Nun's Ordination Causes Stir

[sabaijai]

Nun ordained, causes stir

By Katie Kellogg, senior writer, The Breeze (James Madison University), April 3, 2006

Students sat hushed in the packed auditorium as the Venerable Dhammananda Bhikkhuni, swathed in orange robes, opened her lecture with a chant praising the first Buddhist nun, who happened to be Buddha’s stepmother and aunt.

Dhammananda, a Thai Buddhist nun, gave a presentation Wednesday night in HHS 2301 to discuss female ordination in the orthodox Theravada tradition of Buddhism.

The lecture was the first in the Tolstoy Lecture Series in Global Nonviolence, established by the JMU Mahatma Gandhi Center for Global Nonviolence.

Junior Lisa Vitale thought Dhammananda’s lecture helped bring awareness to an issue that JMU students may not have been previously known about.

"It is an international issue that I think has a lot to do with how we view women in the world today," she said.

Traditionally, there must be five monks and five female nuns present at the ordination of a female who wishes to become a member of the Theravada bhikkhuni order. However, the bhikkhuni line in Thailand died out more than 1,000 years ago, which meant that until recently females could not be ordained.

Dhammananda, knowing that she could not be ordained in Thailand, traveled to Sri Lanka, where there were Buddhist nuns of the proper lineage to assist in her ordination.

In 2001, Dhammananda underwent the first part of her ordination in Sri Lanka and two years later became fully ordained into the Theravada bhikkhuni order. She is the first fully ordained Theravada bhikkhuni nun in Thailand.

"If in this modern world you can’t get something where you are, you look somewhere else," she said.

Since then, Dhammananda has made it her mission to see that other women realize that ordination in the Buddhist faith is possible.

"I take it as my responsibility to make this right," she said.

Dhammananda pointed out that there was a long-standing Buddhist history of equality between men and woman to reinforce her point.

"Buddhism came out very quickly to say that both men and woman can be enlightened," she said.

Before she was ordained, Dhammananda had been a professor of Buddhist philosophy at the Thammasat University and was known as Dr. Chatsumarn Kabilsingh.

She has also written more than 40 books on Buddhism, is a member of the Peace Council and is the subject of a National Geographic film.

"In some ways the Venerable Dhammananda has been preparing for this her whole life," said Sallie King, a professor of philosophy and religion who organized Dhammananda’s appearance.

Despite the controversy, Dhammananda says her faith helps her to continue her work.

"I caused quite a stir in my country," she said. "I survived totally because of my faith in the Buddha."

Dhammananda has proved to be a role model. There are now five ordained nuns in Thailand and more waiting to become ordained. While the practice is still controversial, Dhammananda believes that in the future it will gain mainstream approval.

"I think eventually acceptance will come as part of a natural process," she said.

see also Thailand: Burmese nun revives tradition after 1,000 years

source: http://www.thebreeze.org/2006/04-03/news2.html

[thaibebop]

I wish her the best of luck. I would like to see nuns become more accepted.

[jdinasia]

I don't see it happening in the Thai Sangha at all ... but who knows it COULD happen.

[ColPyat]

Nun ordained, causes stir

I have met her once. She is a very unusual woman, very nice to talk with, with a extremely sharp intellect, friendly as well. She has studied for a while in Shantiniketan, and does speak English with a rather strong Indian accent.

Edited April 16, 2006 by ColPyat