Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c12.s3.34

v1.c12.s3.34

The part played by women in the spread of Buddhism cannot be ignored or brushed aside as of little importance. On many occasions it was through their influence that whole families were converted to Buddhism. Visākhā and Ambapāli, for instance, rendered signal services to the saṅgha by their munificent gifts and the former's work was more valuable because she became the means of conversion of all the members of her father-in-law's family from Jainism to Buddhism. Anāthapiṇḍika's daughter made it possible through her exertions to establish a centre of Buddhism in Aṅga through the conversion of the whole of her father-in-law's family.¹ The conversion of king Udena was effected through one of her queens named Sāmāvatī.² It was with the help of the Brāhmaṇa girls of Sākya family married at Bhadramukha that Buddha could convert Meṇḍaka gahapati.³ Instances like this can be multiplied to show that ladies helped a good deal in the propagation of Buddhism.