Women in Buddhism

[Nenka]

I found some interesting YouTube videos today from a Global Buddhist Conference that was held a few years ago on women in buddhism. I thought I'd share them, in light of this weekend's retreat, the second day of which will feature a dedication to female ancestors.

This one, with Dr. Karma Lekshe Tsomo, discusses some inequalities for women in Buddhism around the world, and provides some info on some of our women ancestors:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbAijRlg0-E&feature=player_embedded#[/video]]

... _embedded#!

And this is a Q&A about the ordination of women:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O10XPiF1wJw&feature=related[/video]]

... re=related

Hope these are of interest!

Gassho,

Jennifer

[Jundo]

Re: Women in Buddhism

Thank you Jennifer.

The list of Women Ancestors we will be chanting the second morning is here. By the way, although not decided yet which one (and we still have quite a bit of time until we get there), our next book for the Treeleaf Book Club ... after we finish reading about the Traditional (All Boys) Lineage ... will be either ...

Zen Women: Beyond Tea Ladies, Iron Maidens, and Macho Masters by Grace Schireson
http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Women-Beyond- ... 189&sr=8-1

Women of the Way: Discovering 2,500 Years of Buddhist Wisdom by Sallie Tisdale
http://www.amazon.com/Women-Way-Discove ... 269&sr=1-1

Most of the women on the list are mentioned in these books, plus Jiho Sargent who I consider one of my teachers who was important to founding Treeleaf ...

(about Jiho)
http://www.treeleaf.org/sit-a-long/with ... assed.html

Prajna Paramita Dai osho, Mother of All Buddhas *
Maha Maya Dai osho, Birth Mother of Buddha *
Yasodhara Dai osho, Wife of Buddha *
Mahapajapati Gotami Dai osho, Adopted Mother of Buddha and Founder of the Nun’s Sangha *
Srimala Dai osho. Mother of All Lay Disciples*
Khema Dai osho
Sundarinanda Dai osho
Patacara Dai osho, Who overcame great grief
Bhadda Kundalakesa Dai osho
Sumana Dai osho, Who nursed others
Kisagotami Dai osho, Who sought the mustard seed
Dhamma Dai osho, Whose husband refused to allow
Uppalavanna Dai osho, Who was a victim of violence
Soma Dai osho
Sakula Dai osho
Bhadda Kapilani Dai osho
Singalaka mata Dai osho
Samavati Dai osho
Sanghamitta Theri Dai osho
Prasannasilla Dai osho
Jingjian Dai osho
Myoren Dai osho, Twining Vine of Bodhidharma
Empress Wu Dai osho
Laywoman Lingzhao Dai osho
Ling Xingpo Dai osho
Moshan Liaoran Dai osho *
Liu Tiemo Dai osho
Miaoxin Dai osho
Shiji Dai osho
Juhan Daojen Dai osho
Huiguang Dai osho
Huiwen Dai osho
Fadeng Dai osho
Yu Daopo Dai osho
Zhidong Dai osho
Wenzhao Dai osho
Miaohui Dai osho
Jizong Xingche Dai osho
Jifu Zukui Dai osho
Shenyi Dai osho
Zenshin Dai osho
Empress K?my? Dai osho
Ryonen Dai osho
Shogaku Dai osho
Egi Dai osho *, Disciple and nurse of Eihei Dogen Dai osho
Kakuzan Shido Dai osho
Ekan Daishi Dai osho. Abbess and mother of Keizan Dai osho
Kont? Ekyu Dai osho *, First among Soto women heirs in Japan
Mokufu Sonin Dai osho
Soitsu Dai osho
Eshun Dai osho, Who transcended physical beauty
Y?d? Dai osho
Kodai-in Dai osho
Soshin-ni Dai osho
Tenshu Dai osho
Daitsu Bunchi Dai osho
Tachibana no Someko Dai osho
Tokugon Riho Dai osho
Teijitsu Dai osho
Otagaki Rengetsu Dai osho
Mizuno Tenmy? Jorin Dai osho
Hori Mitsujo Dai osho
Nagasawa Sozen Dai osho
Kend? Kojima Dai osho, And all who sought reforms and equality
Kasai Joshin Dai osho, Who brought sewing of the Kesa to the West
Ruth Eryu Jokei Fuller Dai osho
Jiho Sargent Dai osho *

and to all other Honored Ones throughout history, Male and Female Honored Ones, whose names have been forgotten or left unsaid.

[Engyo]

Re: Women in Buddhism

It needs repeating:

An ancient tradition describes Prajñatara as a woman master in eastern India. Originally, she was a homeless person who made her living by begging. One day she encountered Punyamitra, a master from southern India and became his disciple. Punyamitra considered her to be a manifestation of Mahastamaprapta, the Bodhisattva of Great Strength of Compassion.

In time, Prajñatara became a great master in her own right and was considered leader of the Sarvastivadin sect of Buddhism. She employed the Lankavatara Sutra in her teaching.

