What the ancient Buddhists thought of women
wearing veils
A veil
(oguṇthikā)
is a piece of cloth used as a covering. Some religions and cultures require women to veil themselves
in public, considering it to be a sign of modesty. The Bible says
women should veil themselves while in church (1 Corinthians 1,
4-16) and the sheer veil Western brides wear during their
marriage is a leftover of this practice. In most Islamic
cultures women must wear a veil to cover their hair or sometimes
even their whole face when in public. At the time of the
Buddha some women wore a veil although more
as an equivalent to a hat than to conceal the face. But by around
the beginning of the first millennium it was starting to be
considered appropriate for upper-class women and those in royal
households to veil their faces. This was the beginning of what is
called purdah, the exclusion of women from public life, a
trend that became more widespread in India
with the introduction of Islam in the 13th century.
Lalitavistara, a fanciful biography of the Buddha, has an
interesting story pertaining to the issue of female veiling.
According to this work, after Yasodharā was
selected to become Prince Siddhattha’s wife, people criticized her
for not veiling herself in the presence of her father-in-law and
mother-in-law. This was taken to be a sign of immodesty and
willfulness. The Lalitavistara depicts the young women
defending herself in these words. `Those who are restrained in
body and behavior, measured in speech, with senses controlled, calm
and at peace, why should they veil their faces? Even if covered
with a thousand veils, if they are shameless and immodest,
dishonest and devoid of virtue, they live in this world uncovered
and exposed. Even without being veiled if their senses and
their minds are well-guarded, they are faithful to one husband,
never thinking of another, they shine like the sun and the moon. So
why should they veil their faces? The sage reading the minds of
others knows my intentions as do the gods know my conduct and
virtue, my discipline and my modesty. Therefore why should I veil
my face?'
Although this story is apocryphal it is in
harmony with the Buddha's idea that the psychological and the
internal are more important than the material and the
external.
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