Varanggana Vanavichayen is the first Bhikkhuni ordained in

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

Life

Vanavichayen worked as a translator, and then as a secretary. She was married and had two children, but divorced her husband in order to maintain a vow of celibacy. She became a novice for nine years, prior to becoming a Bhikkhuni.

Ordination

In 2002, at 55, Vanavichayen became the first Bhikkhuni ordained in Thailand. She was ordained by a

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

n Bhikkhuni, and in the presence of a male Thai monk, as in accordance with Thai interpretation of

Theravada ''Theravāda'' () ( si, ථේරවාදය, my, ထေရဝါဒ, th, เถรวาท, km, ថេរវាទ, lo, ເຖຣະວາດ, pi, , ) is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school' ...

scripture. The scriptures require that both a male and female monk be present in order for a woman to be ordained a monk. Seven female monks were in attendance as well. Vanavichayen was ordained in

Songdhammakalyani Monastery Songdhammakalyani Monastery ( th, ทรงธรรมกัลยาณีภิกษุณีอาราม; ) is a temple and monastery of Bhikkhuni in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. It was founded in 1960 by Ven. Ta Tao Fa Tzu (born Voramai Kabi ...

, headed by

Dhammananda Bhikkhuni Dhammananda Bhikkhuni ( th, ธัมมนันทา; ), born Chatsumarn Kabilsingh ( th, ฉัตรสุมาลย์ กบิลสิงห์; ) or Chatsumarn Kabilsingh Shatsena ( th, ฉัตรสุมาลย์ กบิ� ...

(born Chatsumarn Kabilsingh), a female monk who created controversy when she was ordained as a monk in Sri Lanka and returned to Thailand. Her temple and ordination are not recognized by the Thai government. Upon Vanavichayen's ordination, she was quoted as saying, "I know that there might be resistance. But I am prepared, knowing that I am doing the right thing." The Thai government's Deputy Chief of the Religious Affairs Department said that Vanavichayen would not be recognized as a monk. This created a problem, as the Thai constitution prohibits gender discrimination, but anyone that dresses as a monk that is not a monk faces a two-month jail sentence.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vanavichayen, Varanggana Varanggana Vanavichayen 21st-century Buddhist nuns Living people Year of birth missing (living people)