6. Challenges

6. Challenges

1. Female Attainment of Awakening

   • Theravada
     • The Colas
       • The Colas of southern India destroyed all monasteries and killed the monks and bhikkhunis 1070 saw the new government seeking to restore Buddhism, but there were no surviving Theravada nuns and so the tradition of ordaining bhikkhunis has since died out Theravada is Sri Lanka has now partially restored the bhikkhuni linage
   • Mahayana
     • Madhyamaka
       • Applying sunyata to gender breaks down the duality between men and women, therefore depriving these concepts of independent existences and differences
     • Pure Land
       • The Aparimitayur Sutra contains a passage which implies that women must be reborn as men before they can enter nibbana
     • The Dragon King's Daughter
       • Lotus Sutra The Buddha introduces Bodhisattva Manjusri to Bodhisattva Chishaku, and explains to them that a female is able to attain enlightenment Manjusri informs Chishaku of the Dragon King's daughter, an eight year old who embraced faith in the Lotus Sutra and attained buddhahood She suddenly appears and informs them that Shakyamuni is aware of her enlightenment, although Sariputta believes that her perception is mistaken They inform her that one must be reborn over several lifetimes before being able to attain enlightenment, as all women possess the five hindrances to attaining buddhahood
     • Vimalakirti Sutra
       • Essential text to many Mahayana schools It teaches that maleness and femaleness, like other phenomenal distinctions, are essentially unreal
       • Dogen
         • Dogen claimed that both men and women acquire the dharma equally: "Do not make an issue of whether it is a man or a woman. This is the most wondrous law of the buddha dharma"
   • The Buddha's Chariot
     • Shakyamuni suggested that be it a man or a woman for whom a chariot awaits, both shall arrive into nibbana by that chariot This therefore implies little difference between the attainment of awakening between men and women

2. The Issue of Female Monasticism

   • The Eight Gaurdharmas
     • Additional precepts required of bhikkhunis
     • Role
       • It has been suggested that limitations were imposed on the equality of bhikkhus and bhikkhunis to increase social acceptance of women in the monastic order, as society would have struggled to deal with women who were not subordinate to men
     • Origins
       • The Buddha initially refused to ordain women as nuns, arguing that allowing this would cause his teachings to only survive for 500 years instead of 1,000 Ananda had convinced him to ordain his aunt Mahapajapati because there was no reason that women could not be ordained, and so the Buddha admitted that women living the monastic life could attain arhatship and agreed to ordain nuns albeit only if they accepted eight additional rules
     • Controversies
       • They can be viewed as controversial due to attempting to push women into inferior roles The Vinaya Pitaka also contains 227 rules for men and 311 for women, including female subordination to monks For instance, even senior nuns have been considered 'junior' to a monk of just one day
   • Ordaining Women in Theravada
     • It traditionally takes ten bhikkhus and ten bhikkhunis to ordain a bhikkhuni, although only ten bhikkhus to ordain a bhikkhu Theravada no longer ordains bhikkhunis due to the lineages having died out, and because there exists a perception that only someone as worthy as the Buddha could re-establish this
     • 'Eight Precept Women'
       • Female renunciants who cannot or have not become fully ordained nuns, and have agreed to adopt the Eight Precepts
   • The Role of Sakyadhita
     • The Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women (Daughters of the Buddha) seeks to forward the cause of female ordination through establishing an international alliance of Buddhist women
   • Female Monastics' Differing Status
     • Over 90% of Thailand and 89% of Myanmar are Buddhist, and are both predominantly Theravada
     • Thailand
       • Maechi are those who occupy a position somewhere between that of an ordinary lay follower and an ordained monastic This is because it is illegal for women to become fully ordained bhikkhus in Thailand, a result of a 1928 law by Thailand's Supreme Patriarch
     • Myanmar
       • Thilashins are 'possessors of morality' often referred to as nuns but who are closer to novices They are not fully ordained bhikkhus due to the lineage having died out, so living as a Thilashin is the only alternative for Myanmar women who choose to renounce

3. Buddhism and Social Activism

   • Environmental Awareness
     • Green Wisdom
       • Engaged Buddhists advise the cultivation of mindfulness on environmental matters, as well as being aware of the wider consequences of our actions
     • Ahimsa
       • Buddhism's values of non-harm advises against consumption of animal foods
   • Oppression and Injustice
     • Equanimity
       • Stability and calmness increase the possibility for insight and kindness amongst both rulers and the oppressed
     • Restraint
       • Reducing delusion through restraining oneself from greed should reduce suffering
   • War and Peace
     • Precepts: Both the Five Precepts and the Nhat Hanh's Fourteen Precepts discourage violence and encourage compassion Upaya: Compassion-motivated action could allow for use of violence to protect life
     • 969 Movement
       • Has seen Buddhists oppose what they perceive as Islam threatening a predominantly Buddhist Myanmar Ashin Wirathu has said, "If we are weak, our land will become Muslim" ? Can patriotism/nationalism be regarded as tanha (craving) for the preservation of culture
     • Self-Immolation
       • There have been around 150 self-immolations in Tibet between 2009 and 2017, in response to China controlling Tibet Thich Quang Duc did this during 1963 in response to the persecution of Buddhists by the then-President Diem

4. Engaged Buddhism

   • Thich Nhat Hanh
     • Has been living in exile since 1966, although has since earned a reputation as a respected writer, scholar and leader
     • Significance
       • His efforts for peace during the Vietnam War saw him nominated for the 1967 Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King
     • Ideas
       • If an action is motivated by compassion, that is good enough to be called a Buddhist action We should therefore be seeking to understand others better, rather than acting forcefully against them
       • Fourteen Precepts
         • Emphasise compassion towards both others and oneself - Do not force others to adopt your views - Do not avoid contact with or close your eyes before suffering - Do not accumulate wealth when millions are hungry - Always speak truthfully and constructively - Possess nothing that should belong to others
   • Engaged Buddhism
     • Intertwines meditative practices and dharma teachings with contemporary issues such as social, political, and environmental ones It differs from traditional Buddhism in that it associates itself with these sorts of issues, which Buddhism usually tends not to do
     • Origins
       • Developed by Thich Nhat Hanh as a response to the Vietnam War, who observed figures such as Martin Luther King seeking to bring about changes in attitudes towards Blacks in America
     • Aims
       • Engaged Buddhism seeks to bring about harmlessness through better considering the situations of others, and why what is done is done    Its reasoning can therefore be considered hypothetical, in that it proposes goal-based ethics It will also permit upaya to achieve this