Women in Hinduism Tradition Hinduism is a religious and cultural tradition of India, and was developed from the Vedic religion. For women in the religion of Hinduism, some are considered less important, less valuable, and less worthy then the man. While other men, look at women as a mother goddess. The men have high respect for the women, because they will have the children that continue the family. In the past, and even for some women in the present day, are considered to be a lower level, or come in second compared to a man. Women are considered to have the duty of having children for their husband so that he can continue and transmit the customs of his family. “Fathers need to protect their daughter, husbands need to protect their wife, and sons need to protect their mothers when they …show more content…
If a woman shamed her deceased husband she would be doomed and considered an outcast and be tormented by disease.
It would be fascinating to hear what the women from the past had to offer and how they truly were feeling back then. It makes a person wonder if the woman in Hinduism were happy or
living a miserable life confined to their homes and still not having a say over even the rules in her household. Were these laws just accepted by the women, or did they ever stand up for something they thought was right. Women were not allowed to do anything against their husband, but yet there were many women who endured physical punishment by their husbands. There is so many more questions that have sparked my interest in the women who live in the Hinduism tradition. A woman will probably not even have the choice to live in the Hinduism tradition, without being shut out by her
together for the better of the shared children. The women had a say in how they would help
In the Hindu tradition, women are to be respected and should not be mistreated since they are considered a gift from gods under a pledge. Women are also considered aspects of Nature or the embodiment of Universal Mother in her aspect of pure energy. The tradition prohibits harassment and negligence towards women and states that it is the man’s duty to protect and take care of his wife until the end. Women in the Hindu tradition play a secondary role since Hinduism is a predominantly male dominated religion. It is their duty to help their husband perform obligatory duties and enable him to continue his family tradition. It is also the wife’s duty to give birth to children and to take care of
"Women have a much better time than men in this world; there are far more things forbidden to them" (Oscar Wilde). As stated in this quote, all over the world women are restricted by their religions, from doing many things that men can do freely. An example would be to wear anything they want (pants), or pursue a career. Such situations are portrayed in various mediums including: Hillary Jordan's book When She Woke, Roland Joffé's film The Scarlet Letter, and Ida Lichter's article "Misogyny in the Muslim World: Bound by Culture or Religion?". In all three sources, religion is such a practice that imposes many restrictions on females, which results in women having to sacrifice their rights and face humiliation in front of society.
The teachings of the Buddha do not only benefit men but also women. However, when trying to be ordained, women meet more problems than men do. According to the difference in precepts for monks and nuns, nuns are inferior to monks in all circumstances. (Walsh 2016) These differences combined with the low social status of women during the time of the Buddha have formed a popular view about Buddhism that discriminates against women. However although there is evidence that emphasize the difference in treating women and men in Buddhism, it is Buddhism that propose the equality between women and men, thus further raising the status of women in social circumstances. In this paper, I will focus on the traditional view of women
South Asian women engage in patriarchal values and normative structure established more than two thousands years ago, continue to be oppressed by a dominant group of men. These women suffer further oppression through the strict adherence to cultural garb. Still today, media and educational system portray South Asian women as self-sacrificing, faithful to the family, and submissive to men.
Gender roles have been a predominant factor in our world since the early emergence of human societies whether they are positive or negative. They are based on expectations that societies have over the people in them. The Epic of Sunjata, shows us how men and women are treated almost equally in different forms. Women are praised for their ability to birth leaders, which is similar to the early Greek Society. In most societies, women are treated less equal than men. This was prevalent in the early Indian society. No matter the gender role, it has been shown that any society cannot survive without both men and women.
...ieties only do so due to their cultural views and not their religious views. Mothers in Islam are not given as much importance as those in Hinduism are. In Hinduism a mother is very well respected and viewed as a prestigious person. But, Hindu mothers who fail to deliver a boy to her husband will live her life feeling as if she failed her husband, but Islam women won’t live with that resentment. Another difference in the two religions and cultures is that Islam women may be as loyal as Hindu women during marriage, but after marriage the Islam woman will remarry another man, while the Hindu women won’t remarry even if her husband has perished. Noticing the similarities of Hindu and Islam beliefs, as well as their cultural beliefs, we can observe that Hindu and Islamic societies observe men as being superior over women, making both religions and societies patriarchal.
