The Theravada Buddhist nuns of California

Ayya Tathaloka (bhikkhuni.net); Dhr. Seven, Ashley Wells, Wisdom Quarterly

Invitation/program: Sept. 2016-2017: 2600 Year Anniversary of Bhikkhuni Sangha

July 16 and 17, 2016: Friends and Supporters Welcome to Opening Blessings of New Dhammadharini Bhikkhuni Monastery

Letter from Ayya Tathaloka
Letter from Ayya Tathaaloka Bhikkhuni

Mural from Wat Pho Buddhist temple, Thailand. (Ven. Anandajoti Bhikkhu)

All dear Venerables and Dhamma Friends,

 

Warm greetings of mettā for the Chinese Lunar New Year. I have emerged from my period of secluded winter retreat a few days ago, refreshed and most grateful and appreciative for the excellence of this opportunity in this life.

 

I have some important news to share with you. Many of you know me as something of a historian or “her-storian” of our Bhikkhunī Sangha. This is historical – in our lifetimes.

 

This coming year, from the 2016 September full moon to the 2017 September full moon, is the 2600-year Anniversary of our worldwide Buddhist Nuns' Order (Bhikkhunī Sangha).

 

This is according to Theravāda/Pāli text tradition counting, which includes three factors: (1) the Thai Theravāda Buddhist Era calendar, together with (2) the traditional Sri Lankan Theravāda commemorative date of Bhikkhunī Sangha’s founding (Nikini Poya/September full moon), plus (3) the year of founding of Bhikkhuni Sangha found in the Pali-text Canonical Khuddaka Nikāya Therī Apadāna, five years after the founding of the Bhikkhu Sangha.