Woman - Entirely A Snare of Māra

This article looks back at the controversial statement “Women – entirely a snare of Māra” in the Pāli Canon and how it has been interpreted over time. In the context of ancient India, Brahmanical thought regarded women as inferior and subordinate, and even some Buddhist texts appear to view women as sources of temptation and danger. However, looking closely at the suttas and context, the Buddha’s intention was not to degrade women, but to use powerful imagery and possibly the most easily fallen traps for humans to warn bhikkhus about lust and attachment in general. Research shows that the Buddha acknowledged the physiological and social difficulties that women face, affirmed their capacity for enlightenment as equal to men, and even established the bhikkhunī Sangha as a parallel organization to the Bhikkhu Sangha. By returning the statement to its original pedagogical intent, it can be seen that Buddhism is not inherently sexist; it is misinterpretations over time that have obscured its message of equality, compassion, and liberation for all, regardless of gender.