Re-establishment of the Bhikkhunī order
In countries such as Myanmar and Thailand, leading representatives of the Theravāda Bhikkhu Saṅgha have traditionally not recognized newly established Bhikkhunī ordinations. Their position is rooted in a strict interpretation of Vinaya lineage continuity and the procedures required for valid ordination.
On the other hand, a growing number of scholars, practitioners, and monastics point to historical and textual evidence suggesting that such a strict limitation may not be fully justified. They argue that the spirit of the Buddha’s Teaching supports the inclusion and continuation of the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha. Referring back to the original establishment by Gautama Buddha, they emphasize that women were clearly given the opportunity to undertake the full monastic path.
The Bhikkhunī Saṅgha Today
Today, the Bhikkhunī ordination has gained broad international recognition, and the presence of fully ordained Buddhist nuns is once again becoming a visible and living part of the global Saṅgha. Yet, the situation is not uniform across all countries and traditions.
In some regions, the acceptance of Bhikkhunī ordination is still developing. Cultural background, historical continuity, and interpretations of the Vinaya all play a significant role in shaping current attitudes. In countries such as Thailand, gradual steps have been made toward greater openness, and awareness continues to grow. At the same time, in places like Laos and Myanmar, the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha is still not officially recognized within the traditional monastic framework.
Across the world, more lay practitioners are also coming to understand the importance of the fourfold community. With this understanding comes a natural support for the presence of Bhikkhunīs—not as something new or external, but as a restoration of an original and essential part of the Buddha’s dispensation.
Change in such matters often unfolds slowly. It requires patience, dialogue, and mutual respect between traditions, communities, and individuals. Yet the direction is clear: the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha is re-emerging as a living reality.
With time, care, and continued practice, there is a quiet confidence that full recognition will naturally deepen and expand. In this way, the path opened by the Buddha remains available to all—women and men alike—and the completeness of the Saṅgha can once again be fully realized.
The question of the re-establishment of the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha is both historical and deeply contemporary. Within parts of the Theravāda tradition, some scholars maintain that the lineage of bhikkhunī ordination disappeared between the 11th and 13th centuries. Based on this view, they argue that, once the uninterrupted transmission was lost, new full ordinations of women would no longer be valid within that lineage.
At the same time, this perspective is not universally accepted, and the issue has been approached differently across regions and traditions.
In addition, historical records show that Buddhist traditions have adapted forms of ordination across cultures and periods. The survival of Bhikkhunī lineages in other traditions—such as those preserved in East Asia—has opened pathways for re-establishing ordination in Theravāda contexts through collaborative ceremonies involving both bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs of different lineages.
Rather than being a purely technical issue, the re-establishment of the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha raises broader questions: What sustains the living Dhamma? Is it only formal continuity, or also the presence of sincere practice, ethical discipline, and realization?
For many, the revival of the Bhikkhunī order represents a return to the completeness of the fourfold community envisioned by the Buddha. It is seen not as a break with tradition, but as a careful and respectful restoration of something essential that had been lost.
These differences do not necessarily arise from rejection alone, but often reflect complex layers of tradition, identity, and concern for preserving what is understood as authenticity. For many, the question is not whether women are capable of awakening—this has long been affirmed—but how best to ensure that the form of ordination remains faithful to the Vinaya.
At the same time, there are strong and encouraging signs of change. In Sri Lanka, the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha has been re-established and is widely accepted, with growing communities of nuns actively practicing, teaching, and contributing to the life of the Dhamma. This has become an important example for other countries, showing that the revival of the Bhikkhunī order can be both respectful of tradition and responsive to present conditions.
The question of the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha is not only historical or institutional; at its heart, it points to something essential in the Dhamma—that liberation is not limited by form, status, or gender, but depends on practice, understanding, and realization. When the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha is present, this truth becomes visible in the world, reminding us that the path is complete and accessible to all who are willing to walk it.
For lay practitioners, this presence also widens the field of practice and understanding, offering different perspectives, forms of guidance, and living examples of the path. Supporting the Bhikkhunī Saṅgha thus becomes not only an act of generosity, but a way of sustaining the completeness of the Dhamma in the world. Rather than being a matter of dispute, its re-emergence can be understood as a gradual unfolding—one that calls for patience, wisdom, and mutual respect—through which the fourfold community envisioned by the Buddha may continue to grow in balance and harmony.
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Support of the venerable Bhikkhunī Visuddhi and activities of the Association Karuṇā Sevena:
Bank account for donations:
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Account number: 6855679001/5500
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Account holder: Karuṇā Sevena Association
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IBAN: CZ49 5500 0000 0068 5567 9001
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SWIFT: RZBCCZPP
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Address: Slezská 3, 796 01 Prostějov, Czech Republic
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Email: karuna.sevena.en@gmail.com
The funds are used to cover the basic monastic needs of the venerable bhikkhunī Visuddhi
such as robe, food, medicine and abode this also covers transportation, accommodation, air tickets, etc.) distribution of books,
the furnishing of the ārāma Karuṇā Sevena, insurance, utility bills, etc. Tax-deductible in the Czech Republic.
Please state the reason for the donation with the following note "For the Association Karuna Sevena."
Neither of the above is a public collection, and therefore we ask all donors to add their contact information to their gift, so that we can issue a donation agreement contract or a donation receipt. We thank all the donors.
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