The Buddhist Hour Radio Broadcast Archives

 

Buddhist Hour
Radio Broadcast 238 for Sunday 18 August 2002
on Hillside Radio 88.0 FM


Glossary

Brahmin: one of the Brahmin caste, a member of the highest or priestly Hindu caste.


Today’s program is titled:
Woman within the religious frame of Buddha Dhamma


The theme of the Buddhist Hour broadcast for Sunday 4 August 2002 was "Buddha Dhamma Women Practitioners at our Centre" and we interviewed Ms Piyaporn Erbprasartsook about her involvement in Buddha Dhamma globally.

Ms Piyaporn Erbprasartsook, B.Ec, is a leader from Thailand and a role model in the Buddha Dhamma Community. She graduated from an Australian university in 1969 and is fluent in the English language. Ms Piyaporn Erbprasartsook is Advisor to the World Buddhist University and works at their headquarters in Thailand, and is a Member of the World Fellowship of Buddhists Standing Committee on Women. She is active in many other international organisations, but because Thai culture holds it is good to be modest about one’s activities she has requested we do not list her appointments at this time.
Photographs of our Buddhist Hour interview with Ms. Piyaporn Erbprasartsook will be available with Issue 80 of the Brooking Street Bugle at www.bsbonline.com.au

When the Most Venerable Phra Acharn Plien Panyapatipo visited Victoria, Australia, in February and March 2002, Members of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. listened to some of the Most Venerable’s Teachings given at Wat Dhammarangsee, 387-389 Springvale Road, Forest Hill, Victoria 3131, and wrote about their understanding of what was taught.

At the request of one female person present the Most Venerable Phra Acharn Plien Panyapatipo addressed the theme of woman in Buddha Dhamma. In the words of our Members:

Acharn explained that the world is very confused now. Many men want to become women, and many women want to become men. It is understandable that women want to become men, as men have stronger bodies, however if you are already a man, then it is better to hold on to your male body. Women can do everything that men can do. The only advantage of being male is that men have more physical strength. Women have intelligence, they can study at university, and they can improve their minds through practice. Women can attain enlightenment just as men can. What is more important for a woman – to aspire to become a male, or to aspire to practise?

The Teachings given by Acharn on this topic can by found in the Buddha Dhamma texts.

We have gratitude for Venerable Professor Bhikku Dhammavihari who has cited and explained canonical textual references on the topic of Woman in the frame of Buddha Dhamma and we will share in today's broadcast some of the insights gained in his some fifty years of scholarship.

We have summarised by paraphrasing and rewriting the ideas explained in Venerable Professor Bhikku Dhammavihari essay “Woman Within the Religious Frame of Buddhism” in his book Buddhist Essays, Five Titles, published by the Buddhist Publication Society 2002.

The position of woman in Indian society at the time the Buddha set up his Order of Bhikkhus was problematic as their was "the widespread but groundless belief that woman is inferior to man".

Under the dominance of the Brahmanas woman had lost position that had not yet been retrieved at this time.

At this time in India, little sympathy was shown for woman's sad lot by the Brahmins of the day and is evident in Altekar's description:

“The prohibition of upanayana amounted to spiritual disenfranchisement of women and produced a disastrous effect upon their general position in society. It reduced them to the status of Sudras. What, however, did infinite harm to women was the theory that they were ineligible for Vedic sacrifices because they were of the status of the Sudras.”

Under this regime the position of woman was reduced to sudras and other backward classes in society.

In the Bhagavadgita we witness the cruel infliction of domestic subservience on women. The road to heaven is barred to her and there is hard bargaining with her for the offer of an alternative route. Matrimony and obedience to the husband are the only means whereby a woman can hope to reach heaven.

This hostile attitude to women both in religion and in society was repeatedly criticised and challenged by the Buddha on numerous occasions.

In the Kosala Samyutta (SN. I. 86) the Buddha contradicts the belief that the birth of a daughter was not as much a cause for joy as that of a son, a belief which the ritualism of the Brahmanas had contributed to strengthen.

The Buddha pointed our clearly that the woman had a dignified and an important part to play in society, and he defined it with great insight, fitting her harmoniously into the social fabric. Her sex did not matter, he argued, and added that in character and in her role in society, she may even rival men.

But it is not unusual to find scholars who have missed this singular virtue of Buddha Dhamma. It would be grossly unfair to say that the Buddha did not devote much attention to the duties and ideals of lay women or that he showed indifference to or contempt of women.

The instances are numerous where the Buddha defines and describes the duties of women in society (AN.IV,265f). Further, the Buddha recognises the face that these do not constitute the whole of their life.

It is not with a view to limiting their life solely to the secular affairs of the household that the Buddha laid down a code of good living for women, but to serve as a complement to the good life already enjoined in his religion to all his followers, irrespective of their sex.

