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Cited by 14Indian and Buddhist StudiesReligious Studies and Spiritual PracticesGender and Feminist Studies

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 15 of the 16 references it cites were found in a registry or an index, and 1 are not checked yet.

Revisiting the “Secret Consort” (gsang yum) in Tibetan Buddhism

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Gayley, Holly·2018·Religions
DOI 10.3390/rel9060179
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Abstract

This article revisits the question, first introduced by feminist scholars in the mid-1990s, about whether sexual practices within Buddhist tantra (heterosexually conceived) are empowering or exploitative to women. The purpose here is to complicate this question, given the different geographic settings and cultural contexts in which consort relationships have been embedded—from eastern Tibet to North America—and to nuance our understanding of the potential and pitfalls of sexuality in tantric contexts. To do so, I query the dynamics of secrecy and sexuality in tantric practice, examining twentieth century examples of female practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism who have participated in such relationships and thereby highlighting the localized ways that the “secret consort” (gsang yum) has been invoked as a social role. This issue is especially relevant today in light of the global #MeToo movement and recent disclosures of sexual improprieties and alleged abuse involving Tibetan teachers at the head of Buddhist communities in Europe and North America. For this reason, to conclude, I discuss shifting perspectives on sexuality as Buddhist tantra has spread beyond Asia and draw attention to current voices calling for greater transparency and community accountability.

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Research works printed but not linked: 15

  1. Chenagtsang, Nida (2018). Karmamudra: The Yoga of Bliss (Sexuality in Tibetan Medicine and Buddhism), Sky Press.
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  10. Orsi, Robert (2016). History and Presence, The Belknap Press of Harvard University.
  11. Rossi, 2008, Mkha’ ‘gro dbang mo’i rnam thar, The Biography of the Gter ston ma Bde chen chos kyi dbang mo (1868–1927?), Revue d’Etudes Tibétaines, 15, 371
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Metadata

Authors
Gayley, H.
Affiliations
University of Colorado Boulder (US)
Corresponding author
Gayley, Holly
Venue
Religions
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2018-06-01
Volume
9
Issue
6
Pages
179
ISSN
2077-1444 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/rel9060179
OpenAlex
W2807088919
Cited by
12
References
15
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 1
FWCI
14.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Religions (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • CU Scholar (University of Colorado Boulder) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Religious studies › Indian and Buddhist Studies
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Religious studies › Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender and Feminist Studies
Keywords
Tibetan Buddhism, Buddhist Tantra, secrecy, #MeToo, sexual abuse allegations, teacher misconduct, transparency and accountability

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