Abstract

              This paper uses a qualitative approach.  It is a mixture of both historical and documentary research, based as much as possible on originaltext, and in-depth  interviews of five prominent bhikkhunīs in Thailand.  It  consists of th ree main objectives namely: (1) Study the prominent figures of bhikkhunī saṅgha and their achievement in the history of Buddhism, (2) Analyze the contributions of  bhikkhunīs to the Thai society, (3) Suggest for improvement of  the roles of bhikkhunīs in the Thai society.

              This research concludes that the Buddha set his determination since right after his enlightenment to allow for ordination of women and to institute the bhikkhunī order as one of the fourfold pillars of Buddhism, namely: Bhikkhus, Bhikkhunīs,  Upāsakas and Upāsikās in order to sustain his Sāsana and spread his teachings into the future.  The eight garudhammas are not rules but recommendations meant to ensure the continuity of the Sāsana.  Dual ordination as specified in the sixth garudhamma was meant to prevent bhikkhunīs from just giving ordination on their own.    It was rather meant to honour bhikkhus the roles of Upachāya.  In the case of having no existing bhikkhunī saṅgha, the Buddha gave clear decision that bhikkhus should perform bhikkhunī ordination.   The revival of Theravāda bhikkhunī ordination in Bodhgayā in 1998 is thus legally correct whether from single or dual ordination considerations.  Its validity is based on the precedent that according to the canonical Vinaya as set by the Buddha himself when he delegated the ordination of the followers of Māhā  Pajāpati Gotamī to the bhikkhus.

              Currently, more than 150 Thai bhikkhunīs are residing in 30 provinces and abroad.  From the interviews of the five prominent bhikkhunīs, the researcher has found that despite the hardships and obstacles which they all had to endure, they are now very happy and are determined to follow the Buddha’s footsteps in spreading the Dhamma and helping with community development and education to the best of their abilities. They have played a great roles in offering Dhamma education, meditation training and even bringing about “socially engaged Buddhism” to the awareness of the general public.  Even though  the position of  bhikkhunīs in the Thai society is not clear at present, it is inevitable that  bhikkhunīs will play an increasingly  important roles in the Thai society.   It is a matter of time that the legal validity of single ordination of  bhikkhunīs by bhikkhus  will become well-known and bring about true understanding about the Buddha’s intention for the roles of bhikkhunīs in the fourfold saṅgha.

Keywords:  Bhikkhunī, roles, Thai society

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