Prof. Vanessa Sasson will discuss the role of women in Buddhism through the lens of her two academic novels: “Yasodhara and The Buddha” and “The Gathering”.
In these two lectures, Sasson will explore some of the neglected stories, beginning with Yaśodharā, the wife the Bodhisattva left behind in his quest to achieve awakening.

In the second lecture, Sasson will follow Yaśodharā as she joins a growing gathering of women who hoped to receive ordination from the Buddha, so that they might practice alongside him, and we will hear about the Buddha’s complicated response.