My friend, the irrepressible G.A.D.Sirimal (GADS) who disturbs a hornet’s nest ever so often through the Island newspaper, has met with a rejoinder from J. Abeygunawardhana,(JA) to his article that appeared in The Island of 7th November titled Tragic discrimination against women. GADS states inter alia - "From what I have heard in Bana preaching by Buddhist monks, a woman could become a Buddha if during her journey through Sansara she accrues sufficient merit to be born as a man and then attain Buddhahood." Of course JA has given his own interpretation to the statement by GADS. I do not claim to be an expert on Buddhism, but I would like to state my own views on this subject, depending largely on the freedom of expression permitted by the Buddha as enunciated in the Kalama Sutta.

Referring to the Kalama Sutta the renowned Bhikku Bodhi states: Quote: "The passage (from Kalama Sutta) that has been often cited runs as follows: "Come Kalamas, do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing,nor upon tradition,nor upon rumour, nor upon scripture, nor upon surmise, nor upon axiom, nor upon specious reasoning, nor upon a bias towards a notion pondered over,nor upon another’s seeming ability, nor upon the consideration "The monk is our teacher. When you yourselves know "These things are bad, blamable, censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill," abandon them. When you yourself know: " These things are good, blameless, praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness," enter on and abide by them."- Unquote.

According to my interpretation of the Buddha Dhamma, the aim of every Buddhist should be to follow the Noble Eightfold Path and thereby attain Nibbana. It is not necessary to become a Buddha to achieve this goal. Hence the aim of every Buddhist should be to attain Nibbana and not to become a Buddha. The fact that we have had only one Buddha during a period of over 2500 years when several thousand billions of men and women have been born and died, shows how elusive if not impossible it is for a human being to become a Buddha. JA in his article has stated; Quote: "A Bodhisatva’s journey to Buddhahood or enlightenment in his last birth is a trying experience, a woman is not equal to. For instance the six year period of austerity Prince Siddhartha practised, prior to attaining Buddhahood or Enlightenment in his last birth is a trying experience, a woman is not equal to. - - " Unquote.

My own interpretation is that it is now not necessary to go through the austerity and strictures undergone by Gautama Buddha to achieve Nibbana when he has shown us the Noble Eightfold Path, so that a woman need not go through the austerity undergone by the Buddha anymore, at least until Buddhism lasts in this world. In the final analysis,my view is that a woman could still become a Buddha, although this is not necessary for the ultimate goal of achieving Nibbana.