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Khema

Khema, also transliterated Khemā, is a female given name that appears in early Buddhist literature. The most prominent figure bearing the name is Khema Therī (Pali: Khemā), a bhikkhuni (fully ordained nun) who is revered in Theravada Buddhism as one of the Buddha’s principal female disciples and as an arahant.

In canonical and later Buddhist texts, Khema is described as a wise and compassionate teacher who attained

The name Khema appears across various texts, and her portrayal contributes to broader Buddhist understandings of

awakening
with
the
Buddha’s
guidance.
She
is
listed
among
the
early
women
who
joined
the
Buddhist
monastic
community
and
is
noted
for
her
discernment
and
ability
to
teach
the
Dhamma
to
both
monastics
and
lay
followers.
The
narratives
of
Khema’s
attainments
are
used
to
illustrate
the
possibility
of
liberation
for
women
within
the
early
Buddhist
movement
and
to
highlight
the
role
of
women
in
the
sangha.
wisdom,
ethical
conduct,
and
spiritual
development.
In
contemporary
Buddhist
scholarship
and
practice,
Khema
is
frequently
cited
as
an
exemplar
of
female
awakening
and
as
a
part
of
the
tradition’s
history
of
women’s
spiritual
leadership.