Emergent Dharma: Asian American Feminist Buddhists on Practice, Identity, and Resistance -- Sharon a. Suh, Paperback

An essential critique of American Buddhism--11 Asian American women reclaim a vibrant feminist Dharma against whitewashing, patriarchy, and model-minority stereotypes

Mainstream American Buddhism is often portrayed through a narrow, problematic lens: a group of mostly white converts sits on cushions. Eyes closed, blissed out, serenely meditating--this is Buddhism made passive and patriarchal, scrubbed of the rich complexities, myriad expressions, historical nuances, and creative ways of being that animate the living, beating heart of feminist Asian American Buddhism.

This book is an overdue correction to whitewashed American ideas of the dharma. Editor Sharon Suh, PhD, offers a first-of-its-kind anthology that pushes back against patriarchal appropriation, orientalized stereotypes, and the idea that Buddhism means meditation...and meditation only. The book's 11 essays offer a richer, more dynamic vision of Buddhist spirituality. Each asks into vital questions like:

  • Must we meditate? Can other acts--practicing martial arts, performing Japanese tea ceremonies, attuning to the spirit world, visiting cemeteries, hand-making objects--offer new relationships to the dharma?
  • What does it mean to be a "Bad Buddhist Auntie" who teaches new generations as an imperfect ancestor? Or to be a feminist killjoy who sees Buddhism as a means of healing the wounds of marginalization?
  • How can we live with--not in ignorance of--Buddhism's own history of driving state violence?
  • What do we owe our parents--especially our mothers, to whom we are karmically bound?
  • And how can Buddhism teach us not only about obedience, but about self-love?
Each essay helps the reader question dominant narratives, wrestle with ambivalence and authenticity, or explore creative expressions of Buddhist spirituality. Together, the 11 writers offer an invitation into the anxieties, joys, struggles, disavowals, and desires that shape their relationship to the dharma--and they expand the category of Buddhist life and practice in a timely, necessary reclamation.

Author: Sharon a. Suh
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Published: 12/9/2025
Pages: 240
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.65 lbs
Size: 9.01" H x 6.01" L x 0.71" W
ISBN: 9798889842330

Check these out

The Complete Enoch Collection: 1 Enoch, 2 Enoch, 3 Enoch, and Giants -- Covenant Press, Paperback THE COMPLETE ENOCH COLLECTION: 1 ENOCH, 2 ENOCH, 3 ENOCH, AND GIANTS -- COVENANT PRESS, PAPERBACK

$18.49 USD

As a Man Thinketh - the Original 1902 Classic (includes the Mastery of Destiny) (Reader's Library Classics) -- James Allen, Paperback AS A MAN THINKETH - THE ORIGINAL 1902 CLASSIC (INCLUDES THE MASTERY OF DESTINY) (READER'S LIBRARY CLASSICS) -- JAMES ALLEN, PAPERBACK

$10.65 USD

The Book of Enoch -- Enoch, Hardcover THE BOOK OF ENOCH -- ENOCH, HARDCOVER

$34.59 USD

The Way of the Superior Man: A Spiritual Guide to Mastering the Challenges of Women, Work, and Sexual Desire (20th Anniversary Edition) -- David Deida, Paperback THE WAY OF THE SUPERIOR MAN: A SPIRITUAL GUIDE TO MASTERING THE CHALLENGES OF WOMEN, WORK, AND SEXUAL DESIRE (20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION) -- DAVID DEIDA, PAPERBACK

$19.99 USD

Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (Deluxe Hardcover Edition) -- Marcus Aurelius, Hardcover MEDITATIONS OF MARCUS AURELIUS (DELUXE HARDCOVER EDITION) -- MARCUS AURELIUS, HARDCOVER

$9.99 USD

The Book of Enoch -- Enoch, Paperback THE BOOK OF ENOCH -- ENOCH, PAPERBACK

$15.95 USD

The Art of War -- Sun Tzu, Hardcover THE ART OF WAR -- SUN TZU, HARDCOVER

$9.99 USD

The Prophet: Annotated Edition with Illustrations -- Kahlil Gibran, Paperback THE PROPHET: ANNOTATED EDITION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS -- KAHLIL GIBRAN, PAPERBACK

$11.00 USD

Geneva Bible 1560 Edition with Apocrypha: [LARGE PRINT] A Detailed Exploration of the Geneva Bible's Texts, Annotations, Historical Context, and Lasti -- Reformed Christians, Paperback GENEVA BIBLE 1560 EDITION WITH APOCRYPHA: [LARGE PRINT] A DETAILED EXPLORATION OF THE GENEVA BIBLE'S TEXTS, ANNOTATIONS, HISTORICAL CONTEXT, AND LASTI -- REFORMED CHRISTIANS, PAPERBACK