Later she traveled to southern India and was invited by King Simhavarman to teach. The king's youngest son, Bodhitara, showed special abilities and Prajñatara ordained him and gave him the name, Bodhidharma. After training him in meditation, she advised him to go to China.

"The knowledge that Bodhidharma had a woman master seems to have been lost in China after a few generations, because in written Chinese, gender is inferred from context rather than stated explicitly. Prajñatara's gender and details about her life have been established from three different sources. First, archeological discoveries have confirmed the existence of this great woman teacher in southern India. Second: the historical and oral traditions of the people of the state of Kerala provide details about the lives of both Prajñatara and Bodhidharma. Third, information transmitted through the Zen lineages of Korea confirm the information." - Rev. Koten Benson of Lions gate Buddhist Priory

Source: http://www.zenwomen.com/2010/04/prajnatara.html

...and all the stories of women in Buddhism generally, as well as Zen particularly, need to be told and be read by men.
Hopefully also, we will have some female Novice Zen Priests here. Time to balance the books from both ends.

Gassho,
Don

[Nindo]

Re: Women in Buddhism

Thank you Don, this is very interesting. Unfortunately the full text does not seem to be online.

[Engyo]

Re: Women in Buddhism

Thank you Don, this is very interesting. Unfortunately the full text does not seem to be online.

Hello Nindo,
Thank you for responding.
I have written Rev. K?ten Benson at Lions Gate Buddhist Priory to request a copy of the full article and permission to post it here.
I notice through the home page of their website, though, that in addition to a group in Vancouver and the Priory in Lytton, B.C., they have a sitting group in Edmonton. They may also have a copy. Their particulars are here:

http://www.lionsgatebuddhistpriory.ca/Newsletter/NL%20WPA%20Schedule.htm

Gassho,
Don

[Engyo]

Re: Women in Buddhism

Thank you Don, this is very interesting. Unfortunately the full text does not seem to be online.

Hello Nindo,
Thank you for responding.
I have written Rev. K?ten Benson at Lions Gate Buddhist Priory to request a copy of the full article and permission to post it here.
I notice through the home page of their website, though, that in addition to a group in Vancouver and the Priory in Lytton, B.C., they have a sitting group in Edmonton. They may also have a copy. Their particulars are here:

http://www.lionsgatebuddhistpriory.ca/Newsletter/NL%20WPA%20Schedule.htm

Gassho,
Don

Full text of article received:

Prajnatara

When Rev. Master Jiyu was in Japan Koho Zenji told her that there were women masters in our direct Ancestral Line and she gave me the task of trying to find them. The following is the result, thanks in large part to monks of the Korean Zen tradition as well as lay people from the Indian state of Kerela who have handed down and treasured the memory of Prajnatara.

Bodhidharma's master, Prajnatara (Hannytara), was originally a homeless person. She wandered all over Eastern India and nobody knew her name or where she came from because she was an orphan who did not even know her own name. She called herself Keyura, which means "Bracelet" or "Necklace" and made her living by begging. One day she encountered the Great Master Punyamitra (Funyomitta), who was from Southern India and, remembering the Dharma connection between them from previous existences, became his disciple. Punyamitra considered her to be a manifestation of the Bodhisattva Mahastamaprapta (Great Strength of Compassion). Keyura renounced the world, taking the ordination name of Prajnatara. She became a great and accomplished master known for her marvelous spiritual abilities, a great Mahayana yogini (one who was realized true union with Great Compassion), and accomplished Siddhi (one with all the spiritual powers) and having the divine eye; seeing far and near, past and future.

Although she was considered to be head of the Sarvastivadins, her teaching was not limited to any one of the philosophical schools of Buddhism then in existence, and she made use of the Lankavatara Sutra as her main teaching scripture.

When the Hun invasions of northern India caused widespread havoc, destabilizing the Gupta Empire, Prajnatara traveled south to the home country of her master Punyamitra. She was invited to teach in Kanchipuram, the capital of the Pallava dynasty of South India, by the reigning king Sinhavaram. Bodhitara, the king’s youngest son, caught her attention due to his spiritual ability and after the death of his father she helped him to become a fully ordained monk giving him the name of Bodhidharma. She trained him in all aspects of meditation and told him of his karmic affinity with the people of China. She predicted the eventual demise of the Dharma in India and advised Bodhidharma to go to China after her death.

Prajnatara passed away at the age of sixty-seven amidst many signs and wonders. The stupa erected in her memory was revered for many generations thereafter.

When the time was right Bodhidharma boarded a boat for China from the great port of Mahabalipuram on the east coast of Southern India. He was taking the usual sea route used by traders and travelers of the period including many Buddhist monks heading for the great sutra translation centres in China. A colleague of his, the monk Bodhiruci, had made the trip a number of years before and had become abbot of the Shaolin monastery, built by the Chinese Emperor to accommodate Indian monks. Bodhidharma left behind Prajnatara’s disciples including Buddhasena as well as his own disciple Visvamitra to carry on the lineage in India.



