The purpose of this writing assignment is to examine critically an important primary source, which helps us to learn about the lives of the first women converts to Buddhism. The book is composed of various poems and reflections written by women from all walks of life who lived about 2500 years ago in India. For your writing assignment, choose a couple of stanzas (e.g. a block section of a poem) from either one or more writers and write an essay (3 full pages; ~750 words, excluding quotes), which discusses the plight of these women and explains how they were liberated through the teachings they found in Buddhism.

Be sure to include good background information of the book itself and its significance in your intro, then
lead into a focused thesis, followed by clear supporting arguments, and insightful conclusion. Good papers will demonstrate good exegetical (i.e. pulling meaning
out of the text) analyses of stanzas, reflecting key Buddhist principles. Make sure to come up with a catchy title (e.g. “The Harlot Who Became a Nun”) for your paper and dont forget to cite where appropriate, using MLA or APA style