ABSTRACT
Japanese Buddhist history is filled with women's courageous acts and personal victories - from the first ordained Buddhist in the sixth century, to the innovators of the Heian Period (794-1185), to the inclusive spirit of the Kamakura Period (1186-1333), to the perspicacity and determination of nuns in the Tokugawa Period (1600-1867), to the leaders in educational and institutional reforms in the 20th century. In particular, documents during the last century confirm that Sat6 Zen nuns were undaunted by the male-dominated sect administration. They directed the course of their lives with the understanding that Dagen (1200-1253), the recognized founder of Sata Zen Buddhism in Japan, supported women. Through the mode of ceremonial ritual, nuns have found a powerful way to express their emotional and political concerns. One particular ritual - the Anan Koshiki - functions to legitimize and empower the nuns, yet is cloaked in the noncontentious gesture of gratitude.
