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A remarkable article. |
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mystic light
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 Posted January 9th, 2009 14:45 IP   
I found the following account from this 1993 meeting on this website, http://www.khandro.net/Buddhism_women.htm :
The Changing Status of Women (and also, the Plight of Western Monastics)
Tenzin Palmo (Diane Perry) is an Englishwoman who began studying Buddhism in the 1960's. In 1976, she began a twelve-year meditation retreat in a cave in Ladakh. In the biography, Cave in the Snow by Vicki Mackenzie, she relates how the negative aspects of the role of women in the male-dominated tradition that is Buddhism were brought to light at the first Conference on Western Buddhism. In March 1993, in Dharmasala, seat of the Dalai Lama in exile, she was one of the participating nuns, when:
"An attractive German laywoman, Sylvia Wetzel, took the floor. With a small but discernible gulp she invited His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the assembled throng of luminaries to join her in visualization. 'Please imagine that you are a male coming to a Buddhist center. You see the painting of this beautiful Tara surrounded by sixteen female arhats and you have the possibility to see too Her Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama who, in all of her fourteen incarnations, has always chosen a female rebirth,' she began.
'You are surrounded by very high female rinpoches -- beautiful, strong, educated women. Then you see the Bhikshunis coming in, self-confident, outspoken. Then you see the monks coming in behind them -- very shy and timid. You hear about the lineage of lamas of the tradition, who are all female, down to the female Tara in the painting.'
'Remember you are male,' she reminded them, 'and you approach a lama, feeling a little bit insecure and a little bit irritated, and ask "Why are there all these female symbols, female Buddhas?" And she replies, "Don't worry. Men and women are equal. Well, almost. We do have some scriptures which say that a male rebirth is inferior, but isn't this the case? Men do have a more difficult time when all the leaders, spiritually, philosophically and politically are women."
'And then the male student, who is very sincere, goes to another lama, a Mahayanist from the Higher Vehicle School, and says, "I am a man, how can I identify with all these female icons?" And she replies, "You just meditate on Shunyata (Emptiness). In Shunyata no man, no woman, no body, nothing. No problem!"
'So you go to a tantric teacher and say, "All these women and I am a man. I don't know how to relate." And she says, "How wonderful you are, beautiful Daka, you are so useful to us practitioners helping us to raise our kundalini energy. How blessed you are to be a male, to benefit female practitioners on their path to enlightenment."
It was outrageous but delivered in such a charming way that everyone, including the Dalai Lama, laughed. 'Now you have given me another angle on the matter,' he said. In effect Sylvia Wetzel had voiced what millions of women down the centuries had felt. In spite of the mirth, the dam holding back more than 2,500 years of spiritual sexism and pent-up female resentment was beginning to burst.
Others began to join in. A leading Buddhist teacher and author, American nun Thubten Chodron, told how the subtle prejudice she had met within institutions had undermined her confidence to the point that it was a serious hindrance on the path. 'Even if our pain was acknowledged it would make us feel better,' she declared.
Sympathetic male teachers spoke up. 'This is a wonderful challenge for the male -- to see it and accept it,' said a Zen master.
American Tibetan Buddhist monk Thubten Pende gave his views: "When I translated the texts concerning the ordination ceremony I got such a shock. It said that even the most senior nun had to sit behind the most novice monk because, although her ordination was superior, the basis of that ordination, her body, was inferior. I thought, "There it is." I'd heard about this belief but I'd never found evidence of it. I had to recite this text at the ceremony. I was embarrassed to say it and ashamed of the institution I was representing. I wondered, "Why doesn't she get up and leave?" I would.'
The English Theravadan monk Ven Ahjan Amaso also spoke up: 'Seeing the nuns not receiving the respect given to the monks is very painful. It is like having a spear in your heart,' he said.
Then it was Tendzin Palmo's turn, and with all her natural eloquence she told her tale: "When I first came to India I lived in a monastery with 100 monks. I was the only nun,' she said, and paused for several seconds for her words to sink in. 'I think that is why I
eventually went to live by myself in a cave.' Everyone got the point. 'The monks were kind, and I had no problems of sexual harassment or troubles of that sort, but of course I was unfortunately within a female form. They actually told me they prayed that in my next life I would have the good fortune to be reborn as a male so that I could join in all the monastery's activities. In the meantime, they said, they didn't hold it too much against me that I had this inferior rebirth in the female form. It wasn't too much my fault.'
Seizing her chance, she went on to fire her biggest salvo. An expose on the situation of the Western Sangha, particularly the nuns whom she had befriended in Italy. 'The lamas ordain people and then they are thrown out into the world with no training, preparation, encouragement, support or guidance-and they're expected to keep their vows, do their practice and run dharma centers. This is very hard and I'm surprised that so many of the
Western Monastics stay as long as they do. I'm not surprised when they disrobe. They start with so much enthusiasm, with so much pure faith and devotion and gradually their inspiration decreases. They get discouraged and disillusioned and there is no one who helps them. This is true, Your Holiness. It's a very hard situation and it has never happened in the history of Buddhism before.
'In the past the Sangha was firmly established, nurtured and cared for. In the West this is not happening. I truly don't know why. There are a few monasteries, mostly in the Theravada tradition, which are doing well, but for the nuns what is there?
There is hardly anything quite frankly. But to end on a higher note, I pray that this life of purity and renunciation which is so rare and precious in the world, that this jewel of the Sangha may not be thrown down into the mud of our indifference and contempt.'
It was an impassioned, formidable cry from the heart.
