Women in Buddhist Literature

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Gautam Buddha's teachings for the enlightenment of true self are imparted to both men and women without any distinction of sex, as both were considered to have equal spiritual capabilities. Vinaya Pitaka of Pali canon bears testimony to the fact that Lord Buddha himself said that a woman can attain enlightenment, the Buddhahood. According to Lotus Sutra, a woman who embraces this Sutra, not only excels all other women but surpasses all men.

Earlier, female followers of Lord Buddha were not allowed to enroll in the Sanghas, which were predominantly meant for male Bhikkus as it was thought that they might get distracted from their spiritual goals in the company of women. However, later, at the request of ardent female followers, Lord Buddha permitted women to join the monastic community as Bhikkhunis and allowed them to preach the Dhamma along with their male counterparts.

Dr. Kaushalya Gupta is former Professor, Department of Sanskrit, Miranda House, University of Delhi. A participant in a large number of national and interantional seminars, her published works include Catalogue of Manuscripts on Performing Arts(a publication) as well as several articles in leading journals. She was awarded Sanskrit Sewa Samman by Sanskrit Academy in Plants in Sanskrit Literature and Ganifa - an Indian card game besides on Transgenders and Gems and Stones. She has also published verse, latest being a collection of hundred poems colourfully illustrated by Dr. (Smt.) Hem Bhatnagar.

This work was accepted as a doctoral thesis by the University of Tubingen, Germany in 1960, where I studied under the renowned Prof. Dr. H.V. Glasenapp on a scholarship awarded by the German government.

But for the constant persuasion and encouragement of my two sisters — Dr. Saroj Prakash and Smt. Krishna Lal and invaluable help of Smt. Usha Malik, this work would not have been published. My profound thanks to Dr. Sanghamitra for reading the proofs and to Ms. Shruti Shanker for her technical help. I am thankful to Sri Sudarshan Kcherry of Authorspress for publishing the manuscript.

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