Buddhadharma Fall 2019

48 BUDDHADHARMA: THE PRACTITIONER’S QUARTERLY

internal obstacles? As you assumed the

role of a teacher, of a leader, did you feel

any hesitation or resistance within your-

self? And, if so, how did you overcome it?

REBECCA LI: I was the oldest among my

siblings, so I don’t have this discomfort

with being in a position of authority. But

I’ve also never thought of it in terms of

power, because that role always comes

with responsibilities. When I went

through teacher’s training with Master

Sheng Yen, he always emphasized the

importance of remembering you’re not

there to posture as this teacher. We are

really practicing together. For me what

that means is, yes, I’m the teacher, so

that is how I’m practicing. I’m practicing

by being in this teacher’s role, which has

its own unique set of challenges that I

have to resolve.

PEMA KHANDRO RINPOCHE: I resonate

with that—that it’s a role you do, and

that’s how you’re practicing with your

sangha. I feel like leadership is a role that

I’m studying together with the sangha.

I play my part, you play your part, but

we’re all equally doing a practice.

MYOKEI CAINE-BARRETT: Early on, the

person who taught me about leadership

was my dad. He always said that, as the

leader, you must never ask someone to

do something that you yourself won’t do.

That’s always been a guideline for me. I

think I fell into leadership—I always saw

In some dharma centers, there

is “women’s work” and then

“men’s work.” Part of our

practice is simply to challenge

our pre-existing views, the ones

that come from growing up in

this society. —REBECCA LI

NAOKO LESLIE

TRUDY GOODMAN DAIJAKU KINST

ZUIKO REDDING THUBTEN CHODRON

ELIZABETH MATTIS NAMGYEL