Despite the Covid-19 crisis, there will be tho Bhikkhuni Upasampada this month in the USA!
There will be one at Empty Cloud Monastery in New Jersey and one at Aloka Vihara in California.
The events will be kept small because of the Corona crisis and only the minimum number of monastics will attend.
At Empty Cloud Monastery, 5 Samaneris will receive Bhikkhuni ordination on 19th September. 4 of them are from Heartwood Monastery in North Carolina and the other is Ven. Soma!
On September 26th, Samaneri Dhammadipa, who is resident at Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery, will take Upasampada at their outdoor sima.
Congratulations to all new Bhikkhunis! We are grateful to the ordaining sangha for gathering during this time to confer Bhikkhuni ordination despite challenging conditions. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!
For me this is a difficult question to answer but the Upasampada will be held using the Pali Vinaya.
Personally I do not feel affiliated to any particular ātraditionā other then simply following the Buddhaās teachings. I took Anagarika ordination in a small monastery in Germany, Samaneri ordination in Dhammasara in Perth and full ordination in a Sri Lankan temple in LA. Bhante Sujato has been the main influence on the way I view the Buddhist teachings. So what does that make me? I feel that putting people in any kind of division is not always helpful and more a result of patriarchy than anything else. At the time of the Buddha there were no ātraditionsā. Everybody practices the Buddhaās teachings in the way they feel is best for their own development at that time and over time views will change and other teachings and teachers will become more helpful.
So, in terms of Vinaya lineage you are mostly aligned with the Theravadin Pali Vinaya then, right?
Does it make sense to mix or equate exegetical tradition / preferences with Vinaya lineage?
Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu! May all human beings have the requisites for the best possible use of human life, food shelter clothing training, may they have support of aspirations for the Holy life.
Agreed! And to that end Iād like to leave a few links here for those whoād like to support these new Bhikkhunis and help ensure they do have the requisites they need:
Ayya Soma, and Empty Cloud Monastery, can be supported through her organization, Buddhist Insights.
Such a blessing to have the opportunity to witness five bhikkunī ordinations! And I have to say, the sight of ten bhikkhus and ten bhikkhunīs (all from different lineages and traditions) really warmed the heart