This Burmese Nunnery Saved 200 Girls From Sex Slavery

Paula Froelich December 11, 2014

Buddhist nuns are everywhere among the streets of Myanmar — of all different ages, some as young as 5. Dressed in pink loose-fitting shirts and pants with orange scarves, they have shaved heads and rely on alms to pay for their schooling, food, housing, and other basic needs.

The nunnery is a safe place in a country where poor girls have very little hope for a safe future. (Andrew Rothschild for Yahoo) 

International Bhikkhuni Day, 2014 (Part 20)

Honouring Eminent Asian Buddhist Women in the Modern Era

E. Dharma Propagation and Activism through Talent and Creativity

1. Nepal – Ven Ani Choying Drolma (1971 - )

Ani Choying is the singing nun who fights for rights of women and children. She has produced a few albums among them are the ‘Great Compassion Mantra,’ ’AUM MANE PADME HUM’ and ‘NAMO RATNA TRAYA.’ Nepal nicknamed her the “rock star nun” after the production of her hit album where she “sees the world from a pure heart.” Her lullaby-like spiritual songs have been a hit in Nepal, America and Europe and India.

Ani believes that singing and performing with top musicians was a way to take the essence of Buddha’s teachings to the world and help people in need. Her greatest joy this year was when the famous Indian music composer A. R. Rahman invited her to perform her Nepali hymns with him in a mantra fusion. She also felt fortunate to be able to work with Sivamani, a famous percussionist in India.

She will soon come out with a new album for children. UNICEF Nepal has featured Ani in its campaign to end violence against children and had aired it over television and in cinemas around the country. She donates the proceedings of her albums to the advancement of education of women and girls in Nepal.

Ani Choying was featured in the Eastern Horizon and Star Publication, Malaysia on 12 May, 2014.  

Reflections on Buddhist practice, human rights

Published: 11 December 2014  – K.V. Soon

Yesterday was International Human Rights Day, so let me share a reflection and express my support for human rights as a Buddhist.

The Buddhists have a practice known as the undertaking of Precepts. Specifically, there is a set of Five Precepts or Panca-sila. 

As a Buddhist, the undertaking of the precepts is the most basic practice that cuts across all major Buddhist traditions.  As a ritual, Buddhists often recite the Five Precepts on a daily basis to remind themselves of their duties to self and society.

The Five Precepts constitute the basic spiritual training practice in the following aspects of life. They are the training to abstain from harming living beings, taking what is not given, indulging in sensual misconduct, speaking the untruth and substance abuse and intoxication.

International Bhikkhuni Day, 2014 (Part 19)

Honouring Eminent Asian Buddhist Women in the Modern Era

E. Leadership and Activism in Nationalism and Sangha Building 

1.     Vietnam – Ven Su Ba Thich Nu Dieu Khong (1905-1997)

Ven Dieu Khong was born Ho Thi Hanh and from a noble family, her father being a well-known high ranking official of the Nguyen Dynasty. She led a very simple, humble and respectful life and had the heart of immense compassion, generosity and tolerance to all sentient beings.

She was educated under the influence of both Eastern and Western cultures and read widely. Her father wanted her to study abroad, but she declined. Her aspiration was to strengthen the eastern tradition and to empower women in her homeland. She found family life not appropriate for herself, and had asked her parents many times without success for permission to become a nun.

AN 4.32 PTS: Sangaha Sutta: The Bonds of Fellowship

"There are these four grounds for the bonds of fellowship. Which four? Generosity, kind words, beneficial help, consistency. These are the four grounds for the bonds of fellowship."

Generosity, kind words, beneficial help,
& consistency in the face of events,
in line with what's appropriate
in each case, each case.
These bonds of fellowship [function] in the world
like the linchpin in a moving cart.

Now, if these bonds of fellowship were lacking,
a mother would not receive
the honor & respect owed by her child,
nor would a father receive
what his child owes him.
But because the wise show regard
for these bonds of fellowship,
they achieve greatness
and are praised.

International Bhikkhuni Day, 2014 (Part 18)

Honouring Eminent Asian Buddhist Women in the Modern Era
D. Courage and Resilience in Spiritual Practice in Challenging Conditions

4. Myanmar – Daw Thissawaddy, (1965 - ). A Buddhist nun who studied for a Ph.D in religious philosophy in Sri Lanka and received her higher ordination there. She was detained on 27 May, 2004 when she returned to Rangoon to attend an international conference and to see her father who was ill. He passed away soon after.

Prior to her return, she had sent a letter of appeal to the government to accept women for higher ordination in Myanmar. She was charged under Section 295 and 295(a) of Burma's criminal code. Section 295 relates to "abusing religion" while 295(a) addresses "desecration of religious buildings and property."

When news of her arrest became known to the world, the junta released her and she left the country. She is now living in America and is married to a Zen practitioner. She has an older sister who is a Sayalay and their father had been a bhikkhu before. 

