Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c16.54

c16.54

**Eligibility of Women and Śūdras for Education.** The *Mīmāṁsā* throws some light on the status of women and Śūdras and their place in the intellectual and religious life of the country. In discussing the *adhikāra vidhis* or the eligibility for the performance of sacrifices, Jaimini is led on to discuss whether women are to be considered to have that eligibility. The objections to it (the Pūrvapaksha) are thus stated: "Women have no property. What they have rests in the husband. They are bought and sold like goods." To this the answer of the Siddhāntin is to the following effect: Women are as good as men in point of the desire and capacity for performing sacrifices. They may not own property but have control over it. For their consent is obtained to the men's gifts. As regards the payment of dowry by the bride's father, it is made in accordance with the rule of Smriti and not as a commercial transaction. For otherwise the amount of the dowry would vary with the merits of the bride. Besides, it is expressly laid down that the husband and wife must jointly perform the *Yāgas* or sacrifices. Similarly, as regards the status of the Śūdras, Jaimini shows a very liberal spirit. He begins by postulating that sacrifices must not be mechanically but intelligently performed to be efficacious. Thus emphasis is laid upon a man's merit rather than his caste. The disability of the Śūdras is limited only to the Āgneya Yāgas and due to some express texts (viz. that of the Rishi Ātreya) [Jaimini, vi, i, 1–7]. Jaimini takes his stand upon the opinion of Bādari that all without any distinction desiring heaven can perform sacrifice. Thus the religious life was open both to women and Śūdras according to the *Mīmāṁsā* which means that they could acquire the necessary intellectual equipment for it.