Correct Option
The correct option is 2 only
Explanation
The Buddhist Sangha is the monastic community of ordained monks (bhikkhus) and nuns (bhikkhunis). The establishment of the order for women was a distinct event that occurred several years after the formation of the male order.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Incorrect: Initially, the Sangha was composed exclusively of men. For the first few years of his ministry, the Buddha ordained only monks.
- Statement 2 is Correct: The Buddha was initially reluctant to admit women into the Sangha. When his foster mother, Mahapajapati Gotami, requested ordination at Kapilavastu, he refused. It was only after she followed him to Vaishali and his disciple Ananda interceded on her behalf three times that the Buddha finally agreed. This acceptance was conditional upon women accepting the Eight Garudhammas (Eight Heavy Rules).
- Statement 3 is Incorrect: The first woman to be ordained as a bhikkhuni was Mahapajapati Gotami, the Buddha's maternal aunt and foster mother. While Yashodhara (the Buddha's wife before renunciation) eventually joined the Sangha and became an arhat, she was not the first to be ordained.
Key Takeaway: The Order of Nuns (Bhikkhuni Sangha) was established at Vaishali with Mahapajapati Gotami as the first nun, following the persuasion of Ananda and the acceptance of strict disciplinary rules.