ASIAN 230 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Kisa Gotami, Dharma, Arhat
Document Summary
Buddha visited her in heaven and taught her the dharma. Buddha was raised by mother"s stepsister = mahaprajapeti. When buddha comes back, ordains son as monk. Women generally only participated in religious practice as a wife. Women = protected throughout life (by father, by husband, and by son) Buddha"s stepmother asks to be a nun but buddha refuses. Buddha says that women beggers of town cannot be nuns even though husbands left to be monks. 3rd time of ananda asking = buddha says yes and can become nuns. Buddha says admittance of women into order means teaching can only last 500 years (half the time) Special rules for nuns to follow = gurudharma. Monks are always superior to nun regardless of how long ordained. Added hurdle to becoming full nun = probation period. A monk may criticize nun, nun cannot criticize monk. Women can achieve enlightenment but harder and need more strict spiritual guidance.
