Nuns
in the West II - May, 2005 - Hsi Lai Temple, Hacienda Heights,
CA
Buddhist, Catholic and Hindu nuns gather to share their inner
life and training.
Nuns in the West Photo Albums
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"It was a dance."
Thus did one participant describe the dialogue
experience that occurred at Nuns in the West
II. Christian, Buddhist and Hindu, they came
and listened and shared. The hope that we could
go deeper this time was not disappointed. With
trust that respect and openness could be sustained,
nuns delved into vulnerable spaces and asked
the risky questions that led in some instances
to resonance across our vast differences, but
often to a quandary or impasse because of those
differences.
Sponsored by Monastic Interreligious Dialogue
(MID) and graciously hosted by the Hsi Lai Chinese
Buddhist Temple in Hacienda Heights, California,
Nuns in the West II gathered 26 nuns for interreligious
dialogue May 27—30, 2005. They were...
Buddhist
Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron – Tibetan Buddhist
Venerable Il Aha – Zoge Order in Korea
Venerable Dr. Karma Lekshe Tsomo – Tibetan
Buddhist
Venerable Yi Chao – Chinese Buddhist
Myokyo, Osho – Rinzai Zen Buddhist
Venerable Man Yuan Shih – Chinese Buddhist
Venerable Dr. Karuna Dharma – Vietnamese
Zen Buddhist
Venerable Miao Yu – Chinese Buddhist
Venerable Tien Lien – Vietnamese Buddhist
Venerable Miao Zhong – Chinese Buddhist
Venerable Gyalten Thartso – Tibetan Buddhist
Venerable Dr. Yifa – Chinese Buddhist
(Host)
Hindu
Pravrajika Saradeshaprana – Ramakrishna
Order
Christian
Sister Catherine Cleary – Benedictine,
MID Board member
Sister Rosemary Huber – Maryknoll, Advisor
to MID Board
Sister Rita Keegan – Maryknoll
Sister Joan Kirby – Religious of the Sacred
Heart (UN Temple of Understanding)
Sister Jeanne Knoerle – Sisters of Providence
Sister Virginia Matter – Benedictine,
Former MID Board member
Sister Barbara McCracken – Benedictine,
MID Board member
Sister Sarah Schwartzberg – Benedictine,
MID Board member
Sister Katherine Ann Smolik – Benedictine
Sister Mary White – Benedictine
Sister Bridget Dickason – Benedictine
Sister Malia Dominica Wong – Dominican
Sister Jeanne Ranek – Benedictine, Coordinator
and MID Board member
Group Profile
Six Buddhist, one Hindu, and eight Christian
nuns had participated in the first Nuns
in the West gathering in 2003, and several
were participants in other MID-sponsored dialogue
events, including the Gethsemani Encounters
and the Benedict’s Dharma Conference. Diversity
of traditions and religious orders characterized
the participants. Five branches of Buddhism,
one Hindu order, and five Christian religious
orders were represented. Eleven Christians and
seven Buddhists had earned graduate degrees.
Christian participants were significantly older
and represented more years as a nun than their
counterparts. At least seven of the non-Christians
grew up in a different religious tradition or
none; only one of the Christians was reared
in a different religious faith.
All the non-Christians wore distinctive garb,
whereas only one Christian wore a religious
habit. More of the Buddhist and Hindu participants
live in monasteries (11 at least part of the
time) than Christians (only five). Christians
arrived from 19 states, including Hawaii. Buddhist
and Hindu participants represented only two
states and Canada; most are residing in California
at the present time. However, a reverse pattern
appeared when looking at countries of origin.
All Christians were native to the USA, while
among Buddhist and Hindu nuns, countries of
origin included China, Taiwan, Canada, Korea,
England and the USA.
The Dialogue
Billed as an experience-based reflection, the
dialogue did indeed elicit the personal stories
of individuals, complete with the joys and struggles
of grappling with issues of contemporary monastic
life in the West. But the dialogue did not stop
there. In the attempt to understand one another
and respond to queries, participants tapped
into the philosophies, theologies, anthropologies
and psychologies within each tradition to attempt
to pass over into another’s consciousness
in order to understand a different worldview.
Often, taken-for-granted concepts failed to
negotiate the gulf between us. At times, the
group simply embraced an impasse. We learned
that we could bond with one another on some
mystical level and as friends even as we felt
at an impasse because of our disparate worldviews
and lack of common concepts.
