Obituary for Shraddhapushpa 1930-2020

Shraddhapushpa (Susy Powlesland) was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order in 2003. Shraddhapushpa means - “Flower of Faith”. She was a “radical educationalist” with a long engagement working with children and supporting black and minority ethnic communities. In 2007 she was appointed MBE (a British honour that is awarded to a person by the Queen for a particular achievement) for services to Black, Asian, and minority ethnic people in east London. 

Shraddhapushpa died on Wednesday 13th May at the age of...

30th Anniversary of the First Triratna Ordinations of Women by Women in the West

2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the first ordinations of women by women in the West.

Ratnasuri previously had been the Public Preceptor for two dharmacharinis in India, January 1987, which she conducted ‘on behalf of’ Sangharakshita, the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order. 

In 1989 Sangharakshita asked Ratnasuri to perform ordinations ‘on her own responsibility’ - a very significant development for the Order. On 17th August 1989, on a retreat at Taraloka Retreat Centre, Wales, she received into...

Sakyadhita Conference: Gender Equity for Monastic and Lay Buddhist Women

Sakyadhita is a Buddhist women’s organisation founded in 1987. The 16th Sakyadhita conference took place near Sydney, Australia in June, with a number of women from the Triratna Buddhist Order in attendance: Kusalacitta from Sydney, as well as Tarahridaya and Karunadeepa from Pune in India. Dharmamodini was there to run a stall for Bodhi Books and Gifts.

Sakyadhita means ‘daughters of the Buddha’, and it aims to promote gender equity for monastic and lay women with a focus on education,...