Buddhist Women: What happened to the Buddha's wife, mom, sister, and nuns?

The Buddha (when he was Prince Siddhartha) was married to Princess Yasodhara (Bimba). He had two mothers, Maya (biological) and Prajapati (who raised him). He had a sister, Sundari Nanda. He had two chief female disciples, Khema and Uppalavanna -- but we never hear about them or how Siddhartha (after he became the Buddha) interacted with them.

At every key point in the story of his life, a female is there. He became enlightened thanks to a woman. Yet, all we hear is nonsense, a misleading story about how "he left his wife." What really happened? Why do women love Buddhism? Why is it so friendly and attractive to all genders?

We'll talk about female enlightenment, Buddhist goddesses, and enjoy some great vegan snacks and drinks. Can't wait? Read Wisdom Quarterly: American Buddhist Journal.

At each meetup we do three kinds of meditation: serenity, mindfulness in movement, and the cultivation of boundless loving kindness. We begin by covering a topic, transition into deep tranquility, emerge into mindfulness, call and response Sanskrit, metta meditation to open the heart, sharing circle, and socializing with yummy sweets and kombucha. People make friends because of this format and tend to linger. Come for all or some of it.