Buddhist Women Across Cultures: Realizations (S U N Y Series in Feminist Philosphy)

__Illuminates the lives and thought of women in Buddhist cultures, integrating them more fully into the feminist conversation.__"The topics of women and feminist interpretation have become very important in many academic fields in the humanities and social sciences. Buddhist studies is no exception. Indeed, the feminine, women, sexuality, and gender have virtually become a subfield in Buddhist studies. So, the topic of this book is important in its own right but also for what it contributes to other fields. What strikes me as especially valuable about this volume is its relatively synoptic/inclusive nature, thereby giving it a very timely role in the current literature on Buddhism, women, and sexuality." -- Donald K. Swearer, author of __The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia__Scholars and practitioners from a variety of Buddhist cultures, philosophical traditions, and academic disciplines analyze important dimensions of the new cross-cultural Buddhist women's movement: the status and experiences of women in Buddhist societies, feminist interpretation of Buddhist tenets, and the relationship of women to Buddhist institutions. __Buddhist Women Across Cultures__ documents both women's struggle for religious equality in Asian Buddhist cultures as well as the process of creating Buddhist feminist identity across national and ethnic boundaries as Buddhism gains attention in the West. The book contributes significantly to an understanding of women and religion in both Western and non-Western cultures.Contributors include Paula Arai, Cait Collins, Lorna Devaraja, Beata Grant, Rita Gross, Theja Gunawardhana, Elizabeth Harris, Anne Klein, Sarah Pinto, Dharmacharini Sanghadevi, Sara Shneiderman, Haeju Sunim (Ho-Ryeaon Jeon), Senarat Wijayasundara, and Janice D. Willis."What I like most about this book is the scope--feminism/Buddhism--in cross cultural contexts. There is no other book like it. __Buddhist Women Across Cultures__ articulates vital strands of the process which the author so aptly terms the feminization of Buddhism."This is the only anthology that really works with these issues from cross cultural and feminist perspectives. This insight makes the anthology stand out in the rapidly growing area of Buddhism/feminism--perhaps the key book to reconfigure the field at present and for some time to come." -- Jeffner Allen, State University of New York at Binghamton Illuminates the lives and thought of women in Buddhist cultures, integrating them more fully into the feminist conversation. "The topics of women and feminist interpretation have become very important in many academic fields in the humanities and social sciences. Buddhist studies is no exception. Indeed, the feminine, women, sexuality, and gender have virtually become a subfield in Buddhist studies. So, the topic of this book is important in its own right but also for what it contributes to other fields. What strikes me as especially valuable about this volume is its relatively synoptic/inclusive nature, thereby giving it a very timely role in the current literature on Buddhism, women, and sexuality." -- Donald K. Swearer, author of The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia Scholars and practitioners from a variety of Buddhist cultures, philosophical traditions, and academic disciplines analyze important dimensions of the new cross-cultural Buddhist women's movement: the status and experiences of women in Buddhist societies, feminist interpretation of Buddhist tenets, and the relationship of women to Buddhist institutions. Buddhist Women Across Cultures documents both women's struggle for religious equality in Asian Buddhist cultures as well as the process of creating Buddhist feminist identity across national and ethnic boundaries as Buddhism gains attention in the West. The book contributes significantly to an understanding of women and religion in both Western and non-Western cultures. Contributors include Paula Arai, Cait Collins, Lorna Devaraja, Beata Grant, Rita Gross, Theja Gunawardhana, Elizabeth Harris, Anne Klein, Sarah Pinto, Dharmacharini Sanghadevi, Sara Shneiderman, Haeju Sunim (Ho-Ryeaon Jeon), Senarat Wijayasundara, and Janice D. Willis. "What I like most about this book is