Mahaprajapati: The Woman Who Raised the Buddha

Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Teacher Rev. Diane Wilde

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Thursday Night Talk Dana

“Generosity is the virtue that leads to peace.” – The Historical Buddha
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Topic details:
Mahaprajapati was the Buddha’s mother (actually his aunt who nurtured and raised him). Oddly, little was written about her or her influence over her son, and the establishment of the female sangha — both lay and monastic. Ancient stories about her made their way to China, Sri Lanka and Thailand but were excluded from the Pali Canon except for one volume, the Therigatha – “versus of the elder nuns.” Her life experience, her approach to teaching and her relationship with the women of her sangha was generally ignored by the monks of her time, and even now. New research and access to ancient “herstory” are now slowly becoming available. What this new information offers is a picture of a compassionate woman, a gifted leader — who was beloved by her entire community. Mahaprajapati and her community of women had to approach the Dharma with a different sensibility due to the misogyny of that time. Their approach, which we will discuss, may be what is needed in today’s world as Buddhism continues to evolve.