women

[John Dunne]

Edwin Bryant asked:

> Can anyone point me to any references in any genre of Sanskrit texts where
> it is explicitly stated that women, as an essentialized gender group (ie
> not references to individuals) are in any way less intelligent than men?


I have seen a few Buddhist commentators who use phrases such as "this is
known to even women and ...." Along with women are usually mentioned either
children, cowherds or zuudras.=20

One specific example that I have readily at at hand comes from
Praj~naakaragupta [=3DP] (a commentator on Dharmakiirti) and Yamaari, who
commented on P. My recollection is that P uses this trope several times,
but the instance I specifically have in mind is found in his comments on
what is marked as v.33 in the only extant edition of the text (Widener has
it, by the way). In this verse, Dharmakiirti notes that the Buddha is
considered "omniscient" (sarvaj~na) because he knows the real nature of
*heyopodeya* along with the means for obtaining/abandoning them (in the P
edition, read *saabhyupaayasya* for *haanyupayasya*). P notes that this is
indeed the case, but since he wishes to leave open the possibilitiy of a
more expansive notion of what *sarva* means here, he goes on to remark:
"but it is not impossible that in the Sugata's sayings there are other
[things to be known] which would amaze zuudras and women" [anyat tu
striizuudravismaapana.m sugatavacasi naasambhavi]. Yamaari (only available
in Tibetan at this point: Derge, tshad ma be, 45a1) takes "women and
zuudras" to be an *upalak.sa.na* (Tib., mtshon pa lhur byed pa) for
"[those] who lack analytical judgment" (Tib., rnam par dpyod pa dang mi
ldan pa). Unfortunately, the Sanskrit equivalent of the Tibetan is
uncertain: the most likely could be *na~n* conjoined appropriately with
*vicaarin*, but *aprek.savant* is also a possibility. P uses the trope
again in  the next verse. In both cases, the clear implication is that
women and zuudras are rather "simple," to use a euphemism.

It is, of course, quite interesting that this type of metaphor is used by
Buddhist authors (I am not sure, but I think I've seen it in several places
-- I have a dim memory of Candrakiirti, for example, using it somewhere).=20

In any case, I hope this proves helpful.

Yours,

John Dunne

> I know there are various tirades about women's fickleness and propensity
> for enjoyment in the Mahabharata, Manu and sannyasa sutras, etc, but I am
> particularly looking for statements referring to the intelligence, or
> rational faculty, of women as a group.  The Sanskrit references (and
> context) of any such statements would be helpful.

> Thank you,  Edwin Bryant



_________________________________

John Dunne
Section de langues et civilisations orientales
Universit=E9 de Lausanne




______________________________

John Dunne
Section de langues et civilisations orientales
Université de Lausanne