Organizer: York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR), York University

Type/Location: Hybrid / Toronto, ON

Description:

Despite the multiple interpretations of Karma (Kamma) in Myanmar, the dominant patriarchal framework within Theravada Buddhism continues to marginalize women by promoting the notion that a woman’s birth is a consequence of bad Karma (Kamma). This study examines the complexity of Karma in performance-based Buddhism, the influence of the multivocality of Buddhist texts and patriarchal interpretations on the formation of women’s identities, and the development of subaltern gendered agency in the discursive Theravada Buddhist narratives. The central claim is that women’s identity is not static within the framework of Karma, the law of Karma is impermanent, and the concept of Karma and rebirth cannot be oversimplified due to many conditions influencing existence and the various elements contributing to rebirth. By arguing that gender is fluid and not solely the result of Karma, this study seeks to take an applied approach to Gender and Buddhist Studies in Southeast Asia, offering a different hermeneutic of gender with liberatory possibilities for Southeast Asian women.

About the Speakers:

• Aung Min Thein, Visiting Research Fellow, York University & PhD Candidate, Chiang Mai University

• Respondent: Alicia M. Turner, York University

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