Buddhism is considered as one of the leading religions throughout the world today. In order for a

In many cultures, the roles of women vary reluctantly. While researching the many aspects of Buddhism, the religion is sometimes practiced differently and the roles of women differs. According to Experiencing World Religions, (Molloy, 127) Buddhism is one of the world's oldest yet most significant religions thus far. It has influenced many cultures, originating from India and making its way to migrate throughout the country of Asia, and women have been involved since the very first day. In today’s society, although men are predominantly inferior over women, women are granted the same opportunities. Just like many other societies in other countries or many other religions there are discriminations and prejucial acts against women. Although, woman are offered the second class citizenship in many Buddhist traditions, a woman's role is very important when helping maintain the religion resulting in mass population of worshipers , fulfilling the duties as caregivers and also wives to their husbands, and also providing any assistance if needed in the community. (Molloy, 127)

The Sangha, the Buddhist monastic order, comprises Bhikku (monks), Bhikkuni (nuns), laymen, and laywomen. While the Bhikku and Bhikkuni depend upon the laywomen and men for economic support, the lay community depends on them for spiritual guidance and ritualistic practices. This well-rounded mutual relationship is clearly a division not only amongst religious status, but determined by gender as well. This is quite a contradiction with the Buddhist belief that your physical self is impermanent and ultimately attachment to your illusory self will cause you suffering. The second Noble Truth states that suffering originates from our ongoing desire, a clinging to possessions, attachments, and self. Why would a religion founded in the idea of shedding attachment focus so much on gender, which is an attachment? I feel that the Buddha’s hesitation in allowing women to be initially recognized in the Sangha originates from his early childhood convictions of women, fear of the Dharma becoming further compromised, and ultimately leading to the deterioration of Buddhism altogether. The Buddha’s hesitations regarding women becoming monastics seem to be questionable because of the way women have responded to this discrimination even during the Buddha’s lifetime. These women are evidently devoted to the ideals and teachings of Buddhism because of their ability to shed attachments and embody a fully monastic lifestyle. As they are shedding their attachments they give up their gender.

Whenever I thought of Buddhist I saw bald men or women with orange robes, white socks, and brown sandals. Obviously, not the older woman with gray hair that was now facing me and the other twenty congregants in the meditation room. She was obviously the leader.

Women have fully been permitted to participate in a religious community since the early days of Buddhism. But they were bound by restrictions, since they’ve typically been look upon

The role of women in human affairs, religious beliefs, and social practices are highly concerned by scholars when women involved religious life. “God the Father/God the Mother”, third chapter in the book The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels, examines major distinctions between Orthodox Christianity and Gnostic community in the concerns of the roles and characterizations of women by relating scriptural views and texts. While sharing a common topic of women’s role in religious life, “Images of Women in Early Buddhism and Christian Gnosticism” is an article in the book Buddhist-Christian Studies by Karen Christina Lang that discusses the major images and examines four categories of women whose participated in the religious activities of both Buddhist and Gnostics communities. In “God the Father/God the Mother”, Pagels compares the views of women between Orthodox communities and Gnostic sources.

“The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed” ~Buddha. Out of the abounding religions in the world the 6th most practiced of all the religion is Buddhism, or the worship of the god Buddha. Buddhism has had a colossal effect on the Asian culture and it has had an effect on the way that we (as American citizens) view the Asian culture and the beliefs of Asian men and women. This paper is about into how the culture of Asia has been changed because of the Buddhists believes. Also how their temples have shaped the way that we as Americans view Asian architecture or the kind of things that are in Asia that are because of Buddhism. Many different

1) What factors do you think account for the growing popularity of Buddhism in the West?

Monastics and lay followers are both essential in ensuring that the Buddhist community, the Sangha, is run smoothly. A lay follower may be looked at as someone who isn’t completely devoted to Buddhism because they aren’t living the monastic lifestyle, obeying all the strict rules set forth in the Sekhiya Dhamma, such as “with downcast eye will I take a seat amidst the houses” and “not with too large balls will I make (up my food)…” but the Sangha would not thrive without the vital help of lay followers who provide the actual food and resources that monks need to even obey these rules as well as function and practice Buddhism. Even though lay followers are not nuns or monks, they are still Buddhists and strive to live by and understand teachings and avoid doing major things that are frowned upon in the Buddhist world. Being a monastic is taking on a serious role that takes an immense amount of commitment and dedication and not all people who practice Buddhism can do that, which is okay because lay followers are necessary in the Sangha. Along with supplying resources for the Buddhist community, they also spread teachings and knowledge to others.

