パーリ学仏教文化学 (17) - 012Wimalawansa Kirimetiyane「A Comparative Survey of the Problem Related to the Reestablishment of Bhikkhuni Order in Sri Lanka and Thailand」

A

Comparative

Survey

ofthe

Problem

Related

to

the

Reestablishment

ofBhikkhuni

Order

in

Sri

Lanka

and

Thailand

Kirimetiyane

Wimalawansa

The

Bhikkhuni

order

was started

in

India

with

the

admission

and

ordination

of

Ven.

Mahaprajfipati

Gotami

who

incidentally

happened

to

be

the

Buddha's

_Aunt.

_It

_is

well

known

that

she

obtained

Buddha's

_permission

to

enter

the

order

after

much

effort

and

_{perseverance.}

Perhaps

she

may

not

have

succeeded

ifnot

fbr

the

intervention

of

Ven.

Ananda.

It

is

clear

that

the

Buddha

was

reluctant

in

_granting

_permission.

_Some

_take

_this

_as

discrimination

against

women

by

the

Buddha.

_That

such a view

is

not

correct

is

very well shown

by

eminent

scholars

who

analyzed

the

conditions

of

the

issue,

and

the

factors

the

Buddha

took

into

consideration

when

refusing

permission

three

times.")

At

Ven.

Ananda's

_intervention

_the

_Buddha

_granted

perrnission

under

eight major

conditions

(Atthagaru

dhamma).(2)

_As

_the

_result

of

entering

women

into

monastic

life

the

bhikkhuni

order

in

India

_soon

became

an

organized

component

ofthe

religious organization

ofthe

Buddha.

Even

the

Buddha

admitted

that

the

religious achievement

of

his

fbur-fold

assembly _which

included

both

bhikkhunis

_and

laywomen

_is

_the

_stability

_of

Buddhism.(3)

Sri

Lanka

is

the

first

country

in

the

world

to

have

the

_honour

of

establishing

bhikkhuni

order outside

its

mother

country

of

India.

In

the

3rd

century

B.C.

it

_was

_Arahant

Theri

_SahghamittE

_who

established

the

bhikkhuni

order

in

Sri

Lanka.

There

is

no

doubt

that

the

fbrmation

of

the

bhildthuni

order

in

Sri

Lanka

_was

_cordially

_welcomed

_by

_the

_Sri

_Lankan

community

as

a

blessing

for

the

women of

the

country.

Once

it

was

go

ig'-uY'thfakftei:

the

order.

Sri

Lankan

chronicles

record

that

there

were a

large

number of

bhikkhunis

during

the

fburth

and

fifth

centuries.

The

Mahavamsa

says

that

90,OOO

bhikkhunis

assemble at

the

conservation ceremony of

the

Maricavatti

Vihara

at

Anuradhapura.(">

Though

the

figure

may not

be

correct,

what

it

shows

is

that

the

bhikkhuni

order

was

strong

and

flourishing.C5}

The

unsettled

political

condition

in

the

country

in

the

1O`]i

century

and

constant

invasions

by

the

Cholas

from

India

and

the

many

difficulties

the

bhikkhunis

had

to

face

_gradually

contributed

to

the

decline

ofthe

bhiklchuni

order

By

the

end

of

the

1Oth

century

both

orders

ofbhiklcus

and

bhikkhunis

disappeared.

Though

the

bhikku

ordination

was

reestablished,

the

bhikkhuni

order

died

a natural

death,

{br

the

kings

may

have

failed

to

locate

the

place

from

where

they

could

reintroduce

bhikkhunis'

ordination.

Since

then

there

has

been

neither

any

referenoe

shown

by

the

authorities nor even

by

women

themselves

for

the

revival

of

the

orden

It

was

the

Dasasilmata

movement, an organization ofwomen

dedicated

to

the

observance

of

the

ten

_precepts,

which was mainly responsible

fbr

the

reestablishrnent of

the

nun's

order

in

the

recent

_past

in

Sri

Lanka.

This

movement

was

started

by

Sudammachari,

the

first

Sri

Lankan

woman

who

was

administered

the

ten

precepts

by

the

monks

in

Burma.

