The article is devoted to the consideration of the role of women and the feminine in Tibetan Buddhism. The author notes that the tantric tradition, prevalent in Tibet, significantly raised the religious status of women. In tantra, one can note a certain dominance of the feminine, which was most clearly expressed in the vow of rejection of criticism and humiliation of women. In Buddhist tantrism, the feminine is understood as an important source of higher wisdom and spiritual energy. The tantra notes that all women have the nature of dakinis, specific female deities, therefore disrespect for them does not allow success in spiritual practice. In the Buddhist tradition of Tibet, you can find a number of stories about women who practiced tantra and achieved the highest spiritual realizations. Along with the tantric in Tibet, there was a developed monastic tradition that did not deny tantra, but adapted it into forms suitable for the monastic lifestyle. At the same time, the tradition of completely dedicated nuns (Gelongma) has not been preserved here. In the second half of the 20th century, among the Tibetan diaspora in India, attempts began to revive the Gelongma institution, which, however, are not understood by all representatives of the Tibetan monastic community. Another controversial issue until recently was the issue of women getting higher academic degrees in the system of Buddhist spiritual education (Geshe Institute), where men traditionally dominated.
