In this lecture, we will explore some of the stories associated with the first Buddhist women, as they walked together through the forest to ask the Buddha for ordination. We will hear about Patachara and Yasodhara, and the Buddhaʼs stepmother Mahapajapati, among many others. Each one has a story in the early literature that is worth sitting with and getting to know. The Buddhaʼs response to the women’s request is not an easy one. He does not welcome the women into the sangha with open arms. We will consider his response and its ramifications for the women of that time, and for women of today too.

Vanessa Sasson is a professor of Religious Studies at Marianopolis College where she has been teaching since 1999. She is also a Research Fellow at the University of the Free State and a Research Member of CERIAS at UQAM.

Sasson is the author and editor of a number of academic books, most notably a collection entitled Little Buddhas: Children and Childhood in Buddhist Texts and Traditions (Oxford University Press, 2013) and Jewels, Jewelry, and Other Shiny Things in the BuddhistImaginary (University of Hawaii Press, 2021). Her most recent academic book is the forthcoming edited volume with Kristen Scheible, entitled The Buddha: A Short Biography (Oxford University Press, 2023).

A few years ago, Sasson tried something new and converted her research into a novel. The book, Yasodhara and the Buddha (Bloomsbury, 2021) was the outcome and it has been
received with international acclaim. She spoke with RYI on 13th June 2024.

Vanessa R. Sasson - "Telling The Story Of The First Buddhist Women"

Rangjung Yeshe Institute (RYI) has conducted study programs in Nepal for more than 25 years. Since 2002 RYI has partnered with Kathmandu University offering academic credit for those study programs. In 2009 RYI launched its online learning program. Our aim is to utilise our expertise and experience to enable students from around the world to study Buddhism and Himalayan Languages with us.

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