On

her

return

to

Sri

Lanka

she

found

the

lady

Blake

nunnery

in

1903

in

Kandy.(`)

Since

then

the

number

of

Dasasilmata

increased

and

the

movement

expanded

though

there

was

no strong

systematio

organization.

They

felt

that

they

could serve

a

better

_purpose

ifthey

could

get

themselves

more organized.

tn

1989

an

international

ceremony ofthe ordination ofwomen was

held

in

Los

Angeles,

USA,

organized

by

Pho

Kum

Shan

sect

in

Taiwan.

Sri

Lanka

vvras

one

ofthe

invitees.

Six

Sri

Lankan

Dasasilmatfis

were

blessed

with

initial

and

fu11

ordinations

under

the

_guidance

of

Ven.

Dr

H.

Rathanasara.

But

when

they

retumed

to

Sri

Lanka

they

were

not

given

any

recognition

but

rather were severely criticized

by

opponent

parties.

Once

again

another

Sri

Lankan

Dasasilmata

had

an

opportunity

to

A

Comparative

_Survey

of

the

Problem

Related

tothe

Reestabhshment

_ofBhiklchuni

_OTder

₈

₁

The

ceremony

was organized

by

the

Mahabodhi

Society

_of

India

_with

_the

Korean

branch

of

the

international

Sahgha

_council

_and

_the

_SEkya

_dhithfi

organization.

11:n

Sri

Lankan

_Dasasilmatas

_were

_given

_higher

_ordination

_by

Korean

bhikkhunis

_and

Theravada

_bhiltkus

_under

_the

_guidance

_of

_Ven.

Mapalagama

VipulasEra.

However

they

too

failed

to

win

recognition.

Ihe

aspiration of

dasasilmEtas

increased

to

high

level

when

they

were

able

to

form

an

organization

called

Bhikkhuni

Foundation

_in

_Sri

Lanka.

This

was

supported

by

Ven.

Inamaluwe

Sumafigala

_Thera,

_chief

_monk

of

Dambulla

_temple

_and

_Ven.

_M.

_Pafifisara

_{who were}

_elected

president

and

secretary.

The

main

_purpose

of

this

foundation

was

to

find

out

the

ways

and

means

to

reestablish

the

bhi1clchuni

order

in

accordance

with

Theravada

Vinaya

tradition.

Therav5da

Vinaya

says

that

a

novice

who

has

undergone

probation

for

two

_years

_under

_a

_teaeher

_can

_only

_be

_confbrmed

_higher

ordination.

rlb

fu1fil

_this

_necessity

_the

_Bhikkhuni

_Foundation

_appointed

_five

dasasilmatEs

for

the

advisary

board

after

they

were

_given

an

initial

ordination

with

the

assistance

of

Ven.

Inamaluwe

_Sumahgala.

_A

_training

_center

_fbr

_the

novices

was

_put

up

at

Kalundawa

in

Matale.

Ten

novices

from

the

said

institute

_and

_ten

_novices

from

_Kalutara

_district

were chosen

to

take

_part

in

_a

higher

ordination

ceremony

held

in

Buddhagaya

in

India

1998.

The

ceremony

was

organized

by

Pho

Kun

_Shan

Bihltkhuni

eenter

m

Tliiwan.

Tiwenty

Sri

Laukan

_novices

_received

_higher

_ordination

_from

[faiwan

bhiltkhunis

_and

they

were

conferred

the

higher

ordination

fbr

the

second

time

by

the

Sri

Lankan

monks

at

the

MUIagandakuti

_Vih5ra

_in

_India.

Some

dasasilmatas

who

led

a

long

life

as

dasasilmatE

do

not

want

to

enter

the

newly

established

bhikkhuni

_order

_They

_are

_satisfied

with

the

_precepts

_as

_they

_accept

_the

_traditional

_{interpretation}

given

to

the

Atthagarudhammas.

_For

_them

_there

_is

_{nothing magical about}

the

institution

ofthe

_order

ofnuns.

What

_they

basically

_want

_is

_{a rudimentary}

_organization

within which

they

can

_practice

_their

_religious

_Iives.

_As

_the

_secretary

nun of

the

_present

_dasasilmata

_{movement expressed}

clearlM

they

are

interested

_only

82

i£

-V#as

wtS

tL

Ef-t

rudimentary

institution

they

have

now

is

completely sufficient

for

it.

