Celebrate the 8th International Bhikkhuni Day
Celebrate the re-emergence and flourishing of the bhikkhuni sangha on International Bhikkhuni Day (IBD)! Consider creating an event at your sangha or home on September 22, 23, or any convenient date close to the September full moon. Or simply take some time on your own to acknowledge the importance of the bhikkhuni sangha.
This year we encourage you to consider the Therigatha (The Verses of the Elder Nuns) as a theme for your IBD celebrations. The Therigatha, written during the Buddha’s time, is a collection of the earliest known spiritual poetry by woman. It has been over 2600 years since Mahapajapati Gotami first requested that women enter the Buddhist monastic sangha. During these many centuries the verses of the Therigatha have provided continual inspiration. These women’s struggles and realizations are timeless — the outward circumstances of the 21st century are different but at the heart, the journey is the same.
A Therigatha Retreat
On June 20th – 24th, Ayya Anandabodhi and Ayya Santacitta supported Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo who taught a retreat on the Therigatha at Spirit Rock. Below is a link to these talks which include her reflections on the verses, questions from the audience and her insightful responses. One or more of these talks can provide a basis for your IBD gathering, followed by discussion.
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo’s Talks on the Therigatha at Spirit Rock Meditation Center
Download the text of the Therigatha verses used at the retreat.
The Therigatha is valuable to consider in our life and practice. “These energetic and vividly detailed poems of women on the road to enlightenment and independence are free of self-pity and blame. These women, even when grieving over a lost child or chronicling a failed marriage, do not see themselves as victims. Instead, they turn their tragedies into steps toward spiritual understanding and freedom.”1
We wish you the best in creating a creative, engaging event. Please contact us at info@bhikkhuni.net for suggestions and help. And, as always, we look forward to posting your event photos and reports on our website.
1 Dickenson, George-Thérèse Dickenson. “The First Buddhist Women: Translations and Commentary on the Therigatha.” Tricycle, Summer 1992, https://tricycle.org/magazine/first-buddhist-women-translations-and-commentary-therigatha/
Celebrate the re-emergence and flourishing of the bhikkhuni sangha on International Bhikkhuni Day (IBD)! Consider creating an event at your sangha or home on September 22, 23, or any convenient date close to the September full moon. Or simply take some time on your own to acknowledge the importance of the bhikkhuni sangha.
This year we encourage you to consider the Therigatha (The Verses of the Elder Nuns) as a theme for your IBD celebrations. The Therigatha, written during the Buddha’s time, is a collection of the earliest known spiritual poetry by woman. It has been over 2600 years since Mahapajapati Gotami first requested that women enter the Buddhist monastic sangha. During these many centuries the verses of the Therigatha have provided continual inspiration. These women’s struggles and realizations are timeless — the outward circumstances of the 21st century are different but at the heart, the journey is the same.
A Therigatha Retreat
On June 20th – 24th, Ayya Anandabodhi and Ayya Santacitta supported Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo who taught a retreat on the Therigatha at Spirit Rock. Below is a link to these talks which include her reflections on the verses, questions from the audience and her insightful responses. One or more of these talks can provide a basis for your IBD gathering, followed by discussion.
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo’s Talks on the Therigatha at Spirit Rock Meditation Center
Download the text of the Therigatha verses used at the retreat.
The Therigatha is valuable to consider in our life and practice. “These energetic and vividly detailed poems of women on the road to enlightenment and independence are free of self-pity and blame. These women, even when grieving over a lost child or chronicling a failed marriage, do not see themselves as victims. Instead, they turn their tragedies into steps toward spiritual understanding and freedom.”1
We wish you the best in creating a creative, engaging event. Please contact us at info@bhikkhuni.net for suggestions and help. And, as always, we look forward to posting your event photos and reports on our website.
1 Dickenson, George-Thérèse Dickenson. “The First Buddhist Women: Translations and Commentary on the Therigatha.” Tricycle, Summer 1992, https://tricycle.org/magazine/first-buddhist-women-translations-and-commentary-therigatha/