A host of these considerations as they are addressed to women are grouped together in the Samyutta Nikaya in a chapter solely devoted to them (SN.IV,328f). A good lay woman endowed with religious devotion, moral virtue and liberality as well as wisdom and learning, makes a success of her life in this world. For it is said:

Saddhaya silena ca yidha vaddhati
pannaya cagena sutena cabhayam
sa tadisi silavati upasika adiyati
saram idheva attano ti. (SN.IV.250)

“Such a virtuous lady who posses religious devotion,
cultivates virtue, is endowed with wisdom and learning
and is given to charity makes a success of her life in this very existence.”

The following are also given as virtues by means of which a woman can make her life fruitful, both here and hereafter:

Saddho (religious devotion), hirima ottappi (sense of shame and fear), akkodhano anupanahi (not given to anger), anissuki (not jealous), amacchari (not niggardly), anaticari (chaste in behaviour), salava (virtuous), bahussuto (learned), araddhaviriyo (zealous), upatthitassati (mentally alert), and pannava (wise).

The good and successful life of the laywomen as much as of the layman, seems to have loomed large in the ethics of Buddha Dhamma.

The Buddha accepts the reality and significance of the institution of marriage for women. But, unlike in Hindu society, it was not the only means for the social elevation of women.

The significant part that she is called upon to play is meticulously defined and it reveals neither indifference to nor contempt of women on the part of the Buddha.

Bhikkuni Soma illustrated the Buddhist attitude to the spiritual potentialities of women by saying:

Itthibhavo no kim kayira cittamhi susamahite
nanmhi vattamanamhi samma dhammam vipassato.

meaning

“When one’s mind is well-concentrated and wisdom never fails, does the fact of our being women make any difference?”

However, there is evidence that this age-old scepticism about the spiritual potentialities of women died hard.
Even in the face of success achieved by Bhikkhunis in Buddha Dhamma, a groundless belief seems to have prevailed with distrusted the capacity of women for spiritual perfection.

On the eve of her final passing away, when Mahapajapati Gotami visits the Buddha to bid him farewell, he calls upon her to give proof of the religious attainments of the Bhikkhunis in order to convince the disbelieving sceptics, the men in society:

Thinam dhammabhisamaye ye bala vimatim gata
tesam ditthipahanattham iddhim dassehi Gotami
(Apadan, II,.535).

“O Gotami, perform a miracle in order to dispel the wrong views of those foolish men who are in doubt with regard to the spiritual potentialities of women.”

Buddha Dhamma, with its characteristic note of realism, also recognises the inherent qualities of women that make them attractive to the opposite sex. Nothing else in the world, it is said, can delight and cheer a man so much as a woman. In her, one would find all the fivefold pleasures of the sense. The world of pleasure exists in her.

Pancakamaguna ete itthirupasmim dissare
rupa sadda rasa gandha photthabba ca manorama
(AN.III,69.)

“All these five-fold pleasures of the senses which gratify the mind are centered in the feminine form.”

The power that the woman derives through this may, at the same time, extend so far as to make man throw all reason to the winds and be a pawn in her hand, under the influence of her charm.

Therefore a man might say without exaggeration that woman is a trap laid out on all sides by Mara. These observations are made, however, not as a stricture on their character but as a warning to men, who in seeking their company, might err on the side of excess. It is true that, at times, they tend to be over stressed, but obviously with no malice to women.

There is a pointed reference to the unguarded nature of the man who falls a prey to these feminine charms.

Mutthassatim ta bandhanti pekkhitena mihitena ca
atho pi dunnivatthena manjuna bhanitena ca neso jano svasaddo api ugghatito mato.
(AN.III,69).

“Women ensnare a man of heedless mind with their glances and smiles or with artful grooming and pleasing words. Women are such that one cannot approach them in safety even though they may be stricken and dead.”

Thus it becomes clear that it is not in the spirit of Buddha Dhamma to brand women as a source of corruption for man. Note the words ‘a man of heedless mind’ in the above quotation.

In Buddha Dhamma, the caution which men are called upon to exercise in their dealings with the opposite sex springs solely from the Buddhist attitude to kama or the pleasures of the senses.

Kama are described in Buddha Dhamma as leading to grief and turbulence. Kama thwarts the path to transcendental happiness.

Of this vast field of this sense experience of man, sex is only a segment but is admittedly one with irresistible appeal, and thus required a special word of warning, particularly to those who are keen on the pursuit of mental equipoise.

The Buddha says that if it were left unbridled, it would, in expressing itself, shatter all bounds of propriety.

Hence the desire to lead a chaste and moral life, eschewing, even completely, the gratification of sex desires, and can as much be the aspiration of a woman as that of a man. Besides this philosophic attitude to the pleasures of the world admittedly plays a dominant part, there seems to be nothing in Buddha Dhamma that looks upon sex or woman as being corrupt in themselves.

