How the First Buddhist Women Became Free:

Vanessa Sasson’s new novel reimagines the story of the first Buddhist women’s request for ordination.

The Gathering, Vanessa R. Sasson's novel, reimagines Mahapajapati Gotami and the first Buddhist women's quest for ordination, challenging inequality.

In a compelling Tricycle Talks, James Shaheen and Sasson explore the story's enduring lessons, its relevance to contemporary female monastics, and the power of Buddhist storytelling. Uncover insights into resilience, equality, and the path to liberation—listen to the podcast for a deeper dive into this transformative narrative!

How the First Buddhist Women Became Free:

Vanessa Sasson’s new novel reimagines the story of the first Buddhist women’s request for ordination.

The Gathering, Vanessa R. Sasson's novel, reimagines Mahapajapati Gotami and the first Buddhist women's quest for ordination, challenging inequality.

In a compelling Tricycle Talks, James Shaheen and Sasson explore the story's enduring lessons, its relevance to contemporary female monastics, and the power of Buddhist storytelling. Uncover insights into resilience, equality, and the path to liberation—listen to the podcast for a deeper dive into this transformative narrative!

The Gathering

A Story of the First Buddhist Women

Sasson's The Gathering vividly reimagines the first Buddhist women's quest for ordination, inspired by the Therigatha. It explores their hopes and the controversial conditions following their acceptance, bringing these pivotal figures to life.

Drawing on years of research, Sasson invites us, with a narrative shaped like a diamond, to imagine their lives and motivations, as seen through the heart of Dr. Victoria Montrose, Assistant Professor of Religion and Asian Studies at Furman University. What did it mean for these women, and what can we learn from their enduring story? Pick up The Gathering and discover a world that continues to shape Buddhist narratives today!

THE BUDDHA’S WIFE AND OTHER UNTOLD STORIES:

An Exploration of Religious Mythology and Texts from a Feminine lens with Dr. Vanessa R. Sasson

For this episode of SOUNDFOOD, we welcome in March and the beginning of Women’s Month with the very dear, brilliant, and respected Dr. Vanessa R. Sasson. Dr. Sasson is a professor and writer of Religious Studies at Marianopolis College and a Research Fellow at the University of the Free State in South Africa, and a research member at CERIAS at UQAM. She has authored several books, both fiction and academic. In this episode, we dive specifically into her first novel Yasodhara: A Novel About the Buddha’s Wife, exploring the overlap between Buddhism, humanhood, motherhood, feminism, and more. The consummate teacher brings us her lessons on Buddhism, specifically as it relates to romance, attachment, teaching, life, and death, in a powerful yet playful conversation, ultimately about embracing our humanity and coming together.

Vanessa Sasson and the Buddha’s Wife

DECEMBER 30TH, 2019 | 44:25 | S2:E5

EPISODE SUMMARY

Professor and scholar Vanessa R. Sasson talks with Parul Pandya about her fictionalized account of the often overlooked story of the Buddha’s wife.

Giving a Voice to the Buddha's Wife: A conversation with Vanessa R. Sasson

29 minutes | Sep 27th, 2019

EPISODE SUMMARY

Vanessa R. Sasson, author of “Yasodhara: A Novel About the Buddha’s Wife”, in conversation with Jaipur Bytes host Lakshya Datta. In this podcast-exclusive, Vanessa and Lakshya talk about why she wanted to tell this story, what it was like to write in Yasodhara’s voice, and how the process of writing this book changed how she felt about the Buddha.