bhikkhuni

Bhikkhuni is the title given in Buddhism to a fully ordained female monastic, counterpart to the bhikkhu (male monk). A bhikkhuni has entered the monastic Sangha through upasampadā, the higher ordination administered by the bhikkhu Sangha in accordance with the Vinaya, the canonical code of discipline. Like bhikkhus, bhikkhunis live according to a monastic rule set and devote themselves to study, meditation, and service to lay followers.

Historically, the bhikkhuni lineage traces to the time of the Buddha, when Mahapajapati Gotami and a group of women sought ordination. After initial hesitation, the Buddha established a separate order of bhikkhunis and laid down additional rules for them (the Garudhammas). The bhikkhuni sangha spread in early Buddhist centers but declined or disappeared in many Theravada regions during the medieval period. In many contemporary contexts, there are revival and new ordinations, particularly in some Theravada communities, as well as ongoing bhikshuni lineages in Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions in East Asia and the Himalayas.

Practitioners and monastic communities of bhikkhunis live in monasteries or adjacent to temples, adhere to the Vinaya, and engage in study, preaching, and social and spiritual work. In many traditions, bhikkhuni education emphasizes suttic study, meditation practice, and guidance to lay Buddhist communities. The exact scope of recognition and authority of bhikkhunis varies by school and country, reflecting ongoing debates about gender and monastic status within Buddhism.

Bhikkhuni status remains a live topic in Buddhist discourse and practice, illustrating broader questions about gender, tradition, and reform across Buddhist cultures. The term is used within Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana communities to denote female monastics who have taken full ordination.