the scope--feminism/Buddhism--in cross cultural contexts. There is no other book like it. Buddhist Women Across Cultures articulates vital strands of the process which the author so aptly terms the feminization of Buddhism. "This is the only anthology that really works with these issues from cross cultural and feminist perspectives. This insight makes the anthology stand out in the rapidly growing area of Buddhism/feminism--perhaps the key book to reconfigure the field at present and for some time to come." -- Jeffner Allen, State University of New York at Binghamton Scholars And Practitioners From A Variety Of Buddhist Cultures, Philosophical Traditions, And Academic Disciplines Analyze Important Dimensions Of The New Cross-cultural Buddhist Women's Movement: The Status And Experiences Of Women In Buddhist Societies, Feminist Interpretation Of Buddhist Tenets, And The Relationship Of Women To Buddhist Institutions. Buddhist Women Across Cultures Documents Both Women's Struggle For Religious Equality In Asian Buddhist Cultures As Well As The Process Of Creating Buddhist Feminist Identity Across National And Ethnic Boundaries As Buddhism Gains Attention In The West. The Book Contributes Significantly To An Understanding Of Women And Religion In Both Western And Non-western Cultures.--book Jacket. Mahāprajāpatī's Legacy : The Buddhist Women's Movement : An Introduction / Karma Lekshe Tsomo -- The Female In Buddhism / Elizabeth J. Harris -- Buddhist Women In India And Precolonial Sri Lanka / Lorna Dewaraja -- Restoring The Order Of Nuns To The Theravādin Tradition / Senarat Wijayasundara -- The Red Cord Untied : Buddhist Nuns In Eighteenth-century China / Beata Grant -- Japanese Buddhist Nuns : Innovators For The Sake Of Tradition / Paula K.r. Arai -- Can Women Achieve Enlightenment? : A Critique Of Sexual Transformation For Enlightenment / Hae-ju Sunim (ho-ryeon Jeon) -- Tibetan Buddhist Women Practitioners, Past And Present : A Garland To Delight Those Wishing Inspiration / Janice D. Willis -- Pregnancy And Childbirth In Tibetan Culture / Sarah Pinto -- Change In Consciousness : Women's Religious Identity In Himalayan Buddhist Cultures / Karma Lekshe Tsomo -- Conception And The Entry Of Consciousness : When Does A Life Begin? / Cait Collins -- East, West, Women, And Self / Anne C. Klein -- Appropriate Treasure? : Reflections On Women, Buddhism, And Cross-cultural Exchange / Sara Shneiderman -- Comparing Buddhist And Christian Women's Experiences / Karma Lekshe Tsomo -- Aung San Suu Kyi : A Woman Of Conscience In Burma / Theja Gunawardhana -- A Model For Laywomen In Buddhism : The Western Buddhist Order / Dharmacharini Sanghadevi -- Feminism, Lay Buddhism, And The Future Of Buddhism / Rita M. Gross -- Epilogue / Karma Lekshe Tsomo. Edited By Karma Lekshe Tsomo. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 299-306) And Index. Illuminates the lives and thought of women in Buddhist cultures, integrating them more fully into the feminist conversation.Scholars and practitioners from a variety of Buddhist cultures, philosophical traditions, and academic disciplines analyze important dimensions of the new cross-cultural Buddhist women's movement: the status and experiences of women in Buddhist societies, feminist interpretation of Buddhist tenets, and the relationship of women to Buddhist institutions. Buddhist Women Across Cultures documents both women's struggle for religious equality in Asian Buddhist cultures as well as the process of creating Buddhist feminist identity across national and ethnic boundaries as Buddhism gains attention in the West. The book contributes significantly to an understanding of women and religion in both Western and non-Western cultures.[Contributors include Paula Arai, Cait Collins, Lorna Devaraja, Beata Grant, Rita Gross, Theja Gunawardhana, Elizabeth Harris, Anne Klein, Sarah Pinto, Dharmacharini Sanghadevi, Sara Shneiderman, Haeju Sunim (Ho-Ryeaon Jeon), Senarat Wijayasundara, and Janice D. Willis.]Karma Lekshe Tsomo is Instructor of Buddhism at Chaminade University and Degree Fellow at the East-West Center. She has written several books including Sisters in Solitude: Two Traditions of Buddhist Monastic Ethics for Women, also published by SUNY Press, and most recently, Living and Dying in Buddhist Cultures (with David W. Chappell).