Like all other world religions, Buddhism has had its share of controversies regarding women’s roles. Yifa, a Chinese Buddhist nun, looks at the role of women in early Buddhism, appraises the controversial "eight rules" that women have to obey in order to become Buddhist nuns and examines the social conditions of women throughout the Buddhist world. Yifa concentrates on the still largely unknown Chinese tradition, bringing to light new insights into this important strand of Buddhist culture and the women who were embedded in it. Using her twenty-year experience as a Buddhist nun, Yifa reveals the opportunities and challenges that await any woman who seeks to become a Buddhist, and in so doing uncovers the heart of the spiritual calling.
