Women in Buddhism

The article analyzes the role and status of women in the Buddhist world. The question of a woman in Buddhism remained little studied for a long time, however, today interest in this topic has increased significantly due to the active work of Western Buddhist nuns. They engaged in gender studies in Buddhism, focusing on overcoming patriarchy in the Buddhist hierarchical system and restoring the full ordination of nuns in the Tibetan context. The feminization of Buddhist monasticism and the activation of Buddhist laywomen are the result of the growing role of women in the monastic environment, science, education, and public life. The article proposes to look at the status of nuns and laywomen in Buddhism from the standpoint of their role and activities in the modern world, their achievements in science, education, and public merits in promoting Buddhist values. There has never been an institution of female monasticism in the Russian Buddhist regions, but Buddhist laywomen took vows of shabgansa and practiced every day. In the post-Soviet Buryatia Buddhist women's communities have become more active, they were characterized by organized religious life and social activities. The only Buddhist women's datsan in Russia "Zungon Darzhaling" located in the Republic of Buryatia makes a significant contribution to the spiritual life of laywomen.