Buddha’s Wife and Aunt: Women Wisdom to Learn | Pamela Weiss | Ten Percent Happier Dan Harris

Buddha's wife and aunt, the women around him, dropped a ton of useful wisdom, but I suspect you haven’t heard much about that. Why? Why have these women been largely written out of history? And what do these hidden figures have to teach us? We’re diving in on that today with Pamela Weiss, dharma teacher in the Zen and Theravada traditions and author of A Bigger Sky. Last week, we had on Bhikkhu Bodhi, who talked about the words of the Buddha. You might think of this episode as a follow-up to that one-part compelling history, part injection of approachable wisdom. In this conversation, we talk about Pamela’s research into the Buddha’s wife, mom, and aunt; how and why Buddhism became tilted toward the masculine; and the benefits both Pamela and I have experienced from bringing more feminine energy to our practice and life.
Where to find Pamela Weiss online:
Website: pamelaweiss.com/
Facebook: / pamelaweissauthor
Books Mentioned:
A Bigger Sky: Awakening a Fierce Feminine Buddhism by Pamela Weiss pamelaweiss.com/publications2
Therigatha: Selected Poems of the First Buddhist Women translated by Charles Hallisey bookshop.org/books/therigatha...
The First Free Women: Poems of the Early Buddhist Nuns by Matty Weingast bookshop.org/books/the-first-...
Full Show Notes & Resources: www.tenpercent.com/podcast-ep...
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[@chadreilly]

"Most of us carry some kind of a fantasy idea of what enlightenment is." Lol, true! As opposed to evidence or practice based, as is the claim. Anyone else notice?

[@ericasteinweg592]

I so deeply appreciated this discussion. Some of the details were sad, and yet for me it felt like such a relief to have light shed on this subject. Thank you to Dan for being willing to bring this forward and highlight the “tilt” that we all experience but which is so often unnamed. And thank you to Pamela for your thoughtful research and wisdom.❤

[@TenPercentHappier]

Well said!

[@JusSayng]

I know next to nothing about Buddhism and love history, so this was a treat for me 😊 I am saddened to hear the inequity still exists and would love to know why… ?

[@TenPercentHappier]

We're all on a journey to learn together. Thanks for listening and sharing!

[@amibhumo6035]

I think what she researched mostly is the indian culture back then. Indian wife in rural area still don’t call their husband by name. She didn’t research what buddha found. He is a compassionate one who knows no gender and races. America still don’t have women president.

[@lmansur1000]

My thoughts, being a liberated woman - i.e. I never married and lived a solo life coming to the USA from a different country. I asked Self Realization at one time, if I join the nunnery they have, would I be able to give teachings like they do, Sunday Morning. And I was told NO. So I thought F-this!! I Know in my heart that women have wisdom that no one is listening to. When the Buddha talks about the middle way - Modern women know the middle way because we are out in the world working and doing things traditionally men did and still taking care of the mom and the kids. But men are still way behind in cultivating their female aspect of who they are. THAT is why the world is out of balance... run by the male energy - we are not living the middle way but rather, are out of balance. To be th middle way of a person would be a whole person not 1/2. ALSO, because we have to take care of the home, and possibly the children and our lives and unlike men, we cannot just pick up and leave for many reasons, we have our own spirituality - at least that is what I know from my own bring. I worked through a lot of the Buddhist principles in my own life by putting them int practice very day. I do not belong to a group.... The sanghas in many cases are dysfunctional, out of balance and not transformative.... they are confining generally. That is all I will say for now. BUT I am glad someone is speaking up... a beginning... we need more to balance ourselves and the planet by integrating female wisdom and thought into the overall male equation that already dominates. 🙏☮🌏☯

[@TenPercentHappier]

Thanks for sharing your story!

[@chadreilly]

Her appeal to Yin and Yang, suggests she hasn't read I-Ching for herself. It's sexist also.