Bhikkhunī
Fully ordained Buddhist nuns living by the Vinaya.
A bhikkhunī (Pali: 𑀪𑀺𑀓𑁆𑀔𑀼𑀦𑀻; Sanskrit: भिक्षुणी, romanised: bhikṣuṇī) is a fully ordained Buddhist nun. According to the Buddhist Canon, women are as capable of reaching enlightenment as men, and the order of bhikkhunīs was first created by the Buddha at the specific request of his aunt and foster-mother Mahaprajapati Gotami, who became the first ordained bhikkhunī.
- field
- Buddhist monasticism
- known_for
- Fully ordained Buddhist nuns; first order established by the Buddha at the request of Mahaprajapati Gotami
- notable_texts
- Therigatha (poems by elder nuns about enlightenment, preserved in the Pāli Canon)
Lore & Background
According to the Buddhist Canon, the order of bhikkhunīs was established five years after the bhikkhu order, at the request of a group of women whose spokesperson was Mahapajapati Gotami, the aunt who raised Gautama Buddha after his mother died. The historicity of this account has been questioned, sometimes to the extent of regarding nuns as a later invention. The stories, sayings, and deeds of numerous preeminent bhikkhunī disciples of the Buddha are recorded in the Pāli Canon, most notably in the Therigatha and Theri Apadana, as well as in the Anguttara Nikaya and Bhikkhuni Samyutta. Ancient bhikkhunīs also feature in the Sanskrit Avadana texts and the first Sri Lankan Buddhist historical chronicle, the Dipavamsa, itself speculated to be authored by the Sri Lankan bhikkhunī Sangha. Many queens and princesses left their luxurious life to become bhikkhunīs for spiritual attainment, including the former wife of Buddha—Yasodharā—and Queen Khema, who became a bhikkhunī and held the title of first foremost disciple of Gautam Buddha.
Reader's Guide
The bhikkhunī tradition represents a significant but contested aspect of Buddhist history. The Buddhist Canon states that women are as capable of reaching enlightenment as men, and the Therigatha provides unique accounts of high spiritual attainment by women, with no equivalent in other Indian religious traditions. However, the tradition also includes extra vows required for women, including the controversial Eight Garudhammas, whose historical authorship cannot be traced to the Buddha and which modern scholars have shown to be problematic. The Buddha's apparent hesitation in establishing the bhikkhunī order is reminiscent of his hesitation on whether to teach at all. In the Vajrayana of Tibetan Buddhism, Guru Padmasambhava stated that being a woman was actually better than being a man for realizing enlightenment. In places where the bhikkhunī lineage was historically absent or died out, alternative forms of renunciation have developed, such as the maechi of Thailand and thilashin of Myanmar.
Did You Know?
- The historical authorship of the controversial Eight Garudhammas cannot be traced to the Buddha.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Bhikkhunī?
A Bhikkhunī is a fully ordained Buddhist nun who observes the Vinaya monastic code. The Pali and Sanskrit term essentially means 'one who seeks alms,' pointing to the renunciant lifestyle of relying on lay supporters for food and necessities.
Who was the first Bhikkhunī in Buddhist history?
Mahaprajapati Gotami, the Buddha's aunt and the woman who raised him as an infant, became the first woman to receive full ordination. She had followed the Buddha on foot after his departure from the palace, determined to attain liberation herself.
How did the Bhikkhunī order come into existence?
The Buddha established a separate monastic order for women after Mahaprajapati Gotami personally petitioned him to admit her and other women into the Sangha. This created a parallel community alongside the existing order of Bhikkhus (ordained monks).
Which canonical texts preserve the voices of Bhikkhunīs?
The Therigatha, a collection housed in the Pāli Canon, gathers verses composed by elder nuns recounting their experiences of awakening and spiritual practice. These poems serve as direct evidence that women in the early community attained the same levels of realization as their male peers.
Why is the Bhikkhunī order considered significant in Buddhist teaching?
Its founding rests on the doctrinal principle that women possess the same capacity for enlightenment as men, a claim the Buddha affirmed when he granted ordination. It stands as one of the earliest formal recognitions of women's full spiritual equality within a major religious institution.
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