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 the 4th century CE, Zhong Ling Yi went forth and became the first woman in China to take the bhiksuni precepts. After her ordination, the newly named Jing Jian ordained many more women, including her great disciple, An Ling Shou. What gave these women the courage to take these steps, even when there were no other women to guide them? Were they renegades or innovators? What social and political obstacles did they face? Once they became nuns, did these obstacles vanish or did new ones arise? What became of their lineage?
My paper will introduce the hallmarks of Jing Jian and An Ling Shou’s lives based on period accounts, such as the Biqiuni Zhuan (Lives of the Nuns), Gao Seng Zhuan (Lives of Eminent Monks), and other early Chinese works. As we explore their lives and the lives of their contemporaries, we shall identify the constraints they faced, the paths they took, and the lessons to be learned from them.
Today, as Buddhism spreads to more and more countries outside of Asia and enjoys a renaissance within Asia itself, reflecting on the lives of these nuns may be significant for newly emerging Bhiksuni Sanghas. What can the established Bhiksu and Bhiksuni Sanghas do to mentor these new pioneers? What skillful approaches can newly ordained women employ to overcome the inner obstacles of doubt, inexperience, and isolation? What can be done to address the outer obstacles of meagre social and material resources? How can we help our sisters move from the margins of our community to the center? Last but not least, what lessons can Buddhist laywomen take from the example of China’s first nuns? What can learn about nurturing our own potential, supporting the Sangha, and furthering the Dharma?