The

Ven.

Mahanayakas

of

three

sects

of

Safiga

in

Sri

Lanka

opposed

to

the

reestablishment of

bhikkhuni

order

in

Sri

Lanka.

As

bhikhunis

are

not

available

at

_present

in

rhe

Theravada

countries

it

is

the

view

of

the

Mahanayakas

of

Sri

Lanka

that

the

bhiklchuni

order cannot

be

reestablished

until

the

arrival

of

the

next

Buddha.(7)

The

most

venerable

Mah2nayake

of

the

Asgiriya

Chapter

of

Siyam

Nikaya

observes: "It

has

to

be

opposed

to

the

reestablishment

of

bhildchuni

order

as

it

goes

against

the

Therav5da

Vinaya

tradition.

But

if

however

it

can

be

established

according

to

the

Vinaya

rules

we

would

like

to

welcome

it."{8}

On

the

issue

of

the

_present

bhikl<huni

order

the

most

Ven.

Madihe

Pafifiasiha

the

_president

ofSri

Lanka

Amarapura

Maha

Sahgha

Sabhi

wntes:

"lt

is

clear

that

there

is

no room whatsoever

for

establishing

bhikkhuni

order

in

accordance with

the

Theravada

Vinaya

rules,

Therefore

we vv'ould advice

the

_government

of

Sri

Lanka

and

the

_public

not

to

waste

time

by

talking

on

such

an undisciplinary

and

non-acceptable

point"(9)

There

is

no

doubt

that

monks'

opposition

mostly

depends

on

traditional

attitudes

of

Theravada

towards

women

rather

than

on

disciplinary

reasons.

Theras

rneans elders

of

the

Safigha

TheravEda

by

definition

and

they

have

looked

down

upon

women.

Prof

Gunapala

Darmasiri

writes

on

that

point:

t`It

is

difficult

to

understand

how

and

why

this

developed

so.

Perhaps

social and

patriarchal

hierarchy

must

have

had

a

big

influence

on

the

Theravada

Institution,

as was

the

case with

the

caste

system

within

Theravada

society,

Even

today

chief monks

are

explicitly against

giving

the

political

and

spiritual equality

to

the

Buddhist

nuns"."O)

Though

some chief

monks

including

Mah5nayakas

express

their

objection

against

the

bhikkhuni

ordeg

there

are

a

fair

number

of monks and

lay

scholars

who consent

in

favour

ofthe newly established

bhiklchuni

orden

Ven.'falalle

Damm51oka

AnunEyaka

Thera

of

Amarapura,

who wrote

a

book

entitled

P2in.

MahEiprojap-

ati

Gotami

and nuns order

has

severely

criticized

the

view

of

Mah5nayfikas

and argued

that

the

newly established

bhikkhuni

AComparativeSurveyoftheProblemRelatedtotheReestablishmentofBhikkhuniOrder

₈₃

order

is

in

accordance

with

the

Vinaya."i)

Mn

Senarath

Wijesundara

who openly writes

in

favour

of

the

reestablishment

of

the

bhiklthuni

order says

that

if

this

attempt

is

successfu1

it

would

be

for

the

advancement and welfare

of

the

Buddhism

as

a

whole.(i2)

Some

foreign

scholars

are

ofthe

opinion

that

it

is

tme

that

the

Sri

Lankan

society

is

still

under

the

_pressure

_of

_male

domination,

_therefore

_it

_will

certainly

find

it

difficult

to

form

a

bhilclthuni

order

as

strong

as

the

_present

bhiklthu

order.

But

it

is

also

true

that

women

are

more

sensitive

in

the

fields

ofreligion

and social welfare,

so

they

can

be

more

helpfu1

in

these

areas

as

in

Tlaiwan

and

Korea

if

they

are

_given

the

real

_place

ofbhikkhunis.(i3)

The

situation with regard

to

the

nuns

order

in

Thailand

is

_quite

different

from

that

of

Sri

Lanka.

