This week in class we learned about the story of Isidasi and why Buddhism might be more appealing to women than Hinduism. As a class we came up with several reasons for this.

First, women might turn to Buddhism over Hinduism to escape the caste system. For women on the lower end of the caste system especially, Buddhism would eliminate the social divide based on karma and ritual purity. Also, nothing would always default to the highest social group like in the caste system. In the caste system, Brahmins always get the best of everything, and they hold the most highly regarded positions such as priests.

Second, women have more control over themselves and their lives in Buddhism. In Hinduism, women’s lives are controlled mainly by their husbands. Women can only do so much in Hinduism because their husbands are always above them, often holding them back from their true potential. In Buddhism, depending on the circumstances, women may not get married as part of their lifestyles as Buddhists. Even if a Buddhist woman does get married, Buddhism doesn’t seem like the type of religion that would give husbands automatic superiority over their wives. Also, Hinduism says that “a woman is never fit for independence.” Buddhism, on the other hand, does not differentiate between the freedoms and expected roles of men and women.

Third, Buddhism provides a way for women to overcome suffering. By following the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, women can put an end to desire which causes suffering. In contrast, Hinduism does not have a specific way to get rid of suffering. Instead, if someone has karma that puts him or her into a low caste, there seems to be a lot of suffering because of actions done in the past. Sometimes, in the case of Isidasi, people’s karma can put them so low that they become reincarnated as animals which cannot improve their karma in that lifetime. Buddhism also has a lot to do with meditation and reflection which is relaxing and calming on its own even when it is not specific to Buddhism.

Fourth, and most importantly in my opinion, Buddhism makes knowledge and enlightenment available to women. In Hinduism, “Women have no business with the Veda.” In Buddhism, Isidasi is able to become enlightened in seven days. That is only one week compared to the six years it originally took Siddhartha! With Isidasi’s enlightenment came the knowledge of the reason for the karma that kept coming back in multiple lives based on past actions. In Hinduism, women aren’t allowed to learn the Veda, and therefore have no first-hand knowledge or understanding of the rituals and beliefs of Hinduism. In Hinduism, women must learn about religion as told by the men. Buddhism allows women to find knowledge for themselves.

In conclusion, Buddhism offers women many things that Hinduism does not. Buddhism provides an escape from the caste system and from suffering. Buddhism allows women to have control over their own lives without depending on men. Enlightenment and knowledge are available to Buddhist women, and since knowledge is power, Buddhism allows women to have power.