Female Monks In Buddhism Bhikkhuni in Buddhism The meaning of
the term ‘Bhikkhuni’ The name bhikkhuni refers to a fully
ordained Buddhist nun i.e. a woman who has taken higher
ordination (upasampada) in the Buddhist monastic community.
Bhikkhunis of the Theravada tradition observe the 311 precepts.
They live a simple life, equal to that of a bhikkhu or monk, but
quite different from that of other women. A bhikkhuni wears
orange robes, shaves her head, lives near the Sangha (a monastic
commnuity), learns and practises the Buddha’s teaching and
listens to Dhamma talks every 15 days. [Dhammapitaka, Buddhist
Dictionary] The First Bhikkhuni Palikambhiculavagga, Vinaya of
Bhikkhunikhandhaka and Palikambhi-anggutaranikaya Atthakanibata
of the Gotami Sutta says in detail: After the Buddha had
cremated his father, King Suddhodana, he stayed at
Viharanigoradharam, in Kapilavattu city. One day Maha Pajapati
Gotami, his foster mother, went to see him. She paid her
respects to him, sat one side and said, “Lord Buddha, wou