Using both historical evidence and ethnographic data, Paula Arai shows that nuns were central agents in the foundation of Buddhism in Japan in the 6th century. They were active participants in the Soto Zen sect, and continue to contribute to the advancement of the sect up to the present day.

Prologue ; 1. Introduction ; 2. Historical Background ; 3. Twentieth-Century Leadership ; 4. The Monastic Practices of Zen Nuns ; 5. Motivations, Commitments, and Self-Perceptions ; 6. Conclusion: Innovators for the Sake of Tradition ; Endnotes ; Appendix A. Questionnaire ; Appendix B. Glossary of Japanese Terms

"...a long overdue corrective to the androcentric scholarship that has ignored Zen nuns' importance.... This very readable book is ideal for classroom use."--Religious Studies Review "...a long overdue corrective to the androcentric scholarship that has ignored Zen nuns' importance.... This very readable book is ideal for classroom use."--Religious Studies Review "A long overdue corrective to the androcentric scholarship that has ignored Zen nuns' importance . . . This very readable book is ideal for classroom use."--Religious Studies Review "Arai's sensitive first-hand account is at times emotional, but the reflexive recollections that derive from her personal experiences and interactions with the nuns are insightful and well documented....the book is valuable in providing us with a different mode of appreciation in order to understand the position of women living in [an]other religious and cultural context."--Japanese Journal of Religious Studies "This is an anthropological study, carried out with love, care, and attention to detail...By the end of the journey, readers will find themselves moved, their humanity reassured and refreshed."--Journal of Asian Studies