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NEWS | EASTERN HORIZON 57

Nuns joyfully await their turn to receive their bhikshuni vows. A tent encampment was erected near the ordination sites to house the nuns.

Buddhist monasticism. Until Thursday, women were lay society and its monastic hierarchy.
only granted novice ordination, while men could receive
full ordination, guaranteeing that women could never His Majesty the 5th King of Bhutan, Drukgyal Jigme
assume full roles within the monastic order. Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, had made a formal
request to Je Khenpo to hold the bhikshuni ordination.
This historic event establishes a bhikshuni sangha — His Majesty the 4th King, Drukgyal Jigme Singye
an order of fully ordained women — within Tibetan Wangchuk and Her Majesty the Queen Mother
Buddhism for the first time. Until now, senior leaders (Gyalyum) Tshering Yangdoen Wangchuck were among
within Tibetan Buddhism such as His Holiness the Dalai those present demonstrating their active support for
Lama and the Karmapa have spoken publicly in favor this event. His Majesty the 4th King of Bhutan traveled
of granting full ordination to women, but have stopped to the ordination site and delivered a lengthy address
short of organizing a bhikshuni ordination for women in encouraging the nuns as they take this historic step.
their communities.
Such a public expression of support from the highest
In a lengthy statement describing the decision to offer levels of Bhutanese lay society as well as the highest
full ordination, Je Khenpo described the event as aimed level of monastic support bodes well for this bhikshuni
at “serving sentient beings through the buddhadharma, sangha to receive the social support that will permit
engendering religious freedom and helping human them to flourish. Although the Buddha himself granted
rights.” He added, ”…whenever I look at images of full ordination to women and an order of fully ordained
Buddha Shakyamuni these days, every one of them women flourished for many centuries in India, that
appears to be radiantly smiling at me, which I think is opportunity has not been made available to women
an early indication that what I am doing is not wrong. I within Tibetan Buddhism in modern times.
have a strong conviction that they would announce, ‘this
is excellent!’ and never say ‘this is not right.’” The ordination was held at a specially prepared
site below Taktsang, one of Bhutan’s famous sacred
Bhutanese Buddhists practice Tibetan Buddhism, pilgrimage spots. Witnesses report seeing rainbows
but the ecclesiastical hierarchy of their monastic encircling the sun during the ceremony, which began on
communities is distinct from that of the Tibetans in exile the summer solstice.
for whom the Dalai Lama is a supreme authority on
religious and political matters. The move has garnered a Utmost care is being taken to conduct the ritual
wide base of support at the highest levels of Bhutanese meticulously. According to the monastic code, women