Wed, 7 Feb 2024 19:19:20 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<https://theconversation.com/the-lotus-sutra-an-ancient-buddhist-scripture-from-the-3rd-century-continues-to-have-relevance-today-216977>
"State legislatures across the United States have introduced over 400 bills to
limit transgender Americans’ rights. Many of these bills’ sponsors, such as the
Christian nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom, cite Christian values as well
as the values of the other Abrahamic faiths – Judaism and Islam – to justify
their anti-trans positions.
The Alliance Defending Freedom claims that Christians, Jews and Muslims view
gender as binary and defined only by biology, though these religions’ diverse
followers actually hold a range of views on LGBTQ+ issues. Historically, these
religions were often more accepting of varied gender identities before
colonialism imposed binary gender as a universal concept.
Religious values from multiple traditions have supported transgender identity.
As a scholar of Buddhism and gender, I know that several Buddhist texts treat
gender as fluid. One such text is the Lotus Sutra, one of the most popular
Buddhist scriptures in East Asia. Its core message is that everyone, no matter
their gender or status, has the potential to become a Buddha.
The Lotus Sutra conveys its message of universal Buddhahood in several
stories that depict transformations between male and female bodies. For
example, a dragon girl instantly transforms into the masculine body of a
Buddha, proving that female bodies are not barriers to awakening.
Elsewhere, the Lotus Sutra describes how the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara,
known as Guanyin in Mandarin and Kannon in Japanese, takes on male or female
forms depending on the needs of the audience."
Avalokiteshvara / Guanyin / Kannon is an important character in Journey to the
West and its many adaptations, including the very popular Monkey Magic and
the recent American Born Chinese, where the role is played by the always
wonderful Michelle Yeoh. We named one of our most beloved cats who passed at
the age of 20 a couple of years ago Kannon after this bodhisattva.
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
"State legislatures across the United States have introduced over 400 bills to
limit transgender Americans’ rights. Many of these bills’ sponsors, such as the
Christian nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom, cite Christian values as well
as the values of the other Abrahamic faiths – Judaism and Islam – to justify
their anti-trans positions.
The Alliance Defending Freedom claims that Christians, Jews and Muslims view
gender as binary and defined only by biology, though these religions’ diverse
followers actually hold a range of views on LGBTQ+ issues. Historically, these
religions were often more accepting of varied gender identities before
colonialism imposed binary gender as a universal concept.
Religious values from multiple traditions have supported transgender identity.
As a scholar of Buddhism and gender, I know that several Buddhist texts treat
gender as fluid. One such text is the Lotus Sutra, one of the most popular
Buddhist scriptures in East Asia. Its core message is that everyone, no matter
their gender or status, has the potential to become a Buddha.
The Lotus Sutra conveys its message of universal Buddhahood in several
stories that depict transformations between male and female bodies. For
example, a dragon girl instantly transforms into the masculine body of a
Buddha, proving that female bodies are not barriers to awakening.
Elsewhere, the Lotus Sutra describes how the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara,
known as Guanyin in Mandarin and Kannon in Japanese, takes on male or female
forms depending on the needs of the audience."
Avalokiteshvara / Guanyin / Kannon is an important character in Journey to the
West and its many adaptations, including the very popular Monkey Magic and
the recent American Born Chinese, where the role is played by the always
wonderful Michelle Yeoh. We named one of our most beloved cats who passed at
the age of 20 a couple of years ago Kannon after this bodhisattva.
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