In

Thailand,

one

cannot

speak

ofthe

reestablishment

ofthe

bhikkhuni

ordeg

fbr

there

is

no

historical

_evidence

to

_prove

_that

_there

had

ever

been

such

an

orden

Though

Buddhism

and

Buddhist

_monks

_were

introduced

to

Thailand

through

the

missionary

work

of

the

emperor

Asoka,

there

are

no

references

whatsoever

to

the

introduction

of

the

bhiklchuni

_orden

It

_was

only

in

1927

that

_one

_hears

about

bhikkhunis

in

Thailand.

_A

_politician

of

the

time

Narin

Khlueng

_got

_his

_two

_daughters

_Chongdi

_and

_Sara

_admitted

and

ordained.

However

this

_politician

_and

_his

_colleagues

_appear

_to

_have

_been

critical of

the

lifestyle

_of

bhiltkhus

_{and also}

_about

_the

_royal

_family.

_This

_led

to

the

banning

_ofthe

bhikkhuni

_{ordeg made}

the

_bhikkhunis

who

were

eight

in

number

_at

that

time

disrobed

_and

_even

_imprisoned.

_In

₁₉₂₈

_the

_supreme

Safigha

council enacted

a

law

_prohibiting

_the

_admission

_{of women as}

bhikkhunis

or

samarperis

into

the

_order

This

_order

has

_not

_been

_lifted.(i4)

The

nun system, which

can

be

seen

in

Thailand,

first

_started

_on

_the

_basis

ofthe

Mache

_{way oflife.}

_Now

_in

_Thailand

_there

_is

_{a nun}

system

called

Mache

quite

similar

to

that

of

the

Sri

Lanka

_{Dasasilmatas.}

_These

_nuns

_live

_in

_a

separate

section

in

temples

performing

religious

practices

according

to

a

daily

routme.

They

_are

_clad

in

_{a white}

dress

_similar

_to

_ordinary

_Dasasilmatas

robes.

They

are

_solely

_guided

_{and advised}

by

_the

_monks

_ofrespective

_temples.

s4

,Cr

vt?,thigJitft?t

admission

and

ordination

as

a

bhikkhuni

in

Thailand

from

Thai

monks, and

went

to

faiwan

to

get

her

selflordained

as

a

Mahay5na

bhikkhuni.

She

is

considered

as

the

first

Thai

bhiklchuni

who obtained

the

higher

ordination.

She

made

a

temple

for

nuns

in

Nakonpathong

and

it

was

open

for

Thai

ladies

who

were

willing

to

lead

a Teligious

life,

but

it

was

not so

popular

among

Thai

women.

What

became

most

controversial and

uproarious

in

Thailand

is

the

admission

of

Chatsma

Kabilsingh

as

a

sAmaperl.

Shc

was

a

reputable

Thai

academician

holding

a

PhD.

She

has

taught

both

at

Thammasat

and

Mahfichulalankon

Universities

and

acknowledged

Vinaya

authority.Ci5'

She

has

obtained

initial

ordination

as

a

sfimarperi

under

the

name of

Dhammanandfi

at

Dambulta

Bhikkhuni

Center

in

Sri

Lanka

in

February

2001

.

Though

she

is

hopeful

to

obtain

higher

ordination as a

Theravada

bhikkhuni

in

Sri

Lanka

in

2003,

the

Thai

supreme

Safigha

council

is

not

prepared

to

accept

her

as

a

bhiklchuni,

Almost

all

bhikkhus

in

Thailand

do

not accept

the

newly

established

bhikkliuni

order

in

Sri

Lnaka,

They

are

of

the

view

that

any

attempt

to

establish

a

Theravada

bhiklchuni

order

is

clearly

a

violation

of

Vinaya

_niles.

Therefbre

they

are

not

ready

to

welcome

nuns

who

received

ordination

from

Sri

Lankan

bhikkhunls

as

it

connects with

the

Mahayana

Tiradition.

Unlike

those

in

Sri

Lanka

the

responsible

_parties

such

as

the

supreme

Sartgha

council,

the

government

and

Safigha

communities

are very

firm

on

this

issue.

As

we

knovvJ

it

is

the

custom

of

Sri

Lankan

bhikkhunis

that

they

do

not

come

forward

to

criticise

whatever

is

the

view of

Mahfinayakfis

on

them.

