Birth of the Order of Bhikkhuni Sasana

By Premasara EPASINGHE

The Buddha, the Compassionate One, always encouraged a life free of violence, fear, hatred and therefore He earned the epithet A Sage at Peace, (Muni Santa). The Buddha's discourses reveal that His teachings are closely connected to peace. In reading the Pali Suttas carefully, you come across the words Sama (Calmness) Samatha (Tranquillity), Santutthi (Contentment), Ahimsa (harmlessness), Avihimsa (Non-violence) and Vipasanna (Peacefulness) etc.

During the time of the Buddha, a war erupted between his mother's clan - Koliyas and father's clan Sakayas. He delivered a sermon on the virtues of peace and 500 men in the battle front entered the Buddhist Order as disciples. Their wives too appealed through Queen Maha Prajapathi Gothami to enter the order. She appealed thrice through Ven Ananda Thera but failed. On her fourth attempt she was successful and thus began the establishment of the Order of Nuns.

Permission

The permission was granted on a Binara Poya Day to womenfolk to enter the Order.

In the ancient Indian society, prior to Buddha era, women were treated like slaves and outcasts. They were not given a place in the Indian society. They were not allowed to learn or read Vedas. In a back drop like this, it was the The Great Teacher Buddha, who gave equal status to women with men. They were socially liberated. This was a landmark in the history of women in the Indian society. The Buddha was a founder of a new culture and civilisation. The establishment of Bhikkhuni Sasana was an innovative step towards the social renaissance in India and Asia.

Maha Prajapathi Gothami, the foster mother of Prince Siddhartha was the first Bhikkuni or nun in the Buddha Sasana or Buddhist Order.

The Blessed One granted the establishment of the Order of Nuns, under strict rules and regulations called Garudhamma Ata - (Code of eight).

Rituals

A nun who had attained High Order even hundred years ago in her life, should worship and honour a Bhikkhu No Bhikkhuni should be allowed to engage or perform Vas. (Rain retreat) in an area where there are no Bhikkhus The Bhikkhunis should observe Poya rituals in consultation with Bhikkhus and at the end of the rain retreat or "Vas", in the presence of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis at novice Bhikkhuni, should gain Higher Ordination in the prenence of Bhikkhunis only after a period of one year. Then she was entitled to obtain Higher Ordination Bhikkhunis should not advise Bhikkhus, but Bhikkhunis can advise the nuns. These are the Garudhamma, that Bhikkhunis should follow. These can be defined as the eightfold noble rules.

It was Ven Ananda, the chief attendant of the Buddha who informed Maha Prajapathi Gothami that the Buddha had given the green light for womenfolk to enter the Order. The nuns accepted the disciplinary instructions. Maha Prajapathi Gothami, facing the direction of the Buddha, stated thus:

'Venerable Sir, just as young women and men would bathe and adorn with garlands of jasmine flowers, so do I most respectfully accept the Garudhamma. (The Eightfold code of conduct.)

Chief disciples

Like Sariputta and Moggallana, the chief disciples of the Buddha, Bhikkhuni Khema and Bhikkhuni Uppalavanna were the chief disciples of the Order of Nuns.

The other great Bhikkhunis were Patachara, Dhammadinna, Rupananda, Sona, Sakula, Bhadda Kundalakesi, Bhadda Kapilani, Yasodhara, Kisa Gothami, Sigala Mata, Mutta, Punna, Tissa, Dheera, Mitta and Bhadra. Altogether there were more than 250 Buddhist Nuns.

The story of Uppalavanna shows that the Buddha, prohibited the female disciples of the Noble Sangha to live in isolation meditating in the forest. While living alone in the forest, one of her relations, a young shephered named Nanda, got infatuated with her and committed a sexual offence as soon as she returned from a round of alms. She was taken by surprise. Despite her protests, Nanda committed the offence by force.

The earth yawned and swallowed the vicious sex pervert. Before the yawning of the earth the man was dead and was born in Hell.

The Buddha said, that the beautiful Uppalavanna Mahatheri (named after the Lotus Flower) was declared foremost for psychic power as Venerable Maha Moggallana was among the Maha Arahats.

Visakha

Dhammadinna was the wife of Visakha, the treasurer of Rajagaha. He was a friend of King Bimbisara. One day, listening to a sermon Visakha attained Sotapanna. On his return home, wife Dhammadinna noticed a big transformation in her husband. She too was keen to meet the Buddha. She was sent in a golden palanquin. Later, she was ordained as a Bhikkhuni.

The Buddha announced later, that Ven Dhammadinna as the foremost bhikkhuni in expounding the Dhamma among the female disciples of the Sasana.

An interesting story is woven round the greatest lay devotee of the Buddha, Anathapindika, and his daughter His daughter attained the state of Sotapanna and she addressed her father as 'Brother", before she passed away. The billionaire Anathapindika was very upset.

The grief stricken "Situ" - Anathapindika met the Blessed One and related the entire story to the Buddha. The Great Teacher said that she was supreme after attaining the Bliss of Nibbana and that was the reason that she addressed her father Anathapinkika as brother. This clearly indicates, if you strive hard, there is no gender barrier in achieving the Arahatship.

In Buddhist literature there are few Bhikkhunis who attained the Bliss of Enlightenment after listening to the sermons of Enlightened Bhikkhunis Bhikkhuni Sundarie, Sukka, Uttama Chanda and Isidasi also belong to this category.

Sri Lankan Buddhists are ever grateful to Emperor Asoka of India. He sent his own son Arahat Mahinda Thera and Sanghamitta Theri to Sri Lanka. With the advent of Arahat Mahinda and Sanghamitta bringing the Jayashri Maha Bodhi sapling, Buddhism was deeply rooted in Sri Lanka.

The Bo Trees (Ficus Beligiosa), belong to the genus of botanical family Maraceae. The word Bo is the terminology derived from the Pali word Bodhi, which signifies holiness. It was under the bo tree. that the Buddha attained the Supreme Enlightenment or Buddhahood.

What is Nibbana?

Nibbana is the highest and ultimate goal to which the follower of the Buddha's teaching aspires. According to Digha Nikaya, Nibbana is that state of being, where the life affirming impulses have been totally burnt up or exhausted. It can be experienced in this life. The moment of first entering is called as Enlightenment by English Buddhist scholars. Both males and females can achieve this state. Gender is no barrier to achieve Nibbana or Nirvana.

Once the Bhikkhuni Sasana was established the fourfold dispensation of the Buddha - popularly known as Bhikkhu, Bhikkhuni, Upasaka (Lay men), Upashika (lay women) was established. They were responsible in transmitting the Buddha Dhamma to the entire world. Today, there are approximately six billion Buddhists in the world.

The Buddhist literature reveals that Bhikkhuni Sasana commenced with 501 nuns, but there were thousands of nuns who joined the Order later and assisted to propagate the Buddhist doctrine.

Even today, we find a few Bhikkhunis in places such as Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kandy and Kataragama and some distant places. Some of the Bhikkhunis follow the Buddha's teachings on peaceful and harmonious living.

The great "Silmathas", propagated the Dhamma in a big way in their own villages. They help society in a big way by teaching them the noble Dhamma.