Download SZBA Women Ancestor Project – Presentation October 8, 2010

SZBA Women Ancestor Project – Presentation October 8, 2010, revised October 22, 2010
MYTHICAL ANCESTORS
Prajnaparamita
womb of the Tathagatas
multiple primary sources
Maha Maya
Buddha’s mother
multiple primary sources;
treated as a mythical figure in many
stories
Srimala
Queen, lay student, great teacher
Lion’s Roar of Queen Srimala; a sutra
devoted to a woman’s life and
teaching
Tara
Tibetan Bodhisattva who leads
beings to awakening
Ratnavati
Naga woman who preaches the
Dharma naturally; beats
Mahākāśyapa in Dharma combat and
Buddha predicts her ultimate
awakening
Sutra of Sāgara, the Nāga King, also
called the Ocean Dragon King Sutra.
Prabhuta
a lay woman who instructs Sudhana;
she is greatest in generosity
Avatamsaka Sutra
Sinhavijurmbhita
taught liberation through removal of
“all vain imaginings”
Avatamsaka Sutra
leader of the Nuns’ Sangha;
Buddha’s aunt and stepmother
Therigatha; stories of the Buddha’s
life
Khema
foremost in wisdom
Therigatha
Sundarinanda
foremost in meditation; Buddha’s
stepsister
Therigatha
Patacara
foremost in discipline
Therigatha
Bhadda Kundalakesa
foremost in insight; only woman
ordained by the Buddha himself
Therigatha
Sumana
foremost among lay women
Therigatha
Kisagotami
foremost in humility
Therigatha; her story is repeated in
many other sources
Dhamma
best example of practice in advanced
age
Therigatha
Uppalavanna
foremost in magical and psychic
powers; a shape-shifter
Therigatha
INDIAN ANCESTORS
Mahapajapati Gotami ( c 500 BC
For all nuns sourced Therigatha)
Yashodhara
foremost in supernatural powers;
Buddha’s wife
Therigatha; Cabezon
Soma
foremost in energy
Therigatha
Sakula
foremost in seeing other worlds
Therigatha
Bhadda Kapilani
foremost in knowing past lives
Therigatha
Singalaka mata
foremost in faith
Therigatha
Samavati
foremost in loving-kindness
Therigatha
Sanghamitta Theri (300 BCE)
King Ashoka’s daughter
Sri Lanka’s history; brought
Bhikkhuni order from India to Sri
Lanka, thus linking to first Chinese
nuns
Prasannasilla (300 CE)
Nun who was the mother of Asanga
and Vasubandu
Janet Gyatso
CHINESE ANCESTORS
Jingjian (c 300-)
early Buddhist nun
“Lives of the Nuns”
Zongji (c 500)
Bodhidharma’s “flesh”
multiple sources incl. Dogen
Empress Wu (625-705)
strengthened roles for Buddhist
women
“Empress Wu” (Paul)
Lingzhao (d808)
Layman Pang’s daughter and his
equal in Dharma combat
Record of Layman Pang
Ling Xingpo (850)
Dharma combat praised by Nansen
and Joshu
Jin de chuan deng lu
Moshan Liaoran (866)
first woman in the roku; first woman
with official Chan transmission, first
women recorded with male students;
Imperial purple robe
Ching-te-ch’uan-teng-lu
Liu Tiemo – “Iron Grinder Lu” (880)
the subject of koans; renowned for
strength and fearlessness
Blue Cliff Record; Book of Serenity
Miaoxin (883)
guestmaster at monastery; practiced
side by side with men; taught “is the
flag moving or the wind?”
Dogen, based on Chinese sources
Shiji (900)
beat Juzhi in Dharma combat
Blue Cliff Record
Juhan Daojen (c1050)
Dharma heir of Yuanwu
Levering
Daoshen (c 1050)
Dharma Heir of Furong Daokai
Levering Lineage or Family Tree
Huiguang (c 1100)
Imperial purple robe, head of large
monastery, lectured mixed groups
Cleary, Jia tai pudeng lu
Huiwen (c 1100)
Dharma heir of Foyan Qingyuan
Cleary Jia tai pudeng lu and other
collections
Fadeng (c1100)
Dharma heir of Huiwen; known as a
“Great Master”
Cleary, Jia tai pudeng lu
Yu Daopo (c 1100)
lay woman; Langye Yongqi’s only
Dharma heir
Leggett
Miaodao (1089-1163)
first Dharma heir of Dahui Zonggao
and the first student to awaken using
his new koan method
Levering, Cleary , et al
Zhidong (d. 1124)
bathhouse Dharma combat; relative
of Miaozong, wrote The Record on
Clarifying the Mind
Ogata, multiple Chinese sources
Miaozong (1095-1170)
a Dharma heir of Dahui
Levering, Cleary, et al
Lady Qinguo (c 1100)
Lay woman Dharma heir of Dahui
Cleary, et al
(Kongshi Daoren lay name)
Wenzhao (c 1200)
reformed 5 convents from Vinaya to
Chan Buddhism;
Jia tai pudeng lu
had a male heir
Miaohui (1500)
important teacher with many
disciples
Grant, Daughters of Emptiness
Zhiyuan Xinggang (1517-1604)
Linji Lineage Holder
Grant
Jizong Xingche (1606)
Lineage holder and abbot
Grant
Jifu Zukui (1610)
Abbot and writer
Grant
Shenyi (c 1722)
Abbot, teacher
Grant
JAPANESE ANCESTORS
Zenshin (584)
first ordained Japanese Buddhist
Nihon Shoki, Ruch, et al
Kōmyō (701-760)
Empress, established sutra copying
practice, helped establish Sotoshu
system, established many convents
Nihon Shoki, Ruch et al
Ryōnen (c1200)
one of Dogen’s primary students; she
is believed to have influenced Dogen
Bodiford, Levering, Dogen
Shogaku (ordained 1225)
Dogen’s relative and supporter was