... the bhikshus about the possible distractions women could cause. Regardless of this warning, Shakyyamuni did encourage female relatives to join the faith. He preached that women were no less capable than men of becoming saints (arhats), and “the way to nirvana was the same regardless of gender” (Oxtoby 388). Many other texts also had ambiguous views on women in Buddhism. Some texts contain the approving support given by wealthy women, while others forbid women to teach their male counterparts and never granted them complete independence. Though both Islam and Buddhism include the significance of the role of women in each religion, it is clear that the positivity of their positions vary in each.
In examining the Buddhist religion, particularly the role of women in Buddhism, it was. quite clear that the religion of Buddhism is practiced very differently from country to country. The sand is Buddhism is a philosophy of life expounded by Gautama Buddha ("Buddha" means "enlightened"). one"), who lived and taught in northern India in the 6th Century B.C. The Buddha was not a god and the philosophy of Buddhism does not entail any theistic world-view.
Women had a very large role in the history of Judaism and without them the religion would not be the same. They played a large hand in the religion from the very beginning. As the religion has progressed and came to present day Judaism, the role and view of women has become larger although still complementary to the role of men. Judaism is the way it is today in large part due to women. Specifically, in the exodus of Egypt.
Women’s participation and roles in Buddhism reflects many of the same aspects I see in other religions, though less buried by later patriarchal writings minimizing their importance. It is obvious that women had tremendous influence in the early Buddhist movement, and the organizing of orders of nuns would be a testament to their mission. Knowing that women were still completely under the control of men during the emergence of this new religion it seems reasonable to assume the leaders were open to women in spiritual roles. At a time when women were to remain in the home, tending to husbands and children, it would require this type of acceptance for them to leave this behind and concentrate fully on a spiritual journey. In the cultural context
In the novel This Earth Of Mankind by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, discrimination against social structure, race, and gender is apparent. The setting is in the Indies, or now called Indonesia. At that time, there are terms for different races in the book, which are “Native” indicating someone who is pure Indonesian, “Indo” a half European and half Indonesian, and “Pure Blood” or “European” when someone is pure European. An Indo and a Pure Blood receives more respect in society than a Native. Furthermore, European or Pure Blood is at the top of this social hierarchy, people who are European or Pure Blood receives the utmost respect in society. Differences in gender is prevalent in this novel, where most women in this book have power in their own homes, but in society is looked down upon. Female characters experiencing these are Annelies, the main character’s love interest, Nyai Ontosoroh, Annelies’ mother who is a concubine, and Magda Peters, the main character’s European teacher. Women in this novel are portrayed differently according to what race, social structure, and gender they are born in, which can be seen through Nyai Ontosoroh, Annelies, and Magda Peters.
“India is the meeting place of the religions and among these Hinduism alone is by itself a vast and complex thing, not so much a religion as a great diversified and yet subtly unified mass of spiritual thought, realization and aspiration”(Sri Aurobindo). Hindus believe in karma, which means that the actions that are made will affect this life or the lives to come (Fisher 120). Reincarnation is a rebirth in a new life (Fisher 120). In Hinduism the roles that the women play in their society is similar to Rukmani’s in Nectar in a Sieve. Hindu women take care of the children and help the husband with farm work or any other work ("Hindu Beliefs"). The three main themes in the book that connect to the Hindu religion are Humans choose their actions which cause happiness or sadness, suffering purifies for the soul, and truth is the most important moral value to have. Every action made by humans is based on a choice the outcome could be happy or sad.
After marriage, more of these values are expected to be carried on is the way the family decisions are made and the ways things are done. The male is known as the authority figure in the family. An Indian woman has to abide be what the men say and basically allow him to run the show. This does not say that he has no responsibilities, because that is wrong be all means. He has a responsibility to support the family and show the children how to work the fields and support the family.
Achieving roles for women that are as equal as men, before and during the twentieth century, appeared to be inevitable in the United States. Women were limited to domesticity, performing duties that only serve their families as wives, mothers, and diligent daughters. Women were absorbed and accustomed to these standards, oblivious to their worth and capabilities that are above and beyond their set domestic duties. “Groups of women challenged this norm of the twentieth century and exceeded their limited roles as domestic servants by organizing movements whose sole purpose is to achieve equality within a male-dominated society” (Norton