Two prominent names, Khema and Uppalavanna, were popular bhikkunis appointed by Buddha in his fold. But the major question that arises is the condition of women in the Buddhist literature. This mini- volume covers the most crucial aspect of the Buddhist world, which is the depiction of women. The author of this book covers the Pali sources composed by the early Sanghas to reconstruct the position of women in Buddhist society. Firstly, this volume touches on the issues pertaining to marriage, slavery, the position of nautch girls and prostitution, and the education system in the Buddhist literature. And finally, it features the relationship between women and Buddhism, the nunnery system, and a description of the famous Buddhist women.

Bimala Churn Law (1892-1969) was an Indologist and a research fellow for the Royal Asiatic Society. He authored books on Buddhism, Jainism, and the geographical history of India. In 1935, he established the D.B.C. Law Trust Fund at the Royal Asiatic Society.

Buddhism in spite of its catholic ideas did not at first place women on a level with men. Nevertheless women played not an inconspicuous part in the early history of Buddhism. And we quite agree with Mrs. Rhys Davids that through and in Buddhism the Indian women secured a real advance. But the advance was the work of the women themselves. "Women fought their own battle along the line all the time and forced the hand of the good but reluctant saviours of women." It was women who made men and their churches recognise them (women). It is true that the nuns by the rules of their order rank lower than monks. A nun of even a hundred years standing was to rise and respectfully salute even the youngest monk; she must submit to receive admonition from him. Further a nun may not keep vassa in a district in which no monk is resident (Cullavagga, X., I., S. B. E., XX., 323). It is probable that the ordination of women as bhikkhunis and the establishment of nunneries are in reality due to a later age than that of the founder of Buddhism. The institution has never become popular or gained a strong hold in any Buddhist country and the number of the nuns has always been small relatively to the number of monks. Buddha was never tired of describing the defects and vices of women and warning the monks to guard against them. (Hastings, Encyclopedialike of Religion and Ethics, V., p. 453). But it should not be ascribed merely to contempt for the weaker sex, for similar warnings are given to women as regards the wickedness of men (cf. A. N., IV., 196-197). Prof. Hopkins has recorded his views about women in his well-known work, "Ethics of India." He says that women are reviled as being "torches that light the way to hell," and even the popular teaching of the Jatakas is full of diatribes against them, not only wicked women, but, as is expressly said, "all women." The Bodhisatta himself calls a great congregation together, and he and other saints recount all the stories against women that they can remember, proving that women in general are a debauched and worthless set of beings, some of these stories being heightened by deliberate falsification of traditional material. to guard against them. (Hastings, Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics, V., p. 453). But it should not be ascribed merely to contempt for the weaker sex, for similar warnings are given to women as regards the wickedness of men (cf. A. N., IV., 196-197). Prof. Hopkins has recorded his views about women in his well-known work, "Ethics of India." He says that women are reviled as being "torches that light the way to hell," and even the popular teaching of the Jatakas is full of diatribes against them, not only wicked women, but, as is expressly said, "all women." The Bodhisatta himself calls a great congregation together, and he and other saints recount all the stories against women that they can remember, proving that women in general are a debauched and worthless set of beings, some of these stories being heightened by deliberate falsification of traditional material. The burden of these exhortations is that "all women go wrong if given opportunity." Narada, a great saint, says that oceans, kings, Brahmanas and women are the four insatiate. (Cf. Kunala Jataka, Fausboll, No. 536). At the same time, duty to parents is imperative and the "mother is the way to heaven." She must always be tenderly cared for. Moreover nuns were soon admitted into the Buddhistic Order, and though they were not allowed to be autonomous they were highly respected. The diatribes seem to be intended for monkish recluses, to guard them in the main against losing their accumulated merits by unholy imaginings.