FORUM | HEAR OUR VOICES 43
My journeys as a Buddhist and as a feminist were inter-
twined as I made sense of my place in the world as a woman
of color. I had been introduced to Buddhism as a child, and
during my teens, I avidly explored world religions. However, in
that exploration, I was continuously disturbed by racism and
sexism. In the end, only Buddhist philosophy helped me make
sense of the cruelties and beauties of the world, feeding all the
drives that steered me toward a Buddhist vision of liberation
from suffering for all beings.
I first proposed the notion of an all-women’s issue last fall to
editor Tynette Deveaux, through whom this issue was brought
to life. At that time I already had in mind a panel discussion
among women teachers. That wish was deeply personal—I bear
the brunt of certain gendered realities on a regular basis, but
I rarely have occasion to speak about them with other female
teachers. This silence is present even in my life, as a teacher
who travels the world speaking about gender equality in Bud-
dhism! There is just so much that needs to be said aloud but has
previously only been spoken in whispers.
One of my favorite sutra passages reads, “The Buddhas nei-
ther wash ill deeds away with water nor remove beings’ suffer-
ings with their hands, nor transfer their realizations to others.
Beings are released through the teachings of the truth, the final
reality.” I have treasured this as an affirmation of the power of
education. Whether we are buddhas or buddhanature-beings,
we all have the same instrument of education to make use of:
words of truth, which can educate and can liberate.
I invite you to join me now in reading this intimate conver-
sation, which went far beyond my expectations. These voices
present to us the greatest untold story of dharma—the story of
women in Buddhism.