The Intrinsic Nature of Women’s Rights and Equality in Buddhist Philosophy

Equality is a truth of human life within the universe, it is an aim of humanity, and it is also the basis of Buddhism.

The Avatamsaka Sutra says:“All sentient beings are equal.”

The Great Perfection of Wisdom Treatise says: “From the very highest level of all Buddhas to the low level of animals, all are equal and there are no differences between them.”

The Diamond Sutra says: “All dharmas are equal with no lofty or lowly.”

A world of equality is the truest and most beautiful world.

When they are put together, the Buddha’s teachings on the Middle Way and dependent origination can be understood as a teaching on “equality.” Buddhist teachings on the relationship between emptiness and existence provide us with the clearest explanation of what equality really means.

These teachings say that “emptiness” is not necessarily empty, and “existence” is not necessarily existent; each contains the other and, as such, existence and non-existence are ultimately equal. Thus, in this world we should not argue about who is greater or who is better.

All people equally possess “Buddha nature.” There is another saying in the Buddhist tradition: “give thought neither to what is wholesome nor unwholesome.” Sometimes, even bad things can be considered good.

In the Buddhist tradition, when something bad is turned into something good, we call it “improving through negative conditions.” This concept is illustrated by the mud and filth that is necessary for a beautiful lotus flower to grow.

The enlightened and the afflicted minds may seem realms apart, but is it not true that a sour and unripe fruit only becomes sweet through the harsh wind and blazing sun? In the Vimalakirti Sutra, Vimalakirti says:

“If we do not dive into the deep sea, we will never attain the invaluable pearl. And if we do not dive into the great sea of human afflictions, we will never attain supreme wisdom.”

Some people say that men are more solid and stronger than women and that women will never be able to shoulder as much; however, women are compassionate and supple, and since suppleness can overcome solidity, it too has its advantage. There is a saying that: “If a bow is strung too tight, the bowstring will break. If a blade is too sharp, it may chip too easily.” Take our teeth and tongue as an example. Our teeth are very hard and as we age, our teeth come loose and fall out one after another. However, our soft tongue remains with us even until we die.

All things within this world have their own special strengths—the most important thing is for everyone to show their strengths and make good use of them.

When we gaze upon a tall building, we normally associate it with a sense of grandeur, but if it were not for the many small rivets that hold the structure’s steel beams together, it could never have been so imposing and tall. This is the reason that Buddhists often say a grain of sand can contain a three thousandfold world system.

From the point of view of the material manifestations in this world, there are men and women, young and old, rich and poor, high and low. But from the point of view of the principles underlying these differences, all are equal because all sentient beings possess Buddha nature. The only catch is that the ordinary person tends to focus on the distinctions between manifestations. For them, the universe appears to be full of differences. But when a sage looks upon this world, he sees oneness everywhere.

When we speak of gender equality, we might consider the saying:

“When the mind enters right perception, why bother being of female form?”

(The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, Ch. 45).

From the Buddhist point of view, all sentient beings have Buddha nature and all people are equal and beyond duality. By viewing human rights from a Buddhist angle and within the context of the Buddha’s original teachings, we can further foster a spirit of equality and provide a true space for that equality.

More Featured Articles

When someone benefits us even a little,we should repay them with all our hearts.Even if someone is angry with us,we should always treat them well.— Upasakasila Sutra Gratitude Is Fundamental to BuddhismA natural outgrowth of heartfelt gratitude is the desire to repay others for the kind things they have done for us. Having the feeling of being indebted to others is a sign that we are Read more
I once copied out a sutra in blood by pricking myself, and once I also burned my arm as an offering. I once remained silent for a year without speaking, and once I also kept my eyes closed for three months without seeing. Later on, I would occasionally open my eyes and suddenly feel: Oh, there are still verdant mountains; there are still trees; the Read more
If we want to understand what the Dharma teaches us about building affinity and living in harmony with others, we must first understand the four great all-embracing virtues. The Buddha teaches that for us to realize our true capacity of connecting with and serving our fellow citizens, we have to first build a good rapport, and the four virtues are tools to that end. The four Read more
Though sitting meditation was given to us from the ancient past it is a way for modern people to lead happy lives. Sitting meditation allows us to dispel the pressures of daily life that come from the mind’s confusion and a mistaken understanding of phenomena. Practicing sitting meditation quiets the mind and stills our thoughts so that we can recover our intrinsic nature. Sitting meditation Read more
The Buddhist precepts are here to protect us from wrongdoing, lead us away from what is bad, and towards what is good. Vinaya Master Daoxuan of the Tang dynasty composed the Simplified and Amended Handbook of the Four-Part Vinaya [Sifenlü Shanfan Buque Xingshi Chao], in which he analyzed the precepts in terms of their “rules,” “essence,” “practice,” and “characteristics.” When one puts the actual rules Read more
“True Dharma” means those teachings which are right, correct, and do not deviate from the Middle Way.The word “Dharma” has several different meanings. One meaningof “dharma” is “phenomena.” In this sense, “dharma” includes phenomena as large as the universe and as small as a mustard seed. “Dharma” also refers to the truth, the teachings of the Buddha. The Dharma the Buddha taught is what allows people Read more
We all have our share of headaches and heartaches. Physically, we all have to face aging, sickness and death. Mentally, we have to deal with problems arising from greed, hatred and ignorance. The Chinese have a saying that aptly describes our predicament: “Heaven and hell sometimes end; the threads of sorrow continue forever.” Our afflictions are as deep as the dark blue sea and are Read more
People suffer from a variety of diseases of the mind, such as being greedy, judgmental, or quick to anger. The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra says, “There are four kinds of diseases of the body, which are due to excessive wind, heat, phlegm, or other causes. There are also four kinds of diseases of the mind, which are greed, anger, ignorance, and pride.” Truthfully, it Read more
Some people may think it is strange that in this scientifically enlightened century anyone would want to talk about ghosts. In the past, even sages avoided the subject of the supernatural if they could. Confucius never spoke about ghosts. At the mere mention of ghosts, frightful images instantly arise in our minds of their pale faces, their wild hair and their sharp fangs. The truth Read more
Harmful attachments are often described in Buddhist literature as impediments or hindrances because they block our view of the truth and prevent us from seeing our own Buddha nature. Read more
Trustworthy WordsIf you lie, you will not be trusted. If you cannot be trusted, you will be ineffective in your own life and useless to other people. Lies hurt others because they damage their trust and their sense of what is right and wrong. This is a very serious kind of damage; it wastes time, frightens people and causes them to doubt their basic intuitions Read more
All my life, many have thought of me as rich, but the truth is, staying poor has always been my motto. I grew up in a poverty-stricken family, yet I never saw myself as poor, because I always felt rich in heart. Till my old age, many have thought of me as very wealthy because they believe I own many education institutes, cultural enterprises, publishing Read more