Volume-XII, Special Issue, April 2026 |
প্রাচীন বৌদ্ধ সমাজে নারীর অবস্থান: একটি পর্যালোচনা অস্মিতা চ্যাটার্জী, অতিথি অধ্যাপিকা, দেশবন্ধু মহাবিদ্যালয়,পশ্চিম বর্ধমান,পশ্চিমবঙ্গ,ভারত |
Received: 01.04.2026 | Accepted: 06.04.2026 | Published Online: 10.04.2026 | Page No: 39-45 | ||||
DOI: 10.29032/ijhsss.vol.12.issue.specialW.266 | |||||||
Status of Women in Ancient Buddhist Society: A Review Asmita Chatterjee, Guest Lecturer, Deshbandhu Mahavidyalaya, Paschim Bardhaman, West Bengal, India | ||
ABSTRACT | ||
This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the evolving socio-religious status of women in ancient India, tracing the transition from the Vedic and Brahmanical eras to the transformative rise of Buddhism. The discourse begins by highlighting the egalitarian spiritual landscape of the Rig Vedic period, where women like Ghosha, Apala, and Vishwavara not only enjoyed the right to education and ritual participation but also contributed as composers of sacred hymns. However, this period of relative autonomy was followed by a significant decline during the Brahmanical era, particularly with the codification of the Manusmriti. The laws of Manu institutionalized a patriarchal hierarchy that stripped women of their independence, confining them to the lifelong guardianship of male relatives and denying them the right to perform independent religious rites or choose their life partners.The emergence of Buddhism offered a radical alternative to this oppressive structure. By deconstructing the Brahmanical necessity of a male heir for ancestral rituals and rejecting the concept of a permanent soul, Gautama Buddha paved the way for a gender-neutral spiritual path. The essay delves into the establishment of the Bhikkuni Sangha (the order of female monastics) as a pivotal moment for female empowerment. Despite the restrictive 'Eight Garudhammas' (Eight Heavy Rules) imposed for the order’s survival within a patriarchal society, the Sangha provided a unique sanctuary for women. It allowed them to escape domestic servitude, widowhood, and social marginalization to pursue intellectual and spiritual self-actualization.Drawing from sources like the Therigatha and Sigalovada Sutta, the study concludes that while Buddhism did not entirely dismantle the existing patriarchal mindset, it significantly redefined the domestic and spiritual roles of women. It replaced one-sided servitude with mutual respect in marriage and offered a platform for women to attain the highest state of liberation (Arhatship), thereby marking a milestone in the history of gender relations in ancient India. | ||
Keywords: Rigveda, patriarchal society, Buddhist social system, Bhikkhuni Sangha, Eight Garudhammas, Pravrajya , spiritual liberation. |