The 8th Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women, held in Seoul from June 27 to July 2, 2004, was a landmark in Korean Buddhist history. In preparing for the conference and reflecting on our experiences at the conference itself, Korean Buddhist women re-examined our roles and gained hope for the future of women in Korean Buddhism. Although our capabilities were not fully united in the months leading up to or during the conference, this event was a turning point in Korean Buddhist women’s awareness.

The five hundred years of the Joseon Dynasty were an extremely rough period for Buddhist development in Korea. Despite the difficulties, during these centuries of oppression and neglect, women made significant contributions to the preservation of the Korean Buddhist tradition. These sometimes unacknowledged contributions are an integral part of Korean Buddhism’s rich history.

Through hosting and participating in the 8th Sakyadhita Conference, Korean Buddhist women developed the confidence that we will prosper and grow in compassion in alliance with the Sakyadhita and its members all over the world. Korean Buddhist women became inspired to walk shoulder to shoulder with their sisters in the international Buddhist women’s movement. Korean Buddhist women’s potential has been actualized in a few notable cases. Two Bhikkhunis have been appointed to the head of the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Jogye Order, Korea’s largest monastic organization, since 2003. On September 24, 2005, for the first time, a woman, Ui-Jeong Kim, was elected President of the lay Buddhist association of the Jogye Order. The Korean Bhikkhuni Association and the Buddhist Women’s Development Institute have also been continuously expanding their activities and helping develop Korean Buddhism in its many aspects. In this paper, I will examine the tangible and intangible benefits Korean Buddhist women have experienced as a result of the 8th Sakyadhita Conference.