Fourth Day of the Icon, 5th of Summer, 525 M.E. (Atlas): The history of Buddhism, like nearly every other religion, is patriarchal and dominated by men. Zen  Master Dogen, however, had little use for chauvinism. In his Shobogenzo  Raihai-Tokuzui (Prostrating to the Marrow of Attainment), he wrote, 

In the practice of complete perfect enlightenment, the most difficult thing is to find a guiding teacher. Whether in the past or the present, the guiding teacher should be a strong person, regardless of being male or female. The teacher should be ineffable, with excellent knowledge and the spirit of a wild fox. These are the features of someone who has attained the marrow; the teacher may be a guide and a benefactor; is never unclear about cause and effect; and may be you, me, him, or her.

"Attained the marrow" is the odd expression here; it's not something one often says in the 21st Century western world. It goes back to an ancient Chinese story about Bodhidharma, the first Zen teacher to appear in China.

Bodhidharma, a dude, had four principle students: three monks and a nun (even then, there were women practioners). One day, as he recognized that his end was nearing, Bodhidharma called his students together and asked them to each make a statement to demonstrate their understanding.

A monk named Daofu jumped in first and said, "As I see it, it is not bound by words and phrases, nor is it separate from words and phrases. This is the function of the Way." 

That is an excellent answer. It shows both nonattachment (it's not in the words and phrases) and the skillfulness to use words and phrases as needed. Bodhidharma acknowledged the excellence of Daofu's answer by saying, "You have attained my skin."

The nun Zongchi, the daughter of a Liang Dynasty emperor who was ordained as a nun at the age of 19, said, "According to my understanding, it is like a glorious glimpse of  the pure land of the Buddha. Seen once, it need not be seen again.”

Bodhidharma approved of her answer, saying, “You have attained my flesh.”

The monk Daoyu said, “The four elements are all empty and the five aggregates are nonexistent. As I see it, there’s nothing to attain.”

Bodhidharma said, “You have attained my bones.”

Huike, the first student to have come to Bodhidharma, said nothing. He simply bowed and stood still.

Bodhidharma said, “You have attained my marrow.”

The Zen tradition is typically traced from Bodhidharma down through Huike, and then to Huike's students and their student's students and so on to today. But each of the four disciples of Bodhidharma want on to become teachers and had students of their own, but their teachings and lineage are unfortunately now lost to the shadowy mists of time. One wonders what could have become of Zongchi's school of Zen.

Centuries after Bodhidharma told Huike that he had attained his marrow, Dogen wrote that those who seek the Dharma will follow whatever has “attained the marrow,” whether it is "an outdoor pillar, a stone lantern, the buddha, a wild dog, a demon or a god, a man or a woman."

In an even more explicit statement of gender equality, Dogen wrote, 

"Why should men be considered higher? Emptiness is emptiness, the four elements are the four elements, the five aggregates are the five aggregates, and women are also like this. As regards attainment of the truth, both men and women attain the truth, and we should just profoundly revere every single person who has attained the Dharma. Do not talk in terms of men and women. This is one of Buddhism’s finest standards."

I was was told (but have not verified) that the pro-feminist writings of Dogen in Raihai-Tokuzui were considered so radical and unsettling to the patriarchal system of feudal Japan that the fascicle was omitted from some early editions of the Shobogenzo. The document was stored separately in an isolated room for viewing by appointment only to selected scholars and teachers until its undeniable wisdom was acknowledged. 

It's still raining outside.