First Annual Buddhist Women’s Conference

Six months of planning and creative problem solving paid off handsomely on March 11 at the first annual Buddhist Women’s Conference “Women Living the Dharma.”

Over 300 people attended the full day event, which was jointly sponsored by the Buddhist Council of the Midwest and the Philosophy Department, Religious Studies Department, University Ministry, Women's Center and Women's and Gender Studies Program of DePaul University. The day began with a well-received keynote address “The Dharma of Gender” by Dr. Rita Gross, author of Buddhism after Patriarchy: A Feminist History, Analysis and Reconstruction of Buddhism. There were 26 morning and afternoon breakout sessions; an art exhibit and a plenary panel moderated by Kathy Ross that included Rev. Kyoki Roberts, Head Priest of the Zen Center of Pittsburgh, Abbess Khenmo Drolma of the Vajra Dakini Nunnery and Ven. Sudhamma Bhikkhuni of the Carolina Buddhist Vihara.

A heartwarming highlight of the Conference was the presentation of the first Women and Engaged Buddhism Award to the Dhamma Moli Project founded by Venerables Molini Rai and Dhamma Vijaya of Nepal. The Dhamma Moli Project provides a place of refuge and education for young Nepalese girls at risk of falling victim to human traffickers who sell them into brothels and circuses in India. The cash award of $1500 represents a portion of the conference registration fees.

Our sangha was very well represented. Kathy Ross, Gerrie Griffin, Cindy Sigal, Mary Jeanne Larrabee (whose efforts opened up the wonderful DePaul conference facilities to us), Caroline DeVane and Jody Wilson (whose husband Bob also designed and maintained the website) were members of the organizing committee. Zoe Kaufman’s wonderful paintings flanked the stage and were the highlight of the art exhibit. Ella Prejzner, Kasia Karbowiak, Mike McKane, Christina Johnson, Jeff Hickey, Alina Fridberg, Julie Rose, Seanna Tully and all CZC members who arrived early to help set up and stayed late to help break it all down made major contributions to the success of the conference.

L to R: moderator Kathy Ross, Khenmo Drolma, Ven. Sudhamma Bhikkhuni, Rev. Kyoki Roberts

Gina Caruso of the Shambhala Center took some additional pictures that can be viewed here.

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The Wider Sangha: Personal Impressions of the Buddhist Women’s Conference by Caroline DeVane

It’s Sunday evening. All guests who came for the Buddhist Women’s Conference have left. The temple is once again quiet and empty. Due to a number of happy circumstances, I've been encountering more non-CZC members and being enriched by the way they talk about their Buddhist practice.

The inter-Buddhist dialogue of the Women’s Conference allowed me to hear a lot of stories about practice from “outside the nuclear family” so to speak. More accurately, these people “outside the family” really aren’t outside! I think it’s easy in situations like the Women’s Conference to fall into the “us” and “them” trap, even if on a very subtle level. We are women, they are men, or vice versa. We are Zen Buddhists, they are Tibetan Buddhists. Thankfully, I think the conference message and speakers took care to look at these oppositions with a critical eye. Rita Gross’ keynote speech was wonderful for the way she redefined feminism as working towards freedom from gender roles for women AND men.

I think the Women’s Conference was a success because it harmoniously brought people together for a sharing session – to swap stories and knowledge, to recognize that we travel the same path, no matter what gender or heritage. What a treasure it is to know the commitment to practice you hold so deeply is shared. What a treasure to experience that your way of approaching truth and understanding is not wholly unique to your circumstances. This commitment to practice comes from the heart we all share, no matter what practice.

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Response to the Women's Conference by Jonathan Laux

When a group of people gather together for a common purpose, chances are the group will take on a certain identity resulting from that purpose. I immediately think of student activists, political parties and angry mobs. The tone of the Conference steered us away from this propensity, because it placed great emphasis on asking questions and fostering discussion. Overall the day carried a high degree of trust; communication channels were open – thankfully, because only in this kind of atmosphere would it feel natural to share feelings and rituals together. As I quickly discovered, it felt weird to gassho in public, but it seemed appropriate when done out of genuine respect for the Dharma we share. But there were also times it seemed like an imposed formality, and then the room felt eerily like a church. I suspect that the future success of this project will depend on how well it sustains the level of sincere inquiry that was displayed by many who were present. You can institutionalize anything, but in doing so, how will you change the thing itself?

Regarding Dr. Gross's comment that men should work to develop the nurturing qualities traditionally considered feminine: I'm all for it, although by itself this seems neither a complete nor an easy solution to the problem of gender equality, within Buddhism or otherwise. The mind loves to create opposition. It's relatively easy to get people (women) to stand up and fight. It's much trickier to get people (men) to sit down and nurture – or give up the job, stay home and raise children, for that matter. Of course, this isn't the only sense in which Dr. Gross meant to nurture. But there’s a lot of work left to be done, and for younger people today, how we do this work will impact our future families, careers and lives.

One obvious place to start: keep sitting. We've all heard the statement that Zen practice softens our edges. The Center is the only place that I have seen men hug, except possibly at funerals. If for no other reason - and there are plenty of other reasons - this is a good reason to keep doing work on the mat.