Karma Lekshe Tsomo teaches at Chaminade University in Honolulu. She is secretary of Sakyadhita: International Association of Buddhist Women and director of Jamyang Choling Institute, an education project for women in the Indian Himalayas.

'The great variety means that every reader can find something of interest.' - Buddhist Studies Review'The accounts are moving and inspiring.' - School of Oriental & African Studies

• Introduction PART I THE WORLD OF BUDDHIST WOMEN BUDDHIST WOMEN OF SOUTH ASIA Chapter 1 Inaccuracies in Buddhist Women's History Chapter 2 At the Cutting Edge: Theravada Nuns in the Kathmandu Valley Chapter 3 Unity and Diversity Among Buddhist Nuns in Sri Lanka Chapter 4 Factions and Fortitude: Buddhist Women in Bangladesh BUDDHIST WOMEN OF SOUTHEAST ASIA Chapter 5 Thammacarini Witthaya: The First Buddhist School for Girls in Thailand Chapter 6 The Status and Values of the Santi Asoke Sikkhamat Chapter 7 Rediscovering Cambodian Buddhist Women of the Past Chapter 8 The Revival of the Don Chee Movement in Cambodia Chapter 9 Khmer Women: Buddhist Survivors Chapter 10 Dam Luu: An Eminent Vietnamese Buddhist Nun BUDDHIST WOMEN OF EAST ASIA Chapter 11 A Case of Ritual Zen: In Gratitude to Ananda Chapter 12 Tiexiangsi: A Gelugpa Nunnery in Contemporary China Chapter 13 Birth, Death, and Resurrection of Shim Ch'ong: Mistress of the Spiritual Domain Chapter 14 Lineage or Family Tree? The Implications for Gender Chapter 15 Ordination, Legitimacy, and Sisterhood: The International Full Ordination Ceremony in Bodhgaya BUDDHIST WOMEN IN THE HIMALAYAS Chapter 16 Of Birds and Wings: Tibetan Nuns and their Encounters with Knowledge Chapter 17 Yeshe's Tibetan Pilgrimage and the Founding of a Himalayan Nunnery Chapter 18 Born Buddhist is Not Enough BUDDHIST WOMEN IN HAWAI'I Chapter 19 Mary Foster: The First Hawaiian Buddhist Chapter 20 Bishop Jikyu Rose: A Tendai Ajari in Hawai'i PART II WOMEN IN COMPASSIONATE SOCIAL ACTION Chapter 21 Buddhism and the Media Chapter 22 Diversity as Practice: Thinking about Race and American Buddhism Chapter 23 Sexual Conduct and Misconduct: Buddhist Ethics in the West Chapter 24 Daylighting the Feminine in American Buddhism Chapter 25 Buddhism, Human Rights, Women's Rights, and Democracy Chapter 26 Engaged Buddhism: Moving and Recreating Women's Stories Chapter 27 Inner Transformation for World Peace Epilogue Transforming Women's Position in Buddhism: Strategies