Q. The admission of which of the following to the Sangha, at the instance of Ananda (the personal attendant of the Master), marked the beginning of an order of nuns in India?
(a) Yashodhara, the wife of the Buddha
(b) Gautami, the widowed stepmother of the Buddha
(c) Sujata, the merchant’s daughter who offered a bowl of milk to the Buddha after he had decided to give up austerities
(d) Ghositaramma monastery at Piparhawa
Ans: (b) Gautami, the widowed stepmother of the Buddha
Explanation: The admission of (b) Gautami, the widowed stepmother of the Buddha, marked the beginning of an order of nuns in India.
After the Buddha’s stepmother, Gautami, became a widow following the death of her husband, King Suddhodana, she expressed her desire to join the Buddhist monastic order as a nun. Gautami approached Ananda, who was the personal attendant of the Buddha, and requested him to ask the Buddha to establish an order of nuns. Ananda, understanding the importance of women’s spiritual practice, appealed to the Buddha on Gautami’s behalf.
The Buddha initially hesitated to establish an order of nuns due to concerns about the challenges and difficulties women might face in the monastic life. However, Ananda persisted in his request, highlighting the potential for women to attain enlightenment and contribute to the growth of the Dharma. Eventually, the Buddha consented and established the order of nuns, known as the Bhikkhuni Sangha, allowing Gautami and other women to take up monastic life and pursue spiritual liberation.
Therefore, the admission of Gautami, the widowed stepmother of the Buddha, marked the beginning of an order of nuns in India.
