Buddha's Wife tells a fascinating story, little known in the west, about the woman whom Buddha left behind. Gabriel Constans focuses the reader's attention on the strong and complicated women who surrounded Buddha and makes us re-think the nature of spiritual life.

Girls have to be toughened so they can survive a world that presses harder on women.

Often, others see you, as you see yourself

...don't create snakes out of ropes. You have enough to worry about.

Can't you ever be serious?' I said, mortified. 'It's difficult,' he said. 'There's so little in life that's worth it.

Words are tricky. Sometimes you need them to bring out the hurt festering inside. If you don't, it turns gangrenous and kills you. . . . But sometimes words can break a feeling into pieces.

A problem becomes a problem only if you believe it to be so. And often others see you as you see yourself.