First Buddhist Women: Poems and Stories of Awakening (2nd Edition)

By Susan Murcott

First Buddhist Women is a readable, contemporary translation of and commentary on the enlightenment verses of the first female disciples of the Buddha. Through the study of the Therigatha, the earliest-known collection of women's religious poetry, the book explores Buddhism's 2,600-year-long liberal attitude toward women. Utilizing commentary and storytelling, author Susan Murcott traces the journey of wives, mothers, teachers, courtesans, prostitutes, and wanderers who became leaders in the Buddhist community, acquiring roles that even today are rarely filled by women in other, patriarchal religions.

"...energetic and vividly detailed poems of women on the road to enlightenment and independence. —Tricycle

"At last, an intelligent feminist scholar is tackling the subject with sincerity and insight. Susan Murcott took the Therigatha—songs of the nuns from the time of the historical Buddha, and explores the political, social, and cultural climate. She explains the history. She asks the right questions, the ones I wanted answers to anyway. Her astute analysis helped me understand what made the nun's order what it was. Her translations are simultaneously down-to-earth and mystical. But best of all, she brings the nuns to life. She retells the stories of their lives in detail and re-translates their poems and songs of awakening." —Diana Winston, author of Wide Awake: A Buddhist Guide for Teens

Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
Patacara & Her Disciples
Wanderers & Disciples
Wise Women & Teachers
Mothers
Wives
Old Women
Prostitutes, Courtesans, & Beautiful Women
Friends & Sisters
Buddhist Nuns & Nature
Dialogue Poems
Afterword: The Legacy of the First Buddhist Women Appendix: Rules of the Nuns' Sangha
Glossary of terms and places
Index of Poems
Bibliography

Sample Chapter
Anopama

Anopama was the daughter of a financier named Majjha, a member of the new merchant class that was rising to prominence during the sixth century b.c.e.. Her father's wealth, in common with this new class, was measured in money rather than in cattle (as had formerly been the case in previous centuries). Wealth was becoming private property in the sense that it was at his own disposal instead of being tied up by clan or tribal obligations.

Anopama means "without equal." Because her beauty was extraordinary, the Therigatha Commentary points out an association between her name and her beauty. But it is also possible that this name was given to her by her parents, not because of her physical beauty, but on account of qualities that were more intangible. One is reminded of the story of King Pasenadi's disappointment on learning of the birth of a daughter instead of a son. In a culture where the birth of sons was desired, the Buddha's comment that a girl "may prove even a better offspring" than a boy, implies the idea of no comparison, or "without equal." In this sense, the name Anopama may suggest not beauty, but uniqueness.

I was born into a family
great in property and wealth,
Majjha's daughter.
My skin and figure were lovely.

Sons of kings sought me out.
Sons of merchants longed for me.

There was one who sent
my father a messenger.
"Give me Anopama
and I will give you
eight times her weight
in gold and jewels."

But I have seen the Enlightened One,
first in the world, unsurpassed,
and I bowed at his feet
and sat down to one side.

In his compassion, Gautama taught me.
Sitting right here
I gained the third fruit of meditation.
Then I cut off my hair
and turned toward homelessness.
This is the seventh night
since my craving has died.

The following poem was written by Vimala, a prostitute who became a Buddhist nun 2,500 years ago.

Young,
intoxicated by my own
lovely skin,
my figure,
my gorgeous looks,
and famous too,
I despised other women.

Dressed to kill
at the whorehouse door,
I was a hunter
and spread my snare for fools.

And when I stripped for them
I was the woman of their dreams;
I laughed as I teased them.

Today,
head shaved,
robed,
alms-wanderer, I, my same self,
sit at the tree's foot;
no thought.

All ties
untied,
I have cut men and gods
out of my life,
I have quenched the fires.

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