YJA Convention 2002 07 NJ Fifth

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA

Page 50

Is Jainism Gender Biased?
Sodhviji Shilapaji
"The Jains are distinguished by their treatment of 7) Do the biological differences have any bearing on women as equals of men and their lay communities religion and the karma theory? have looked after them with great care and devotion."
The following is an excerpt posted on the YJA discussion - Professor Padmanabh Jaini
board regarding this subject.
"I wonder why Jainism would consider it a punishment to In this session, we will examine the Jain perspective be born as a woman. Could the reasoning be that our lof gender bias through a brief lecture by Sadhvi society has been male dominated for the most part, and Shilapiji who will clarify points between the being a woman can be a huge handicap in this world? differences of religion and culture, different religious practices and Jainism in its essence.
Lets put things in right perspective here. According to
Jainism, being born with any form of body is basically a In order to find an answer, we will discuss questions punishment. So being born a man could also be regarded like:
as a punishment. As long as men and women both are 1) Why is it that in pathsala classes that being female capable of attaining moksha, we can't say that Jainism means you had less good karma than being male? discriminates against a gender. The ways to attain Karma 2) Why is it that one can only attain moksha from a and also to get rid of them are identical for both genders. male human form?
Is it not possible that Jainism did not preach or appease 3) Why are there certain slokhas that females are gender bias, but simply acknowledged that it exists and is not supposed to say
a handicap?" 4) Why can't females go to the temple when they have their periods?
After discussing the aforementioned issues at length the 5) Why if Mallinath was female, that there is only 1 group will hypothesize using what has been gathered and tirthankar that was female out of 24?
discussed on whether or not Jainism should be categorized 6) Do you think that Malliinath was not really female, as gender-biased. I and in order to make the religion more fair, that the fact was changed through time?
notes:
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