COMPLETED—-LECTURE by Elisabeth Benard on the SAKYA JETSUNMAS, Saturday, March 9, 2019, 3:00 pm at Ewam Choden

January 9, 2019 by  
Filed under Completed Special Events

This is a notice of an event presented by Sakya Dechen Ling, the local northern California center of Her Eminence Jetsun Kushok Chime Luding. 

Here, below, is information about the event.  You may go to the SDL website (click there) for further details and to register. 

Elisabeth Benard speaks on 
Born to Practice: The Sakya Jetsunma Phenomenon
 of Phenomenal Spiritual Adepts Who Are Women,
 Their Hidden Lives and Achievements, Past & Present 

Sakya Jetsunmas are a wonderful example of Tibetan women who are encouraged by their families and society to be religious practitioners.Their hidden world needs to be brought to light and their achievements must be recognized in any account of spiritual lives of Tibetan women, past and present.
Among Tibetan male spiritual adepts, many have the title of Jetsun or one worthy of honor, such the famous 11th century yogi–Milarepa. However, few Tibetan female spiritual practitioners are honored with this title. One of the more famous is the yogini Shugsep Jetsun (1852-1953).
In this illustrated lecture, the title of Jetsunma and who receives this title will be discussed. One significant group who are bestowed this title at birth are the Sakya Khon daughters.Among the Sakya Jetsunmas, some are known as eminent lamas who conferred the significant Lamdre teachings and who have had many disciples, including several Sakya Trizins. Two biographies will be highlighted: the contemporary Jetsun Kushok Chime Luding Rinpoche who is one of the most important female teachers of this century and the 18th century Jetsunma Chime Tenpai Nyima.She is best known for being the only woman who is included as a guru in the Naro-Vajrayogini guru transmission lineage.  Long live the Jetsunmas!

Elisabeth Benard is a professor emeritus in Asian Studies and Religion at the University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington, USA. She has received the Faculty Global Engagement Award from her university and has lectured extensively in the U.S, Asia and Europe. Her publications include Chinnamasta: the Aweful Buddhist and Hindu Tantric Goddess, “A Secret Affair: The Wedding of a Sakya Dagmo” in Tibetan Studies: Anthology PIATS2006 edited by S Arslan & P Schweiger,“Transformations of Wen Cheng Kongjo: Tang Princess, Tibetan Queen and Buddhist Goddess Tara,” in Goddesses Who Rule edited by Elisabeth Benard and Beverly Moon. “Born to Practice: the Sakya Jetsunma Phenomenon” in Revue d’Etudes Tibétaines issue 34, December 2015: Women as Visionaries, Healers and Agents of Social Transformation in the Himalayas, Tibet and Mongolia edited by Mona Schrempf and Nicola Schneider.  Read Issue HereE-Benard_Revue Dec 2015 

 

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