Bhikkhuni

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A Bhikkhuni (Bhikṣuṇī (Sanskrit) , Bhikkhuṇī (Pāli) or 比丘尼(Chinese characters), Thai: ภิกษุณี, IPA: [pʰiksuniː]) is a fully ordained female Buddhist monastic. Male monastics are called Bhikkhus. Both Bhikkunis and Bhikkhus live by the vinaya. Bhikkhuni lineages enjoy a broad basis in Mahayana countries like Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan.

According to the scriptures, the order of bhikkhunis was first created by the Buddha at the specific request of his foster-mother Mahapajapati Gotami, who became the first ordained bhikkuni, relayed via his attendant Ananda. The bhikkhuni order spread to many countries.

Contents 1 History 1.1 The Eight Precepts 2 Bhikkhunis in Theravada 2.1 Indochina 3 See also 4 External links 5 References

[edit] History

According to Theravada tradition, the bhikkuni order of nuns came to be 5 years after the bhikkhu order of monks.

Buddhism is unique in that for the first time in history^{[citation needed]} Buddha as a founder of a spiritual tradition, explicitly states in canonical literature that a woman was as capable of nirvana or enlightenment as a man and can fully attain the fruits of all four stages of enlightenment in the Dhamma and Vinaya of the Buddha Sasana^{[1] [2]} There is generally no equivalent of the Therigatha or Apadanas which record the high levels of spiritual attainment of women in other traditions^[3].

In a similar vein, major canonical Mahayana sutras such as the Lotus Sutra,chapter 12, records 6000 bhikkhuni Arahants as receiving predictions of Bodhisatvahood and future Buddhahood by Sakyamuni Buddha. In Buddhism, women can openly aspire to and practice for the highest level of spiritual attainment.

[edit] The Eight Precepts

According to the available canon, Buddha was quite reluctant to ordain women into the Sangha. Only after several requests made by his stepmother and aunt, Mahapajapati Gotami, and his attendant and half-brother Ananda (Mahajapati Gotami's son) was the request granted -- but only on condition that the women accept eight garudhammas, or eight heavy rules.

According to the scriptural accounts, the reason the Buddha gave for his actions was that admission of women to the sangha would weaken it and shorten its lifetime. Some modern Buddhist scholars explain this reluctance due to the fact that these women (many who were mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, cousins of many of the bhikkhus) might be subjected to rape, assault, sexual harassment and being termed "prostitutes and thieves", which in fact, did later occur as recorded in the Vinaya. One example as told in the Vinaya in which a Brahmin calling the bhikkhunis "strumpets" (i.e. prostitutes), tries to set fire to the Bhikkhunis dwelling:

Then that Brahmin . . . spread it about, saying:

These shaven headed strumpets are not true recluses. How can they

let a pot fall on my head? I will set fire to their dwelling,

Ó and having taken up a fire brand, he entered the dwelling.82

In Young Chung noticed that society as recorded in the Vinaya always criticized the bhikkhunis more harshly using "shaven headed strumpets or whores" whereas the bhikkhus were simply called "shaven headed". This harsher treatment (which also included rape and assault) of Bhikkhunis by society required greater protection, "Within these social conditions, Gautama Buddha opened up new horizons for women by founding the Bhikùni sangha. This social and spiritual advancement for women was ahead of the times and, therefore, drew many objections from men, including bhikùus. He was probably well aware of the controversy that would be caused by the harassment of his female disciples."^[4]

Early Buddhism did not have monasteries and it was a requirement of the Bhikkhus and early Bhikkhunis to spend a lot of time in the forests alone, but due to the consequent rape and assault of some of the bhikkhunis by outsiders recorded in the Vinaya-- Buddha eventually forbade women from wandering in forests away from society. Bhikkhunis eventually resided in more fixed residences near populated areas then the Bhikkhus.

According to some modern Buddhist apologists, most of the rules (including the more controversial 8 Garudhammas) of the Bhikkhuni Vinaya are more for the protection of the Bhikkhunis by association with the more senior Sangha of the male Bhikkhus and thus the homage for protection and teaching the newer Bhikkhuni Sangha and not "sexual discrimination". Dr. Chatsumarn Kabilsingh writes, "Nuns at the time of the Buddha had equal rights and an equal share in everything. In one case, eight robes were offered to both sanghas at a place where there was only one nun and four monks. The Buddha divided the robes in half, giving four to the nun and four to the monks, because the robes were for both sanghas and had to be divided equally however many were in each group. Because the nuns tended to receive fewer invitations to lay people's homes, the Buddha had all offerings brought to the monastery and equally divided between the two sanghas. He protected the nuns and was fair to both parties. They are subordinate in the sense of being younger sisters and elder brothers, not in the sense of being masters and slaves."^[5]

Many of the more controversial rules were clarified or amended, implying that these rules were not unalterable:

1) A nun who has been ordained even for a hundred years must greet respectfully, rise up from her seat, salute with joined palms, do proper homage to a monk ordained but that day.

