Ajit Kumar Behura

Paper: 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.

Ajit Kumar Behura, Associate Professor, and former head of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, ISM, Dhanbad, India has 12 of teaching and research experience to both undergraduate and Post-graduate students.  He also taught at the University of Dayton Academic Program at Deepahalli Campus. Dr. Behura is a member of few Professional Associations like, The Council for Research in Value and Philosophy (Washington), Indian Philosophical Congress, and All Orissa Philosophy Association, etc.