Leading to Liberation 12th Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women Bangkok, Thailand June 12 to 18, 2011 Edited by Karma Lekshe Tsomo © Copyright 2011 Sakyadhita No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the editor. Leading to Liberation TABLE OF CONTENTS Buddhist Women of the World Leading Buddhist Women of Ancient India. 1 Rupali Mokashi Portrait of a Buddhist Women’s Community in Suburban Tangerang. 5 Venita Tanusuwito Sakyadhita: Expanding the Frontiers of Buddhist Women & Global Linking. 7 Thich Nu Nhu Nguyet The Effect of Japanese Feudalistic Residues on Lay Buddhist Women in Japan. 12 Aiko Mizuno Buddhist Women of Buryatia. 16 Ayakova Zhargal Leading Buddhist Women Buddhist Women & the Universal Monarch Concept. 20 Kustiani The Question of Lineage from Women’s Perspectives: Buddhist Women & Political Power in Bangladesh. 26 Wasfia Nazreen Womens’ Leadership & the Buddhist Concept of Non-self. 30 Eun-su Cho The Invisible Heir. 35 Yu-chen Li The Question of Lineage in Tibetan Buddhism: A Woman’s Perspective. 39 Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo Learning to Lead & Leading to Learn: An Awakening Journey to Leadership. 42 Christie Chang New Directions for Buddhist Social Transformation The Socio-religious Roots of Violence Against Women in Thailand & Southeast Asia. 47 Bhikkhuni Rattanavali The Alienation of Lay Buddhist Women in the Buddhist Reform Movements in Korea.. 51 Jong-in Kim Theravada Bhikkhunis & Social Development in Thailand. 55 Bhikkhuni Silananda Dhamma Economics: a Radical & Creative Approach to Mindful System Change. 56 Susmita Barua Disability Access to Buddhist Temples.. 62 Diana Cousens Buddhist Women & Global Sustainability Mother Nature & the Nature of Mothers: On the Environmental Impacts of Gender Essentialism. 65 Hsiao-Lan Hu The Mind of Sentient Beings as the Ontological Ground for Ecological Awareness. 73 Nancy Feng-chu Cheng Compassion towards Mother Earth: The Earth Does Not Belong to Human Begins, Human Beings Belong to the Earth. 78 Bhiksuni Chuehmen Self-realization: Ecological Consciousness in the Lankavatara Sutra . 83 Susan Su-chen Wu Animal Release in Taiwanese Buddhism: When Buddhist Ethics, Animals & Ecology Meet. 87 Chialuen Chen The Mystical Mass Migration of Elephants in Catastrophic Cambodia: Moral Chaos, Sanctuaries, & Voluntary Displacement.. 91 Napakadol Kittisenee “May All Sentient Beings Be Well & Happy”: Let’s Make it a Reality for Our Animal Friends. 95 Karma Tashi Choedron The Many Forms of Compassion The Brahmaviharas in Action: Compassionate Social Activism in Cambodia. 102 Beth Goldring A Buddhist Nun’s Encounters with the Charter for Compassion. 105 Guo Cheen Shi Teaching Dhamma in Prison.. 110 Ranjani de Silva The Triangulation of Vectors Where “Time Stops”: The Source of All Suffering. 113 Barbara Wright Buddhist Women as Scholars & Educators Gender, Buddhism & Education: Dhamma & Social Transformation in the Theravada Tradition. 117 Emma Tomalin Buddhist Nuns & the Educational Reform in Thailand. 123 Monica Lindberg Falk Bhikkhuni Education In Fujian Province: The Case Of Minnan Buddhist Nuns’ College. 127 Rujing Mao Monastic Education for Nuns at Dong Hak Temple in Korea. 131 Dong Goen Sunim Perceptions, Aspirations, & Opportunities: Bhutanese Women & Buddhist Scholarship. 134 Tenzin Dadon (Sonam Wangmo) Peaceful Mind, Peaceful World From Zhaigu to Bhikkhuni: The Story of a Chinese Malaysian Buddhist Nun. 141 Ong Yee Choo Popular Guanyin Worship in Taiwan. 146 Ruting Xiao Why Walk? Walking Meditation & Spiritual Pilgrimage: Asian & Western Perspectives on Embodied Spirituality.. 151 Suellen S. Semekoski Buddhist Representations of Spiritual Attainment: What Monastic Women Can Teach Westerners about Virtue. 155 Carol L. Winkelmann Buddhist Travel & Cultural Exchange in Thailand. 159 Brooke Schedneck Speaking of Other Religions... The Establishment of Vedic Sannyas for Women.. 163 Sister Saradeshaprana Birthing Liberation: The Blood & Ink of Leaving Oppression. 168 Bonna Devora Haberman When Silence Hurts. 174 Malia Dominica Wong Islam Means to Make Peace. 181 Bhikkhuni Lee & Bayatee Dueraman Mother Theresa & the Bodhisattva Ideal.. 187 Karma Lekshe Tsomo Ethical Education The 100,000 Upasika Project: Young Buddhist Ladies as World Morality Revival Model. 195 Boontha Leartthevorntham Children’s Ethics Programs at the Sakyadhita Center, Sri Lanka. 198 Bhikkhuni Vijithananda Than Hsiang Kalyana Mitra Centre in Pajam, Negeri Sembilan: A Case Study. 202 Zhen Yuan Shi Buddhism in Culturally Responsive Engineering & Science Education.. 205 Marisol Mercado Santiago The Bh ikkh u n i Issue Revisited Feminine Paradigms of the Buddha`s Life: The Case of the Biqiuni Zhuan. 