GENDER ISSUES IN BUDDHISM

Gender Issues in Buddhism: East and West

[Name of Student]



Table of Contents

Introduction to Buddhism1

Controversial Issues2

Gender Issues in Buddhism4

Buddhism Gender Issues in East and West5

Women as Agents of Change in Buddhism7

Critical Analysis8

Conclusion9

Gender Issues in Buddhism: East and West

Introduction to Buddhism

Buddhism originated in northeast India based on Siddhartha Gautama's teachings. The two major branches of Buddhism are the Mahayana, which means the Great Vehicle and the Theravada hat means the Way of the Elders. Buddhism is majorly present in Southeast Asia and East Asia. Theravada is popular in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, while Mahayana is more common in Nepal, Tibet, Japan, Mongolia, China, Korea, Taiwan, India and Vietnam. The total Buddhist population in the world is around 300 million (Chitkara, 1999, p.121). His teachings spread widely from India to other Western countries. Believers regard him as a prophet or God. Other than Buddhists Hindus and Baha'i follows him.

Dr. Mettanando Bhikkhu, says of the First Buddhist council “Perhaps Mahakassappa and the bhikkhus of that time were jealous of the bhikkhunis being more popular and doing more teaching and social work than the bhikkhus”(Dr. Mettanando Bhikkhu, 544 B.C)

Gautama Buddha Shakyamuni founded Buddhism in the 6th century in northern India, what is now Nepal. Gautama called as the Buddha, which means “The Awakened” or “Enlightened One.” The theory of Dharmas is the basis of Buddhist Philosophy. The theory stated that all that is natural is in a single flow, and based on atom composition, all the natural Elements have brief, and temporary life span, eventually, they end, and therefore, the nature both material and spiritual is not in true, physical existence. These elements are of the Dharma carrier, the everlasting and undeniable substance; this is true and real existence or real meaning of the phenomenon. The ultimate objective is the Nirvana (Davids, 2000, p.233).

Western scholars were not showing interest in the Buddhist scriptures until the nineteenth century, and in the second half of the twentieth century, the West began considering Buddhism as a religion. Then still today, Buddhism remained as the religion of inner peace and happiness, and known all over the world and is said to be world religion, because there are no restrictions or conditions to meet to become a Buddhist (Chopra, 1983, p.435). The emperor Ashoka sent missions to the west, but he did not succeed. Till modern times Buddhism remains unknown to the western countries. It was Asian immigrants who brought Buddhism in various forms with them in Europe, North America, and Australia. The attitudes, traditions, and behavior of Buddhists attract westerns. Although, Buddhism teachings spread for last 2500 years, but it get attention in the twentieth century in the western world.

Controversial Issues

In general, because Buddhism has no single, centralized religious authority and it philosophically a places and emphasis on individual effort, there is no single stance on any controversial issue. Buddhists, if it is possible to generalize, tend to believe that most issues decided by the individual or by the basic ethical guidelines that first lay ...