Garudhamma 8: Exploring Gender Issues in Buddhism : หน้า 3/83

Garudhamma 8 What did the Lord Buddha Establish? Wilaiporn SUCHARITTHAMMAKUL Abstract This paper deals with the Buddhist outlook on gender issues. Contemporary feminists have extrapolated modern ideas of gender equality to make conclusions about the gender values of early Buddhism. The centre of the heated gender equality debate for scholars and laypeople has been the validity of the eight garudhamma – with a movement started on April 1, 2001 for their abolition, under the premise that they are not believed to be the authentic teachings of the Buddha. Therefore, this paper first considers whether the eight garudhamma are the authentic teachings of the Buddha, and then considers the matter in term of the gender equality. According to the last paper I continue to discuss last four of the eight garudhamma. The discussion of the eight garudhamma, considers the evidence that supports the idea that they are not authentic teachings of the Buddha, taking into consideration the Sutta, Vinaya and Aṭṭhakathā of Pāli cannon. The paper will argue that according to the texts, the eight garudhamma were laid down as norms for the sacred conduct of Buddhist nuns rather than merely customs, and therefore are rules that deserve to transcend feminist standards (which would be more appropriately applied to social customs). Discussion will also be made of the likely reasons for the growth of the contemporary movement for Buddhist gender equality despite lack of scriptural support – with citation of the Buddha’s Ovàdapatimokkhā teaching to put gender issues in the broader perspective of the true goals of Buddhist practice. Keywords: Original Buddhist Text, Theravāda Buddhism, Gender, Equality, Bhikkhuni, Aṭṭha garudhamma