Appreciating the text, Therigatha

It is rightfully said that passion knowledge is harmful In addition, proclaiming partial knowledge to others is more harmful. This is something that has been going on since millennials. At times these partial knowledge are busted and sometimes they continue to trouble the lives of others. One such case is the way the role of women in the society has been described. Although today, the all are much aware of the scenario the role of women in the society has been described way before. In addition to that proclaiming partial knowledge to others is more harmful. This is something that has been going on since millennials. At times these partial knowledge are busted, and sometimes they continue to trouble the lives of others. One such case is the way the role of women in the society has been described. Although today the world is much aware of the scenario the role of women in the society has already been described way before.

The theris in the monastery; Source: Wikimedia

One of the finest examples to explain this is the incident with the Buddha. The Buddha accepted the ordainment of women in his order after some difficulty. His stepmother, Gotami, became one of the earliest renunciates. Others quickly followed suit. These ordained 'theris,' or ‘senior ones,' came from a variety of backgrounds, including royal families, spouses and widows, beggars, and even prostitutes. These earliest Buddhist women left a legacy of utterances, known as the 'Therigatha,' commemorating their freedom.

The lyrics in this ancient Buddhist scripture, written in Pali over two millennia ago, cover a wide range of topics, including gender equality and women's place in society; they are mostly about the joy of being free. They are based on the experiences of women who have been freed from the shackles of societal enslavement. The theris emphasizes that spiritual fulfillment is founded on merit, not on the monopoly of holy individuals. Soma, one of the nuns, retaliates fiercely when she is told that women lack intelligence in comparison to men;

"What does being a woman have to do with it? What counts is that the heart is settled

and that one sees what is."

These words usher in a new era of gender-neutral spirituality.

Renunciation was not always motivated by a desire for spirituality. Many women sought ordainment to keep their bodies and souls in harmony. Domestic drugging and marital strife are frequently depicted in these poems. Another nun, Mutta, sings,

"So thoroughly freed I am from three crooked things set fire; from mortar, pestle, and crooked old husband, having uprooted the craving that leads to becoming, I'm set free from ageing and death"

There's a frankness running through this piece.

Brahmanism's ceremonies and beliefs were frequently mocked by the nuns. In one of her verses, Punnika chastises a brahmin with these words;

"Who taught you this

'One, through water ablution,

is from evil Kamma, set free?'

in that case, they all go to heaven:

all the frogs, turtles,

serpents, crocodiles,

and anything else that lives in the water."

She comes to a more emphatic conclusion., "If these rivers could carry off

the evil Kamma, you have done in the past,

they'd carry off your merit as well

and then you'd be completely left out."

It may not have been easy to give up the material life. Such decisions by family women, particularly the younger ones, should have raised eyebrows in a patriarchal society that values gender equality. "My relatives, you know that I have gone forth, that my head is shaving and I wear a nun's garment, so why are you trying to convince me to go back to those joys as if you were my enemies," a lady inclined to become an ascetic asks in one case of family strife.

Deep contemplation and meditation must have been used to control sexual desire. In response to a young man's approach, a young woman says, "Your mind is disturbed, mine is not. You are impure, I am not. My mind is free wherever I am. Why do you keep me from my way?"

Therigatha is slated to be the world's first anthology of women's writing. It includes not only useful sociological and historical data, but also proof of women's thoughts, aspirations, and worries at the time. These poems are superb literature in this way.