A Study On The Female View Of Tibetan Buddhism

Women in the history of Tibetan Buddhism had not only been absent, but created a road of spiritual achievement with their unique ways. Tibetan Buddhism and other world’s major religions are developed in the background of patriarchal society. There are contradictory views of women in many religious records in the past, because female records are filtered and interpreted by men. There are both criticized repressions on women and respect for women in Tibetan Buddhism. Therefore, the history of Tibetan Buddhism and the relationship between Tibetan Buddhism and women should be analyzed by the perspective of religion, philosophy, anthropology, sociology and other disciplines. The subject is directly related to the meaning of existence of Tibetan Buddhism and religious source of the gender system.From the present research it shows that previous studies mainly focus on the history of Buddhist views of women, the life of Tibetan Buddhist Nuns, nunneries and other regulatory expanded. Based on previous studies, I will make in-depth study of Tibetan Buddhism feminism from the belief level, the level of real historical figures, and the group level. I will use the method of religion, philosophy and other multi-disciplinary approaches. The study is focused on feminist philosophy perspective views of women in Tibetan Buddhism studies, summarized vulnerable factors of female in Tibetan Buddhism, and exploited spiritual enlightenment experience of women. The purpose of this study is to restore or rebuild women religious culture.The article is divided into four parts. The first chapter is about the root of Tibetan Buddhism views of women. It will expound female points of view in Buddhist scriptures of the original Buddhism, Abhidharma Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism and Tantric. In the period of Primitive Buddhism and Abhidharma Buddhism, Buddhist views of women was that female body was dirt and woman cannot become a Buddha and other points of view. They considered that women monk would hinder the Sangha community development. But there also had respect and recognition for women in Buddhist scriptures. It shows that the harsh provisions on women in early Buddhism were influenced by prevailing patriarchal social, but Shakyamuni had always upheld that beings are equal. After the rise of Mahayana Buddhism, the thought that Buddha nature was equal was widely spread, so that there became a new provision that female body can turn into male body then they can achieve Buddhahood, even women with their female bodies can achieve Buddhahood. In one of Sukhavati women also have the presence, which indicates that there are no men and women in the Buddha, women can become a Buddha, and all beings are equal. In the Tantra period, it further affirmed that women can be Buddha and vigorously promoted the status of women which maintained the dignity of women. Not insulting and denigrating women are religious disciplines in Buddhist.The second chapter is about connotation and tension of Tibetan Buddhism feminism. I will expound the connotation of Tibetan Buddhism feminism from three aspects which are female Buddha, women leaders and women believers. Tibetan Buddhism respected female Buddha very much. Ben Dan Ram and twelve Danma goddesses are female protective deities of Tibetan religion who have the Tibetan characteristics. And the belief of Tara Tibetan Buddhism makes Tibetan Buddhism a complete human care and reflects the essence of both man and woman. Female leaders of Tibetan Buddhist were respected in the history as well. Majella Dzhun created a unique teaching method tradition which was carrying by women. And female living Buddha reincarnation system of Tibetan Buddhism also had unique heritage system, indicating that the practice of female in Tibetan Buddhism was highly recognized and respected. However, although a few of the nuns began to construct nunneries and recovery of the religious authority gradually, women believers in reality have to live and practice facing many difficulties. Due to historical and practical reasons women have low expectations to practice successfully. Most of nuns who live in the monastery are very hard and cannot be compared with male monks. All above situations constitute the internal tension of Tibetan Buddhism views of women.The third chapter is about philosophical reflection of Tibetan Buddhist views of women. Firstly, I have explained the communication about Tibetan Buddhism views of women with Feminist Philosophy Research. The context and key issues of feminist philosophy study provide research ideas and opinions for Tibetan Buddhist views of women. Simone de Beauvoir’s feminist views are the important support for this article. Secondly, I have analyzed male dominant position and female less important position in Buddhism. I think men are considered as a complete human representative by his dominant position which is an ideal target level to become Buddha. And women are less important because their objective conditions. The understanding of women in Buddhism is also a deeper care for women. Finally, I explain the images such as same body of men and women, men with female face of the Buddha which indicate the pursuit of Buddhist is a perfect human nature in practice which is not a non-M non-female but also men and women. The essence of Buddhism is to realize human liberation.The fourth chapter is about absence and reconstruction of female religious culture. Firstly, I investigate reasons for the absence of female religious cultural, revealing the fallacy of physiological factors. It isn’t because physiological factors which caused women failure. In the resent social situation violence and strong bodies cannot make people successful. Secondly, an important reason of the missing of female religious culture is the broken nun’s lineage. Although there has been a unique female inheritance in Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the authoritative inheritance from the Buddhist history have not established in Tibetan Buddhism. And nuns’expenses mainly rely on family support which is overburdened for their families. Nuns are lack of sources of livelihood than men monks. Finally, Nuns self-awareness is too low. They have not made self-initiate efforts to enhance the right to peace, which is subjective reason of nun’s religion underprivileged. From an ethical perspective, the status of women must be taken seriously. Because the establishment of Buddhist women religious culture have respect to the nature of the Buddhism and beliefs structure of Buddhism, and are related to full realization of humane care. From the perspective of women’s liberation, restoration or reconstruction of female religious culture are related to the social status of women by religion, and help women to achieve the complete liberation.In short, "otherness" content of women in Tibetan Buddhism is the most important issue. Through the analysis in this article, we can find social origin, historical roots and religious roots for women to become otherness. Through the research of successful female monastic examples, and the discuss how they liberated their own gender limitations, we can find how women reach the height the same as men and the Buddha and even a complete human nature to overcome women’s "immanence" to achieve its "beyond nature. " If we want to find the root which caused tension problem of Tibetan Buddhism feminism, we must study the connotation and history of Tibetan Buddhist views of women, and deconstruct Tibetan Buddhism views of women in Philosophy, and find reasons for the lack of female religious culture, and dig successful experiences of female practice, so we can recovery or reconstruct Tibetan Buddhism female culture.