Buddhist nuns and equality

[Q]

Wow... this is my first time reading about this beautiful nun Karma Lekshe Tsomo (aka Patricia Zenn). It is so inspiring how passionate she is in bring equality to Buddhist nuns, and she started it 30 years ago! It is because of compassionate people like Lekshe that the Dharma lives on and reaches out to more.

What do you think about Karma Lekshe Tsomo? Do you think she is inspiring? Would you have gone through everything she did just so that Buddhist nuns can get better education and be great teachers as well?

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Patricia Zenn already had a religion when she grew up in Malibu: surfing. But as she was constantly teased by her classmates about her family name ("Are you Buddhist or what?"), curiosity led her to borrow a book about Buddhism when she was only 11 years old. To her surprise, she instantly realized "this was it!"

Fast forward to 1977, when she was in her early 30s, the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa ordained her in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and gave her the Tibetan name Karma Lekshe Tsomo. Very fittingly, "Lekshe" means "eloquent." Venerable Lekshe quickly realized that conditions for Buddhist nuns were dire. She single-handedly started a movement to give Himalayan nuns access to education. At the time, more than 30 years ago, this idea was, at best, treated as a waste of time, or even discouraged by the established monasteries.

"They're telling the nuns, 'Oh, you're so humble, you're not interested in gaining prestige and power like these Westerners,'" Lekshe says with a calm voice but a quizzical look. "Well, I just wonder why they are not telling the monks that. If women are perpetually disadvantaged, this is what you end up with. Surveys show that the nuns' health is by far the worst of any group. Their educational standards are by far the worst too. There is a lot of work to be done, and awareness raising, especially among women."

Karma Lekshe Tsomo set out to develop a network of supporters, even at the risk of her own life and cost to her health. Along with her late teacher Freda Bedi and her friend Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, she is among the earliest and fiercest advocates for the education of Tibetan nuns. Karma Lekshe Tsomo is the president of Sakyadhita ("Daughters of the Buddha"), the most important international association of Buddhist women, and of Jamyang Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to the education of Himalayan women.

I am often surprised how few Buddhist women know about Sakyadhita, and this is why I write about it here. This week several thousand Buddhist women (and a few men) gather for the Sakyadhita conference in Vaishali, an ancient city in North India that the Buddha visited on many occasions. Every time Sakyadhita chooses a different country, but at every conference they discuss meaningful ways in which Buddhist women can advance their access to education and full ordination (which is not available to women in several Buddhist traditions despite the Buddha's initiative to ordain women). The Sakyadhita conferences have generated a worldwide Buddhist women's movement. "Cultivating confidence," "Buddhism at the Grassroots," "Women Changing Buddhism" and "Women's Stories" from India and all over the world are part of the topics presented at this year's conference. Noted speakers this year include Venerable Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, whose life story has been told in Vicki Mackenzie's bestselling "Cave in the Snow," and Rita M. Gross, the author of "Buddhism After Patriarchy."

What is the main obstacle? "Sexism," Lekshe candidly sums it up. She is not afraid to use the F-word. "Feminism," she says, delivering the punch line with a coy smile, "has been called the radical theory that women are completely human." The gender imbalance affects Buddhist women worldwide. "We are talking about more than 300 million women dedicated to peace, honesty, loving-kindness and compassion. Certainly we would want to optimize the talents and potential of these wonderful women." In the West, more and more teachers recognize this potential, but "women have almost no voice in Asian Buddhist institutions. For women to move into positions of leadership, they need to be fully educated and trained."

Lekshe, a professor in Religious Studies at the University of San Diego, is confident that things will change: "Why shouldn't women have the same opportunities? More and more, I see it as a human rights issue."


Venerable Karma Lekshe Tsomo, the president of Sakyadhita (Photo copyright: Gayle M. Landes)

[Positive Change]

“Why shouldn’t women have the same opportunities? More and more, I see it as a human rights issue.”
— Karma Lekshe Tsomo

Here is more on this lovely nun, extracted from: http://www.dakinipower.com/karmalekshetsomo/

SURFING TO REALIZATION

How a Malibu beach girl became mother to the "Daughters of the Buddha"

Venerable Karma Lekshe Tsomo already had a religion when growing up in Malibu: surfing. But being constantly teased by her classmates about her family name, Zenn, (“Are you Buddhist or what?”), she borrowed a book about Buddhism to find out what this was all about and instantly knew that this was it. Becoming ordained in 1977, she quickly realized that conditions for Tibetan Buddhist nuns were dire.

