Countess Canavarro, one of the first Western Buddhist women

https://roar.media/english/life/history/the-californian-countess-and-early-lankan-feminism/

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A very interesting story, of a very interesting and unique person. Fascinating that despite her somewhat erratic life (Buddhist, Bahai, Hindu) , she managed to be the first female convert Buddhist in America, was a contemporary ( and would-be seductress?) of Anagarika Dharmapala, and her short lived but important tenure at Sanghamitta Convent lead to the revival of female monasticism in Sri Lanka. Her life certainly shows how one person can make an enormous difference in the world.

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Very interesting. Funny after living in Sri Lanka for decades I had not even heard of how the Sangamitta school was run by a dasa sil matha from US. She sounds very much like an ‘early adopter’ -those people who take to change quickly and adopt new technologies etc. I think it is important to make the change, even though the final form may yet have to be fully defined and determined. Acceptance to another religion at the time would be have been revolutionary, not to mention taking up a priesthood…and teaching children.

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