Female Buddhist monks are ordained, despite Thailand’s ban

Originally published October 20, 2015 at 9:19 am Updated October 20, 2015 at 9:27 am

Dhammananda Bhikkhuni (in her lay life named Chatsumarn Kabilsingh), 71, prays during evening chanting and prayer at the Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery, in Nakhon Pathom, about 80 km west of Bangkok, Thailand, September 19, 2015. Abbess Dhammananda is the first Thai female to be ordained a bhikkhuni in the Theravada monastic lineage. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Dhammananda Bhikkhuni (in her lay life named Chatsumarn Kabilsingh), 70, walks past a statue of her mother who founded the monastery and was also an ordained Bhikkhuni in the Mahayana lineage, at the Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery in Nakhon Pathom, situated about 80 km west from Bangkok, Thailand, September 20, 2015. Abbess Dhammananda is the first Thai female to be ordained a bhikkhuni in the Theravada monastic lineage. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Female Bhikkhunni practice Qigong exercises inside the Medicine Buddha hall, at Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery in Nakhon Pathom, about 80 km west of Bangkok, Thailand, September 20, 2015. Bhikkhunis wear orange robes, rise before dawn, chant and pray, meditate, learn and read Bhudda’s dhamma, and study the ancient language of Pali. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

A female bhikkhuni is reflected in the water of a lily pond as she performs community service gardening at Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery in Nakhon Pathom, situated about 80 km west from Bangkok, Thailand, September 19, 2015. At the monastery, life is dedicated to the Buddha’s teachings, rules and precepts as well as community service. The hard and concentrated life of bhikkhuni in Thailand is similar to that of male monks. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

A female Bhikkhuni from Maharashtra, India hangs to dry the orange robes of the female monks after washing, at Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery in Nakhon Pathom, situated about 80 km west from Bangkok, Thailand, September 20, 2015. Visiting bhikkhunis from Vietnam and India are among those from other international countries spending time at the monastery, training and studying the dhamma at the Buddhist training center. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Thai women kneel in prayer on a bridge as they receive blessings from female Thai and foreign bhikkhuni and monastics, during the dawn alms rounds, in Nakhon Pathom, about 80 km west of Bangkok, Thailand, September 20, 2015. Bhikkhunis walk among the community for alms, live in poverty, eat a simple vegetarian diet, and only may eat before noon each day. They shave their heads and live in a disciplined respectful community, called sangha. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Female Buddhist monastics pray before their alms bowls containing food after the morning alms rounds and before they eat, at the Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery in Nakhon Pathom, situated about 80 km west from Bangkok, Thailand, September 20, 2015. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Dhammaviriya Bhikkhuni, who is in charge of robes and other sewing needs, helps stuff a mattress for use at Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama in Nakhon Pathom, situated about 80 km west from Bangkok, Thailand, September 3, 2015. The monastic students and bhikkhunis must sleep low on the floor in a simple fashion. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Female Buddhist bhikkhuni carry vegetarian food before their meal, down a staircase at Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery in Nakhon Pathom, situated about 80 km west from Bangkok, Thailand, September 20, 2015. Bhikkhunis walk among the community for alms, live in poverty, eat a simple vegetarian diet, and only may eat before noon each day. They shave their heads and live in a disciplined respectful community, called sangha. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

A female bhikhunni rings the bell for the morning meal at the Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery in Nakhon Pathom, about 80 km west of Bangkok, Thailand, September 20, 2015. Bhikkhunis walk among the community for alms, live in poverty, eat a simple vegetarian diet, and only may eat before noon each day. They shave their heads and live in a disciplined respectful community, called sangha. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Female Thai and foreign bhikkhuni (monks) and monastics walk with their monks bowls on the early morning alms rounds outside the gates of Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery, in Nakhon Pathom, about 80 km west of Bangkok, Thailand, September 20, 2015. Bhikkhunis walk among the community for alms, live in poverty, eat a simple vegetarian diet, and only may eat before noon each day. They shave their heads and live in a disciplined respectful community, called sangha. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Female Buddhist monastics bhikkhuni and those in training, seen in white Jeanine Villareal (R) from France who has come to the monastery to ask to be accepted to train as a female Buddhist monk, pray during evening chanting and prayer, at the Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery in Nakhon Pathom, situated about 80 km west from Bangkok, in Nakhom Pathom, Thailand, September 19, 2015. Visiting bhikkhunis from Vietnam and India are among those from other international countries spending time at the monastery, training and studying the dhamma at the Buddhist training center. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Female Buddhist monastics Dhammabhinna Sikkhamana (L) thanks Dhammakaruna Sikkhamana (R) for helping to fold her robe at Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery, in Nakhon Pathom, about 80 km west of Bangkok, Thailand, September 19, 2015. Sikkhamana’s face years of rigid study and a disciplined life to be able to become a bhikkhuni under the guidance of Abbess Dhammananda, the first Thai female to be ordained a bhikkhuni in the Theravada monastic lineage. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Female Buddhist Bhikkhunni and monastics from Malaysia and India join Thai bhikkunis during qigong practice inside the Medicine Buddha hall, at Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery in Nakhon Pathom, about 80 km west of Bangkok, Thailand, September 20, 2015. Visiting bhikkhunis from Vietnam and India are among those from other international countries spending time at the monastery, training and studying the dhamma at the Buddhist training center. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Female Buddhist Sikkhamana carry a painting of a famous 3rd century Bhikkhuni and her followers, at Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery in Nakhon Pathom, about 80 km west of Bangkok, Thailand, September 19, 2015. Women in the process of becoming fully ordained bhikkunis, a process that can take two years at minimum, are called sikkhamanas. Others called samaneris are new initiates, being tested for their suitability and commitment for the hard dedicated path ahead. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Dhammananda Bhikkhuni (in her lay life named Chatsumarn Kabilsingh), 70, greets her grand-child Voramant, one and a half, at Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery in Nakhon Pathom, situated about 80 km west from Bangkok, Thailand, September 3, 2015. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni is the first Thai female to be ordained a bhikkhuni (female monk) in the Theravada monastic lineage. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Abbess of the monastery Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama, Dhammananda Bhikkhuni (in her lay life named Chatsumarn Kabilsingh), 70, poses for photographs, in Nakhon Pathom, situated about 80 km west from Bangkok, Thailand, September 3, 2015. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni is the first Thai female to be ordained a bhikkhuni (female monk) in the Theravada monastic lineage. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Dhammananda Bhikkhuni (in her lay life named Chatsumarn Kabilsingh), 70, seated R, with female Buddhist monastics pray before the Medicine Buddha, at the Songdhammakalyani Bhikkhuni Arama monastery in Nakhon Pathom, situated about 80 km west from Bangkok, Thailand, September 20, 2015. Abbess Dhammananda is the first Thai female to be ordained a bhikkhuni in the Theravada monastic lineage. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

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Despite the ban, there are more than 100 bhikkhuni, or female Buddhist monks, who live a monastic life in Thailand, fulfilling their spiritual aspirations in monasteries for bhikkhuni sanghas (female monk communities).

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Courtney Riffkin

Seattle Times photo staff

Courtney Riffkin: 206-464-2203 or criffkin@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @SeaTimesPhoto.