Tag: women

Birth of a book: Choosing childlessness

Kamalamani writes from Bristol, UK about her new book: Other than mother: choosing childlessness with life in mind.

In my late teens and early 20s I used to say that I would have children by the time I was 30. It was only on a Going for Refuge retreat at Tiratanaloka (in Wales) when I was 27 that I realised child-bearing wasn’t - and isn’t - compulsory. This realisation encouraged me to think and reflect carefully about the pro-natal nature...

Is Triratna's equal ordination really unique in the Buddhist world?

Recently someone asked me whether it is true that Triratna is unique in the Buddhist world in ordaining women and men equally, as we often say. Here is my reply, which does not claim to be definitive.

“In bhikkhuni (female) ordination (Theravada and Mahayana) women have to be ordained by women and then also by men, whereas bhikkhus (men) are ordained only by men. ie there is a double ordination for women but not for men.

Its lineage having died out, the ‘double’ Theravada bhikkhuni ordination has...

Triratna voices in Buddhist Canada

Two Triratna Order members are among to the contributors to Lotus Petals in the Snow, the first anthology of writings by Canadian Buddhist women: scholars, practitioners, Dharma students, teachers, nuns and laywomen, launched last week.

Aryadhrishti is Canadian and runs the Triratna centre in Portland, USA. She writes about Karma as a spiritual practice of evolution and escape. 

Vimalasara, born Black British, recently became an African Canadian and is Chair of Vancouver’s thriving Triratna centre.  She writes about...

Women's ordinations in India

We’re delighted to announce that the following women were publicly ordained on 30th August at Ven. Hsuan Tsang Retreat Centre, Bor Dharan, Maharashtra, India:

Private Preceptor Vijaya
Public Preceptor Jnanasuri 
Anita Thool (South West Nagpur) becomes Amritanandi
Asha Nakhale (North Nagpur) becomes Shwetchitta
Shila Walke (North Nagpur) becomes Shubhrachitta 
Kusum Tembhurne (Pimpri Centre Pune) becomes Amritdharini 
Yamu Dhone (Amravati) becomes Amritamaya 
Prabha Shende (Amravati) becomes Ojoratna
Chanda Gedam (Amravati) becomes Aryasri
Anusaya Bhagat (Wardha) becomes Vinayasri
Sindhu...