A number of progressives prefer Buddhism because they think it is more in line with their self-centered thinking than Abrahamic faiths. This is ironic, given that self-abnegation is more of a feature of Buddhism than it is even of Christianity and Judaism, but ignorance frees people up to invent their own interpretations.
Nevertheless, I thought I’d set the record straight with a passage from Buddhist scripture. The following is from the Anguttara Nikaya, the fourth of the five nikayas, which are canonical texts in Theraveda Buddhism.
ANGUTTARA NIKAYA 4:91 – SUJATA SUTTA THE SEVEN TYPES OF WIVES
One day after a meal, as the Buddha was giving a discourse, much shouting and yelling was heard in the house as Sujata was again scolding the servants. The Enlightened One interrupted his discourse and asked Anathapindika what kind of a commotion this was, that sounded like the noisy shouts of fisher folk. The householder answered that it was his own daughter-in-law, who did not behave properly towards her husband or his parents, who did not give alms, who was faithless and unbelieving, and who was forever causing conflict.
Then an unusual thing happened: the Buddha asked that she be called. When she appeared before him, he asked her which of the seven types of wives she wanted to be. She replied that she did not understand the meaning of this, and asked for more explanation. So the Enlightened One described the seven kinds of wives to her in verse:
Who, with mind corrupted, is unfeeling Loves other men but her husband despises, He who with wealth has gained her She even seeks to kill — a Slayer is such a wife.
Whatever her husband gets for her by trade, By skilled profession or a farmer’s work, She tries to filch a little just for herself. Such a wife may well be called a Thief.
The slothful glutton, bent on idling, A woman rude and fierce with coarse speech, He who supports her, she dominates. Such a wife a Tyrant must be called.
She who always for her husband cares With sympathy, like a mother for her son, Who carefully guards his stored-up wealth, Such a wife may Motherly be called.
She who holds her husband in the same regard As younger sister holds the elder born, Who humbly serves her husband’s every wish, As Sisterly is such a wife known.
She whom her husband’s sight will always please, Like friends who see each other after long a time, Who nobly bred and virtuous, devoted to her husband, A Friend is she as well as wife.
From anger free, afraid of punishment, Who bears with her husband with patient heart, And without grudge obeys his every wish, A Handmaid is she and a wife.
Who is called a Slayer, a Tyrant, or a Thief, Who is rude, unvirtuous, and disrespectful, Such kinds of wives will on their death To hellish worlds of misery depart.
But wives like Mother, Sister, Friend and Handmaid, Firm in virtue, imbued with long termed self-control, Such kinds of wives will on their death To happy destinies depart.
“These, Sujata, are the seven kinds of wives a man may have,” said the Blessed One, “and which of them are you?”
Deeply moved, Sujata replied that from then on she would strive to be a handmaid to her husband. The words of the Enlightened One had shown her how to conduct herself as a wife. Later she became a faithful disciple of the Buddha, to whom she was ever grateful for her salvation.
Any man who repeated the above without first saying it was Buddhist scripture would be called a raging misogynist. It is clear that Buddhism frowns on modern feminist values, like all religions that have stood the test of time.
I wonder, why is it that what has been seen as wicked for all of known history is celebrated today? Has humanity fundamentally changed, or are we, like we have so many times in the past, just willfully defying the ancient truth?
