本文將運用 ChanCdra Talpade Mohanty 的「主體定位」理論（subject-oriented theory），去解讀一些西方女性佛教學者，比如 Diana Y.Paul 和 Karma Lekshe Tsomo 筆下，對非歐美族裔「出家女性」這一名詞所指涉的對象，所隱含的可能意義的分析。在此我所關注的焦點，主要是中國大乘佛教傳統下的比丘尼。為了認知到中國大乘佛教傳統裡的比丘尼，在某種程度上是個主動的行為者，能夠自我選擇和作決定，我將首先討論 Mohanty 的主體定位理論，並探究她建構此理論的方法，再比較這個方法與大乘佛教建立論述的「破」、「立」兩原則的同異。此外，經過對「比丘尼」定義的討論，我將應用 Mohanty 的理論去分析 Diana Y. Paul 和 Karma Lekshe Tsomo 的作品，從中解讀她們己經隱含的優越地位，和自視為「規範的指標」（normative referent），並為「第三世界女性」之代言人的自設立場。最後，我將引用周蕾（Rey Chow）所言， 「性別」（gender）不是一個「普遍、超時間、充分的分析範疇」。「性別」做為一個分析的範疇，必須被設置在一個特定明確的脈絡（context）裏來探討。接著，我將以討論「說話的意指是什麼」（What it means to speak），來總結全文。
This paper is written to employ a piece of Chandra Talpade Mohanty's theory to decipher the implications regarding non-Western/non-white Buddhist nuns in the eyes and the imaginations of some Western Buddhist women scholars, such as Diana Y. Paul and Karma Lekshe Tsomo. I will first discuss Mohanty's "subject-oriented" theory, in order to bring out the notion that Buddhist nuns in the Chinese Mahāyāna tradition are to some extent active agents able to make their own choices. As well, I will discuss how Mohanty construes her "subject-oriented" theory and compare it to two Buddhist principles of discourse: po and li. Secondly, by a discussion of the Chinese definition of Buddhist nuns, bi qiu ni, I will analyze the aspects of Diana Y. Paul's and Karma Lekshe Tsomo's work in light of Mohnaty's theory, in order to decode their privileged position as the "normative referent" and their "re-presentation" of third world women. And finally, I will bring the notion that, in Rey Chow's terms, "gender" does not have "the universal and timeless sufficiency of an analytical category." Gender as an analytical category has to be located in a specific context. In addition, I will conclude by discussing what it means to speak.
