Ute Hüsken and Petra Kieffer-Pülz
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199812295
- eISBN:
- 9780199919390
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199812295.003.0013
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Currently the Chinese Dharmaguptaka tradition is the only living Buddhist tradition in which women can undergo full ordination. Yet, within the two other two surviving monastic Buddhist traditions ...
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Currently the Chinese Dharmaguptaka tradition is the only living Buddhist tradition in which women can undergo full ordination. Yet, within the two other two surviving monastic Buddhist traditions (Theravāda for South‐East Asia and Mūlasarvastivāda for Tibet) attempts are being made to (re‐)establish a nuns’ order. This chapter deals with the actual process in the Tibetan tradition. After several years of discussions between traditional Tibetan monks, the Buddhist women’s association “Sakyadhita”, proponents of the recent movement called “Engaged Buddhism”, and others, in July 2008 not only Buddhist practitioners but also scholars of diverse Buddhist traditions were invited to a conference in Hamburg, to formulate and publicly express their perspectives on the question of whether, and if so how, a tradition of Tibetan Buddhist nuns can be established. While the main question to be negotiated was the actual procedure of the ordination ceremonies, “behind the screen” there were many more issues at stake. The chapter describes and analyzes the process of public negotiations and negotiations behind the screen between the diverse individuals and interest groups, all with their own agenda, with respect to the roles attributed to “authority” and “authenticity”, and to ritual practice. One main focus of the chapter is the question of how interpreting Buddhist monastic rules either as “ritual” or as “law” affects the scope of interpretation of the procedures.Less
Currently the Chinese Dharmaguptaka tradition is the only living Buddhist tradition in which women can undergo full ordination. Yet, within the two other two surviving monastic Buddhist traditions (Theravāda for South‐East Asia and Mūlasarvastivāda for Tibet) attempts are being made to (re‐)establish a nuns’ order. This chapter deals with the actual process in the Tibetan tradition. After several years of discussions between traditional Tibetan monks, the Buddhist women’s association “Sakyadhita”, proponents of the recent movement called “Engaged Buddhism”, and others, in July 2008 not only Buddhist practitioners but also scholars of diverse Buddhist traditions were invited to a conference in Hamburg, to formulate and publicly express their perspectives on the question of whether, and if so how, a tradition of Tibetan Buddhist nuns can be established. While the main question to be negotiated was the actual procedure of the ordination ceremonies, “behind the screen” there were many more issues at stake. The chapter describes and analyzes the process of public negotiations and negotiations behind the screen between the diverse individuals and interest groups, all with their own agenda, with respect to the roles attributed to “authority” and “authenticity”, and to ritual practice. One main focus of the chapter is the question of how interpreting Buddhist monastic rules either as “ritual” or as “law” affects the scope of interpretation of the procedures.
Sarah H. Jacoby
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231147682
- eISBN:
- 9780231519533
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231147682.003.0003
- Subject:
- History, Asian History
This chapter examines three dimensions of Sera Khandro's relational selfhood—the interconnectivity of autobiographical subjects with others in their social works—all of which are intricately tied to ...
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This chapter examines three dimensions of Sera Khandro's relational selfhood—the interconnectivity of autobiographical subjects with others in their social works—all of which are intricately tied to the Tibetan Treasure tradition. The first is Sera Khandro's strong alignment with the tradition's progenitors—Padmasambhava and his ḍākinī consort, Yeshé Tsogyel, who was an important model and object of devotion for Sera Khandro. The second is the auspicious connections or favorable circumstances necessary for Sera Khandro to accomplish her religious mission. The last is Sera Khandro's relational selfhood connected to the many local deities inhabiting sacred mountains, with whom she interacted regularly to reveal her Treasure.Less
This chapter examines three dimensions of Sera Khandro's relational selfhood—the interconnectivity of autobiographical subjects with others in their social works—all of which are intricately tied to the Tibetan Treasure tradition. The first is Sera Khandro's strong alignment with the tradition's progenitors—Padmasambhava and his ḍākinī consort, Yeshé Tsogyel, who was an important model and object of devotion for Sera Khandro. The second is the auspicious connections or favorable circumstances necessary for Sera Khandro to accomplish her religious mission. The last is Sera Khandro's relational selfhood connected to the many local deities inhabiting sacred mountains, with whom she interacted regularly to reveal her Treasure.
