Description: "A testimony to the important contributions made by the women who were direct disciples of the Buddha-and a source of inspiration to Buddhist women today. In this book, esteemed scholar-monk Bhikkhu Anåalayo examines accounts of the first female disciples of the Buddha available in the early discourses and their parallels, taking the reader back to the earliest period in the history of Buddhism that can still be accessed today. He dedicates a chapter of his book to each remarkable woman, sharing with the reader her particular insights and teachings. Both nuns and laywomen are featured in these pages, and the diversity of voices and richness of thought will serve as instruction and encouragement for modern scholars and practitioners alike"--
Brief description: Bhikkhu Analayo is a scholar of early Buddhism and a meditation teacher. He completed his PhD research on the Satipatthanasutta at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, in 2000 and his habilitation research with a comparative study of the Majjhima Nikaya in the light of its Chinese, Sanskrit, and Tibetan parallels at the University of Marburg, Germany, in 2007. His over four hundred publications are for the most part based on comparative studies, with a special interest in topics related to meditation and the role of women in Buddhism.
Review Quotes: "Daughters of the Buddha is a much-awaited pioneer work on the early Buddhist women of ancient India who strove for their own emancipation guided by the Buddha, contributed to the historical and philosophical aspects of Buddhism, and became the source of inspiration for hundreds and thousands of women to save themselves from the drudgery of worldly life as 'a woman.' We have many works on the early Buddhist nuns of the Therigatha, but Bhikkhu Analayo's perspective is quite different from the existing ones. It is the first ever to have all the teachings given by early Buddhist women collected together, providing us with access to all the important information from the major primary sources. This was possible for Bhikkhu Analayo because with his scholarship he had comfortable access to all these sources in the original languages. His presentation is simple and lucid, and the content is comprehensively supported by an analytical study. This book is a successful addition to the list of works on women and Buddhism by Bhikkhu Analayo. Needless to say, it will be enlightening research material for other scholars and will give moral support to the daughters of the Buddha of the present day."--Professor Shobha Rani Dash, author of Mahapajapati: The First Bhikkhuni