The Experienceof Buddhislll.Sources and InterpretationsTHIRD EDITIONJohn S. StrongBates CollegeTHOMSON..VVADSVVORTHAustralia • Brazil • Canada • Mexico • Singapore • Spain.United Kingdom· United StatesTHOMSONVVADSVVORTH •The Experience of Buddhism: Sources and Interpretations, Third EditionJolllI S. StrollgExecutive Editor: Marcus BoggsAssistant Editor: Barbara HillakerEditorial Assistant: Patrick StorkstillTechnology Project Manager: Tulie AguilarMarketing Manager: elITistilla ShellMarketing Assistant: Mary Anile PayullloMarketing Communications Manager: Staet’!!PurviancePruject Manager, Editorial Production: Sall/ellIqbalCreative Director: Rob HugelArt Director: Maria Eprs© 2008, 2002 Thomson Wadsworth, a part ofThe Thomson Corporation. Thomson, the Starlogo, and Wadsworth are trademarks usedherein under license.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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Web distribution, information storage and retrieval systems,or in any other manner-without the writtenpermission of the publisher.Printed in the United States of America1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11 10 09 08 07Library of Congress Control Number:2006939299Student Edition:ISBN-13: 978-0-495-09486-9ISBN-10: 0-495-09486-2Print Buyer: Ullda HsuPermissions Editor: Bob KnuserProduction Service: Vastavikta Sharma,Jlltenltltiollal Typeseltillg alldCOlllpositiollCopy Editor: Knren /alle Sill/OilCover Designer: Yvo RiezebosCover Image: Pllotodisc Red/Getty JII/agt’SCover and Text Printer: Thomsoll WestCompositor: Illtematiollal Typ~settillgalld ComposiliollThomson Higher Education10 Davis DriveBelmont, CA 94002-3098USAFor more information about our products,contact us at:Thomson Learning Academic ResourceCenter1-800-423-0563For permission to use material from thistext or product, submit a request online athttp://www.thomsonrights.com.Any ddditional questions ••bout permiSSionscan be submitted bye-mail to[email protected]–CoPrefiPAR’12>“He is now right here in Rajagrha, in the Venuvana monastery. . . . ““Come, Venerable One, we shall practice the religious Iile under theBlessed One.”Soun;; Translated from the Sanskrit Cntlll?pari:?lItsfttra, eille lamollische Lehtschriftiiber die Begriindllllg dt’r buddhislischen Gemeillde [Discourse 011 the FourfoldAssembly: a Canonical Discourse 011 the Founding of ti,e Buddhist Comlllu1lity), ed.Ernst Waldschmidt (Berlin: Akademie Verlag, 1962), 3: 374-86.Further Exploration: For a full translation of the Catwjparil?lltsfttra, seeKloppenborg 1973 (92-95 for this passage). Other versions of the story maybe found in Homer 1938-52,4: 52-57 and Jones 1949-56,3: 56-70. It is interesting to compare and contrast the character of these two disciples, who areusually paired with each other; for surveys of traditions about them, see Ray1994: 131-36 and Nyanaponika and Hecker 1997: 1-106.2.1.4 The Acceptance of Women into the OrderOne more branch of the early sangha that was established by the Buddhaneeds to be considered here: the community of nuns. Though commonly listedsecond in the usual enumeration of the divisions of the fourfold sangha, thecommunity of nuns was, in fact, the last to be established by the Buddha and,according to legend, was done so with great reluctance.It is possible to argue that the sexist views found in many Buddhist texts werenot so much those of the Buddha himself as those of the gynophobic malemonastics who wrote and edited them. It is also possible to argue that, comparedwith the misogynist views of some of his non-Buddhist peers, the Buddha’s attitude toward women was relatively liberal, that he at least admitted their capacityfor leading a monastic life and for attaining enlightenment The following selection,however, takes from a manual of discipline for Buddhist nuns, suggests that he didso only grudgingly. As it makes clear, it was only after repeated prodding by his ownaunt and foster mother, Mahaprajapati Gautami, and by his disciple Ananda thatthe Buddha reluctantly agreed to allow for the ordination of women, suggesting, inthe same breath, that his action would cut in half the life span of his teaching.Moreover, the passage goes on to spell out eight special rules for nuns, whichhad the effect of definitely making them subordinate to and dependent on thecommunity of monks. In fact, these eight rules were only the beginning: throughout the centuries, women being ordained into the sangha found themselves facinga far greater number of rules and regulations than their male counterparts, andpartly because of these additional regulations, the lineage and order of nuns eventually died out in many countries. There are concerted efforts today to restore itThen Mahaprajapati Gautami, together with her four companions andfive hundred other Sakyan women, approached the Blessed One and, afterpaying obeisance to him, sat down to one side. And MahaprajapatiGautami said this to the Buddha:63TireEtl’rriellce‘if till’ Sallgha64Tile Expt’rit.’Ilce,,/Bllddhism11/ SOllth Asia“Blessed One, the appearance of Buddhas in the world is rare; instruc. But now the Blessed One . . .is conducive to tranby him and is causing thegood if the Blessed One wereand ordained as nuns.”for the initiation of womenthe Buddha would not givepaid obeisance to thewith her companions sheBlessed One will not allowas nuns. However, let usour own monastic robes, andfollow after him, … wanland of Kosala. And if theif he does not allow it, weBuddha…. “as he wished in the city ofthe land of Kosala. Andcut their own hair,to the Blessed One’s party,Kosala in the company ofat the city of Sriivasti.park.the Blessed One, paid obeishe said: “Blessed One, theare, instruction in the TrueOne … has appeared,to tranquillity and parithe realization of ambroOne were to allow women tofor the initiation of women.”that the Buddha wouldand ordained, paid obeisanceof the Jetavana. There, sheto the Venerable Ananda,Gautami is standing cryingirt with her toes. You shouldGautami and said to her:truly the appearance ofTrue Dharma is difficult toand the Dharma whoseis being expoundedby hi.willnto beeOnes“Tapprcside. :rare, jBiessehim athe BlordairThl“Mothorder ,Theto MalUp