Thus it becomes clear that the philosophy of early Buddhism has no reservations whatsoever regarding the spiritual emancipation of women.

In the ocean of samsara, her chances of swimming across to the farther shore are as good of those of man.

Emancipation of the mind through perfection and wisdom, which is referred to as cetovimutti: pannavimutti was the goal of religious life and for this the way that had proved the most effective was the life of renunciation.

Women as much as men were encumbered by household life and women in her spiritual earnestness would have equally well echoed the words of the man who chooses renunciation. Women and men would say that houshold life is full of impediments and contrast it with the life of pabbajja.

Even so, that Pali texts suggest that it women did not gain admittance in to the life of a pabbajja with ease. The Buddha declined Mahapajapati Gotami’s request three times.

This may seem to imply that the presence of women in monastic institution of brahmacariya was considered to be detrimental to its well-being.

However, the Buddha concedes to Ananda that women, living the life of the pabbajja, are able to attain Arahantship.

Although the Bhikkunis form a part of single body of the Sangha linking up with the more established and senior group of the Bhikkhu Sangha.

Based on the study of the gurudhamma it is evident that the Buddha understood how to advise on maintaining healthy and harmonious relations between the two groups.

Women play a vital role in the day to day running of our organisation.

Often, they are the first point of contact within and from outside the organisation.

They have the skills and knowledge to organise and manage customer relations, including telephone and reception duties, mail filing and word processing.

They have the skills and knowledge to prepare documents at our intermediate and advanced levels.

They improve their time management by overcoming procrastination, conflicting activity plans and reducing time wasters.

Goal setting and redefining priorities hour by hour are part of their full life.

They help team building and staff development, and in addition, they provide suitable good order in the garden and keep the premises at the appropriate level of orderliness.

They are taught to manage the various work stresses.

The good training given at our Centre means they can accept job positions having higher duties.

They become more happy and more employable or if self-employed become better operators.

If you would like to come and help us at our Centre, please telephone our President Mr. Julian Bamford on mobile number 0400 267 330.

May all women be free from work stress and be well and happy.

May all beings be free from work stress and be well and happy.

Thank you very much.


Today’s script was written and edited by John D. Hughes, Anita Hughes, Julian Bamford, Leanne Eames and Pennie White.


References

Bhikku Dhammavihari, Venerable Professor, (2002) “Woman Within the Religious Frame of Buddhism”, Buddhist Essays, Five Titles, Buddhist Publication Society, Sri Lanka, pp. 19-40.

Buddhist Hour Broadcast, Hillside Radio 88.0 FM. Bayswater Village, Bayswater 3153, Melbourne Victoria Australia.

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Document Statistics

Counts
Words: 2862
Sentences: 137
Paragraphs: 114
Syllables: 4415

Averages
Words per sentence: 21.0
Sentences per paragraph: 1.2

Percentages
Passive Sentences: 32

Readability Statistics
Flesch Grade Level: 12.9
Coleman-Liau Grade Level: 12.5
Bormuth Grade Level: 10.6
Flesch Reading Ease Score: 50.3
Flesch Kincaid Score: 11.2


Readability Statistics

Displays statistics about the document's readability, such as the Flesch Grade Level and Flesch Reading Ease Score. These statistics help you determine if you are writing at a level your audience can understand.

Flesch Grade Level: Flesch Grade Level indicates the Flesch Reading Ease score as a grade level. See the Flesch Scoring Table.

Coleman-Liau Grade level : Indicates the grade level of the document based on the average number of letters per word and number of sentence per 100 words.

Bormuth Grade Level: Indicates the grade level of document based on the average number of letters per word and per sentence. These scores indicate grade levels ranging from 6.3 to 11.6.

Flesch Reading Ease Score: Indicates how easy the document is to read based on the number of syllables per word and number of words per sentence. These scores indicate a number between 0 and 100. The higher the score, the easier the document is to read. See the Flesch Scoring Table.

Flesch-Kincaid Score : Indicates the grade level of the document based on the number of syllables per word and number of words per sentence. This score predicts the difficulty of reading technical documents, and is based on Navy training manuals that score in difficulty from 5.5 to 16.3. It meets military readability specifications MIL-M-38784 and DOD-STD-1685.

Flesch Scoring Table

Flesch Reading Ease Score Flesch Grade Level Reading Difficulty
90-100 5th Grade Very easy
80-89 6th Grade Easy
70-79 7th Grade Fairly easy
60-69 8th-9th Grade Standard
50-59 High School Fairly difficult
30-49 College Difficult
0-29 College Graduate Very difficult

(Reference: Lotus Word Pro Help Files)

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May You Be Well And Happy


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