Bhikkhuni Ordination at Spirit Rock, Oct 17 2011

[AyyaSobhana]

On Oct 17, three women received their upasampada ordination at the Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Woodacre, California

Navaka Bhikkhunīs Ānandabodhī and Santacittā are the principle teachers at the Aloka Vihara in San Francisco. They had previously trained with the Siladhara. During this past Vassa, they had regularly visited the Aranya Bodhi Hermitage for vinaya training with Ayyā Tathālokā, which will continue.

Navaka Bhikkhuni Nimmalā has trained with Ayya Medhānandī at the Sati Saraniya Hermitage in Ontario, Canada, where she will return.

It was quite a large gathering, including senior lay teachers from Spirit Rock, and monastics from the Zen, Chinese Mahāyāna, Tibetan and Catholic traditions. Spirit Rock has expressed its very sincere support for the fourfold sangha, both in supporting women's ordination, and integrating itself with the monastic sangha. For a long time, they have invited teachers from Abhayagiri and other monastics. In the run-up to this ordination, we established an ordination sima within their main hall.

Congratulatory messages were given by Bhikkhu Bodhi (via recording) and Bhikkhu Analayo.

I am pasting in the names of the ordaining sangha, for everyone's information. It was done by an act of the Dual Sangha consisting of a Theravāda Bhikkhunī Sangha led by Ayyā Tathāālokā Therī as Pavattinī (Upajjhā), and a Theravāda Bhikkhu Sangha led by Bhante Pallewela Rāhula Mahāthera as Ovadakacāriya. In addition to the Theravada sangha, several Bhikṣus / Bhikṣunīs from the Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna schools were invited to participate as witnesses.

Kammavācācariya: Ven. Bhikkhu Tekewe Ṣantharakṣita Mahāthera
Assisting Kammavācācariya: Ven. Bhikkhu Kahanda Amarabuddhi Mahāthera Mahāthera
Witnessing Bhikkhus:
Ven. Bhikkhu Balangoda Ānanda Mangala Mahāthera
Ven. Bhikṣu Jian Hu Sthavira
Ven. Bhikkhu Brahmāli Thera
Ven. Bhikkhu Wimalaratana Thera
Ven. Bhikkhu Khemaratana
Ven. Bhikkhu Jaganātha
Ven. Bhikkhu Anālayo
Ven. Bhikkhu Cintita

Kammavācācarinī: Ven. Bhikkhunī Sudinnā Therī
Assisting Kammavācācarinī: Ven. Bhikkhunī Sudhammā
Supporting Kammācarinīs:
Ven. Bhikkhunī Gunasārī
Ven. Bhikkhunī Sobhanā
Ven. Bhikkhunī Satimā
Witnessing Bhikkhunīs:
Ven. Bhikṣunī Thubten Chödrön Mahāsthavirī
Ven. Bhikkhunī Metteyyā Therī
Ven. Bhikṣunī Tenzin Kacho Sthavirī
Ven. Bhikṣunī Losang Drimay Sthavirī
Ven. Bhikkhunī Thich-nu Hue Tri
Ven. Bhikkhunī Medhanandī
Ven. Bhikṣunī Tharpa
Ven. Bhikṣunī Semkye
Ven. Bhikkhunī Ṭhanasanti
Ven. Bhikkhunī Adhimuttā
Ven. Bhikkhunī Suvijjanā
Ven. Bhikkhunī Phalañānī

Although not participating formally, we are grateful for the moral support and encouragement of Wat Buddhanusorn and Abhayagiri.

[Ben]

Sadhu Anumodana!

May all beings be happy!

Thank you Ayya for passing on the details of the ordination.

[David N. Snyder]

[Monkey Mind]

Congratulations to the new Bhikkhunis and the communities that support them.

[daverupa]

Any news on where these new ordinands will be residing?

[AyyaSobhana]

Any news on where these new ordinands will be residing?

Bhikkhunīs Ānandabodhī and Santacittā will reside at Aloka Vihara in San Francisco, California, USA. Bhikkhunī Nimmalā will reside at Sati Saraniya in Perth, Ontario, Canada

[daverupa]