BOOK DOWNLOAD HERE (click link):
Walking in the Sunshine of the Bhikkhunis: A Biography of Ranjani de Silva, the Woman Behind the Bhikkhuni Revival
Ranjani_bio_for_web_final_compressed.pdf (6.4 MB)
December 8 this year will mark the 25th anniversary of the 1996 Sarnath Bhikkhuni ordination, which saw ten Sri Lankan nuns ordain as bhikkhunis with international co-operation between the Mahabodhi Society (India) and leaders of the Korean Buddhist sangha. This was a pivotal ordination which changed the course of history for Theravada women, the flow-on effects of which are still being felt today.
Among the key figures responsible for the 1996 ordination, Ranjani de Silvaās contributions are noteworthy. In addition to supporting countless nuns to ordain, she had been the bowl and robe donor for both Ayya Kusuma (first modern Theravada bhikkhuni in Sri Lanka) and Ayya Dhammananda (first modern Theravada bhikkhuni in Thailand). The Sakyadhita Centre which she had founded was a key contributor to the growth of the local Sri Lankan and international bhikkhuni sanghas, also being the main location of Thai bhikkhuni ordinations until very recently. Ranjani is familiar to many bhikkhunis, such as forum member Ven. @Charlotteannun, as the supporter who was behind them to make their ordinations possible. (Sheās also well-known to the Newbury and BSV community for her lively and loving personality in general).
Due to interest from local media, Iāve moved the release date forward. I hope many forum participants can join us in celebrating the contributions of Ranjani de Silva. There are too many people to thank, including forum member and wellspring of bhikkhuni knowledge, Ven. @TathaalokaBhikkhuni. This took me a couple of years to write and Sakyadhita International President, the University of Seattleās Dr. Sharon Suh says itās a āmust-readā if you are interested in women and Buddhism. So I hope it can benefit at least some of you & do justice to Ranjaniās contributions.
Many thanks again to the support of Newbury Buddhist Monastery and the Buddhist Cultural Centre, Sri Lanka (as well as local Sydney Mettarama supporters), in helping to make the free pdf possible. Print copies will be available from the Buddhist Cultural Centre at a later date TBA.
This book was written at the request of my bhikkhuni mentor, Ayya Upekkha