I will not pass away until I have bhikkhuni disciples who are accomplished in the Dhamma. –The Buddha |
Bhaddā was a true original. An ascetic, a philosopher, and a murderer, who became one of the best-loved of all the bhikkhunis. Here is a vivid re-imagining of her story: a Buddhist nun like you’ve never seen before.
This major work combines scrupulous research with creative imagination to investigate the diverse and sometimes problematic roles that women have played in Buddhist stories.
The foundations of modern understanding of Buddhist history have been challenged by skeptical scholars like Gregory Schopen, who allege that the methods of the ‘higher criticism’ are so dubious as to be worthless. However, Schopen’s critique badly misrepresents how text crticism has been used, and his influence has led to a worrying decline in scholarship of early Buddhism.
Serenity and insight are the two great wings of Buddhist meditation. This book collects virtually all the significant passages on this topic from the early discourses, carefully elucidated for the modern reader.
Does Early Buddhism categorically reject or, on the contrary, tacitly admit the possibility of an intermediate state between two adjacent lives? How can these descriptions and views be used to make sense of research findings on ‘Near Death Experiences’ bring us closer to a more accurate understanding of death and beyond?
The First Council was a critical turning point in Buddhist history, defining the direction Buddhism was to take after the death of its founder. Here is the account from the Mahīśāsaka Vinaya, translated from the Chinese canon.
Buddhist light-bulb jokes for the light at heart.
The Dhamma of the Lord of the Rings.
How monastics, especially nuns, are trained at Santi Forest Monastery, in accordance with the original Vinaya, and incorporating the best modern practices.
In the debate about bhikkhuni ordination, information plays a key role. We have made substantial strides in our understanding of Buddhism in history, the relation between different Buddhist traditions, and so on. Unfortunately, little of this information has permeated into the tradition Sangha bodies. Century-old textbooks are not corrected, not matter how obvious their mistakes are.
