Abhinav Anand

Paper Title: Women and Nibbana: An Analysis of Early Buddhist Texts

Abstract

Whether the early Buddhism was biased in favour of bhikkhus over bhikkhunis and men over women is the subject of this study. Pali Buddhist texts, i.e., Vinaya Pitaka, Anguttara Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya and selected discourses from Samyutta Nikaya present a mixed basket of egalitarian and non-egalitarian, and soteriologically inclusive and androgynous Buddhist worldviews. Despite the institutional androcentrism and ascetic misogyny these texts teach that the Buddha gave dhammas (teachings) to all human beings irrespective of their caste and gender, and also taught that women are equally capable of realising the fruit of stream-attainment (sotapanna), once-returning (sakadagami), non-returning (anagami) and perfection (arahant). The realisation of perfection (arahant) is nibbana or complete absence of dukkha, which is considered within Buddhist tradition as the highest goal attainable by personal efforts by both men and women. The Theragatha and Therigatha narrate the stories of Buddhist men and women who realized perfection during the life and after the Buddha. These texts and the Buddhist teachings such as paticcasamuppada, Anicca, Anatta and Dukkha  are interpreted to show that theoretically there is no difference between men and women as both are association of five aggregates, which is not identical with male or female, though because of the cultural influence there are also evidence for discrimination against women.

Abhinav Anand is a Research Scholar at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, India. He completed Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts from University of Delhi. His areas of interest are Buddhist Literature, Philosophy and Ethics, Indian Literature, Philosophy, Religious and Culture Studies.