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Studies in Haribhadrasuri
1. Digambaras negated the possibility of woman attaining
salvation, whereas by the sixth century AD they had been divided over the issue. Particularly the mendicants belonging to the Yāpanīya Samgha believed in the salvation of woman. The relevant passage from the Yāpanīya Tantra is fully
quoted by Haribhadrasūri. 2. As a progressive reformer, Haribhadrasūri brought in
rationality in the discussion of the issue with multidimensional arguments, prevalent in the Indian society in
general and the Jaina one in particular. 3. The argument, that woman should be considered inferior
on physical and intellectual grounds, was refuted, and she
was treated at par socially and philosophically. 4. The barriers of caste and place are rejected and parity of all
the castes belonging to various places was established. 5. Haribhadrasūri utilized all the religio-emotional arguments
to establish that woman has a bona fide right to attain salvation.
