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According to Changchub & Nyingpo, What more needs to be done The nuns rationalize that if they
Guru Padmasambhava, in his final to overcome the gender had been empowered with the
teaching to Yeshe Tsogyal explicitly discrimination against women, knowledge and skills the monks
states that Yeshe Tsogyal gained especially nuns, in a traditional possess, then issues pertaining
enlightenment in a female body: society like the Himalayan region, to finances and misogyny would
In reply to her impassioned pleas, including Bhutan? eventually disappear. Once nuns
the Guru sings to her his final receive equal opportunities for
teaching, in the course of which A: My Ph.D. thesis revealed that spiritual development, only then
he says. In the supreme body the roles of nuns are largely can the gender barriers be broken
of a woman, you have gained gendered in a manner which denies down. Therefore, empowering the
accomplishment; nuns opportunities for personal women, especially nuns, is the only
Your mind itself is Lord; request development, empowerment and way out to overcome the gender
him for empowerment and blessing. subsequently, opportunities to be discrimination.
There is no other regent of the able to be more socially engaged.
Lotus Guru. Nuns play a minimal role in shaping Can you tell us what has been the
the cultural and religious values happiest moment in your life?
Women in Vajrayāna Buddhism are of the communities they interact
eminent in various capacities. There with because they are confined to First and foremost, I am very
is documented evidence of the doing simple prayers and are not happy that my childhood dream of
high spiritual accomplishments of yet empowered to teach, perform becoming a nun has been fulfilled.
women in all four schools of Tibetan rites and rituals which can be of I had the opportunity to go to
Buddhism. Many of these women’s maximum benefit to the laypeople. school when I was a child and after
names were not recorded in history Nuns in many nunneries are still becoming a nun, I again had the
but according to Bokar Rinpoche: denied access to systematic monastic opportunity to pursue monastic
education which is largely available study of Buddhist Philosophy,
Their rank was then equal to that to monks and have issues with basic debates, languages, and literature,
of men. They could teach, give needs. Nuns also have a low status something many can only dream of
empowerments, and accomplish all in society which is linked to their in the Himalayan region as a female.
the activities of the dharma. being traditionally denied a monastic With my studies, I am now able to
education and full ordination. It reach out to many people around
Apart from having great is largely due to such obstacles the world. I can now share my
realizations, these women played and lack of opportunities that knowledge of the Dharma through
crucial roles as teachers, founders nuns are still not fully empowered lectures, seminars and conferences
and lineage holders of special to propagate Buddhism in the on meditation, Tibetan language,
transmissions and practices as communities where they reside. counselling, and even simple yoga. I
treasure-revealers. Most of these am also happy that I am able to fulfil
women were renowned yogīnis This study also uncovered various requests for prayers, meditation, and
practicing in retreat and were not reasons for the subordination short retreat courses from devotees.
part of the monastic institution, of nuns but the primary and So, when I see that others are happy,
but there were great yogīnis who underlying contributing factor I feel happy for them too. EH
were also Buddhist nuns. These is the patriarchal monastic body
nuns all demonstrated high levels which has traditionally focused
of attainments and some even on developing men’s spiritual
attained rainbow bodies despite potential to the highest level
encountering numerous obstacles in while neglecting female Buddhist
their monastic career. practitioners, especially nuns.