They

are

still

trying

to

get

their

nevv" recognition with

the

blessing

of

Maha

Sartgha.

But

contrary

to

this

S5maneri

Dhammananda

is

too

critical of

the

Safigha

and

this

has

not

in

any

way

helped

in

her

attempt

to

achieve

her

goal.

Most

of

the

Thai

monks('6)

I

met

in

Thailand

are against

Sfimaqeri

Dhammananda

on

the

fbllowing

rnatters:

(a)

Her

admission

is

irregular

as

it

is

mixed with

MahAyAna.

A Comparattve

Survey

ofthe

Problem

Related

to

the

Reestablishment

ofBhikkhuni Order

85

trainee

under

a

teacheg

she

has

not

fu1fi11ed

this

condition.

(c)

She

hasjoined

with non

Buddhist

international

organizations

and

has

worked

against

the

Thai

bhikkhu

community

(d)

She

praises

Sri

Lankan

bhikldiu

order

and condemns

the

Thai

Safigha.

(e)

The

system

of

mache

_prevailing

in

Thailand

is

_quite

_sufficient.

Remaining

as

a

mache a women

can

achieve

her

religious

_goal

and

there

is

no

need

ofa

bhikkhuni

order

Samarperi

Dhammananda

tries

to

justify

her

case.

She

saysithere

is

no

barrier

for

_women

to

become

nuns

according

to

the

Dhamma

or

the

Vinaya

ofthe

Buddha.

When

I

interviewed

her

_at

her

_temple

_on

_this

issue

_she

_told

_me

that

social

attitude

ofmale

domination

towards

the

women

is

at

work

against

the

emergence

of

nun's

order

in

Thailand.

Therefore

the

iajustice

occurring

by

means

of

this

attitude

is

of course nothing

but

a violation

of

women's

religious

rights.

If

we

take

the

argument

of

the

monks

that

a

female

as

a

mache

can

have

her

religious

achievement

for

_granted,

_why

_then

_a

_male

cannot

remain

as

a

SEmal!era

without

_getting

higher

_ordination?

She

_asked.

Even

though

a

lot

of

obstacles

have

oome

from

Thai

society

fbr

the

newly

established

nun's

ordeg

another

Thai

lady

became

a samarperi named

Dhammarakkhitha

at

Wat

Songdharmakalyani

in

Nakon

_Pathom.

_She

_became

samaqeri

fbllovving

the

fbotsteps

of

Samarperi

DhammanandA

_in

_February

2002

in

the

first

recorded

female

ordination

ceremony ever

held

in

Thailand.

Bangkok

_post

_reports

on

that

_event

"fbr

supporters

of

female

clergy

the

ordination

at

Wat

Songdharrnakalyani

_marked

_a

_{new chapter}

_in

_Buddhism

_in

Thailand

fbr

the

_religious

establishment,

the

ordination

was an open

change."(i7)

The

government

does

not accept

_this

ordination.

It

is

_shown

from

_the

statement

_ofthe

deputy

_{education minister}

_on

_this

_ordination.

_He

_is

_reported

to

have

said

that

the

_government

could

not

stop

the

ordination

because

_the

monks

did

not

belong

to

the

Thai

TheravAda

order

but

rather

to

that

of

Sri

86

i{- iJ

\ts

twRItt\

When

we consider

the

_problems

comparatively

on

the

bhiklchuni

order

we

can

find

similarities

as well as

differences

in

the

two

countries.

The

bhikkhuni

order

in

Sri

Lanka

was not

a

thing

started

anew.

Emergence

ofthe

order

of

nuns

in

Sri

Lanka

is

only a reappearance of

it.

Although

there

are

some

people

against

the

newly established

bhikkhuni

ordeg

the

supporters

are

also

in

great

number.

But

the

proposed

plan

of

starting

of

bhikkhuni

order

is

the

first

time

in

the

history

ofThailand.

The

law

_prohibiting

female

ordination

in

Thailand

is

approved

by

both

the

king

and

the

Safigharaja.

Both

these

authorities stand

very

firm

against

the

female

ordination.

In

Sri

Lanka

there

are

more

favourable

conditions

fbr

nuns' orde:

Their

female

ordination

is

not

prohibited

by

the

law.

