Siladhara Order
Siladharas are an order of Theravada Buddhist nuns created by Ajahn Sumedho at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, in England.[1] In 1983, he obtained permission from the Sangha in Thailand, to give ten precept (dasa-sila) pabbajja to the nuns, making them officially recognized female renunciants, trained in the Ajahn Chah order. Ajahn Sucitto was asked, by Ajahn Sumedho, to train the nuns which he did through 1991. As of 2008, Siladharas were trained in the discipline of more than 100 precepts, including specific rules from the bhikkhuni patimokkha. At its peak, the order had over 20 nuns, mostly living at Amaravati's Chithurst Buddhist Monastery. It fell into a steep decline when Siladharas were required to agree to "Five Points" of behavior that subjugate the most senior nun to the most junior monk, institutionalizing sexism at Amaravati.[2] Sildharas took leave of Amaravati, formally or informally, stating their dismay with the sexism.[3] Some Siladhara took full Bhikkhuni ordination, some left robes. And some would have founded branch monasteries of Amaravati had they felt welcome in the lineage.[4] As of this writing (2012), there are fewer than five Siladhara left.[5]
See also
References
- ^ "Forest Sangha Newsletter". Retrieved October 2007.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Siladhara Five Points requirement" (PDF). Retrieved May 2012.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ Weinberg, Thannisara Mary. "Ground Between" (PDF). Present Magazine. Alliance for Bhikkhunis. Retrieved Sept 2010.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Letter from the Saranaloka Nuns, Nov 2010".|accessdate=May 2012
- ^ Amaravati News 2012 http://www.amaravati.org/search/results/18d1854748590fa165fccfb01a5b9ae1/. Retrieved May 2012.
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