ordained
Arai
Egi (c 1200)
Dogen’s student, Koun Ejo’s Dharma
sister, nursed Dogen on his
deathbed, helped Eiheiji transition
Bodiford, Levering, Dogen
Mugai Nyodai (1223-98)
the first acknowledged female Zen
master in Japan, founded Keiaiji
Ruch and multiple
Kakuzan Shido (1252-1305)
founder of Tokeiji, related to Mugai
Nyodai
Ruch, et al
Ekan Daishi (d 1314)
abbot, devoted to Kanzeon, mother
of Keizan
Daijoji records, Faure, Bodiford, et al
Kontō Ekyu (1300)
first Japanese woman to receive Soto
transmission
Daijoji records , Faure, Bodiford, et al
Mokufu Sonin (ordained in 1319)
first abbot of Enzuin, women’s
hermitage at Yokoji; close student of
Keizan
Daijoji records, Faure, Bodiford, et al
Soitsu (c. 1350)
Gasan’s heir with her own disciples
Faure
Eshun (b. 1364)
Serious Soto nun, famous for grace
and humor in dealing with misogyny
and obstacles to training
Leggett, Bodiford
Yōdō (1318-1396)
abbot of Tokeiji, teaching poet, great
advocate of Wesak
Ruch, et al
Kogetsu (1549-1624)
established Kodai-ji
Kodaiji
Soshin (1588-1675)
student of Takuan, spiritual advisor
to Tokugawa Iemitsu
Soshin-ni Hogo
Tenshu (1608-1645)
abbot of Tokeiji , surviving princess,
offered one request by shogun,
asked for Tokeiji’s protection. Saved
Hori women from being kidnapped.
Ruch, Morrell
Daitsu Bunchi (1619-1697)
writer and artist, left Imperial Court
to establish Enshoji
Fister
Ryonen Gensō (1646-1711)
famous for burning her face in order
to practice; enlightenment certified
by Dōtai; revived an abandoned
temple; poetry and calligraphy still
honored today
Addiss
Tachibana no Someko (1660-1705)
wrote Wastepaper Record and
commentary on Mumonkan; a lay
woman who received a kesa
King, Fumihiko
Tokugon Riho (1672-1745)
restored convents
Fister
Satsu (c 1700)
lay woman; Dharma heir of Hakuin
Hakuin
Ohashi (c 1700)
lay woman; enlightened certified by
Hakuin
Hakuin
Teijitsu (c 1750)
head of Hakuju-an, women’s
hermitage created after women
were banned from Eiheiji
Sotoshu records
Otagaki Rengetsu (1790-1875)
Nun who became world famous
artist, poet, and sculptor
Stevens
Mizuno Tenmyō Jorin (1848-1927)
the national leader of nuns and reestablished a national training
th
system for nuns in 20 century
Sotoshu records
Hori Mitsujo (1868—1927)
founder and savior of Soto convents
Arai
Nagasawa Sozen (1880-1956)
abbot; only independent woman
teacher in her time; many devoted
students
Collection of Meditation Experiences
Satomi Myodo (1895-1978)
Yasutani’s first Dharma heir
Spiritual Autobiography
Kendō Kojima (1898-1995)
international influence and primary
force in equalizing training for men
and women
Arai
Yoshida Eshun (1907-1982)
Hashimoto Roshi Dharma Heir taught
Blanche Hartman and Tomoe Katagiri
Selkirk
Kasai Joshin (1914-1984)
established robe-sewing practice in
US
SFZC records, Selkirk
Kudo Sumiko (c 1929-1976)
Translated Mumonkan from
Japanese to English for Shibayama
Zenkei and back to Japanese on her
death bed. Taught at a temple near
Tokyo
Niwa Roshi, Koon-ji
NEWER (WESTERN POTENTIAL) ANCESTORS
Ruth Eryu Jokei Fuller
first Westerner to train in Japan; first
American woman priest in Japan;
important translator; restored
Ryosen-an
Fuller
certified by Soen Nakagawa;
established Cambridge Buddhist
Association; many devoted students;
Stuart
Houn Jiyu Kennett (1924-1996)
first Western woman to practice at
Sojiji; transmitted by Keido Chisan;
established Order of Buddhist
Contemplatives and Shasta Abbey
Kennett
Gesshin Myoko Prabhasa Dharma
Cheney (1931-1999)
a founder and leader of Cimarron
Zen Center and Mt. Baldy; founder of
International Zen Institute
Cheney
Baiho Trudy Dixon (1939-69)
Called “a true Zen Master” by Suzuki
Roshi
Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind
Specific Lineage ancestors
Beginning local lineages here
(eg Seisho Maylie Scott)
(1893-1967)
Maurine Myo-on Stuart
(1922- 1990)
NOTES
Mythical Ancestors: Kwan Yin is left out because she appeared originally in male form and is widely revered as a
Mahasattva. Maha Maya is here because many important elements of her story are mythical, including that of the
Buddha’s conception and her as a guide after her death. The Avatamsaka presents an embarrassment of riches.
Sudhana visits many women and girls; these are examples.
Indian Ancestors: The Therigatha also has many examples. With close reading, there are repetitious elements. These
women selected offer a wide selection of the most accomplished women.
Chinese Ancestors: Jingjian is one of a large cohort and chosen as an exemplar.
Japanese Ancestors: We left out women who were primarily financial sponsors.
Newer Ancestors: There are many choices to be made here. We all have favorites, and it may be too early to know
about lasting influence.