PGIHS-RC 2019

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https://ir.lib.pdn.ac.lk/handle/20.500.14444/4073

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Browsing PGIHS-RC 2019 by Subject "Buddhism"

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    Are womenfolk a religious minority from a religious perspective? a buddhist approach
    (University of Peradeniya, 2019-03-29) Ven. Vijitha, Moragaswewe
    The prime aim of this paper is to discuss whether women are a truly religious minority from a religious perspective and how Buddhism looks at it. When some religions exclude women from their hierarchies and rituals the inevitable implication is that females are inferior. Therefore, the position of women has been a subject of considerable interest in recent decades. It seems that feminism has evolved even within religious institutions against that inferiority. Such developments within religious institutions seek to achieve gender equality. However, the position of women in the main religious traditions of the world needs to be revisited because women have traditionally been regarded as inferior to men both physically and intellectually. In Christian countries, the issue of the ordination of women has been a controversial topic, and some Churches face the prospect of dissension, and even schism on this question. The position of women in Islam and Hinduism has been the subject of considerable discussion and controversy. This could be a result of the patriarchal system of those religions. In contrast to main religious traditions, Buddhism maintains a reasonable attitude towards women in the contemporary world where the woman is accorded with respect and rights. From a Buddhist perspective, the woman plays a significant role in the religious, social, economic and political life. This reappraisal has touched the question of the position accorded to women in the main religious traditions of the world. Buddhism accepts human potential without concerning any gender discrimination as male and female. This becomes evident in the way the Buddha conceptualized women as being equal to men in his four-fold division of the Buddhist community as monks (bhikkhu), nuns (bhikkhuni), male devotee (upāsaka), and female devotee (upāsikā). This is a library-based study; therefore, the data for this study were collected from the primary Buddhist teachings and secondary sources.
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    Rural religion in transformation: A sociological study of a buddhist village
    (University of Peradeniya, 2019-03-29) Wickramage, P. D.
    Religion has played a significant role in individual and community life since the very beginning of human civilisation. Religion is deeply embedded in rural society and is an integral part of day-to-day life in that context. The objective of this study was to identify the changes in Buddhism and also to identify the reasons behind the change in the context of the Pandeniya village. A qualitative study was conducted in the Pandeniya village where Buddhism is the prime religion. Ten respondents were selected through purposive sampling. The data collection was done using 10 in-depth interviews and the data were analysed thematically. According to the findings of the study, changes have occurred in several aspects of life: the temple as an institution, the role of the Buddhist monks, power and control, infrastructure facilities, religious education, religious beliefs, norms, festivals and celebrations, rituals, worshipping of gods and goddesses, daily religious practices, recreation and leisure, use of mass media, etc. The temple as a religious centre has undergone change. The temple as a physical building, as well as the way it is organised in the rural setting, has changed. The role of the Buddhist monk in the context of the village has also changed. Shifts in their lifestyle have decreased the time that they can allocate for religion. The norms governing the preparation of alms have changed over time. Similarly, the norms related to offerings and the norm of not questioning what the monk says have changed. Due to media influence, people go in search of "popular temples" and "popular monks". Therefore, the bond they had with the village temple is declining. Furthermore, different developments like the increase in the use of technology and communication and the changes in lifestyle and urbanisation could be identified as the main factors which have led to changes in Buddhist practices. Based on this study, it can be concluded that the changes in Buddhist practices in the Pandeniya village have occurred in numerous ways. The change in the lifestyle and the attitudes of the individuals were identified as the developments, which have resulted in changes in Buddhist practices in this village.