• clarification: The Vinaya recounts the story of six monks who lifted up their robes to show their thighs to the nuns. When the Buddha learned about this, he made an exception to that rule and told the nuns not to pay respect to these monks. A nun, then, does not have to bow to every monk, but only to a monk who is worthy of respect. ^[6]

2) A nun must not spend the rains in a residence where there are no monks. [See Bhikkhuni Pac.56: Vin.IV. 313 ]

3) Every half month a nun should desire two things from the Order of Monks : the asking as to the date of the Observance [ uposatha ] day, and the coming for the exhortation [ bhikkhunovada ]. [See Bhikkhuni Pac.59: Vin.IV. 315 ]

4) After the rains a nun must 'invite' [ pavarana ] before both Orders in respect of three matters, namely what was seen, what was heard, what was suspected. [See Bhikkhuni Pac. 57: Vin. IV.314 ]

• amended: However, practical considerations soon necessitated amendments to these and we see in the revised version of these conditions the sanction given to the Bhikkhunis to perform these acts, in the first instance, by themselves. ^[7]

5) A nun, offending against an important rule, must undergo manatta discipline for half a month before both Orders.

6) When, as a probationer, she has trained in the six rules [ cha dhamma ] for two years, she should seek higher ordination from both Orders.

• note contradiction: One of the gurudhamma mentions sikkhamanas, probationary nuns who train for two years in preparation to become bhikkhunis. It says that after a probationary nun has trained with a bhikkhuni for two years, that bhikkhuni preceptor has the responsibility to fully ordain her. However, when the Buddha ordained Mahapajapati, there were no probationary nuns. He ordained her directly as a bhikkhuni. So how do we explain that within the eight important rules, one of them states that before becoming a bhikkhuni, a woman must be a probationary nun? "^[8]

7) A Monk must not be abused or reviled in any way by a nun.

8) From today , admonition of monks by nuns is forbidden. [ Book of the Discipline, V.354-55 ] ^[9]

• note Buddhist Laywomen can: This is in contrast to the rules for Buddhist Laywomen who can single handedly accuse a bad monk:

"Equality of bhikùni and bhikùu, men and women, can be inferred in

several of the rules groupings. The penalties for offenses against those

aniyata dharmas written only for bhikùus, for example, point up a landmark

of female-male equality. Here, in a gesture of trust in women most

unusual for the time, a trustworthy female lay follower can bring a charge

against a bhikùu based only on her personal eyewitness testimony, in order

to force an investigation of that bhikùus conduct. Additionally, equal abilities

of men and women are presumed in the regulations for settlement of disciplinary

matters in the seven Adhikaraõa–øamatha Dharmas, which are

exactly the same, in both numbers and contents, for both the Bhikùu and the

Bhikùni Sanghas."^[10]

Nuns were also given the right to select the monk who would be allowed to give counsel to the order of nuns (he had to be acceptable to all the nuns) and the selection criteria was quite stringent:

There seems to be little doubt about his anxiety and his

foresight regarding the safety and well-being of the female

members of his Order. [Vin.IV.51].^[11]

These eight qualities were: the teacher of nuns must be virtuous; second, have comprehensive knowledge of the Dhamma; third he must be well acquainted with the Vinaya, especially the rules for nuns; fourth, he must be a good speaker with a pleasant and fluent delivery, faultless in pronunciation, and intelligibly convey the meaning; fifth, he should be able to teach Dhamma to the nuns in an elevating, stimulating, and encouraging way; sixth, he must always be welcome to the nuns and liked by them — that is, they must be able to respect and esteem him not only when he praises them but especially when there is an occasion for reproach; seventh, he must never have committed sexual misconduct with a nun; eighth, he must have been a fully ordained Buddhist monk for at least 20 years (AN 8.52).^[12]

Some scholars argue that these 8 rules were added later since:

1) there is a discrepency between the Pali Bhikkuni Vinaya

2) the fact that these same rules are treated only as a minor offense (requiring only confession as expiation) in the Bhikkuni Payantika Dharmas.

In Young Chung clarifies, "Hae-ju Chun, a bhikùni and assistant professor at Tongguk University in Seoul, Korea, argues that six of the Eight Rules (#1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8) belong to the Bhikùni Pàyantika Dharmas, as they are the same as or similar to rules found there. We may compare the differences in the punishment for any offense of the Eight Rules with that for an offense of the pàyantika dharmas. Violation of any of the Eight Rules means that women cannot be ordained. The Eight Rules must be observed throughout the bhikùuõãs lives. However, the pàyantika dharmas (#175, 145, 124 or 126, 141, 143, 142) require only confession, as there offenses of bhikunis areconsidered to be violations of minor rules. Based on the differences in the gravity of offenses between the Eight Rules and the pàyantika dharmas,she also asserts the probability that the Eight Rules might have been added later. The first of the Eight Rules does not appear in the Pàli Bhikùni Vinaya

