Anti women Buddha!

The first lady to be initiated in Buddhism was mahaprajapati Gautami who was aunt of Buddha.

Initially, Gautam was reluctant to teach Gautami, but when Anand convinced him with his logic and arguments then Buddha initiated few women into Buddhism

and the branch of female Buddhist monks was made.

This is explained as if Buddhism was first instance when women were given equal rights in spirituality.

And as if it was first incident which paved way for women to acquire knowledge, skills and education.

But Is this true, let's see few teachings of Buddha where he propagated his thoughts about women to his disciples.

According to Vinay Peetak, there were few rules for female Buddhist monks.

A female monk of even highest position would have to greet a male monk.

But even a male monk of most lower position was not advised to greet a female monk of even highest position.

Female monk couldn't teach a male monk but reverse was affirmative.

A clear case of gender inequality,

No?

Even after making a branch of female Buddhist monks, Gautam Buddha wasn't sure of his decision.

He told Anand that this decision would lead to fall of Buddhism.

Later, Buddhist philosophers attributed weakening of Buddhism to this prophecy of Buddha.

Buddha paints a very negative picture of women to his disciples.

He compares women to black venomous snakes.

He says, women are full of irritation, rivalry, venomous behaviour, no control on language and habit of deceit.

Women are cause of quarrel between men.

They are characterless creatures.

He even declared that women even properly initiated into Buddhism and followed everything properly could reach the Paramount position that is Buddhatva.

They must take another life and take birth as male to reach there.

To reach the highest spiritual position of Buddhism that is Samyak Sambuddha, one must take birth as male.

Vedic texts and Upnishad lack this sense of gender inequality in it.

So, Is that possible that the gender inequality which we experienced in Indian society in later medieval and British period was also inspired by this Buddhist philosophy

apart from the fact that we had grown conservative to protect our social structure from wrath of xlamic mlechhas? It's time to ponder upon it.

Though, Buddhist philosophers try to explain it in their way but it contradicts what the texts says.

Reference

१) स्त्रियाँ पूर्ण बुद्धत्व को नही प्राप्त कर सकती हैं-

मज्झिम निकाय

https://suttacentral.net/mn115/en/sujato 

२) संघ के लैंगिक भेद करने वाले नियम और स्त्रियों के कारण बौद्ध धर्म के ५०० वर्षों में ही समाप्त होने की भविष्यवाणी-

अंगुत्तर निकाय

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN8_51.html

३) स्त्री जाति का नकारात्मक चित्रण-

अंगुत्तर निकाय

https://suttacentral.net/an5.230/en/sujato

https://suttacentral.net/an5.229/en/sujato

https://suttacentral.net/an4.80/en/sujato

४) सम्यक सम्बुद्ध होने के लिए पुरुष होने की अनिवार्यता-

https://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=8_conditions_for_a_sammasambuddha