Honouring Eminent Asian Buddhist
Women in the Modern Era
A. Great Meditation Masters2. Indonesia – Ayya Santini
Ayya experienced many struggles and
challenges to become a bhikkhuni. She is now known for her great skills in teaching
meditation especially to children until they could not get enough of it and continued
to come back for more! The children’s ages are also getting younger - 5 year
olds although her original limit was 12 years of age! As punishment for some
wrong doings, the kids asked to be given more meditation time!
A number of monastics, including bhikkhus and devotees, visit her
monastery, Wisma Kusalayani, on the cool hills near Bandung, to learn her technique
of engaging the children. The only answer Ayya could give was that she gave
them metta, and she has loads of it
to give away. Ayya conducts retreats for adults as well and is known for her
very strict rules like locking the yogis’ rooms during the day so that they do
not return to rest.
Personally, she can sit very still
for hours without a cushion and encourages participants to do the same. She
participates in the ordination of bhikkhunis
and samaneris, both in Indonesia and
abroad.
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