Bride of the Buddha (e-book) (used book) | Barbara McHugh | bookbook.eu

Description

This page-turner about a woman's struggle in an unapologetic religious patriarchy offers a feminist perspective on the life of the Buddha.

This is the story of Yasodhara, the abandoned wife of the Buddha. Facing society's challenges, she transforms her rage into devotion to the path of liberation. Concealing her gender, she joins the monastic community and becomes the Buddha's closest confidant, known in the scriptures as Ananda. She/he is the one who persuades the Buddha to allow women to join the order and attains awakening just in time to guide the council in preserving the Buddha's teachings.

"A remarkable and riveting love story-I literally could not put this book down-Barbara McHugh's Bride of the Buddha is told in luminous and mindfully-crafted prose...Highly recommended for anyone interested in living a more awakened life." - Mobi Warren, translator of Thich Nhat Hanh's Old Path White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha

"In the tradition of alternate reality novels, Barbara McHugh spins a creative tale of intrigue and family drama as she reimagines aspects of the story of the Buddha. It is engaging and inventive, and very enjoyable." - Phillip Moffitt, author of Dancing with Life: Buddhist Insights for Finding Meaning and Joy in the Face of Suffering

"Crisp, charming, and unforgettable." - Sam Keen, author of Fire in the Belly and Your Mythic Journey

"A daring reimagining of the life of Yasodhara.... I finished this novel with a yearning for this story to be true." - Wendy Egyoku Nakao, Abbot Emeritus of Zen Center of Los Angeles and co-author of The Book of Householder Koans

"As someone who has found Buddhism baffling, I was deeply informed and moved by Barbara McHugh's brilliant imagining of the Yasodhara's life." - Elizabeth Cunningham, author of The Passion of Mary Magdalen