會議地點：越南胡志明市；時間：2009.12.18 - 2010.01.03；大會主題：傑出的女性修行者與典範=Eminent Buddhist Women
摘要
In 2,600 years, Buddhism has developed and spread to many countries in Asia, the United States, and Europe. Yet from the Buddha’s time until now, the roles, capabilities, and potential of nuns have not yet received proper recognition. Recently, however, influenced and nourished by different cultures and philosophies, a wide range of ideas regarding women’s roles in Buddhism are being discussed.
As a Buddhist nun, I will limit my discussion to the monastic communities of Taiwan. Compared with other areas in the world, Buddhist nuns in Taiwan are treated with due respect and equality. In such favorable conditions, nuns in Taiwan have actively engaged in the academic study of Buddhism, research, monastic education, Buddhist art and architecture, charity work, disaster relief, and many other activities. Their achievements in these areas have received public recognition in Taiwan and throughout the world.
This paper is a general introduction to the endeavors of nuns in these various areas. A few examples of work in each area will be cited and discussed. The Dharma Drum Mountain Sangha, a representative group, will be used to illustrate the success of nuns’ roles in the monastic community and their active engagement in society.
With the growing number of women practitioners in the world, the need for women teachers and proper guidance for women practitioners has increased rapidly. By sharing examples of nuns’ successes, I hope to encourage women to continue their efforts. I will suggest that women’s roles and potential can be reviewed and given new meaning in the modern world.
