Reimagining Gendered Practice in American Buddhism

Abstract

Buddhism has been gaining attention in the West since the turn of the twentieth century. Despite this increasing popularity, there is a certain aspect of the tradition criticized as sexist. This paper scrutinizes the gendered practice in Buddhist monasticism in the U.S. today, especially the eight gurudharmas (heavy rules), as well as the notion of women-inferiority. It investigates contemporary Buddhist nuns’ lived experience in relation to the role of gender in their religious life, and analyzes the tradition’s gender bias through both a textual and historical lens. Through these, I propose that we re-imagine the notion of gender and gender relations in Buddhism within the U.S., and present key components for adjustment.