Irrespective

of

the

Mah5nayakas'

views,

a

large

number of

Safigha

and

lay

scholars

help

_publicly

for

the

benefit

ofnuns.

The

members

of

the

Safigha

in

Sri

Lanka

eqjoy

more

freedom

than

in

Thailand.

Sri

Lankan

monks

come

fbrward

even

to

criticize

the

vlew

of

the

Mahanayakas.

The

MahEnayakas

do

not

have

the

rites

empowered

by

the

government

to

control

over

the

members

of

the

Sathgha(i9).

But

in

Thailand

there

is

no

freedom

fbr

monks

to

criticize

the

view

or

the

customs approved

by

the

Sahgharaja,

So

most

of monks

in

Thailand

stand

very

firm

against

female

ordination.

As

a

result

Sri

Lankan

women

are

more

fbrtunate

over

this

matter

because

they

can

get

help

even

from

the

members ofthe

sangha

who

are

in

favour

ofthem,

On

the

other

hand

the

_general

_public

of

Sri

Lanka

help

both

the

orders

differently.

These

favorable

conditions

in

Sri

Lanka

have

paved

the

way

fbr

the

government

to

soften

its

attitude

towards

the

nuns order.

For

example

since

2000

the

government

has

issued

identity

cards

for

the

nuns,

giving

them

the

status of

bhikkhuni

instead

ofdasasilmata which

was

given

earlier

Another

important

aspect relevant

to

both

these

countries

is

the

reaction

ofnuns

on

their

_problems.

Nuns

in

Sri

Lanka

never

openly

condemn

the

view

of

the

Sahgha.

Whether

it

is

favorable

or

not

they

do

not criticize

the

attitude

of

the

Safigha

through

the

mass

media.

They

of course receiyed

their

AComparativeSurveyoftheProblemRelatedtotheReestablishmentofBhikkhuniOrder

₈₇

Thailand

not

even

a

single

monk came

fbrward

to

help

_Samarperl

Dhammananda.

_Therefore

she

has

fought

alone

to

justify

her

case.

This

of

eourse

may

not

be

favorable

to

hell

So

she

has

been

accused

ofjoining with

non-Buddhist

organizations

and

is

working against

the

Thai

bhikkhu

community

But

in

Sri

Lanka

no

one

accuses

bhikkhunis

of

having

any

connection

with

the

non-Buddhist

organizations.

The

fact

that

whether

society

needs

nuns

and

they

can

render

the

services

for

the

_promotion

ofBuddhism

has

to

be

considered

separately

in

relation

to

the

two

countries.

In

Sri

Lanka

_the

_present

_order

_of

_monks

_{are rapidly}

decreasing

its

_number

due

to

the

non-availability

of

children

who

are

willing

to

enter

the

orden

Few

_parents

like

their

sons

to

enter

the

order

There

is

no

system

of

temporary

ordination

as

in

Thailand.

Therefore

it

is

certain

that

Buddhism

in

Sri

Lanka

would

suffer

much

from

the

inadequacy

ofmonks

fbr

religious requirements.

This

_position

would

lead

to

find

an

alternative.

The

only

way

to

solve

this

_problem

is

to

encourage

dasasilmatas

_who

_{are showing}

great

interest

in

becoming

nuns.

Bhikkhtms'

_{participation}

in

_social

_and

religious

affhirs

has

been

mostly

welcomed

at

this

stage

of

Sri

Lanka.

The

position

in

this

regard

is

rather

different

in

Thailand.

Thai

Buddhists

do

not

feel

much

_{ofa necessity}

ofnuns

in

their

society.

They

have

enough

numbers

of

clergy

to

look

after

their

religious

needs.

Monks'

_order

in

Thailand

_does

not

fa11

vacant,

as

there

is

the

tradition

oftemporary

ordination.

Male

Thai

_youths

are

traditionally

encouraged

to

become

monks

even

temporarily.

Therefore

it

seems

that

_people

in

Thailand

do

not

find

necessity

ofnuns

for

religious requirement.

The

dasasilmatas

in

Sri

Lanka

have

their

own

monasteries

and

own

devotees

all

over

the

country.

But

mache nuns

in

Thailand

do

_not

have

_abodes

oftheir _{own or}

devotees

_to

_support.

