved by their husbands' unwavering commitment to them. However, as
gods are sources of mercy and serve as human defenders, they are referred to as
mothers rather than wives in sacred scriptures.

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AN OVERALL VIEW OF BUDDHISM
Buddhism is a term used to describe the religion that Buddha founded.
Buddhism first emerged in northeast India in the VIth century B.C. It opposes
Brahman formalism and the caste system, sets aside difficult-to-understand
figurative or philosophical arguments, and directs individuals toward emotional
restraint, moral improvement, equality for all people, and loving and displaying
affection for all living things. Despite the fact that Buddhism was once thought
of as a perverted branch of Hinduism, it is now recognised as a distinct religion
from Hinduism due to its rapid spread and the fact that it has its own founder,
holy scriptures, creeds, and temples.

Buddha, who lived between 563 and 483 B.C., is credited with founding
Buddhism. His family name is Gautama, and he was from north India. His real
name is Siddhartha. The word "Buddha" means "Enlighted." He was raised in
luxury as a prince born into the Kshatriya (royal-administrative) class. When he
turned 29, he came to terms with three facts about life: age, illness, and death.
These three things cause human life to be painful and miserable. From this point
on, he made a significant withdrawal into seclusion in accordance with
Brahman customs. But none of the rituals he had followed satisfied him or took
away the suffering he was experiencing, so he left Hinduism and developed his
own system of thought. He declared himself to be enlightened and to have
discovered the four Noble Truths after 49 days of meditation under the Bodhi
tree. These are:
1. Suffering is a part of life. (Dukkha)
2. Attachment and desire lead to pain. (Samudaya)
3. Giving up the urge or craving for a conceptual attachment puts an end to
suffering and brings about release.
(Nirodha)
4. This release is obtained through adhering to the Noble Eightfold Path.
(Magga)

These four truths, according to Buddhists, are the fundamental realities of life
for people who live in material or spiritual sorrow, as stated by Buddha, who
experienced the same problems. Humans are slaves to their own wants. His
suffering will get worse the more he longs for fortune, happiness, security,
success, a thirst life, and pleasure. The eventual end is death. The Eightfold
Path, which is a middle ground free from extreme comfort and a rigorous
lifestyle withholding all reasonable joys of life, is the solution he found to
release. He preached to people of all classes from the time he was 36 years old
until the time of his death (at the age of 80).

14
Following the death of Buddha, many councils produced the sacred writings of
Buddhism generally separated into two texts. The first is the Pali Canon, also
known as the Tripitakas (three baskets), which were written in the Pali language
and are regarded as the most reliable religious texts. There are three sections to
it, and they are as follows:

1. Vinaya-Pitaka, also referred to as a collection of norms of behaviour,

contains regulations for monks' (sanghas) lives in the monastery.
2. The Sutta-Pitaka: It contains detailed and useful information about
Buddhism, including the Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths.
3. The Abhidhamma-Pitaka, sometimes referred to as advanced religion,
provides an analytical and methodical exposition of Buddhism's core principles.

The second section of the sacred books is known as the Mahayana Sacred
Literature. Hundreds of works published in Tibetan and Chinese, as well as nine
works produced in Sanskrit, are included in the literature of the Mahayana
subsect of Buddhism, which is referred to by the umbrella title. It may also be
viewed as the Pali Canon's commentary.

The two types of Buddhist worship are internal and exterior prayers. Meditation
is a form of inward prayer. It addresses mental conditioning, focus, and in-depth
comprehension. The goal is to purify the mind, and increasing consciousness,
energy, and calm will help people reach nirvana or the truth.

15
POSITION OF WOMEN IN BUDDHISM
Due to the prevalent ingrained patriarchal society, women were first accepted as
being at the lowest social level, worthless, useless beings at the dawn of
Buddhism. Buddha initially had a preference not to elevate women in the
religious hierarchy. However, several powerful women, such as the aunt of the
Buddha and his wet nurse who took the initiative, Mahaprajapati, and head
disciple's modest request, were able to persuade the Buddha and accomplish the
entrance/acceptance of women into religion.

PRE-BUDDHIST POSITION OF WOMEN

Hinduism predated Buddhism as the predominant religion in India. Buddha was
a devout Hindu as well, but when he couldn't find what he was looking for, he
looked for a fulfilling path instead, and in the end, he attained enlightenment. In
terms of its rituals, caste structure, and treatment of women, Hinduism is a rigid
religion. Manu, in particular, asserts that women should not even be allowed to
move freely inside their houses. Even though noble women in society have
greater life chances, no woman is permitted to read the Vedas or perform rituals
by herself, even though they are familiar with the smriti tradition. Although
women were not subjected to harsh treatment during the time of the Buddha,
this does not imply that they were treated equally, as male dominance was still
there to keep women out of society.

It is asserted that the Buddha's message is applicable to both males and women,
and that he is the teacher of both gods and people. In some ways, Buddhism has
a greater understanding of women. However, in order for women to become
enlightened, they must be reborn as males; only then would they have access to
salvation.

