The Buddha said he would not pass away until there was a well-established community (sangha) of male and female monastics and male and female lay followers.

This course offered a colorful and informative overview of the history of the Buddha’s vision of the four-fold sangha, and especially how women were an integral part of this vision. Because of political and cultural decisions, a strong female monastic presence, i.e., one part of the four-fold sangha, disappeared for almost 1000 years in the Theravada tradition. The revival of the Theravada bhikkhuni sangha began about 30 years ago and has spread throughout the world. After an overview of this history Ayya Anandabodhi and Mindy Zlotnick will talk about the movement of modern nuns, including how the nuns at the Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery are a local example of a group of pioneering women who are helping to revive the lineage.

Recordings: