Burrell Collection

The Lotus Sutra − an ancient Buddhist scripture from the 3rd century − continues to have relevance today

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 3, 2024
Biology, Jews, Woman, Research, Male, Colonialism, Alliance, Burrell Collection, Brahma, History of Christian universalism, Sutra, University, Judaism, Lotus Sutra, Lotus, Female, Islam, History, Alliance Defending Freedom, Toy

Historically, these religions were often more accepting of varied gender identities before colonialism imposed binary gender as a universal concept.

Key Points: 
  • Historically, these religions were often more accepting of varied gender identities before colonialism imposed binary gender as a universal concept.
  • One such text is the Lotus Sutra, one of the most popular Buddhist scriptures in East Asia.
  • The Lotus Sutra conveys its message of universal Buddhahood in several stories that depict transformations between male and female bodies.

The dragon girl’s gender transformation

  • To understand the story of the dragon girl, it is important to understand how Buddhas’ bodies were defined as masculine in early Buddhism.
  • All of these Buddhas are said to possess 32 marks that distinguished their bodies from regular bodies.
  • One of these marks was a sheathed penis, which meant that Buddha bodies were male by definition.
  • How then could your female body attain Buddhahood so quickly?” However, the dragon girl proves Shariputra wrong by instantly attaining Buddhahood, transforming her young, female, nonhuman body into the male body of a Buddha.
  • Women in premodern East Asia found inspiration in the dragon girl’s story because it showed that their own female bodies were not barriers to enlightenment.

The bodhisattva’s gender fluidity

  • A bodhisattva is an advanced spiritual being who postpones enlightenment to help people in the world.
  • Indian Buddhist texts described Avalokiteshvara as male, but in China people came to see Avalokiteshvara as female.
  • Though scholars have not found one single explanation for this transformation, the Lotus Sutra passage offers justification for Avalokiteshvara’s gender fluidity.

The Lotus Sutra and transgender inspiration

  • Due to the Lotus Sutra, Avalokiteshvara has become an inspiration and icon for transgender, gender-fluid and nonbinary people in and beyond East Asia.
  • A blog post from Taiwan quotes from the Lotus Sutra in describing Avalokiteshvara as a nonbinary figure who transcends any single gender identity.
  • Despite these objections, more and more people have found inspiration in Avalokiteshvara as a transgender, nonbinary or gender-fluid figure.


Megan Bryson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Why a Banksy exhibition in Glasgow makes perfect sense

Retrieved on: 
Friday, June 23, 2023
Apartheid, Glasgow City Council, Poverty, Love, Microcosm: Portrait of a Central European City, Burrell Collection, Capitalism, Vandalism, Awareness, Exhibition, Civil service commission, Homelessness, Climate, Violence, Marketing, Prince Albert, Humour, Duke, Symbolism, History, Life expectancy, Social media, Gallery of Modern Art, Regeneration, International Garden Festival, Police, Racism, Personality, Gallery, BIN, Collection, Kissing Coppers, European Commission, Female, Jewellery, Nightclub, Film industry, Barbican, Banksy, Culture

A new solo exhibition by Banksy, the UK’s most famous anonymous artist, has opened at the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in Glasgow – his first in 14 years.

Key Points: 
  • A new solo exhibition by Banksy, the UK’s most famous anonymous artist, has opened at the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in Glasgow – his first in 14 years.
  • It is, Banksy says, his “favourite work of art in the UK”.
  • His early transgressive artwork was seen by some as vandalism, but for many others, Banksy is an important counter voice subverting the dominant narrative of capitalism.

The Glasgow-Banksy connection

    • It holds great meaning for Glaswegians in its anti-elitist and anti-establishment message, contributing to their social and cultural capital.
    • It’s also a reminder of the extent to which the expression of all forms of culture have been central to Glasgow’s regeneration over recent decades.
    • But the connection between Banksy and the city goes much deeper.

What to expect

    • A critique of the often-racist nature of police stop-and-search powers, it sold in May 2023 for an astonishing $9,724,500 (£7,646,277).
    • While creating this work on a bombed-out building, a local resident remonstrated with Banksy and threatened to call the police.
    • A shared sense of humour, humanitarian values and a disregard for the establishment mean Banksy’s show will be well-received in Glasgow.