211 Severina Angelova Balabanova Siksamanas in Korean Nectar Ritual Paintings. 215 Hyangsoon Yi Launch of a Bhikkhuni Order in Thailand: Monastic Education & Establishment of Tradition. 216 Tomomi Ito Diverse Strategies for Supporting the Revival of the Theravada Bhikkhuni Sangha. 217 Susan Pembroke Sri Lankan Buddhist Nuns in Transition: From Religious Rights to Social Power. 222 Hema Goonatilake Establishing the Bhikkhuni Sangha in Nepal. 230 Bhikkhuni Dhammananda (Chatsumarn Kabilsingh) Mr. Dharma, Ms. Samsara: Challenging Stereotypes Lipstick Buddhists & Dharma Divas: Buddhism in the Most Unlikely Packages. 235 Lisa J. Battaglia Can LGBTQ People Attain Enlightenment?. 240 Kulavir Prapapornpipat Robina Courtin: An Unconventional Buddhist?.. 243 Anna Halafoff A Comparison of Menstrual & Birth Impurity in Brahminical Dharma Texts & Buddhist Vinaya.. 248 Amy Langerberg Compassion in Action Some Aspects of Compassion: View from the Path. 252 Adrienne Cochran Liberation from a Buddhist Feminist Perspective. 256 Bhikkhuni Dhammananda (Su co Nguyen Huong) Illusion, Brokenness, and Addiction: Where Buddhism and Mental Health Converge and Diverge.. 262 Roseanne Freese Factors Contributing To Buddhist Nuns’ Leadership in Taiwan. 268 Guo Hsiang Shih Contributors Leading Buddhist Women of Ancient India Ru p ali Mo kash i According to the 2001 census, India, the land of the Buddha, is home to 3,881,052 female Buddhist devotees.1 There are an estimated 300 million Buddhist women worldwide, including more than 130,000 nuns. This growing community stands proudly in the tradition of the lay women devotees and nuns who have been an integral part of the Sangha, almost since its inception. However, apart from the heart-rendering stories narrated in the Therigatha,2 in which the early bhikkhunis recount their struggles and accomplishments along the road to arahatship, no historical evidence has yet been substantiated. As a result, the record of early Buddhist women’s contributions rests entirely with the literary characters of the Therigatha. The role of women in ancient Indian who espoused the timeless Buddhist tradition is mostly determined by analyzing the famous female protagonists depicted in literary works or the norms laid down in scripture, and thus has neglected “real” women, such that their patronage and contributions to the propagation of Buddhism were rarely brought to light. This is a major lacuna in Buddhist history. It was during the Mauryan period that Buddhism emerged as a distinct religion with great potential for expansion. Emperor Ashoka initiated the tradition of engraving inscriptions, which became widely popular in India thereafter.3 A large number of Buddhist donors’ inscriptions help to reconstruct a more precise framework for understanding the followers of Dhamma, especially women. A close survey of these inscriptions discovered in Deccan4 during the period spanning from the third century BCE to the twelfth century CE bring to light the contributions of more than 300 women who embraced Dhamma either as laywomen or nuns. Though the contributions of all of them are noteworthy, this paper will highlight just a few eminent women who belonged to different social strata of ancient Indian society during the early centuries of the common era who contributed to the propagation of Buddhism. An inscription on the famous Ashokan pillar at Allahabad mentions mentions Karuvaki, the second chief queen of emperor Ashoka.5 She is the first Buddhist woman to figure by name in Indian inscriptions. The record, in form as well as content, is a command from the king to his ministers (mahamantra), who were instructed to take a note of the queen’s donations. This inscription is therefore known as the Queen’s Pillar Edict. Various architectural styles emerged with the spread of Buddhism and the growth of brisk trade between Deccan and the western world Deccan beginning from the second century BCE. These include the construction of stupas, chaityas, and viharas in the Sahyadri mountain ranges at Karle, Bhaje, Nasik, Junnar, and other locations. The need for places of worship and residences for monks and nuns led to the speedy growth of these styles. Inscriptions tell us that these architectural achievements were due in part to endowments made by women who belonged to different social groups. It can be observed that queens, laywomen, nuns, and even courtesans contributed according to their individual financial capacities. The magnificent stupa of Sanchi partially owed its existence to 87 female devotees. Of these only one, Vakalaye Devi, appears to be a royal woman;