+1 vote
by (150 points)

Can a Female attain Nibbana (Nirvana) or first she needs to be reincarnated as a Male in the next life to attain Nibbana (Nirvana) ? Has there been any mention of this by Buddha ? Thank you.

2 Answers

+2 votes
by (8.5k points)

Yes they can. Enlightenment depends on development of the mind. The idea of a man or a woman is a concept and has no basis in reality. You can not find a man or a woman in a moment of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, or thinking. So, the question itself is based on wrong understanding of reality. 

You can see the Soma Sutta where a nun responds to this very question:

What

 difference

does being a woman make

when the mind's well-centered,

when knowledge is progressing,

seeing clearly, rightly,

 into the Dhamma.

Anyone who thinks

 'I'm a woman'

 or 'a man'

or 'Am I anything at all?' —

 that's who Mara's

 fit to address.

0 votes
by (18.8k points)

There are three modes of attaining Nibbana:

  1. Buddha
  2. Pacceka Buddha
  3. Arahath

 A woman can attain Nibbana through attaining Arahanthship.  Many women attained enlightenment during the time of the Buddha and after.

Welcome to Sirimangalo Q&A, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of the community.
...