Gender Inequality: A Critical Study in Ethical Viewpoint

Abstract

In this article, an attempt was purposely made to study the ethical problem of gender inequality detected in Buddhism. In this work, it appeared that, on the one hand, some groups are of the view that Buddhist attitude towards women's status concerning the time when the Buddha did not allow ordination to Bhikhshuni obviously shows the inequality. On the other hand, some groups are of the view that Buddhism has no place for inequality but honor. In this article, it was made to critically prove that both debates are not centered on religious ethical point of view; it is only centered on social ethical dimension. In proving this debate, this article was found that such debate as to whether or not the ordination should be given to Bhikhshuni, should take only religious ethics by virtue of human nature into account, not gender.