$19.99 USD

The Book of Wisdom: Volume 1 and 2 -- Harry Jozef, Paperback THE BOOK OF WISDOM: VOLUME 1 AND 2 -- HARRY JOZEF, PAPERBACK

$26.86 USD

Man's Search for Meaning -- Viktor E. Frankl, Paperback MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING -- VIKTOR E. FRANKL, PAPERBACK

$16.00 USD

NLT Large Print Premium Value Thinline Bible, Filament Enabled (Leatherlike, Garden Pink) -- New Living Translation, Imitation Leather NLT LARGE PRINT PREMIUM VALUE THINLINE BIBLE, FILAMENT ENABLED (LEATHERLIKE, GARDEN PINK) -- NEW LIVING TRANSLATION, IMITATION LEATHER

$22.99 USD

The Books of Enoch: The Complete and Original Edition, Also Includes the Book of Jasher and the Book of Jubilees -- R. H. Charles, Paperback THE BOOKS OF ENOCH: THE COMPLETE AND ORIGINAL EDITION, ALSO INCLUDES THE BOOK OF JASHER AND THE BOOK OF JUBILEES -- R. H. CHARLES, PAPERBACK

$33.00 USD

Meditations -- Marcus Aurelius, Paperback MEDITATIONS -- MARCUS AURELIUS, PAPERBACK

$11.00 USD

Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe -- Laura Lynne Jackson, Paperback SIGNS: THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF THE UNIVERSE -- LAURA LYNNE JACKSON, PAPERBACK

$22.00 USD

Majestic Rainbow Bible Tabs -- Ellie Claire, Paperback MAJESTIC RAINBOW BIBLE TABS -- ELLIE CLAIRE, PAPERBACK

$8.99 USD

Apocrypha-KJV -- Cambridge University Press, Hardcover APOCRYPHA-KJV -- CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, HARDCOVER

$11.99 USD

Powers of the Psalms Paperback -- Anna Riva, Paperback POWERS OF THE PSALMS PAPERBACK -- ANNA RIVA, PAPERBACK

$9.95 USD

Musashi's Book of Five Rings: The Definitive Interpretation of Miyamoto Musashi's Classic Book of Strategy -- Miyamoto Musashi, Paperback MUSASHI'S BOOK OF FIVE RINGS: THE DEFINITIVE INTERPRETATION OF MIYAMOTO MUSASHI'S CLASSIC BOOK OF STRATEGY -- MIYAMOTO MUSASHI, PAPERBACK

$13.95 USD

Dokkodo. The Way of Walking Alone: Discover self-discipline and personal mastery through the ancestral wisdom of the samurai. -- Shinden Ediciones, Paperback DOKKODO. THE WAY OF WALKING ALONE: DISCOVER SELF-DISCIPLINE AND PERSONAL MASTERY THROUGH THE ANCESTRAL WISDOM OF THE SAMURAI. -- SHINDEN EDICIONES, PAPERBACK

$12.49 USD

Meditations: The Philosophy Classic -- Marcus Aurelius, Hardcover MEDITATIONS: THE PHILOSOPHY CLASSIC -- MARCUS AURELIUS, HARDCOVER

$15.00 USD

The Jews and Their Lies -- Martin Luther, Paperback THE JEWS AND THEIR LIES -- MARTIN LUTHER, PAPERBACK

$13.33 USD

Ethiopian Orthodox Bible: Unveiling the Detailed History of the Oldest Surviving Bible with 88 Books including Apocrypha -- Biblia Print, Paperback ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX BIBLE: UNVEILING THE DETAILED HISTORY OF THE OLDEST SURVIVING BIBLE WITH 88 BOOKS INCLUDING APOCRYPHA -- BIBLIA PRINT, PAPERBACK

$18.74 USD

The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus -- Lee Strobel, Mass Market Paperback THE CASE FOR CHRIST: A JOURNALIST'S PERSONAL INVESTIGATION OF THE EVIDENCE FOR JESUS -- LEE STROBEL, MASS MARKET PAPERBACK

$9.99 USD

The Game of Life and How to Play It: A Prosperity Classic -- Florence Scovel Shinn, Paperback THE GAME OF LIFE AND HOW TO PLAY IT: A PROSPERITY CLASSIC -- FLORENCE SCOVEL SHINN, PAPERBACK

$7.95 USD