Recognizing that true dialogue begins with
a willingness to enter the consciousness of
another
religion, the group set out with open minds
and hearts to understand and respect the other.
Respect was sustained and deepened throughout
the weekend of dialogue even when understanding
eluded us, leaving eager and willing dialogue
partners with a keen awareness of how little
we truly understand. As we voiced our hopes
at the start of the exchange, many expressed
the desire to “go deeper” with our
dialogue—not knowing what that would
mean. This, indeed, happened. At moments we
glimpsed
the abyss that divides our worlds and we groped
for terms and concepts that both groups could
relate to. At other moments, a profound resonance
melted barriers. In all cases, an authenticity,
a willingness to address the delicate issues
of difference, a readiness to learn or to be
at an impasse characterized the spirit of the
gathering.
Topics
The group grappled with a variety of dialogue
topics drawn from a précis of our 2003
dialogue and also with topics proposed at the
table this year. It would be impossible to convey
the full impact of our questing, groping and
pondering together. At best, I can only mention
topics and point to the substance of our exchange.
Indeed, it is the process itself more
than the content that achieves the goals of
dialogue; this was our experience at Nuns in
the West II.
Among the topics addressed were the following:
Meditation Practice: The centrality
in monastic life of a meditation practice was
a bond across traditions. We spoke of the role
of meditation in our lives and its impact/fruit
over time, e.g., equanimity. Different meanings
associated with the term “meditation”
in the East and West were acknowledged, i.e.
“meditation” in the West usually refers
to a discursive form of prayer whereas in the
East it refers to what Christians mean by “contemplation. ”
Mindfulness: Some of us were
surprised to discover that we do not mean exactly
the same thing when we speak of mindfulness
practice; however, we did seem to connect with
the phrase “being awake at all times”
or “inner connectedness. ”
Dialogue as a way to world peace:
So much of the work of all traditions represented
seems to be oriented toward peace within persons,
groups and our world. While we all value and
desire peace, we encountered widely disparate
notions about the role of religions in modifying
social structures or engaging in political
action
on behalf of the underprivileged, and we groped
for a common vocabulary and concepts available
in both traditions. For example, one Buddhist
said that “justice” is not a Buddhist
concept, and the term “prophetic” is
also foreign to Buddhism. Work for justice
tends to be perceived by Eastern traditions
as an attempt to perfect the world and achieve
rights. Hindu and Buddhists emphasize instead
non-violent and non-political ways of helping
people live peacefully in the flawed world
rather
than changing those structures. Mother Teresa
was cited as an example of ministering to people
within a flawed social system, making little
or no effort to change the structures that
cause
the suffering. We agreed that a purification
of the heart and clarity about social issues
is gained from the practice of contemplation/
meditation.
Balance between Contemplative Practice
and Compassionate Service: All recognize
the tension in this area. Rather than complaining
about the stress, we focused on criteria for
decision-making in this area.
Authority: This topic warrants
a good deal more attention and might be a good
focus for another gathering. Questions centered
on practices as well as structures. How can
we have healthy relationships in the area of
authority? How do monastic norms and cultural
expectations conflict or support each other?
What is the impact on monastics of changing
cultural norms in the West, especially for women?
Other Questions and
Observations
What do Christians understand about cyclic existence?
What does each dialogue partner mean by the
term “non-dual”?
What do Buddhists mean by the term “Ultimate
Truth”?
What is the experience of the illuminated person?
Does she experience emotions?
Is there a relationship between the Buddhist
bond with all sentient beings and the Christian
concepts of Mystical Body or cosmic oneness?
Rituals
Formal dialogue was complemented by informal
evenings and opportunities to share the rituals
and chants of various traditions. As guests
of the Hsi Lai Temple, we were present at 6:30
a.m. chants in the main shrine and also viewed
a DVD of an international Buddhist chanting
concert. This was complemented by listening
to samples of Christian Gregorian Chant, Orthodox
chant, and Hindu chant, noting the evocative
and integrative character of chanting and its
universal presence in world religions. Rituals
from our three traditions—Christian (Compline),
Hindu (evening arati), and Buddhist (guided
meditation)—closed our informal evening
dialogue times, Father James Fredericks joined
us in the Temple Pagoda late Saturday afternoon
to preside at a Catholic Mass at which Christians
extended the kiss of peace to their Buddhist
and Hindu sisters. We came away with minds
stretched
and hearts enlarged.
