
History

The story of a nun who responded to rage with equanimity

Strawberries and the Ethic of Appreciation
A well-known Buddhist story, and its contemporary interpretations, reveal the evolving tension between ascetic detachment and compassionate engagement—and where meditation fits in.

Why Does the Buddha Smile?
Scholar David Fiordalis unpacks the meaning behind the Buddha’s wondrous smile.

The Rebel Nun and Her Extra-Large Begging Bowl
The Buddha’s response to one nun’s controversial actions illustrates a middle way between condemnation and neglect.

The Woman Who Married the Buddha
Scholar Vanessa R. Sasson tells the often overlooked story of Yasodhara

Through Grief to Freedom: The Story of Krsha Gautami
The staggering losses of a nun whose tale appears in the Kshudrakavastu illuminates the power of shared suffering.

Uncovering the Mythical Buddha
A professor of Japanese religion discusses what manga and myth can teach us about the creativity of the Buddhist tradition.

A New Weekly Series on Epigraphy Explores the Lives of Ancient Buddhist Women
The community-oriented group meets on Fridays to “interpret a bunch of old stones and think about how women lived in history.”

Hiroshima: Fire Sermon
Visiting ground zero, an American Zen minister confronts the incomprehensible destruction of the atomic bombs and reflects on his father’s own experience there

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