1Assistant Professor, Department of Buddhist Studies, University of Jammu. Email: dr.rajeshsharma@jammuuniversity.ac.in
2Academic Coordinator, Kathua Campus, University of Jammu. Email: buddhistvivek@gmail.com
3Assistant Professor, School of Teacher Education, Cluster University of Jammu. Email: paramjeetkourhgr@gmail.com; ORCID: 0000-0002-9434-9152
4Lecturer in History, GDC Kunjwani, Jammu. Email: ajaysambyal21@gmail.com
5Research Scholar, Department of Buddhist Studies, University of Jammu. Email: sharmaginni46@gmail.com
6Assistant Professor, The Law School, University of Jammu. Email: rk20408@gmail.com
This article embarks on a diachronic analysis of the social standing and roles of women in the Indian subcontinent, tracing the trajectory from the early Rig Vedic period through to the interventions of Buddhism in the 6th century BCE. Challenging the notion of a static patriarchal history, the paper posits that the status of women has been a dynamic variable, deeply influenced by evolving socio-economic structures, religious interpretations, and institutional stabilization. Drawing upon classical texts and historical references, the study initially establishes the relatively egalitarian fabric of early Vedic society, where women like Ghosha, Maitreyi, and Gargi were not only educated but also active participants in philosophical discourse and religious rituals. It argues that this period represented a zenith of gender symmetry, where biological differentiation did not translate into social subordination. Subsequently, the paper examines the gradual, yet profound, regression in the later Vedic and post-Vedic eras. It analyzes how the solidification of the family unit, the codification of property rights, and the monopolization of ritualistic knowledge by a priestly class led to the systemic marginalization of women. This phase witnessed the denial of educational rights (Vedas), the restriction of religious autonomy, and the emergence of regressive practices such as the prohibition of widow remarriage and the early origins of Sati. Finally, the paper evaluates the catalytic role of Buddhism in the 6th century BCE as a counter-hegemonic force. By analyzing the Buddha's decision to establish the Bhikkhuni order (nuns), the study highlights how the Sangha served as an alternative social space that transcended the prevailing caste and gender hierarchies, offering women a path to spiritual liberation and social autonomy denied to them in the mainstream Vedic framework. The article concludes that the history of women in India is not linear but cyclical, marked by periods of contraction and expansion of rights, with the Buddhist response serving as a critical juncture in the long struggle for gender equity.
Keywords: Gender Studies, Status of Women, Patriarchy, Rig Veda, Buddhism, Bhikkhuni Sangha, Social Stratification and Women's Emancipation
How to cite this article: Sharma R, Sharma V, Kour P, Sambyal AS, Sharma G, Kumar R. The Silent Revolution: How 6th Century BCE Buddhist Doctrines Anticipated 21st Century Gender Discourse. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(11s): 121-125; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.11s.15.
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: Nil