Founded in the 6th Century BCE by Siddhartha Gautama, Buddhism has over time developed into one of the most prominent religions in the world with approximately 500 million adherents, making it the fourth largest religion on earth. The religions beginnings however, did not see much movement of Buddhism past Northern India until the reign of King Asoka, third monarch of the Mauryan Dynasty. Asoka catalysed the spread of Buddhism from India to Afghanistan and even Southeast Asia, West Persia and Sri Lanka.

Religion has and always will be a large impact on the world and the people around it. Polytheistic religions, at least in my opinion, make one of the greatest impacts. The reason they have such an influence on the people is because they put gods into everything, if you believe a divine deity is in something like a chair you are going to respect the chair much more than if it was just a chair. You will sit in it, treat, and enjoy it much differently than thinking of it merely as a means to comfort you. Buddhism is one of the greatest religions that have respect for things around them. Buddhism is about being one with the spirit of the world. Reaching to your highest point, becoming better and better and better versions of yourself.

Buddhism’s founder was a man named Siddhartha Gautama, meaning “one who realized his goal.” Buddhists believe that when Siddhartha’s mother, Maha, was conceived she had a dream involving a white elephant carrying a lotus flower. She interpreted the dream to mean that her son would grow up to become a great spiritual leader. Just a week after Siddhartha was born, his mother died. Upon her death, he lived with his wealthy aunt and his father on a large estate. As Siddhartha grew up, his father kept him away from all suffering and anguish of the world. Unlike many of his peers, he was well educated and free from the world’s sorrows.

In addition, “women were the first Japanese Buddhist monastics” (Deal and Ruppert 80) in Japan. In ancient Japan, Buddhists nuns “played a significant role in the early development of Buddhist institutions and practices” and “the first to travel outside of the Japanese archipelago…in order to learn more about Buddhism” (Deal and Ruppert 80). However, women were continue to be seen and treated unequally, especially “with regard to their institutional roles and doctrine” (Deal and Ruppert 240) in the tradition of Buddhism. As monks becomes the solid Monastic communities for women in Japanese Buddhism flourished during the Nara period and disappeared during the early Heian period. Japanese women are intimately linked to specific systems of beliefs and religious teachings.

Buddhism’s teachings are paradoxical in many ways, and even the very definition of Nirvana is not clear. Nirvana is not a place like heaven for Christianity, but rather an eternal state of being. It is the state in which the law of Karma and the rebirth cycle come to an end. Achieving enlightenment also implies to be able to see things as they are. Since Buddhism emphasizes the importance of the soul more than the body, I wonder if there is gender discrimination within Buddhism, and to a larger extent I find it interesting to question how the notion of gender impacts the application of the Buddhist philosophy? Therefore, I will, throughout this

“In Tantric Buddhism, we are dealing with a misogynist, destructive, masculine philosophy and religion which is hostile to life – i.e. the precise opposite of that for which it is trustingly and magnanimously welcomed in the figure of the Dalai Lama.”[1] Within Tibetan Buddhism, there is an inherent contradiction regarding the status of women. Although in many aspects women are seen and treated as inferior to men, several of the ancient and fundamental values of Tibetan Buddhism, and more specifically Tantric Buddhism, emphasize equality of the sexes, universal compassion, and most importantly the significant and essential role of the woman. Tibetan Buddhist nuns have been trying to

In the Buddhist culture, motherhood remains the most honored phase of a woman’s life (Murcott, 1991). A mother uses day-to-day reality of Buddhist teachings which are applied to the up bring of her children. Therefore, the role of a woman within Buddhism indicates that men dominate over woman in context that the aware knowledge and an understanding regarding human connections which are present in the attribute of a