The Global Ethic and the Path to Ordination to Monastic Life for Buddhist Women

Starting in the late 20th century there have been movements to restore or establish the bhiksuni sangha through help from countries where the full ordination of Buddhist women has been preserved and practiced, such as Taiwan, Korea, and Vietnam. However, obstacles to full ordination persist on the ideological, institutional, and individual levels. Furthermore, those who are successfully ordained face the issue of acquiring proper monastic training, which in the Buddhist traditions is an arduous process for both males and females. This session aims to bring to light what full ordination and monastic training mean in Buddhist traditions, as well as the various challenges that Buddhist women face in getting ordained and acquiring proper training. The presenters include both scholars and practitioners from different Buddhist traditions so that the discussion covers both the historical overview as well as real-life experiences.