Not all accounts have Kannon or Mahasthamapratpa as female...most translations of the contemplation Sutra I've seen describe both as male. I'm just not sure there is enough solid evidence to say they are female or male conclusively.rory wrote:Of course, no one yet has explained to me why Kannon sama has a woman's body. It's amazing how for thousands of years, monks have been and still tell women that they need a man's body to be born in the Pure Land, but let a woman say she's keeping hers. The arguing! To me as a woman, it's proof of a deep-seated sexism that resists woman or wants them to be neutered to be 'acceptable.' And of course such talk could put off people who want to go to Sukhavati.
To me gender simply doesn't matter. We are all the colour of pure gold, all of one appearance, all equal in beauty.
I think once we get there, gender is a non issue.
As for getting there:
From the Amida Sutra:
"Shariputra, if a good man or woman who hears of Amida Buddha holds fast to his Name even for one day, two days, three, four, five, six or seven days with a concentrated and undistracted mind, then, at the hour of death, Amida Buddha will appear before them with a host of holy ones. Consequently, when their life comes to an end, the aspirants' minds will not fall into confusion and so they will be born immediately in the Land of Utmost Bliss of Amida Buddha."
I dunno...to me it is pretty clear either sex can be born there.