Almost 30 years ago, she single-handedly started a movement to give nuns access to education, at a time when this idea was, at best, treated as a waste of time, or even frowned upon by the established monasteries. She is the co-founder of Sakyadhita ("Daughters of the Buddha"), the most important international association of Buddhist women, and the founding director of Jamyang Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to the education of Himalayan women. In a way, the California girl has come full circle: now she lives in California again, where she is a professor teaching Buddhist philosophy at the University of San Diego. But whenever she can, she goes to see “her” nuns in the fifteen study centers dotted all over the Himalayas that would not exist without her untiring efforts.

Ven. Karma Lekshe Tsomo with the author




Karma Lekshe Tsomo with two Ladakhi women in Ladakh

"Women in Buddhism" by Ven Karma Lekshe Tsomo

"Women in Buddhism" by Ven Karma Lekshe Tsomo

[DS Star]

"Bhikshuni ordination in Tibetan Buddhism is currently not recognized and this strongly affects the situation of the nuns in that society. Tibetan monks can study for many years and receive a Geshe degree, comparable to a Ph.D. in Buddhist Philosophy. Until about 20 or 25 years ago, the Tibetan nuns did not have access to the same education. Due to His Holiness’ encouragement some Tibetan nunneries now offer the same education program as the monks receive. However, to receive the Geshe degree, one needs to complete Vinaya studies and one can only do that if one is fully ordained. Thus, as novices, the Tibetan nuns are not permitted to do the full Vinaya studies that would enable them to take the Geshe exams and become Geshes. Becoming bhikshunis would enable them to do this." - Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron

There are this discrimination among Tibetan Buddhist institutions towards nuns, notably, in the area of education accessibility. That is why Ven. Karma Lekshe Tsomo's efforts are truly laudable, in that, she single-handedly started a movement to give nuns access to education and founding Jamyang Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to the education of Himalayan women with its  the fifteen study centers.

Tibetan Buddhists world needs more of nuns like Ven. Karma Lekshe Tsomo and Ven Thubten Chodron.

[bambi]

Yes Q! She is truly inspiring! I believe sexism is happening everywhere and not only to the nuns. In the samsaric world, people like me work in a male dominated company and it is quite disturbing. I know that there are women who are much smarter than men and that is why there is not need for discrimination. Everyone should be given equal rights to prove themselves.

 Ven Karma Lekshe Tsomo is amazing to single handedly start the foundation and helping so many women who wants to expand their spiritual paths. May they continue to benefit much more...

[Midakpa]

I admire Karma Lekshe Tsomo very much. In 1977, she received the precepts of a sramanerika (novice nun) in the Tibetan tradition in southern France. In 1982, she received bhikshuni precepts at a Korean temple near Pusan. She also observed an ordination for bhikshunis in Taiwan in the same year and went through intensive training in monastic discipline. Having been exposed to different traditions, she was able to compare the ordination procedures and interpretation of the vinaya in the Chinese and Korean monastic traditions. When she returned to Dharamsala, she had the opportunity to study and do research on the Bhikshuni Pratimoksha in the Tibetan tradition. In 1996, her book entitled "Sisters in Solitude" was published. It is a comparative analysis of the Chinese Dharmagupta and the Tibetan Mulasarvastivada Bhikshuni Pratimoksha sutras.

I'm reading the book at the moment and comparing the above two traditions with the Theravadin tradition. There are many similarities and also some differences.

[fruven]

There are still many women who lacks general education compare to men. The trend in some of the countries where education up to tertiary is provided to all woman has shown that woman are equally intelligent to men in their studies. It also boils down to what you're interested to study in. However when it comes to spiritual study I feel where opportunity to learn and deepen the study in Buddhism are equal not one side will lose to another side. One has to deal with one weaknesses to progress on the path towards enlightenment whether you're male or female. After all Buddhism is to help all sentient beings therefore man and woman are equally responsible to be provided for, and to be able to do practice without hindrance. Both are equally susceptible to hatred and desire.

[rossoneri]

It was really a surprised for me to find out that only recently the women in the Buddhist society had had the same equalimity as their men counterpart. Karma Lekse Tsomo really sums it up the reason behind this inequality...sexism. I think this already been practice for thousands of years, being a man have much more advantages than woman. But it is surprising to find out only recently the women have the same equality, why? Is'nt Buddha taught us to be compassionate to all sentient beings?