_The

_only

_monastery

_that

_belongs

to

the

nuns

is

Wat

Songdharmakalyani

in

Nakon

Pathon

which was

built

by

Samalten-

Dhammananda's

_mother(20).

_She

_has

_devotees

_for

_her

_own

_temple

and

_performs

religious observations with

the

support

of

her

devotees.

88

,sc-

v

eiftttswtS(ft\

knowledge,

intemational

relationship

and

excellent

_personality

can meet any

challenges

from

the

bhikkhus

or

the

society.

As

there

is

no

other

person

to

get

her

_place

in

future

some

Thai

monks

are of

the

opinion

that

the

bhikkhuni

order

cannot

be

continued

without

her.

With

the

ordination

ofDhammananda

nuns

in

Thailand

started

wearing

yellow

robes

for

the

first

time.

This

is

a nevir experience

for

Thai

people.

There

were

incidents

when

the

people

had

mistaken

this

nun

as a

_priest

by

this

dress.

As

she

told

me, when she wanted

to

go

to

the

toilet

people

had

directed

her

to

the

toilet

ofmales.

When

she visited

from

house

to

house

begging

alms

(pirpdapatha)

people

mistook

her

for

a

monk.

Bu{

in

Sri

Lanka

from

the

very

inception,

the

nuns

had

been

wearing

a

_panicular

type

of

dress

consisting

of

long

sleeved

_yellow

shirt

and

a

robe

_quite

different

from

the

conventional

robe

worn

by

Buddhist

_priests.

With

regard

to

the

Vinaya

matters

the

attitude

of

Sri

Lankan

monks

is

more

liberal

than

that

of

Thai

monks.

It

is

generally

said

that

Myammar

is

famous

fbr

Abhidhamma

and

Thailand

fbr

Vinaya

and

Sri

Lanka

for

Sutta.

Thai

Buddhism

is

more

concerned with and

adheres

to

Vinaya.

As

nuns'

ordinatien

is

connected

with

Vinaya

rules

Thai

monks

are strict

on

this

matter

The

most

venerable

Safigharaja

in

Thailand

has

the

power

to

punish

any

bhikkhus

who

violate

the

Vinaya

rules.

Therefbre

the

proposed

new

bhikkhuni

order

is

also not recognised

because

it

is

not

according

to

the

Vinaya

rules.

But

in

Sri

Lanka

some

Sri

Lankan

monks

the

scholars

have

a

different

opinion(2i).

According

to

them

the

first

batch

of women received

higher

ordination

from

bhiklthus.

On

the

occation of

the

establishment

of

bhiklchuni

order

the

Buddha

gave

permission

to

the

monks

to

confer

higher

ordination

to

the

nuns.

(antu'a-ntimi

bhikkhave

bhikhuni.vo

upasampadetun(22))

According

this

report

the

first

batch

of women received

higher

ordination

neither

from

the

Buddha

nor

from

both

bhkkhus

and

bhikkhunis

but

from

the

bhikkhus,

The

occasion ofreestablishment ofnuns' order

in

Sri

Lanka

is

quite

similar

to

that

of

the

establishment ofbhiklchuni order

in

Buddha's

time.

As

A Comparative

Survey

ofthe

Problern

Related

tothe

Reestablishment

ofBhiklchuni

Order

confer

the

ordination

to

nuns

as

in

the

Buddha's

time.

By

doing

that,

certain

that

there

would

not

be

any violation ofthe

Vinaya

rules.

89

ltIS

Conclusion

Due

to

the

non-availability

ofrecognition

from

the

_govemments

ofboth

countries,

it

is

a

_great

barrier

to

the

development

ofthe

bhikkhuni

orden

In

the

case ofSri

Lanka

we

can

have

hopes

for

a

better

future

ofthe

bhikkhuni

order

because

the

_buddhist

_public

and

the

clergy

are

_giving

it

a

considerable

support.

It

is

dithcult

to

think

that

the

bhiklchuni

order

in

Thailand

will

develop

unless

the

King

and

the

Sahgharaja

consider

to

_grant

recognition

of

this

order

According

to

both

the

teachings

of

the

Buddha

and

the

_policy

of

the

_United

_Nations,

every

human

being,

irrespective

_of

_caste

_{or creed}

_or

gendeg

has

the

freedom

to

eajoy

human

rights.

