Women in Buddhism:Unity and Diversity
Women in Buddhism:Sakyadhita is pleased to announce the 5th International Conference on Buddhist Women to be held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from December 29, 1997, to January 4, 1998. The theme of the conference will be "Women in Buddhism: Unity and Diversity." The venue will be a Vipassana center about 25 minutes outside of Phnom Penh. There will be a tour to the historical site of Angkor Wat after the conference, from January 5 to 7.
This page was last updated on June 4, 1997. This page will be
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The first international gathering of Buddhist women took place in Bodhgaya, India, in 1987. Following that historical gathering, Sakyadhita: the International Association of Buddhist Women was founded to promote the well-being of Buddhist women around the world. Conferences in Bangkok in 1991, Colombo in 1993, and Ladakh in 1995 continued to explore women's role and future in the Buddhist traditions. Through these gatherings, women have gathered strength and inspiration, growing spiritually as individuals, building communities, and working actively in the world.
Cambodia lies in the heart of southeast Asia bordered by Thailand to the west, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east. It covers a land area of 181,035 square kilometers, about half the size of Italy or Vietnam. It is well-known for its ancient temples and magnificent art. The Cambodians call their country Kampuchea. Their language, Khmer, uses an ancient Brahmi script of India and is spoken by about 9,000,000 people today.
In earliest times, Cambodia was probably
a collection of competing kingdoms, with cultural influence borrowed from
India. Great monuments were built during the Angkor period of unification,
from the 9th to 12th centuries. From the 16th century, Cambodia experienced
European intervention, as well as incursions by its Thai and Vietnamese
neighbors. The country was colonized by the French from the late 19th century
until gaining independence on November 9, 1954. Civil wars and foreign intervention
have caused social and economic disruption in Cambodia, but hopes are high
for peace and stability under democratic rule. Conditions are now safe for
travel.
Buddhism is the state religion of Cambodia, though it was outlawed by the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979. Cambodian Buddhism has often followed a pluralistic approach, gracefully blending new influences with existing ones.
Evidence indicates that Buddhism was practiced in the region from the earliest centuries of the Christian era. The ancient kingdom of Funan was known as a center of Buddhist learning in the 1st and 6th centuries. King Kaundinya Jayavarman (478-514 C.E.) presented ivory stupas and a coral statue of the Buddha to the Chinese emperor. His son Rudravarman, the last king of Funan, sent a sandalwood image of the Buddha and reported a 12-foot-long hair of the Buddha in his country.
Inscriptions discovered near
Angkor Thom reveal that Brahmanism, Buddhism, and Vaisnavism flourished
simultaneously during the 9th century. Inscriptions from the 10th century
indicate that Mahayana Buddhism was practiced. They invoke the Buddha, Lokesvara,
Vajrapani, and Prajnaparamita, as well as the Trikaya--Dharmakaya, Samboghakaya,
and Nirmanakaya. The most illustrious period of Buddhism in Cambodia was
the reign of Jayavarman VII (1181-1215 C.E), during which time Mahayana
was practiced side by side with Saivism.
By 1296 C.E., a distinct shift had occurred. Records of the Chinese envoy Chou Ta-kuan indicate that Buddhism at that time was of the Sri Lankan type. Today the majority of the Cambodian people are followers of the Theravada tradition preserved in Pali language. Every male is expected to become a monk for at least a short time during his life. Some spend three weeks in a wat (temple), while others are ordained for life. They follow 227 precepts of monastic discipline (Vinaya). Women are not fully ordained in Cambodia, but may follow eight or ten precepts.
One World offers information on current events in Cambodia on their Asian news page (just select and click on 'Cambodia').
The 5th Sakyadhita Conference is being co-ordinated by Hema Goonatilake in Cambodia, Norma Fain Pratt in Los Angeles, and Karma Lekshe Tsomo in Honolulu. As at previous Sakyadhita gatherings, the program will include morning meditations, workshops, discussions, cultural presentations, chanting from different Buddhist traditions, and friendly chats. Here is a typical schedule:
Day 1: Registration and Opening
Ceremony
Cambodian Dance Presentation
Days 2 through 6
7 AM - Meditation
8 AM - Breakfast
9 AM - Talks & Discussion Groups
11:30 - Lunch
Noon - Rest & Informal Chats
2 PM - Workshops
4 PM - Tea & Dialogue
5 PM - Chanting & Meditation
6 PM - Cultural Presentations
Day 7: Sakyadhita Meeting & Closing Ceremony
Guided Tour of the National Museum
The theme of the Conference, "Women in Buddhism: Unity and Diversity," opens the discussion on a wide range of topics:
Speakers and meditation teachers have been invited from all over the world:
A range of accommodation will be offered. Most participants will stay in hotels and guest houses in Phnom Penh, with bus transportation to the conference site provided. Vegetarian breakfast, lunch, and tea will be served on site. Restaurants and hotels in Phnom Penh serve meals at any time. Bottled water and beverages may be purchased.
The conference registration fee is $50. Most delegates will be accommodated at hotels in Phnom Penh. Rates will be $20, $30, or $40 per person per day, including hotel room (double occupancy), vegetarian breakfast and lunch, 2 teas, airport transfers, and bus transportation to the conference site daily. Single supplement is $5 per day. The cost of the tour to Angkor Wat will be $180, which includes airfare ($110), entrance fee, hotel room (double occupancy), vegetarian breakfast and lunch, tea, and ground transportation. Single supplement is $30.
Efforts are being made to arrange economical international flights. For travel information for participants from Europe, contact Rotraut Wurst (Jampa), Stralsunder Weg 22, 24161 Altenholz, Germany, telephone +49-431-322303 or fax +49-431-328208.
Cambodia is tropical and the weather is pleasantly warm in winter. Cottons are suitable for daytime wear and a shawl or sweater is advised for evenings. Out of respect for our host culture, please do not wear shorts, short skirts, or low necklines.
Plan to bring a towel, toiletries, stationery items, pens, camera film, snacks, herbal tea bags, or any dietary extras you require. Sunglasses, sunscreen, mosquito repellant, moisturized towelettes, and tissue paper are highly recommended. Cash in US dollars can be used everywhere. Travellers' checks are time-consuming to cash. Silks, jewellry, and handcrafted items are available in Cambodia, so be sure to budget for shopping, too.
Bring any prescription medications and vitamins you ordinarily require. Bandaids for blisters and simple medications for colds, headaches, diarrhea, indigestion, and constipation are advised. Inoculations are generally not required for Cambodia.
Women from developing countries are anxious to be part of this historical gathering. Unfortunately, many are unable to afford it. $500 will enable a woman from Bangladesh, Burma, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, or Tibet to attend. Please be generous in helping others to enrich everyone's experience.
If you require more details, please contact:
Please print out and complete the conference registration form, and mail it to:
Sakyadhita
International Association of Buddhist Women
400 Hobron Lane #2615
Honolulu, HI 96815
U.S.A.
Special thanks to Gene Chenoweth of Bucknell University for his kind permission to reproduce five of his beautiful images of Phnom Penh in 1970. The originals, with descriptions, can be seen on his Southeast Asia Gallery - Cambodia page, which forms part of the Southeast Asia Study Guide (incidentally, an excellent resource on Southeast Asia!). Please do not reproduce these without his permission.
For comments and suggestions please email Karma Lekshe Tsomo, tsomo@hawaii.edu.
This page is maintained by Brian Wagner, e-mail brianw@electriciti.com