The Period of Jainism and Buddhism and Status of women:

1. Jainism and Buddhism took roots around the 6th century B.C. Both the religions emerged as potent religious reform movements. "The post-vedic varna divided society and the ritualistic domination of the priestly class of the Brahmanas led to the emergence of Jainism and Buddhism as protest movements. Jainism emerged as a religion distinct from Hinduism. Though it recognised the existence of the gods, it placed them lower than the Mahavira (Jina).

2. Jainism made the first serious attempt to mitigate the evils of the varna order and the ritualistic vedic religion. Women were admitted to the religious order and could give up family life to become ascetics. During the time of Mahavira, a large number of women drawn from different backgrounds joined the monastic order. In Jaina literature there are references to women who had achieved remarkable success as ascetics. Buddhism did not recognise the existence of god and soul (atman). This was a kind of revolution in the history of Indian religions. It appealed to the common people. It particularly won the support of the lower orders as it attacked the varna system. Buddhism permitted women to participate in religious discourses and seek membership in Sangha. Many women monks composed verses, which came to be known as Therigatha.

The high status women enjoyed during the early Rig Vedic period gradually started deteriorating in the late Vedic period between 1000 and 500 B.C. Women began to be confined to the household. Because of the importance given to values such as purity (ritual cleanliness) and pollution (ritual impurity or contamination) women began to be considered impure during certain of their life. They were kept away from many religious and social occasions. Lineage began to be traced in the male line and some were the sole heirs to family property.

4. As the economic and social status of sons began to rise, the position of women saw a steep decline. The strong belief of the day was that only a male heir could save his parents from the cycle of rebirth. Since a daughter left her parental home after marriage, it was the son who was left with the responsibility of caring for parents in their old age. This further added value to the sons.

5. A woman's place was the home and her primary responsibility was to bear sons and ensure the continuity of the family lineage. A husband's rights over his wife were total and he had the freedom to go for another marriage, if his wife failed to beget sons. A woman was kept constantly under male control and lost her right to seek knowledge. Over a period of time, marriageable age was also lowered.

6. Though there was a general decline in the status of women in the post Rig Vedic period. But there were still instances of women intellectuals who showed great scholarship. Gargi and Maitreyi are the most well known women scholars of this period. There are also references to women studying the Vedas and going through initiation rituals. But by and large the position of women went on witnessing a steady decline and reached an all time low during the age of the Dharmashastras.