[mXr8icOB]

I don't come forward with this out of any disrespect to Buddhism or the Pali Canon. I come at it out of a need to understand - possibly how one should view the Pali Canon, how one may see it in it's cultural context.

I'm learning and seeking. I've been reading through the Digha Nikaya and came across this part from the Mahaparinibbana Sutta:

how are we to conduct ourselves, lord with regard to womandkind?
'as not seeing them, Ananda'
'But if we should see them, what are we to do?'
'No talking, Ananda.'
'But if they should speak to us, lord, what are we to do?'
'Keep wide awake, Ananda. I typed that out from the translation I was reading - but you can read another translation here: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipit....1-6.vaji.html after the four places of pilgrimage.

How should one view this text which I see as completely primitive.

I'm not ready to throw out the whole text. There's been a lot of good I've got out of it.

I must make it known again - I am not attacking Buddhism. I am trying to understand it better.