Our Story
At the conclusion of our gathering, we attempted
to tell our story, the story of Nuns in the
West gathered in dialogue. First of all, we
have become friends, and meeting as women bonded
us in a special way. We challenged ourselves
to “go deeper, ” and we allowed ourselves
to be stretched by different worldviews and
perspectives. We found a comfort level in our
willingness to grope with core issues. We were
unafraid to surface differences, and when understanding
did not come, we honored one another as we
stood
together at an impasse. We experienced great
respect, even awe, before each other. We found
the inner life of contemplation to be a wonderful
common denominator amidst such vast differences.
We learned that in many ways we are so much
alike, and that we have yet so much to learn
about and from one another. And finally, we
agreed that it is the process, the experience
of dialoguing with one another, that is most
important and fruitful.
Schedule
Friday, May 27
6:00 p.m. Dinner
7:30 p.m. Welcome by Ven. Yifa, host, and S.
Jeanne Ranek, coordinator
Introductions and Informal Dialogue
Christian Ritual: Compline (Led by S. Virginia
Matter)
Saturday, May 28
6:30 a.m. Chants in Main Shrine
7:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 a.m. Dialogue Session
11:30 a.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. Group Photo (Rev. Kusala Bhikshu,
photographer)
1:30 p.m. Dialogue Session at Temple
3:15 p.m. Break
3:45 p.m. Dialogue Session at Temple
4:45 p.m. Catholic Mass in Pagoda (Rev. James
Fredericks, presider)
6:00 p.m.Dinner
7:30 p.m. View Buddhist Chanting Concert on
DVD
Listen to Samples of Chant: Christian Gregorian
Chant, Orthodox Chant, and Hindu Chant
Hindu Ritual (Led by Saradeshaprana)
Sunday, May 29
6:30 a.m. Chants in Main Shrine
7:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 a.m. Dialogue Session at Temple
11:30 a.m. Lunch
1:30 p.m. Dialogue Session at Temple
3:15 p.m. Break
3:45 p.m. Dialogue Session at Temple
4:45 p.m. Meditation/Contemplative Sitting [Led
by S. Mary White]
6:00 p.m. Dinner
6:30 p.m. Youth Symphony Orchestra Performance
in Temple Courtyard [Optional]
7:30 p.m. Informal Dialogue and Closure Buddhist
Guided Meditation (Led by Ven. Thubten Chodron)
Monday, May 30
Breakfast and Departure
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Bhikshuni
Tubten Chodron, founder of Sravasti
Abbey, offers a Buddhist perspective on Nuns
in the West II.
In
2002, I had the good fortune to attend Gethsemani
II, a Catholic-Buddhist monastic dialogue at Gethsemani,
Thomas Merton’s monastery in Kentucky. We
nuns wanted more time to discuss amongst ourselves,
so the Catholic Monastic Interreligious Dialogue
organized Nuns of the West. We met over Memorial
Day weekend in 2003 at Hsi Lai Temple, near Los
Angles. The dialogue was so rich that we were eager
to continue, and thus Nuns of the West II was again
organized by MID and hosted by Hsi Lai Temple, May
27-30, 2005.
Most of the twenty-five nuns in attendance had participated
in our first gathering, but the group was enriched
by the participation of several newcomers. The Catholic
sisters comprised both monastic sisters (whose lives
were organized around the daily Office) and apostolic
sisters (who were more involved in social welfare
projects). The Buddhist nuns were from the Tibetan,
Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean traditions;
one Hindu nun was also present.
In our initial go-around, we articulated the wish
for our dialogue to go deeper now that we knew each
other better, although none of us knew what direction
that depth would take. We agreed that understanding
and tolerance, not consensus, are goals of dialogue.
Dialogue helps us to stretch our boundaries; it
also enriches both our belief system and our spiritual
practice. Furthermore, our contemplative practice
enables as well as seeks dialogue.
Several of the nuns said that our meeting and sharing
together was important in this world where people
are once again dividing into political groups along
religious lines and killing each other in the name
of religion. The power of women of different faiths
meeting together and sharing in harmony cannot
be
understated. Although we alone cannot cure the
world’s
ills, we can give an example of hope to others,
and our gathering is a contribution to world peace.
With this in mind, we plunged into discussions
with
the whole group seated around an oblong table.
Later we broke into smaller groups, which enabled
us to
connect even more.
The topics were fascinating. For example, we discussed
God and non-duality (leave it to us nuns to jump
into the midst of things!); the role of study, prayer,
contemplation, and meditation; types of meditation;
the benefit of a monastic way of life to society
as a whole; the role of authority in spiritual practice
and in communities; the meaning of commitment to
a spiritual path. We shared rituals, chanting, and
music from our own traditions, as well as laughter
and humor.
