One of the great world religions that can be found all over the world is Buddhism. It flourished in the Eastern world and made its way into the Western world, joining the ranks of all the other great religions. Like all other major religions in existence, we find that with Buddhism there is a distinct problem in the equality of men and women, especially regarding the duties of both in taking up positions in monasteries and carrying out religious duties. With the following stories with women in early Buddhism, textual evidence has shown indications of what their place in communities was and who they were. The type of women who came forward wanting to become nuns came from all levels of the social pyramid. Examples of some of these women were those who were mothers, those who were widows, and some who left their old lives behind in search of wandering the world. This group of women included those who were wealthy, intelligent, and dignified but were seeking to reach new heights in their spirituality. The extent to which women became nuns was incredible. Challenging social norms and going against what the majority thought, some women went above and beyond disfiguring themselves to even make a point of their devotion. In today's world, one issue considered one of the biggest in Buddhism is gender. equality in monasteries and the suppression of women who want to be devout. Returning to the story of when Buddha was still alive, we observe how he initially refused to admit women into the monastery but later reluctantly allowed women into the sangha. Even though Buddha had admitted women into the sangha, many rules were instilled in them and they were left under the rule of... middle of paper... and the moment came, she was expected to be a substitute for her husband in the affairs of family if he was not present. Another expectation of a wife in Buddhism was to familiarize herself with any business or craft she was involved in, so that in case he was absent, she would be able to take over. Works Cited • "Library". Gender and sexuality. Np, nd Web. April 23, 2014.• “Buddhist Studies: Buddhism and Women: Position of Women.” Buddhist Studies: Buddhism and Women: Position of Women. Np, nd Web. April 22, 2014.• “Buddhism and Women: Is Buddhism a Sexist Religion?” Buddhism on About.com. Np, nd Web. April 22, 2014.• Gender equality in Buddhism." Home. Np, nd Web. April 23, 2014.• "Encyclopedia of Philosophy on the Internet." Buddha []. Np, nd Web. April 23, 2014. • “STATE OF WOMEN IN BUDDHISM.” Status of Women in Buddhism. Np, nd Web. 23 April. 2014.