Women, Wisdom, and the Way: Unveiling the Buddha’s Progressive Teachings
- Mr. Devidas Raut
- Jul 4
- 5 min read
In a world where the birth of a girl was often met with sorrow and silence, the Buddha’s words rang out like a gentle yet powerful revolution. At a time when women were denied access to knowledge, confined to domestic roles, and dismissed from spiritual pursuits, the Buddha dared to see differently; he saw wisdom, dignity, and spiritual brilliance in womanhood.
Far from being a misogynist as some critics suggest, the Buddha was one of history’s earliest advocates for gender respect and equality. His teachings, drawn from sacred Buddhist texts, reflect a voice that uplifted women, offered them monastic rights, praised their intellect, and even saw them as vital to the future of the Dhamma itself.
From royal courts to forest hermitages, the Buddha’s message was clear: A woman can be as noble, wise, and spiritually accomplished as any man. His recognition of women as potential mothers of Bodhisattvas and rulers, and his inclusion of women in the Sangha, was not just radical for his time but it remains revolutionary even today.
This article takes you through the forgotten truths of Buddhist scriptures, unpacking how the Buddha’s stance on women defied oppressive traditions, challenged Brahmanical orthodoxy, and paved the way for one of the earliest social awakenings in Indian history.
Challenging Centuries of Patriarchy
For centuries, the birth of a daughter in Indian society was often seen as a burden rather than a blessing. Families received girls with quiet disappointment, shaped by rigid traditions and patriarchal norms. But the Buddha offered a strikingly different vision the one that challenged these deep-rooted beliefs.
Once, during the Buddha’s stay at the Jetavana Monastery in Shravasti, King Prasenajit came to pay his respects. In the midst of their serene conversation, a royal messenger arrived bearing news: Queen Mallika had given birth to a daughter.
The king's expression darkened. Disappointment clouded his face. Sensing his sorrow, the Buddha gently inquired, “Why this sadness, O King?” With visible regret, Prasenajit replied, “A daughter has been born.”
The Buddha, ever the voice of wisdom beyond convention, looked at the king and offered words that would echo through the ages:
“O King! Why should you be sorrowful over this? A daughter may prove to be more virtuous and capable than a son. She may grow up to be wise and virtuous… She may give birth to a son who becomes highly accomplished and even rules over vast territories…” (Saṃyutta Nikāya, Vol. 1, p.110)
With this, the Buddha not only comforted the king but dismantled a deep-rooted bias with the clarity of truth, offering a revolutionary vision of gender that still resonates today. His response wasn’t merely philosophical it was a compassionate challenge to centuries of inequality, grounded in the Dhamma’s unwavering emphasis on human dignity.
Women as Treasures and Leaders
In his discourses, the Buddha named women among the “seven treasures” that signify prosperity that alongside elephants, chariots, and jewels. He declared:
"A woman is the greatest gift in this world." (Saṃyutta Nikāya)
Families that entrusted responsibilities to virtuous women thrived and endured, a truth echoed in many Buddhist scriptures.
So when a daughter is born, should a family mourn or celebrate? According to the Buddha, the answer is clear: rejoice. For families that entrust their responsibilities to women are not doomed, but preserved. A woman, he said, is one of the seven rarest treasures. These were not casual words rather they were the Buddha’s deep convictions.
Given such affirmations, can anyone reasonably argue that the Buddha was a misogynist or someone who distanced women from spiritual and social life?
Some critics point to the rule placing nuns under the guidance of monks, calling it a serious injustice. But such critiques often ignore a crucial truth: it was the Buddha, unlike the Brahmanical tradition of his time, who first gave women the right to ordain. In a society where women were denied the pursuit of knowledge and barred from renunciation, this was nothing short of revolutionary.
The Buddha didn’t shut doors but he opened them, often against the tide of his time.
Breaking Barriers: Women’s Right to Spiritual Liberation and wisdom
In ancient times, the Brahmins held the Vedas as the supreme authority and initially dismissed renunciation as a legitimate or ideal way of life. Although the profound teachings of the Upanishads, texts later elevated to sacred status, celebrated renunciation as the ultimate spiritual ideal, affirming that the soul’s highest purpose is to realise its unity with Brahman, the Brahmin orthodoxy was slow to embrace this transformative path.
When they finally accepted renunciation, it came with significant restrictions that reveal the deeply ingrained social hierarchies of the time. Most notably, women and Shudras, the lowest social class,were explicitly prohibited from undertaking the renunciate life. The Brahmins argued that women should not be permitted to renounce worldly life, effectively barring them from the spiritual liberation that renunciation promised.
Manu’s Decrees: Denial of Knowledge and Spiritual Rights
This exclusionary stance sharply contrasts with the Buddha’s revolutionary approach. Unlike the Brahmins, who confined spiritual practice within rigid social boundaries, the Buddha extended the possibility of renunciation and spiritual emancipation to women. His vision challenged the prevailing social order, advocating for a more inclusive path that recognized the spiritual potential of all individuals, regardless of gender or caste.
Manu stated:
“Women have no right to study the Vedas. Therefore, their rituals must be performed without Vedic mantras. Since they lack Vedic knowledge, they are ignorant of religion. Women who utter Vedic mantras incur sin. Hence, they are deemed to live in a state of untruth.”
Although Manu lived after the Buddha, his views reflect the thinking found in pre-existing Brahmanical scriptures. His opinions were deeply harmful to Indian women that is both degrading and destructive.
Why destructive? Because the right to acquire knowledge is a fundamental human right. Denying this right to women without any valid reason was an unjust act by the Brahmins.
Why degrading? Because after denying women access to knowledge, the Brahmins labeled them as ignorant, impure, and inauspicious. Renunciation was considered a path to spiritual liberation, but because women were seen as inauspicious, they were deemed unfit for it. Due to these Brahmanical beliefs, women were deprived of the right to pursue spiritual knowledge. Not only were they denied this right, but it was also believed that spiritual seeds could not even germinate within them.
Breaking the Chains of Exclusion: Buddha’s progressive teachings
The Buddha’s vision shattered the chains of exclusion and prejudice that bound women in his era. He did not merely offer empty words but acted decisively granting women access to spiritual practice, recognising their intrinsic worth, and challenging centuries of entrenched patriarchy. While Brahmanical traditions cloaked women in ignorance and barred them from renunciation, the Buddha’s Dhamma illuminated a path of dignity, equality, and empowerment.
His teachings remind us that true spirituality transcends gender, caste, and social status. The progress of any society depends not on rigid hierarchies or exclusion but on embracing the full potential of all its members. In celebrating women as vital treasures and capable custodians of wisdom and virtue, the Buddha planted seeds of a profound social awakening one that continues to inspire the quest for equality and justice today.
To relegate women to the margins is to deny half the human family its light. The Buddha’s legacy calls us to honour, empower, and uplift women, not as exceptions or afterthoughts, but as essential bearers of wisdom, compassion, and transformation. In the radiant glow of this truth, the world finds a deeper, more inclusive vision of humanity, and a timeless guide toward genuine spiritual liberation for all.
