Introduction and Background information
The ancient Buddhist and Christian Gnostics presumed that human beings initially lived in a state of perfection that is luminous, incorporeal and asexual. The connection established in myths regarding the fall of man was attributed to earthily food, sexual intercourse and mainly initiated by women. In an attempt to find out the reason as to while the Buddhist and Gnostics have negative attitudes towards women, various literatures has ne examined and this include, the materials of monks and nuns verses from third century B.C.E, works of philosophers such as Aryadeva and materials from Nag Hammadi.
Thesis
Although people assume that western and eastern religions are separate and diverse, their early scriptures reveal some outstanding similarities. This paper is primarily focused on the shared features on the perception of Buddhism and Christian Gnosticism towards women. Consequently, the paper also examines how women are perceived as less rational in contrast to men and the reason as to why there is consistent negative attitude towards women in these traditions, yet women played a very significant role in supporting and promoting religious lives. However, after examining the images of women as presented in the two traditions, the paper finalizes that women are sensual, seductive and have the ability to trap others. Conversely, apart from having the ability to inform others, women are compassionate and wise.
Problem and question
The Buddhism and Gnostic communities perceive women as less rational and more prone to weakness of the flesh compared to men. The works of authors in this tradition presented the bodies of women as naturally impure and defective. Unlike men, the scriptures link women with the body and its entire unpleasant works while their bodies symbolized sensual mentality. The biggest questions is that; How comes the Buddhist and Gnostic communities have persistent negative attitudes towards women and yet they aggressively promoted and contributed to the religious lives?
Evidence
The fall of humanity in the Buddhist and Gnostic myths have mainly been attributed to the fact women initiated the whole event. For instance, in the text of Apocryphon of John, the fall of man was linked with the female power that is Sophia who made her own being (Karen 1982 p. 97). On the other hand, the fall of man in Gnosticism came about when Eve gave in to temptation and went further to tempt Adam. The fall of humanity in both this contexts was initiated by woman. The works of various monks such as Mahayana and Nagasamala intensively attack the impurity of women bodies and sexual intercourse. The works of Buddhist author presented women as bound by sexual intercourse which in turn leads to child bearing. Buddhist viewed sex and child bearing as the main obstacles towards full engagement in religious lives. Therefore the early writings suggested celibacy and repudiation of family for both men and women following an example set by Buddha when he abandoned his family.
Christian Gnostic scriptures also posses negative perception to sexual intercourse and child bearing. Elaine Pagel suggests that when Jesus said that people need to destroy their females in the dialogue of the savior he referred to these two aspects. Gnostics and Buddhists condemn these actions basically because they defile the body with its connection with suffering. The major reasons as to why these two traditions condemn sexual intercourse is basically because sexual contact with a woman corrupts man and leads to child bearing which eventually strengthens the link of man to the imperfect world.
Counter evidence
Despite the negative attitudes of these traditions towards women in regards to religious lives, early Buddhist belief that women need to establish a male mind before going to heaven. Women may transform their female body, lead right rightful lives and avoid attaching to home and family for the them to be reborn in the Tusita heaven just like men for then to acquire Buddha hood. This is similar to Christian Gnosticism as seen in The Gospel of Thomas where Jesus required women to transform themselves into men in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. Given the tendency of the Buddhist and Gnostic scriptures to link women with impurity, the scriptures ordered that women need to become men. Conversely, regardless of the apparent misogynist statements in various ancient Buddhist and Christian Gnostic scriptures, the information contained in this scriptures do not disallow women participation in religious life since women were given the opportunity to study and teach in religious settings.
Conclusion
The Buddhist and Gnostic Christina viewed fasting and abstinence from sexual intercourse was an illustration of an individual’s derision for the body and its desires. The Ascetic writers recommended the practice of meditation dislodged the body from the mind and eventually darkness, corporeality and sexual desires. Despite the fact that ascetic writers denoted worldly imperfections by depicting impurities and shortcomings of women, not even one among these writers believed that women hand mind of spiritual acquisition. In order to try and find out the answer as to why the Buddhist and Christian traditions persistently associated women with sexuality and other aspects of darkness, its important that further research be conducted and intensive examination of literature of Gnostic and Buddhist writers.
Work Cited
Karen Christina Lang (1982).Images of Women in Early Buddhism nad Christian Gnosticism. Journal Of Buddhist-Christian Studies. Vol. 2 pp. 94-105
