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"Historical fiction. Fifty stories of Buddhist women from the time of the Buddha in the sixth century B.C.E. to the twelfth century C.E. The Buddha welcomed women from all castes and circumstances as equals into his group of followers, despite the mores and traditions of the patriarchal, even misogynistic Brahman culture into which he was born. His teachings, his instructions for attaining enlightenment, were essentially gender neutral. As Buddhism evolved, however, into its many forms, strong cultural forces gave this and other major world religions and spiritual paths a heavily patriarchal overlay. In short, the history of Buddhist women, their many achievements, their very names, have frequently been largely ignored, only dimly seen, rarely known. These fifty stories include portraits from the major traditions and schools that form the basis for ""Vajrayana"" (Tibetan Buddhism). Tales are drawn from the early ""Way of the Elders,"" from the later tradition of ""Mahayana,"" and from the traditions that ultimately coalesced into ""Vajrayana."" The author hopes that the spiritual journeys of these women, some more widely known than others, might introduce Buddhist practitioners and other readers to the inspiring achievements of some of their spiritual Mothers. For readers who already know these women, or some of them, may these stories enrich that acquaintance."

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9781466314177

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Kate Blickhahn retired from a career in secondary and university education as a teacher of literature and writing. Early in her career she co-authored a series of textbooks on composition for secondary students. Later she worked in professional development, helping to improve the teaching of writing, primarily as a teacher/consultant with the Bay Area Writing Project, a professional development effort that became the California Writing Project and later the National Writing Project. In secondary school administration she held several positions and served for five years as as a consultant in educational administration. After retirement, Kate continued her interest in writing as a free-lance. Following an interest in Eastern religions, Kate was drawn to Tibetan Buddhism and has been a serious student and practitioner of that path for twelve years. In 2000 she met Erma Pounds Rinpoche, Director of the Arizona Karma Thegsum Choling, who became her lama and spiritual guide. In 2008 she moved with her lifelong partner, Dale Elliott, from Arizona to Laguna Woods, California, and then joined the Orange County Vajra Vidya center, a Tibetan Buddhist study group in Newport Beach, California.

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