Buddhist nuns congregate in Spokane to honor faith, commitments

by Julie Krug, The Spokane Review, September 22, 2012

Spokane, WA (USA) -- Next Saturday, a flock of Buddhist nuns – with their bright smiles, maroon and ochre robes, and shaved heads – will head to Spokane for a celebration.

<< Sravasti Abbey abbess, Venerable Thubten Chodron (top row, fifth from right) pose with members of the 2012 summer student program at the abbey outside Newport, Wash.

These rare birds of the Inland Northwest are known as bhikkhunis: Women who’ve shed their former selves to become fully ordained Buddhist nuns. And their home, Sravasti Abbey, is nested in the mountains of Newport, 50 miles outside of Spokane.

They’ll join the community of Spokane and fellow monastics in celebrating the Second International Bhikkhuni Day at the Universal Unitarian Church in Spokane. Sravasti Abbey is rare – it’s one of the only communities of fully ordained Buddhist nuns in the country. The event on Sept. 29 will honor these women and their efforts in ordination.

Sarah Conover is a board member of the Alliance for Bhikkhunis. “The purpose of International Bhikkhuni Day is to raise awareness of the revival of Buddhist female monasticism in the West,” she said, “and of the implications of female spiritual leadership.” The event will also help to raise funds for the nuns of Sravasti Abbey and Alliance for Bhikkhunis.

As monastic life has called for, these nuns have shaved their heads and donned traditional robes to pursue a life of asceticism, ritual meditation, prayer and good works. “By their example of renunciation,” Conover said, “and choosing to live without worldly comforts, they remind us of what’s important in life.”

Today there are six fully ordained nuns and six novices at the abbey. Currently, there are only ordained women at Sravasti. But the abbey welcomes men to come and train. Venerable Thubten Chodron, the founder and abbess at Sravasti, was ordained in 1977 and studied with the Dalai Lama.

“By taking ordination,” Chodron said, “we assume the responsibility to continue the Buddha’s teachings in the same complete way that they have been passed down to us.” Out of her own desire to continue the teachings, Chodron founded Sravasti Abbey in 2003. It’s one of the first monasteries in the U.S. to train monastics in the Tibetan tradition.

Chodron emphasizes the continued need for monastics. “The world needs people whose job it is to live in ethical conduct, cultivate love and compassion for all beings … and guide others in the cultivation of these qualities.”

While female monastics, known as bhikkhunis (or bhikshunis, depending on the tradition), are rare in this region, they’re needed, she says. “Since women are half of the world’s population, their leadership in this area is important,” Chodron said.

Next Saturday’s celebration includes a workshop on compassion and the roles of women in spiritual leadership, guided meditations and a talk with Chodron.

If you go

Second International Bhikkhuni Day
When: Sept. 29, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Where: Unitarian Universalist Church, 4340 W. Fort George Wright Drive, Spokane.

Info: For more on Sravasti Abbey visit: www.sravastiabbey.org;

For more on the Alliance for Bhikkhunis visit: www.bhikkhuni.net

We Need Your Help to Train the
Buddhist AI Chat Bot
NORBU!
(Neural Operator for Responsible Buddhist Understanding)



For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:

Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB

The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118

Note: Please indicate your name in the payment slip. Thank you.


Dear Friends in the Dharma,

We seek your generous support to help us train NORBU, the word's first Buddhist AI Chat Bot.

Here are some ways you can contribute to this noble cause:

One-time Donation or Loan: A single contribution, regardless of its size, will go a long way in helping us reach our goal and make the Buddhist LLM a beacon of wisdom for all.

How will your donation / loan be used? Download the NORBU White Paper for details.



For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:

Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB

The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118

Note: Please indicate your purpose of payment (loan or donation) in the payment slip. Thank you.

Once payment is banked in, please send the payment slip via email to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv. Your donation/loan will be published and publicly acknowledged on the Buddhist Channel.

Spread the Word: Share this initiative with your friends, family and fellow Dharma enthusiasts. Join "Friends of Norbu" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norbuchatbot. Together, we can build a stronger community and create a positive impact on a global scale.

Volunteer: If you possess expertise in AI, natural language processing, Dharma knowledge in terms of Buddhist sutras in various languages or related fields, and wish to lend your skills, please contact us. Your knowledge and passion could be invaluable to our project's success.

Your support is part of a collective effort to preserve and disseminate the profound teachings of Buddhism. By contributing to the NORBU, you become a "virtual Bodhisattva" to make Buddhist wisdom more accessible to seekers worldwide.

Thank you for helping to make NORBU a wise and compassionate Buddhist Chatbot!

May you be blessed with inner peace and wisdom,

With deepest gratitude,

Kooi F. Lim
On behalf of The Buddhist Channel Team


Note: To date, we have received the following contributions for NORBU:
US$ 75 from Gary Gach (Loan)
US$ 50 from Chong Sim Keong
MYR 300 from Wilson Tee
MYR 500 from Lim Yan Pok
MYR 50 from Oon Yeoh
MYR 200 from Ooi Poh Tin
MYR 300 from Lai Swee Pin
MYR 100 from Ong Hooi Sian
MYR 1,000 from Fam Sin Nin
MYR 500 from Oh teik Bin
MYR 300 from Yeoh Ai Guat
MYR 300 from Yong Lily
MYR 50 from Bandar Utama Buddhist Society
MYR 1,000 from Chiam Swee Ann
MYR 1,000 from Lye Veei Chiew
MYR 1,000 from Por Yong Tong
MYR 80 from Lee Wai Yee
MYR 500 from Pek Chee Hen
MYR 300 from Hor Tuck Loon
MYR 1,000 from Wise Payments Malaysia Sdn Bhd
MYR 200 from Teo Yen Hua
MYR 500 from Ng Wee Keat
MYR 10,000 from Chang Quai Hung, Jackie (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from K. C. Lim & Agnes (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from Juin & Jooky Tan (Loan)
MYR 100 from Poh Boon Fong (on behalf of SXI Buddhist Students Society)
MYR 10,000 from Fam Shan-Shan (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from John Fam (Loan)
MYR 500 from Phang Cheng Kar
MYR 100 from Lee Suat Yee
MYR 500 from Teo Chwee Hoon (on behalf of Lai Siow Kee)
MYR 200 from Mak Yuen Chau

We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.

If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv


TOP