Long ago but very close
The lives and stories of these female ancestors seem long ago. They stretch back hundreds, even thousands of years, beyond the time of the Buddha to the mythical ancestors. What stands out when reading about these women is that they dealt with very recognizable themes. When approached with an open mind, the years seem to disappear. Their questions and searches turn out to be no different from those of contemporary practitioners. And the koans of the past are the same as the koans of today, whether they come from official koan collections or arise from everyday life. This makes these biographies a great source of inspiration.
not (yet) included
Not all the short life stories have been included yet. The list will be further completed over time. The list of detailed biographies will also be expanded.
Due to the differences in Western ancestors among the various sanghas, it was decided not to include the biographies of these women. Those who still wish to learn more about a particular Western Zen teacher can usually find information about her easily on the internet.
Resources
General sources used for nearly every woman
- Stories of Women Ancestors – Mountain Source Sangha
- The Stories of Women Ancestors – Ancient Dragon Zen Gate
- Women Ancestors Document – Upaya.org
The following books were helpful for many of the life stories:
- Women of the Way, Sallie Tisdale, 2006
- Zen Women, Grace Schireson, 2009
Additionally, the website of Terebess is a very large source of information.
Finally, on the page Literature you can find an overview of general resources about female Zen ancestors.