The roles of women within the Hindu, Confucian, and Buddhist societies are comparable in a lot of different ways. Women are not the ones with the power. Men control almost everything, including the women in some cases. Women, I believe, had it very hard in these societies. In reading Lessons for Women, The Discipline Basket, and Laws of Manu, I have a much better understanding of the roles of women then and their rights as well.
             The Lessons for Women is a document explaining the Confucian society's look on women and their roles. In the Confucian Classics, women were not mentioned very frequently, suggesting that the reason for this is because they did not mean much in the society. Beginning at birth, the rules and restrictions are practiced. On the third day after the birth of the girl, she is put below the bed. This act indicates that she is "weak and lowly" (Lessons of Women, p.153). It is also suggesting that she should "humble" herself before others. On the same day, she is given a potsherd (piece of broken pottery). The baby is given this to play with. The potsherd signifies labor and that she should be industrious above all things. Lastly, the birth is announced to her ancestors by an offering. This is done so that it is known that her primary duty is to continue worship in the home. These three acts symbolize the rest of the baby's life.
             "Let a women modestly yield to others; let her respect others; let her put others first; herself last" (Lessons of Women, p.153). The sentence alone describes how women must be humble and listen and obey everyone else. Women may not talk back to people who do evil to them. Women cannot speak about the good things that they did. Women were given no freedom to say what they wanted or to act upon other's reactions toward her. Within the Lessons of Women is a list of things that women must do in order to be industrious. They ...