Seeing the similarities as well as differences
in our philosophies and practices enriched us.
One
dialogue I found particularly interesting was the
topic of justice. I’d never heard any mention
of this word during my many years of Buddhist study
and was personally confounded by the multiple meanings
it seems to have today. Politicians take “justice”
to mean punishment and sometime use the word as
a euphemism for revenge and aggression. The Catholic
nuns, on the other hand, use the word very differently:
to them it indicates action that remedies poverty,
human rights abuse, racism, and other inequalities.
As Buddhists, we support these latter aims, but
we would use the term “compassionate action” to
describe our efforts to improve the world and the
lives of the individuals in it.
This led us into a discussion of our world view.
Is the world a place that can be made perfect?
Or
is it flawed by nature? What constitutes benefiting
others? Is it giving others food, shelter, clothing,
medical supplies? Is it changing societal, political,
and economic structures that perpetrate exploitation
and violence? Is it freeing ourselves from ignorance,
attachment, and hostility so that we can lead others
to that same freedom? Are all these ways equally
necessary and valuable? If so, how do we decide
where to put our energy? If not, it is suitable
to express disappointment at the “limited” ways
that others help society? Personally speaking,
I believe this issue speaks about the variety of
dispositions that the Buddha so often commented
upon. Each of us has our own talents and ways of
giving and benefiting. All of these are valuable
and all are necessary. Some people excel in changing
societal structures; others are more effective
in
helping individuals in a personal way. Some help
by their prayers and their example of ethical discipline,
others by teaching and guiding others. Mutual respect
and appreciation for the diversity in how we contribute
to the welfare of others is as important as honoring
the diversity in our religious beliefs and ways
of practice.
I was also fascinated by our discussion on the
prophetic roles of monastics. “Prophetic” is another
word not found in Buddhism, and its Old Testament
usage, with which I was familiar, didn’t seem
to fit what the Catholic sisters meant. They used
it to indicate the conscience of society: those
who were not invested in society’s norms
could point out injustice and degenerated practices.
They
would speak out to encourage others to correct
their misguided ways.
The Buddha certainly gave counsel to kings, ministers,
and society at large, but more often this took
the
form of articulating general guiding principles
instead of addressing specific instances of injustice.
It seems to me that the countercultural role of
a prophetic voice could function in several ways.
One would be through living a monastic lifestyle
of simplicity, which, by example, challenges society’s
addiction to consumerism and materialism. Another
would be through actively teaching good values
and
principles to others in churches, temples, and
Dharma centers. A third would be those who address
the
public or who speak to the media regarding specific
issues and events occurring at this time. This
topic,
however, requires much more discussion as does
the topic of justice and compassionate action.
My hope
is that this MID will continue to organize these
gatherings, and that Hsi Lai Temple or other monasteries
will continue to host them so that this will occur.
As
a Buddhist nun who is embarking on the great adventure
of founding an abbey in the West, I deeply appreciate
the support of these nuns—both
Buddhist and Catholic, Western and Asian. Some
of them have visited our fledging abbey, others
will in the future (More than one Catholic sister
asked about doing retreat at Sravasti Abbey).
They have years of experience to share and a mind
that rejoices at what is wholesome in the world.
Beyond dialogue, genuine friendships amongst us
are growing.
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Inspiration
from Enlightened Nuns - by
Susan Elbaum Jootla
This essay explores the poems composed
by the 'Enlightened Buddhist'
nuns of old, looking at these poems as springs
of inspiration for contemporary Buddhists.
The
verses of the nuns, if systematically examined,
can help serious Buddhist meditators to understand
many central aspects of the Dhamma. The background
to the verses, including biographical information
on the nuns who uttered them, is provided by
the ancient commentary on the Therigatha by
the venerable Acariya Dhammapala. Mrs. Rhys Davids
has included some of these background stories
in Psalms of the Early Buddhists, and
in the first part of this essay we will look
at these stories and consider the themes they
suggest that are relevant to contemporary students
of Buddhist meditation. Then we will go on to
discuss a selection of the poems themselves,
which deal with many specific teachings of the
Buddha.
We
of the twenty-first century who are seeking to
attain liberation will find ourselves deeply
grateful to these fully awakened Buddhist nuns
of old for their profound assistance in illuminating
the Dhamma for us in their own distinctly personal
ways.
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