A woman’s ability to attain liberation or as Sona exclaimed, live in Nibbana (Davids, 2012, p. 165), directly challenges the argument that it is impossible for a female to become a Buddha. While none of the nuns in the Thi become Buddhas, the attainment of Arahantship shows that gender presented no barriers to achieve liberation. The misogynistic idea that women are unable to attain Buddhahood because of their nature of defilement and weak intelligence (Willis, 1985, p. 69) contradicts the Elders’ experiences. For instance, while Kisa-gotami highlights the difficulties of womanhood by exclaiming, “woeful is a woman’s lot!” (Davids, 2012, p. 241) when sharing home with hostile wives and when giving birth in bitter pain, Patacara and her Thirty
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While most of the nuns’ attained liberation after the Buddha encouraged them to, “see the moment come! Let it not pass thee by!”, “reach up and touch the goal”, and “train thyself in ways of good” (Davids, 2012, p. 77-78), listening to other members of the Order also led to realization. For instance, Vadha, Nunduttura and Baddha Kundalakesa’s encounter with monks provided the turning point (Shah, 1977), while for Uttama, “to me she came, that noble Bikkhuni, who was my foster-mother in the faith- she taught me the Norm” (Davids, 2012, p. 119), highlighting that nuns could also become liberated through other nuns. Verses of An Anonymous Sister show that after 25 years of struggling with the “lusts of the senses”, Great Pajapati the Gotamid was the one who “taught to me the norm, wherein I learnt…the bases of this self” (Davids, 2012, p. 142). In the case of Pacatara, thirty sisters were converted by hearing her preaching (Davids, 2012, p. 184), while Verse 48 shows that upon hearing her doctrine, 500 bereaved mothers were filled with agitation and renounced the world (Davids, 2012, p. 191). The oral transmission of the teachings show that while the eight rules denied women formal leadership within the monastic order, women were capable of becoming great teachers within the nuns’ community (Murscott,
While most of the nuns’ attained liberation after the Buddha encouraged them to, “see the moment come! Let it not pass thee by!”, “reach up and touch the goal”, and “train thyself in ways of good” (Davids, 2012, p. 77-78), listening to other members of the Order also led to realization. For instance, Vadha, Nunduttura and Baddha Kundalakesa’s encounter with monks provided the turning point (Shah, 1977), while for Uttama, “to me she came, that noble Bikkhuni, who was my foster-mother in the faith- she taught me the Norm” (Davids, 2012, p. 119), highlighting that nuns could also become liberated through other nuns. Verses of An Anonymous Sister show that after 25 years of struggling with the “lusts of the senses”, Great Pajapati the Gotamid was the one who “taught to me the norm, wherein I learnt…the bases of this self” (Davids, 2012, p. 142). In the case of Pacatara, thirty sisters were converted by hearing her preaching (Davids, 2012, p. 184), while Verse 48 shows that upon hearing her doctrine, 500 bereaved mothers were filled with agitation and renounced the world (Davids, 2012, p. 191). The oral transmission of the teachings show that while the eight rules denied women formal leadership within the monastic order, women were capable of becoming great teachers within the nuns’ community (Murscott,