Ifthe

_nuns'

_order

_gets

_its

_roots

firmly

in

the

society,

there

is

no

doubt

even

fbr

a

considerable

_period

it

will

be

able

to

work

fbr

the

_promotion

of

spiritual

as

well as social

values

of

Buddhists.

Notes

<1)

H.

Oldenberg:

vanaya

Pi.taha,

Vbl.

II,

PTS,

1947,

_p.

254.

(2)

Atthagarudhammas

are

the

_{conditions under which}

_the

Buddha

granted

women

permission

toenter

the

order

They

_{are as}

fbllows

a.

A

nun who

has

been

ordained

(even)

fbr

a century must

_greed

respectfu11y, rise

up

from

her

_seat,salute with

joint

_palm,

do

_preper

homage

to

a monk ordained

but

that

day,

b.

A

nun _{must not} spend

the

rains

in

a residence _where

_there

is

no monk.

c.

Every

half

month a nun _should

desire

_{to things}

_from

_the

_{order of monks:}

_the

asking

(as

_to

_the

date)

ofthe observance

day,

and

the

coming

fbr

the

exhortation.

d,

After

the rainsa nun _must

invite

before

_both

_the

_{orders m respect ofthree matters}

what was seen, what was

heard,

when _was suspected

e,

A

nun offendmg against an

important

rule must under

_go

Manattha

fbr

half

a

90

(3)(4)(5)<6)

(Sinhalese),

Colornbo

1994,

p.

59

(7)

(Stnhalese),

Colombe

1998,

p,

(8)(9)(l()(11)

Colombo

1998,

(12

Senarat

Wijesundara:

Bhikkhuni

SZisana

and

71heravado

tn

Dialogiie,

New

Series,

XXI

(Smhalese),

Colombo

1994,

p.

67.

(13)

Among

the

Scholars

who

hold

this

view,

Prof,

Egaku

Mayeda

is

prominent.

(14

Chatsumarn

Kabilsingh:

PPbmen

in

BudtthJsm,

Thammasat

University,

Bangkok

1998.

<IS

"The

Star",

Monday,

August

5,

20e2.

ae

The

monks

that

I

interviewed

did

net want to

_put

their

names in my article.

(17)

"The

_Bangkok

Post",

February

14,

2002.

(lsi

"Yashodara",

Newsletter

Vol.

18,

_p,

14.

(19

Ven.

falalle

Dhammaloka:

op. cit.,

_p.

54.

QO

`LTheStar",Monday,August5,2e02,

el)

Prof.

Kapila

Abhayay-'ansa,

Head

of

the

Department

of

Buddhist

Culture,

Postgraduate

of

Pali

and

Buddist

Studies,

Kelaniya

Univers}ty,

Sn

Lanka,

eM

H.

Oldenberg:

op. cit.,

_p.

257.

,<

-

V

lllt{l,wtIS{<L\

f

When

as

_probationer,

she

has

trained

in

the

six rules

for

two

_year;

she should seek

ordination

form

both

ordez

g

A

monk must not

be

abused of reviled m any way

by

anun.

h,

From

today,

admonition ofmonks

by

nuns is

fbrbidden,

admonMon ofnuns

by

monks

is

not

fbrbidden,

I.

B.

Homer:

Book

(ij'Discrphne,

Vbl,

Y

PTS,

1975,

pp.

354-55.

Ahguttara

?Vikdya

Vbl.

II,

PTS,

18g5,

_p.

276.

E.

W.

Adikaram:

Early

Histoiy

ofBucidhtsm

in

Ceylon,

1994,

p.

70.

ibid,,

_p,

75.

Senarat

Wijesundara:

Bhikkhuni

Sasana

and

Therav5da

m

dialogue

new series xxi

Ven.

W.

Nanaratana:

Biograph.y

_ofArahanth

Sanghamitta

andBuddhtstDtspensanon

L

ibid.,

p.

9.

ibid.,

_p.

17.

Recent

research

in

`Buddhist

Studies'

(Sinhalese),

Colombo,

Sri

Lanka

1997,

p.

165.