Phalañānī Bhikkhuni, Women's Day

A little late for Women’s Day, but here’s a nice image from Phalañānī Bhikkhuni’s Facebook page:

https://scontent.fwlg1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/17201111_1372518939488870_2610443449571851848_n.jpg?oh=083fcef65d4d44fa523f8715de39c15a&oe=592FE12B

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Thanks for sharing. I’m sure there’s some philosophical understanding I’m missing, because I don’t understand the message, but so happy to see Ayya! :pray: A great inspiration!! :lotus:

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@Cara, if you’re referring to the ‘not inferior, superior or equal’ part, it’s a reference to one who has eradicated conceit or asmimāna (which would be an arahant), and no longer sees at all in terms of ‘I am’ (which is what asmimāna means), a self in reference to another whether superior, equal or inferior. The way we use ‘conceit’ in English would just be the very coarsest form. We all ‘have’ ‘asmimāna’ unless fully awakened. It’s one of the fetters (in the last group of five) which is only eradicated with arahanthood.

So I assume Phalañānī Bhikkhuni was using this reference as a play on words, so to speak, to make a comment about Bhikkhunis & Bhikkus (and not to imply that she had eradicated asmimāna!)

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Ah yes, thank you @Linda! I didn’t see that phrased in this way! Interesting!

Apparently she’s off on a trip to Germany.

https://scontent.fwlg1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/17155701_10210717302202915_2669529658769678339_n.jpg?oh=0d16f881979f915c7c934c5d354e8529&oe=5968EE68

I spent a day up on her mountain January of last year, while staying at a meditation Wat down in the valley below (north of Chiang Mai). She’s the only Theravada Bhikkhuni I’ve had the chance of having a serious conversation with, and it made me realise that the “Just Different” is important. I’d always liked Ayya Vayama, and I’ve been listening to her talks again over the past few months: Buddhist Teachings Meditation Podcast Video Buddhism Free Talks
I’ve also been accepting more invitations to event at my local Fo Guang Shan Temple, where all the monastics are female.

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:pray: May Ayya be well!
Yes, I spent one of the best week’s of my life at Wat Khun Pang. I still daydream about it when stuck at work :laughing: Ayya truly inspired me. And the environment is quite good!

That’s interesting, may I ask you what made you think that?

Partly that women often have some different perspectives. Also, I have to be more mindful around Bhikkhunis than around Bhikkhus, which I think is a helpful training.

I think that in general it is very helpful for both men and women to see a range of exemplars of both genders in all areas of life. It reduces speculation about “how would a woman/man perform in that role?”

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