From Library Journal
Since 1987, Buddhists from around the world have met recurrently under the auspices of Sakyadhita, the International Association of Buddhist Women, at least partly to ascertain "in what ways is Buddhism a constraint for women and in what ways is it liberative?" In 16 essays treating "Buddhist Women in Asian Traditions," "Contemporary Buddhist Women," and "Shaping New Traditions," 15 authors develop themes first explored in those conferences. One of the organizers, Bhiksuni (i.e., Buddhist nun) Tsomo, author of Sisters in Solitude: Two Traditions of Buddhist Monastic Ethics for Women (SUNY, 1996), has edited a collection that advances the ongoing multicultural conversation while suffering somewhat from tedious repetition. Suitable for research collections emphasizing Buddhism or comparative women's studies.AJames R. Kuhlman, Univ. of North Carolina at Asheville Lib.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
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.
