Women Walking the Path: Feminism, Buddhism, and the Power of Persistence

In this HerStance episode, we honor Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, the first Bhikkhunī and the woman who opened the Buddhist path to women. Through a feminist lens, we explore her persistence, spiritual authority, and lasting legacy—challenging patriarchal narratives in Buddhist history and re-centering women’s wisdom, resistance, and liberation on the path. We also trace this living lineage forward to Bhikkhunī Dhammanandā (pictured) and her temple today, where the Bhikkhunī ordination continues as an act of spiritual practice and feminist courage. (photo credit By Gakuro - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7484191)