^[13]

Most of these rules are also found in the Bhikkuni Payantika Dharmas as minor rules since they only require confession:

Theriya tradition, which at some stage, seems to have accommodated the idea that the Buddha conceded the abrogation of the minor rules [D.II.14 & VIn.II.287]. ^[14]

Other scholars argue that questioning canonical sources is a slippery slope. Buddha's main concern was about the rest of society, which was the main supporter of the Sangha, and how they would view the ordination of women -- something quite revolutionary at the time. There were many men who even after the apparent success of the Bhikkuni Sangha, were opposed to its formation[Vin.II.289]. However, we have Buddha himself admit that the social factors were foremost in his mind when making these rules:

the Theriya tradition attempts to make out that in the organization of the Sasana social considerations, as much as moral and ethical values, loomed large in the mind of the Master. In the Cullavagga he is reported as saying: ` Not even the Titthiyas who propound imperfect doctrines sanction such homage of men towards women. How could the Tathagata do so?'

[Vin.II.258].

This agrees with the fact that rival sects such as the Jains also had the first rule according to the Svetambara rules.^[15]

Ian Astley argues that under the conditions of society where there is such great discrimination and threat to women, Buddha could not be blamed for the steps he took in trying to secure the Sangha from negative public opinion:

In those days (and this still applies to much of present Indian society) a woman who had left the life of the household would otherwise have been regarded more or less as a harlot and subjected to the appropriate harassment. By being formally associated with the monks, the nuns were able to enjoy the benefits of leaving the household life without incurring immediate

harm. Whilst it is one thing to abhor, as any civilized person must do, the attitudes and behavior towards women which underlie the necessity for such protection, it is surely misplaced to criticize the Buddha and his community for adopting this particular policy.^[16]

[edit] Bhikkhunis in Theravada

People of the Pali canon
Pali	English
Community of Buddhist Disciples
Monastic Sangha
Bhikkhu, Bhikkuṇī Sikkhamānā Samaṇera, Samaṇerī	Monk, Nun Nun trainee Novice (m., f.)
Laity
Upāsaka, Upāsikā Gahattha, Gahapati Agārika, Agāriya	Lay devotee (m., f.) Householder Layperson
Related Religions
Samaṇa Ājīvaka Brāhmaṇa Nigaṇṭha	Wanderer Ascetic Brahmin Jain ascetic
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In the Theravada tradition, scholars believe that the bhikkhuni lineage became extinct in the 11th to 13th centuries, after which no new bhikkhunis could be ordained since there were no bhikkhunis left to give ordination. For this reason, the leadership of the Theravada bhikkhu Sangha in Burma and Thailand deem fully ordained bhikkhunis as "untrue."^[17] Other members support the ordination of woman as bhikkhunis.^[18]

Summary Report of the 2007 International Congress on the Women's Role in the Sangha: Bhikshuni Vinaya and Ordination Lineages University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany 18-20 July 2007 Alexander Berzin, August 2007 

http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/approaching_buddhism/world_today/summary_report_2007_international_c/part_1.html</ref>

The traditional appearance of Theravadan bhikkhunis is nearly identical to that of male monks, including a shaved head and saffron robes. White or pink robes are worn by Theravadan nuns who are not fully ordained, in some counties nuns wear dark chocolate robes or sometimes the same colour as monks.These nuns are known as dasa sila mata in Sri-Lanka, Silashin in Myanmar(Burma) and the siladharas of Amaravati monastery in the United Kingdom and its branch monasteries.

[edit] Indochina

In Indochina Theravada tradition, many women who are not allowed to ordain, continue as dedicated practitioners, following the spirit and often the letter of the bhikkhuni vows. They are considered mae chis, laywomen or “semi-ordained,” since they are not officially recognized by the Theravada Sangha. These women attempt to lead a life following the teachings of the Buddha. They observe 8-10 precepts, but do not follow exactly the same codes as ordained Buddhist monks. They receive popular recognition for their role. But they are not granted official endorsement or the educational support offered to men. They spend most of their time as temple maids and cooks for monks.

[edit] See also

• Buddhism
• Nuns
• Mae ji
• International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha
• Ordination Process
• Sangha
• Unsui
• World Buddhist Sangha Council

[edit] External links

• The Bhikkhunis' Code of Discipline (Bhikkhuni Patimokkha) Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
• Buddhist Monastic Code II: Bhikkhunis
• the website of Santi Forest Monastery contains several (ancient and modern) texts on the role and ordination of women in Buddhism.
• Bhikkhuni committee of the ASA includes a large resource of articles regarding Bhikkhunis
• Monastic Resources - Training
• "Female Monks In Buddhism", by Dhammacaro (07/23/2005).
• "Vinaya Pitaka", brief description includes "Order of ordination for men and women...."
• English-language entry to blogs and articles from Thailand

[edit] References

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