ABSTRACT

The research titled “A Comparison of Status, Role and Right of Women in Buddha’s life time and Thai Society” consisted of 3 objectives i.e., (1) to study Status, Role and Right of Women in Theravada Buddhism, (2) to study Status, Role and Right of Women of Thai society in the present and (3) to comparison  Status, Role and Right of Women between Buddha’s life time and Thai society in the present. This study was the approach as a documentary research focusing on the study of Tipitaka, commentaries, academic papers as well as other related researches and then bring data analysis to comparative study on contents and  reveal the results of study on a descriptive research.

The Results of the Research

1). Natural Status of female and male were different, especially in the body. However, the female and the male were similar in the wisdom or the capacity in the self development to increase the wisdom till can attain the principles of Dhamma. Moreover, the Buddhism denied the difference of the female and the male but it depends on her or his actions (Kamma) because causes of good action and bad action made them different.

2) The Status, Role and Right of Women in Thai society in the present as a whole figure were social equality, especially the image of the female who are the leader of the country according to Regulations of the Law under Section 30 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, 2550 B.E. regulated the various principles of Right of equality between the female and the male as the lawyer written. However, when considered on the real conditions of the female and the male in Thai society found “there are still attitudes on the female’s position as weak sex more than male” as appeared on TV media, that is  the female is in a social disadvantageous position. For the right of ordination to be a Buddhist nun in Theravada Buddhism stopped for a long time. And view towards the ordination of women did not appear in Thai society because the women are near the men (Buddhist monks) may be inappropriate. Moreover, the female’s status is only Upasika (a female devotee) who promotes Buddhism to be permanent in the further.

3). In the present, Status, Role and Right of Women in Thai society in Buddhism found that the female and the male are similar in the self development, follow towards the Buddha’s teachings till the accomplishment of the mind to be enlightened one and release from sufferings in the present by self perfections. However, the Right of Women in the Buddha’s life time had a right to be a Buddhist nun according to Buddha’s regulations but the ordination of the women in Thailand could only be nuns and female devotees those who follow towards Buddha’s teachings rightly, for other Status and Role of the Women have to do i.e. the position of housewife that is similar with the Women in the present. Moreover, it is obvious that the Right of the women could be the leader of the country by depending on knowledge, experience, leadership and capacity.