Spiritual Practice

Reflection Before Meals

Patisankha Yoniso Bhojanam Patisevami
Neva Davaya Na Madaya
Na Mandanaya na Vibhusanaya
Yavadeva Imassa Kayassa Thitiya
Ya Panaya Vihimsuparatiya
Brahmacariya Nuggahaya

Wisely reflecting, I use this food not for fun, not for pleasure, not for fattening, not for beautification, but only for the maintenance and nourishment of this body, for keeping it healthy, for helping with the Spiritual Life;
Thinking thus, I will allay hunger without overeating, so that I may continue to live blamelessly and at ease.

Blessings:~ Let us feel grateful for the food prepared by generous donors and blessings with metta

Abhivadanasilisa
Niccam Vaddhapacayino
Cattaro Dhamma Vaddhanti
Ayu Vanno Sukham Balam

For One who constantly honours and respects elders,
For blessing accrue to him – long life, beauty, happiness and strength

International Bhikkhuni Day, 2014 (Part 17)

Honouring Eminent Asian Buddhist Women in the Modern Era
D. Courage and Resilience in Spiritual Practice in Challenging Conditions

 3.  China - Ven Ching Chien (292- CE) and Ven An Ling Shou (300– CE) were the first two ordained nuns in China in the face of objections from a bhikkhu. For An Ling Shou, she faced objections from her family members as well. 

AN 4.55 PTS: Samajivina Sutta: Living in Tune

[The Blessed One said:] "If both husband & wife want to see one another not only in the present life but also in the life to come, they should be in tune [with each other] in conviction, in tune in virtue, in tune in generosity, and in tune in discernment. Then they will see one another not only in the present life but also in the life to come."

International Bhikkhuni Day, 2014 (Part 16)

Honouring Eminent Asian Buddhist Women in the Modern Era
D. Courage and Resilience in Spiritual Practice in Challenging Conditions

 2.  India - Venerable Visakha (1918 - ) from Patlipur, Maharashtra State, Ven is among the renunciants who received full bhikkhuni ordination at the first Theravada bhikkhuni ordination held at Bodhgaya in 1998.  Ven was then aged 80. She was greatly moved and expressed her deep gratitude to Ven Hsing Yun of Foh Guang Shan, Taiwan for reviving the Bhikkhuni Order in India. She is committed to support equal rights and improving the status of women in Theravada societies.

In her youth, Ven Visakha did Dhamma volunteer work and was greatly inspired by Dr Ambedker. She became an anagarika in 1964 and a samaneri in 1967 under the guidance of Ven Saddhananda Samadhi who taught tranquility meditation. She then started to share with the villagers about the Dhamma and also volunteered for six years, in the publishing of Dhamma materials.

With the help of her teacher, she built a temple in Thiroda village which took them four years to complete. In 1990, they built the Mahaprajapati Bhikkhuni Vihara, also known as the All Indian Bhikkhuni Centre and completed it in 2006. She was assisted by Ven Katyayani and Ven Seelachara and other devotees. She became the President of the All Indian Bhikkhuni Sangha.

Ud 3.8 PTS: Pinda Sutta: Alms

The monk going for alms,
supporting himself and no other:
The devas adore one who is Such
if he's not intent
on fame & praise.

International Bhikkhuni Day, 2014 (Part 15)

Honouring Eminent Asian Buddhist Women in the Modern Era
D. Courage and Resilience in Spiritual Practice in Challenging Conditions

1. Mongolia – Ven Amaa (1905-2010)

Spiritual Development

Ven Amaa’s father and grandfather were accomplished lamas. She was a forest meditator since her twenties. During Stalin’s communist regime, Buddhists were persecuted and many Lamas were killed or disrobed. Ven Amaa and a group of yogis, lead by Tibetan master, Lama Zundui, had to practice secretly for two years in caves and cemeteries, hiding under the cover of darkness and dressed in lay clothing.

Buddhism and Science

International Bhikkhuni Day, 2014 (Part 14)

Honouring Eminent Asian Buddhist Women in the Modern Era

C. Buddhism Beyong Borders: Engaged Buddhism - Compassion in Action

6. Malaysia – Ven Sayalay Susīlā (1963 - ) is born in Pahang, Malaysia. Sayalay studied at the University of Science Malaysia, where she obtained a degree in mass communications in 1988. As a student there, she developed a keen interest in insight meditation. Upon graduation, Sayalay worked as a high school teacher for a year and a half. But disenchanted with worldly matters and desiring to be dedicated to the practice, she resigned from her job to take up meditation full time.

A treasure

"And what is the treasure of generosity? There is the case of a disciple of the noble ones, his awareness cleansed of the stain of stinginess, living at home, freely generous, openhanded, delighting in being magnanimous, responsive to requests, delighting in the distribution of alms. This is called the treasure of generosity." AN 7.6