Bhikkhuni ordination...

[David N. Snyder]

Interesting to see the number of places in Thailand where bhikkhunis can live now. Also the ordinations performed by senior monks in the North: I was told that they regard it as a matter of honour to restore the 4-fold assembly in the Sasana particularly in the Lanna region, which has different cultural and historical roots compared to central Thailand.

Practically speaking, it is not at all easy to actually develop a functioning Bhikkhuni Sangha: on the paper it looks easy, just give us some places to live and money to send the nuns to university, but on the human level it comes down to the personalities involved, and sometimes finding a harmonious way of living together is the biggest obstacle.

Hi Bhante Gavesako,

Glad to hear of the improvements.

What are the difficulties in living together harmoniously? Do you mean the monasteries where there are both bhikkhus and bhikkhunis present on the same grounds?

[gavesako]

No, I mean the bhikkhunis themselves living on the same grounds...

[Cittasanto]

Hi Dhamma,
I didn't know that monks were involved already in the ordination process at that level at least, thanks!

on a note about the ordination, I know there will be reasons etc but why dont High Ranking Bhikkhus follow the rules for admitting women into the order untill there are enough well trained Bhikkhunis to do the job themselves, after all the first nuns were 'ordained' by a man?

not actually wanting or expecting an answer for that one just a thought!

Hi Manapa,

A bhikkhuni must first be ordained by a quorum of nuns and then by bhikkhus, thus, the controversy because it is not so much from the 'lack' of willing monks, but rather the lack of nuns (before reinstatement occurred).

But you are right, the first nuns, including Maha Pajapati Gotami and the 500 women with her who became nuns, had no quorum of nuns present.