Page 100 - Vimarsha Volume 2

on how cultural norms influence on gender discrimination, it can be categorized
into some aspect.

4.1 Religious Norms and Gender Discrimination

According to J. Milton Yinger “religion is a system of beliefs and practices by which
a group of people struggle with the ultimate problems of human life – problems relating

to human morality, suffering, and injustice; and the need to infuse human life with
meaning, and intellectual coherence, and the crucial importance of upholding moral

percepts and patterns of social life” (Bouma p.4). It’s a social-cultural system of
designated behaviors and practices, morals, worldviews, texts, sanctifies places, ethics
or organizations that relates humanity to supernatural, transcendental or spiritual

elements. Through religious rules, regulations, norms and practices human lives are
bounded. Especially women’s lives. There are some religious norms that treat people

unequally based on their gender. When it comes to Buddhism there are some religious
rules that treat males and females in different ways. Even though the Lord Buddha did
take some steps to address the issue of gender inequality, there are some religious

norms that create gender inequality based on their culture. According to Sri Lankan
Buddhist history Sangamitta There is was brought Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi to Sri Lanka.
Even though it was brought by a woman, women are not allowed to go near to the Boo

tree (“Uda Maluwa”).

They just can worship it from the lower area. The same situation can be seen in the

Temple of Tooth. Furthermore, Buddhism encourage both husbands and wives to
share equal responsibilities and discharge their obligations with equal commitment.
However, there are some stereotypes also. According to ‘Singalovada Suthra’ there

are some basic obligations in the relationship between husband and wife. Wife’s
main obligation is to look after the family. She has to do the household. Husband has
to do the provision of food and other necessary needs. So it is clear that there is some

kind of gender discrimination here. Even there is gender discrimination, if someone
break these religious norms they are considered as the people who did wrong.

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