Can women in Theravada Buddhism reach nirvana or enlightenment? What are the beliefs concerning this?
Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer to your question. The Pali Canon, on which the Theravada tradition bases itself, offers inconclusive and sometimes contradictory teachings on this matter. Here are some things that are clear: – The Buddha ordained women as nuns, but placed greater restrictions upon them than upon men. – The Buddha believed that all human beings – lay people and ordained people – could (and did) attain enlightenment – The Theravada tradition no longer has a nuns order (except for novice nuns – there are no full nuns) and modern Theravada monks actively resist the creation of a full nuns order – Many Theravada practitioners believe that only monks (ordained men) can attain enlightenment. This is not well-supported in the Pali Canon, but it is a widely held belief. I can tell you (speaking as a Mahayana practitioner) that all women are fully capable of attaining enlightenment – I know many such women, strong practitioners all. So I am deeply skeptical of any cla