When she had finished a great hush fell over the gathering. No one was laughing now. As for Tenzin Gyatso, (the Dalai Lama), the Great Ocean of Wisdom, regarded by his people as an emanation of Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion, he was sitting there, head in his hands, silently weeping. After several minutes he looked up, wiped his eyes and said softly, 'You are quite brave.' Later the senior lamas commented that such directness was indeed rare and that in this respect the conference had been like a family gathering where everyone spoke their mind frankly."
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Persephone
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Posted January 11th, 2009 00:18 IP
Thank you for posting this, ML. I've stated before that Buddhism is very unkind to it's women. That women had only been allowed in quite recently, and that they were still considered less than the male. I've been told over and over that I'm incorrect.
I'm so proud of these women. I'm happy that HHDL heard them, and received them with his tears. That may be a good beginning.
J
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A good example is the tallest kind of preaching.
African proverb |
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mystic light
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Posted January 11th, 2009 09:51 IP
Yes, Jan, I hope so.
One of those who told you that you are incorrect, was me, Jan. I'm sorry.
Did we have a misunderstanding about laywomen and nuns, is that possible?
I have learned that ordained women have 8 more rules to follow than ordained men.
Very well read Buddhists have explained to me that they were given by the Buddha to protect them from men, and yes, also from ordained fellow Buddhist men.
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bigyouth
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Posted January 14th, 2009 13:17 IP
Excuse me for asking but don't ALL the major religions attempt to cast women into an inferior position in relation to men.Think of Islam[with the burka business] or Catholics [nuns can't say Mass] or the Baptists [with their rigid roles for women.]
In the book 'The Forest People' about the pygmies one of the tribesmen explains that once women controlled the 'molemo' [a type of musical ritual] but the men stole that starring role back.
It seems to be there is a fear of being second fiddle from one end of the earth to the other...
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"love and you will be open
seek and you will find
wisdom is found in the simplist of places
in the nick of time" |
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mystic light
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Posted January 14th, 2009 14:19 IP
Quote:
Excuse me for asking but don't ALL the major religions attempt to cast women into an inferior position in relation to men. |
It appears that way, Jake.
I think both genders deserve the same respect for the different roles they are given by nature.
What a wonderful world it would be if we could all meet the others with loving kindness, and respect them for what they are...
If we were all "good". And not selfish and greedy. Not resentful and revengeful, not lusting for our own benefit alone.
But that is a huge topic...
The Burka....I think originally Mohammed wished to protect women by covering their beauty up, so they would not arouse desire in the passionate men of their culture and they could be safer. Also, back in those days whores didn't cover their hair, ( I believe), so a quick , (first glance) distinction had to be made....
Or, I believe it was also meant as a gesture of humbleness to God.
I'm not sure how that is explained though,- like I said, I am not learned enough in Islam to know.
But it appears that women have to hide and step back, so they don't tempt the stronger men by just being around, or else they might become victimized.
Also, in this physical world we all believe that we are superior when we have more physical strength.
I thought I have the right to pick up my cat and lock her in over night, since I am stronger and feed her.
I wanted her to be safe from cars, and I didn't want to find her abused, and I wanted to sleep without worries.
So I locked that beautiful creature in over night, even though she wanted to be out. ( At first)
Men can treat women in a somewhat similar way.
They truly love their woman, quite like I loved my cat.
They want her to be safe, they want to protect her from suffering, which would cause them to suffer with her or because of her. And they don't want to worry about her, fearful they never see her again alive, or because she was abducted.
They want to keep her to themselves, and enjoy her company.
So they limit her freedom.
I know I limited the freedom of my cats in a certain way, for our both benefit. Thus, I certainly sometimes caused them frustration.
My second cat, however, was so devoted to me that she accepted what I decided with little if no protest.
She was happy just to be with me.
Ideally, this is the bond between man and woman as well, this love, that makes each personal sacrifice a pleasure, just to see the other one happy.
But this world is not ideal.
We all long for it, but abuse occurs.
If we learn the right path, we can avoid much unhappiness.
After all, all we want is to be happy.
Religions are paths.
And sometimes we get lost and fall straight into the jungle.
Life is crazy.
We can only try to live it well.
And perhaps with generosity and with open ears to the complaints of others.
A cat meowing by the patio door, longing to go out is something that makes me sad.
How do I find a path that makes her happy and still keeps her safe? And me from worrying?
I accompany her. Muslim women go out, accompanied by men.
Jake and Jan, I don't mind a little bit of a golden cage, if I can say: I want out, right now, and I may, and then I return happily , like my cats, who came running home with joy after I let them out and watched over them.
Compromise and negotiation seems appropriate.....
Sorry for the rant...hope it made any sense at all?
:heart:
(Edited by mystic light)
(Edited by mystic light)
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bigyouth
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Posted January 14th, 2009 23:58 IP
ML
Thanks for the reply.
Actually the veil in Islam [or burka] was originally copied from the early Christian women covering their hair when in church. The usage today by Afghan or Saudi women seem more like smothering than protecting but every culture picks its own means of sublimation.
I just wanted to express the very human competition between the sexes not justifing excesses. The Dali Lama may be evovled to the point where he can advance his religion's awareness to rise above this competition.
I say respect and protection for every human being whatever they choose to wear.
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"love and you will be open
seek and you will find
wisdom is found in the simplist of places
in the nick of time" |
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mystic light
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Posts: 6815
Registered: May 2006 |
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Posted January 15th, 2009 09:22 IP
I'd say the same.  I didn't know it was copied from early Christianity...
Competition seems such a silly thing anyhow? Wouldn't cooperation be much more effective? Of course, when you compete, you want to win.
How wise the Buddha was:
Dhammapada: "Happiness"
201. Victory begets enmity; the defeated dwell in pain. Happily the peaceful live, discarding both victory and defeat.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipi...hp.15.budd.html
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