Buddhist Women in Transition
Date : 15-23 June 2025 Venue : Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia
What a gathering of Sakyadhita’s: Bhikhunis, Samaneris, Upasikās and our suporters, along with the wonderful people of Malaysia and Sarawak both inside the venue and out on the festive streets.
Everyone was kind and welcoming and so very colourful!
My first time attending Sakyadhitha was as a laywoman Upasikā in 2009 in Vietnam with my aspirations full in my heart. There were maybe 2,000 Mahayana Bhikshunis, a couple hundred theravada nuns; Sayalays, Mae Chees, Dasa Sila Matas. A small handful of Theravada Bhikkhunis and Samaneris. Maybe 400 laywomen: Aspirants, Devotees, Activists, Academics. They talked about the Dream of reestablishing Theravada Bhikkhuni ordination. How far we had come, how far we have to go. How to train us properly. The upcoming Bhikkhuni ordinations that were to happen later that year in Australia.
Now 16 years later in 2025 returning a second time as a Theravada Bhikkhuni in the process of realising my own dream. I see women realising their dreams all around me. I see the dreams of the founders of Sakyadhitta back in the last century coming true all around me here and now.
This time there were about 400 attendees and there seemed to be several dozen or more Bhikkhunis from Theravada and Vajrayana. Personally it was wonderful to be able to reconnect even a little with excellent Bhikkhunis I have met at the various English speaking Theravada Bhikkhuni training monasteries. Dhammadharini, Santi, Aloka Vihara, Dhammasara and Newbury will always hold a special place in my heart. Their existence is a miracle produced by the merit of the Sakyadhita,
I also met a couple of enthusiastic NavaBhikkhunis who, like me, are not in large monasteries, so I hope to be like a big sister MajjimaBhikkhuni to them.
The focus of the sessions had moved from
2009 “how can we make this happen” to
2025 “how can we manage our organisations ethically”.
From “how can we make it happen in Our country”
to “how can we get management training for our senior monastics?”
Awesome! Sadhu! Yeah!
Oh that feels like Dreams coming true to me.
Recap video: https://youtu.be/IRr-CQYdQ8o?si=24KtkM57iyOxwosB
At the end of the conference, Bec Dhira Kapiya and I went to see the wild Orangutang reserve to support their work.