16
WOMEN IN BUDDHISM
Although early Buddhism was largely patriarchal, women were not treated with
such hostility. Buddhism, in contrast to Hinduism, aims to dissolve family ties,
thus there isn't much Buddhism has to say about women. Marriage is just a
secular problem, and everything about marriage is mutual among the couple.
Women have taken a more prominent position in religion. Hinduism does not
believe in a creator, hence the concept of holiness is not addressed in the
religion.
As a result, there are few differences between persons in terms of their ancestry.
All spiritual merit is equal. Due of Buddha's acceptance of women into the
monastic order, certain patriarchal advocates at the time were upset by this.

Accordingly, at the aunt of the Buddha's request, women were welcomed into
the sangha.
Buddha was prone to refuse the request, nevertheless, because he initially
believed that women had no religious obligations and that if they left the house,
there would be no dhamma in the end. Along with that, the Buddha asserts that
since all souls are equal, no barrier stands in the way of a woman being
enlightened. He ultimately gave in to pressure and let women to enter temples,
but only under the condition that they all adhere to the eight rules.
Which are:
1. No matter what, a female monk must respect male monks.
2. Without a female monk, she cannot be sequestered or accommodated during
the rainy season.
3. A female monk is required to inquire of male monks once every two weeks as
to the date of religious rites and the hour of their advise.
4. A female monk has the ability to plan a ceremony of forgiveness in front of
male and female monks.
5. A female monk's sin must be judged in front of male and female monks if she
commits one.
6. A female trainee must have consent from both male and female monks after
two years of training.
7. A female monk must never bother a man monk or curse at him.
8. Female monks have no way of alerting male monks who are breaking the
law.

The Pali Canon and Vinaya Pitaka are the primary sources for verses and
information on women in religion. As previously indicated, the Vinaya Pitaka
and Suttanipitaka specify the monastic rules, regulations, and disciplines since
they include passages referring to female religious commissaries.

17
Within these verses. The value of women in childbearing and childrearing is
discussed, as well as the equality of women in terms of beliefs.
“This is the only vehicle / Be it a woman or be it a man
The one who takes this vehicle / Can reach the peace of Nibbâna5”

The passages below demonstrate that, despite the fact that, in theory, women
should be respected and that relationships with other women of men are not
encouraged, these situations still arise in reality.

• “...Another wife he had / A virtuous dame of parts and of repute /

Enamored of her mate.
And thus I brought / Discord and enmity within that house”
6

• “Thus both wives suffered.

Kiságotamì too, one of the most widely known of all the Therìs, was a woman
who had
endured much sorrow:
Woeful is woman’s lot, hath he declared / Charioteer of men to be tamed /
Woeful when
sharing home with hostile wives / Woeful when giving birth in bitter pain / Some
seeking
death or e’er they suffer twice / Piercing the throat, the delicate poison take7”

Finally, it is advised that women educate themselves, regardless of the man they
are married to.
It is wise to rise first thing in the morning and leave last. Women must volunteer
to work, show kindness and compassion, converse sweetly so that they can pay
respects to whomever their husbands respect, and offer a seat and a bottle of
water for them. Women must be nimble, diligent, hardworking, and competent
in crafts. Women are also recommended to share meals meticulously and to be
familiar with all aspects of the family, including the staff, servants, etc. Last but
not least, husbands should be careful with the money they earn and not
frivolously spend it to ensure that it is used properly.

5 Samyutta Nikaya 1, 5, 6. (For more information about the verse see Swarna de Silva, The Place of Women in
Buddhism, p. 5.)
6 Sutta Pitaka 5, 9, 446.
7 Sutta Pitaka 5, 9, 216-217. (For more information about verses see I. B. Horner, Women in Early Buddhist

Literature, pp. 7-11.)

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CONCLUSION
Overall, as women make up half of the world's population and raise the other
half, Because of this, discussing the situation of women in all spheres is natural.
The general characteristics of Buddhism and Hinduism were first briefly
described in this thesis. The scriptures of both religions were then reviewed to
shed more light on how these two faiths regard women. The search's final
results were therefore attempted to be appraised.

In contrast to Buddhism, which claims Buddha as its founder, Hinduism lacks a

founder. In comparison to Buddhism, Hinduism is a more rigid tradition. It is a
truth that Buddha looked for a new way and is regarded as having attained
enlightenment since he was not persuaded that leading a rigid lifestyle would
solve the issue. For instance, the caste system contributed to inter-caste
relations, which had a number of issues and debates about what the appropriate
penalty should be. Even though both religions have issues with women's
standing, Hinduism appears to be more restrictive up close. Despite being a
member of a higher caste, women were not permitted to access the Vedas.
Women could only access secondary sacred texts and were forbidden from
participating in religious rites. Women are only required to assist their husbands
in religious situations. It is a truth that Buddha looked for a new way and is
regarded as having attained enlightenment since he was not persuaded that
leading a rigid lifestyle would solve the issue. In addition, after her husband
passed away, she had no further religious obligations than doing Sati, which is a
different subject and whose necessity is unknown. There was no way for
women to be religious commissaries. Even though Buddha was not entirely
pleased with her aunt's insistences, he eventually allowed women to work as
commissaries in temples.

It is possible to uncover evidence to support either the worth of women or their

secondary status within religion due to interpretation differences when the
patterns of two religions are properly examined. Since knowledge has been
transmitted over such a long period of time, it is subject to modification or other
interpretations today.

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