References

The fact of Prajnatara’s gender as well as the details of her life have been established from three different sources. First: archaeological discoveries which have confirmed the existence of the great woman teacher in Southern India. Second: the historical and oral traditions of the people of the state of Kerala, which detail the lives of both Prajnatara and Bodhidharma. Third: information transmitted through the Zen lineages of Korea, which confirm the above.

The knowledge that Bodhidharma had a woman master seems to have been lost in China after a few generations because in written Chinese, gender is inferred from context rather than stated explicitly.


Rev. Koten Benson
Lions Gate Buddhist Priory

[Hans]

Re: Women in Buddhism

Hello,


thank you for your efforts Don!

All the best,

Hans

[Engyo]

Re: Women in Buddhism

One of the challenging things about finding women ancestors is that their names can be shown many ways; there are lists, but no stories; there are stories and names which don't make this or that list; there are announcements of approved list of names (SZBA), but no list with the "feel good" announcement. There are names which have stories attached but need to be translated through a couple Chinese versions of the name, a Korean one and a Japanese one, as well. Then there is this story that Bodhidharma had a female disciple and dharma heir named Ni Zongchi, who is on some Zen lists but not others. The recounting of it goes something like this:

Zongchi was the daughter of a Liang Dynasty emperor. She was ordained a nun at the age of 19 and eventually became a disciple of Bodhidharma, the First Patriarch of Zen. She was one of four dharma heirs of Bodhidharma, meaning that she completely understood his teachings. Zongchi appears in a well-known story about Bodhidharma addressing his disciples, asking them what they had attained:

Daofu said, “My present view is, without being attached to the written word or being detached from the written word, one still engages in the function of the Way.”
Bodhidharma said, “You have my skin.”

Then Zongchi said, “It’s like Ananda seeing the land of the Buddha Akshobhya. Seen once, it isn’t seen again.”
Bodhidharma said, “You have my flesh.”

Daoyu said, “The four elements are originally empty; the five aggregates are nonexistent. There’s not a single dharma to attain.”
Bodhidharma said, “You have my bones.”

Huike made three bows and stood still.
Bodhidharma said, “You have my marrow.”

I first read this story in "Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" by Paul Reps but it is often repeated. Zongchi is sometimes referred to as a lay disciple but shown in this particular account as "the nun Soji" (a Japanese translation of her name?) and she doesn't seem to be on our list, but heh, it's a good story. "Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" is in several pdf forms on the net, this is just one:

http://gyanpedia.in/tft/Resources/books/zen.pdf

Gassho,
Don

[Jundo]

Re: Women in Buddhism

Hi Don,

The names on our list are based primarily on work done by a committee of the Soto Zen Buddhism Association of North America. I am not sure of the exact methods being used, but they have not included several women ancestors who appear to be merely legendary.

http://zenwomen.org/grace-schireson-blo ... -approved/

Thank you for the beautiful information, Don.

Gassho, Jundo

[Onshin]

Re: Women in Buddhism

Great post Don,
Zen Flesh, Zen Bones is a book very dear to me. As a teenager just getting into Zen it was my constant companion. I gave my original copy away to someone and a few years later when I was on hard times a close friend bought me a new copy which I still traesure. Thank you Don for reminding me of this little gem.

Gassho

Joe

[Engyo]

Re: Women in Buddhism

Liu Tiemo (ca. 780-859) was born into a Chinese peasant family that lived near Mount Hua, in north central China. She was a short, plain girl who grew up helping her father farm a rich man's plot of land. The family was poor and often hungry. When she was old enough to leave, she left.

Liu wandered through mountains and towns, often seeking shelter in convents. Eventually she asked to be ordained. She worked hard at study and meditation. After a few years she left the convent and began wandering again.

Liu Tiemo encountered nuns, monks, and teachers, and won a reputation as a fierce debater. When she met Master Zihu, he told Liu Tiemo that he'd heard she was hard to handle.

"Who says this?" asked Liu.
"It's conveyed from left and right," Master Zihu replied.
"Don't fall down, master," she said, and turned to leave.

But Master Zihu perceived that she had become attached to her skills, and he challenged her. Under Zihu's guidance, Liu lost her ego attachment and the need to prove and defend herself.

Liu Tiemo sought out Master Guishan, and studied with him. Master Guishan was a famous teacher with 1,500 students, most of them men. Of these 1,500 he named only 43 his dharma heirs. One of these was Liu Tiemo.

By now people were calling Liu "the Iron Grindstone," because she ground to bits anyone who dared challenge her in debate. It was said she was as sharp as a stone-struck spark.

Blue Cliff Record, Case 24:
The Iron Grindstone is remembered in a koan.
Iron Grindstone Liu arrived at Guishan. Guishan said, "Old cow, you came hah!"
Grindstone said, "In the coming day at Lookout Mountain (Taishan) there is a great assembly to provide monks with a vegetarian meal. Venerable, will you be leaving to go back there?"
Guishan relaxed his body and lay down to sleep.
Grindstone then left.

...and here is a more info regarding Liu Tiemo, as well as comment regarding this exchange: http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/T...ecord,_Case_24

Gassho,
Don