I’ve started reading it and am still in the earlier sections. So far, I’ve enjoyed it very much.
Professor Sasson’s writing is clear and expresses her love of the Dhamma through the inspiring stories of the Bhikkhunis.
I enjoy reading the book shortly before bedtime. The heart is inspired.
From the start, the story inspires as the women walking to see the Buddha dispense with pettiness and social restrictions – powerful determination without added distractions and nonsense.
A brief excerpt from The Gathering:
"What was with these women? First one, then the other, no one worrying about the mess her social status necessarily generated.
Vimala said…“My presence would be stain on their honor. I cannot travel with them. The likes of me with the likes of them…”
“You know nothing of the Royal Family or their intentions”, Baddha Kundalakesa admonished her. "The Queen Mahapajapati and Princess Yasodhara are not on this journey to make judgements. They are going to ask the Buddha for liberation. Titles and social hierarchies are being left behind. All we are now is a group of women and we are traveling together. All of us.
“Queens and prostitutes together?” Vimala whispered. “But that’s madness.”
“There is worse madness in the world than that. Shall we get going?”
It’s really hard to get into the world view of people from so long ago. But we do get a parallel for the monks with the going forth of the 6 Sakyan princes when they requested to have Upāli ordained before them so that they would be required to pay respect to him.
On the 30th of March Vanessa Sasson will gave a talk on Zoom about her book. You can register here.
2024-03-30T16:00:00Z→2024-03-30T17:30:00Z
Online via Zoom
After the Buddha achieved awakening, he welcomed men to join him in his practice. One day, the Buddha’s stepmother, Mahapajapati Gotami, approached the Buddha and asked if she too - along with the women who stood behind her - might join him in the monastic life. The story becomes a bit more complicated from there.