The Relationship between Buddhism and Society: Religion, Equality and Discrimination

Question 1

AO3: Why may Buddhism fundamentally not be aligned with feminism?

Answer 1

Gender is only a designation and one of the skandhas - there is no permanence in gender.

Question 2

AO3: How does Dukkha mean Buddhism does not align with feminism?

Answer 2

The priority is to remove dukkha regardless of gender issues.

Question 3

AO3: How is feminism tanha?

Answer 3

It is created as an ideology and then refused to be let go of.

Question 4

AO3: What does Harvey say feminism can lead to?

Answer 4

‘Clinging views’

Question 5

AO3: How can Buddhist beliefs be seen to not align with feminism?

Answer 5

Rooted in patriarchal society from its offset - can be found within the Dhamma.
Accepting feminism now would be to reject some key aspects of its reality.

Question 6

AO3: What did Gautama do which does not align Buddhism with feminism?

Answer 6

Abandoned his wife and newborn son as they were ‘obstacles’ and Gross points out ‘he resisted women’s attempts to abandon their domestic responsibilities’.

Question 7

AO3: Why may it not need to align with feminism due to culture?

Answer 7

Modern feminist movement is of recent origin and has roots in Western liberal culture.
May be seen as cultural imperialism and as ‘West knows best’.

Question 8

AO3: What caused controversy regarding Bhikkhunis?

Answer 8

2009 - Ordination of four bhikkhunis in Australia belonging to Ajahn Chah’s Forest Organisation.
Many in the West were supportive.

Question 9

AO3: What did Ajahn Brahm say about the ordination?

Answer 9

‘In the West, the absence of Bikkhunis is seen as a major defect of Buddhism’.

Question 10

AO3: What does Brahm believe will die out?

Answer 10

Buddhism within fifty years in the west if a Bhikkhuni sangha is not made.

Question 11

AO3: What happened to Brahm?

Answer 11

He was removed from the Forest Sangha monasteries in Thailand and Australia.

Question 12

AO3: What has been happening to women and Buddhism?

Answer 12

Christine Toomey explains that since 2015 there has been an increase in women joining however they cannot reach higher levels of ordination and remain junior status of Siladhara.

Question 13

AO3: What did a discussion between Forest Sangha Monasteries outline in 2009?

Answer 13

That the most junior Bikkhu is senior to the ‘most senior siladhara’.
Defined by the Vinaya and not something they can change.

Question 14

AO3: How does Tibetan Buddhism allow the ordination of Bikkhunis?

Answer 14

Have to be ordained by a dual sangha - involves Bikkhunis from Chinese lineage before continuing with Buddhist practice.

Question 15

AO3: How does the West combine its own cultural forms?

Answer 15

Sravasti Abbey in Washington, founded in 2003 - trains nuns and monks in an non-patriarchal manner.

Question 16

AO3: What does the Abbey say?

Answer 16

‘Equal responsibility to study, practise and teach the Dharma’

Question 17

AO3: What does Brazier suggest about Buddhism and feminism?

Answer 17

That those who have fixed opposition to the ordination of the Bikkhunis should learn from the Buddha whose view changed after listening to Ananda about the ordination of Maha-Pajapati Gotami.

Question 18

Different views about women

Answer 18

is found in the Vinaya Pitaka in the Cullavaga. If seen as a ‘frozen text’ with absolute authority, it cannot be modernised/ updated.

Question 19

Who did Buddha refuse ordination of?

Answer 19

Maha-Pajapati Gotami (the Buddha’s aunt and foster- mother) asks the Buddha three times to be ordained a bhikkhuni and each time he refuses.

Question 20

How did the Buddha agree to the ordination of women?

Answer 20

She then seeks the support of Ananda who urges the Buddha to accept her request. The Buddha agrees provided that the eight Garudhammas (heavy rules) are accepted. These set out the lower status to be given to a bhikkhuni as opposed to a bhikkhu and that a woman can only be ordained by a mixed sangha of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis.

Question 21

How did the Buddha say ordination of women would affect the dhamma?

Answer 21

The Buddha tells Ananda that accepting women as bhikkhunis would have a negative impact on the true dhamma which would have lasted for 1000 years, but would now only last 500 years.

Question 22

When was the last Theravada Bhikkuini

Answer 22

The last evidence of the bhikkhuni sangha in Theravada dates to
the 11th century.

Question 23

Where still holds the ordination of women?

Answer 23

Many convert bhikkus and bhikkunis in the West support and carry out ordination of women as nuns.

Question 24

What happens with the 8 yr old daughter of the dragon king?

Answer 24

In the Lotus sutra The eight-year-old daughter of the Dragon King declares she is enlightened and demonstrates this despite the questions of some present by becoming a bodhisattva and a Buddha. In the process of doing so she becomes a man.

Question 25

Where does it detail the enlightenment of bhikkuinis?

Answer 25

The Therigatha in the Pali Canon presents poems written by bhikkhunis on how they attained enlightenment.

Question 26

How does gross propose patriarchal structure to be removed from buddhism?

Answer 26

the four levels of androcentrism: preservation of male texts and stories, prioritising of male texts and stories, preserving this male bias in Western scholarship, practising this male bias in Asian and Western Buddhism.